The Hunger Games & Stepford Wives: Reality Shows

This is a great scene to start a conversation class about reality shows. The scene is funny and not about any specific reality show, which can be a neutral view on the issue. 

 

I. Work in pairs and discuss the following questions.


1. Do you like reality shows? Why (not)?

2. What are your favorite ones? Which one do you dislike?

3. Why are reality shows becoming increasingly popular?

4. What kinds of reality shows are there?

5. Would you ever participate in a reality show? If so, in which one (or kind)?


II. Write the name of the reality shows next to their descriptions. If you don't know the shows, make guesses inferring from the information presented in the logos.















1. ............................. Teams of two people who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams.

2. ............................. Contestants are isolated in the wilderness and compete for cash and other prizes.

3. ............................. Two families, usually from vastly different social classes and lifestyles, swap wives/mothers (and sometimes husbands) for two weeks.

4. ............................. A group of people live together in a large house, isolated from the outside world but continuously watched by television cameras.

5. ............................. A number of customers along with their motivations for choosing their tattoos. In addition, there is some focus on the personal lives of the artists.

6. ............................. The program seeks to discover the best singer in the country through a series of nation-wide auditions.

7. .............................. The program uses progressive elimination to reduce the initial field of 12 or more fashion designers down to 3 before the final challenge.

8. .............................. A red team and a blue team competing in various cooking challenges for most of the season.

9. ............................... Dancers audition for a ticket to go on to the next round.

10. ............................ The show's producers coordinate with a local construction contractor, which then coordinates with various companies in the building trades for a makeover of a family's home.

11. ............................ A hidden camera show that puts unsuspecting victims into terrifying situations.


III. Watch the movie segment and answer the questions that follow.





1. What is the name of the new reality show in the segment? Why is it named this way?

2. What does it do to people's lives?

3. What kind of reality show is it?

4. What happened to the character in the movie who went to this show?

5. Are the TV producers responsible for his acts? Why (not)?

6. Do you think TVs can put on any kind of reality show as long as participants agree on the rules? Justify your answer.

7. Do you think this reality show would be successful where you live? Why (not)?

8. Which of the reality shows in exercise II you are familiar with? Which one is your favorite? Would you participate in any of them? Why (not)?


 Watch the segment from the movie The Hunger Games and discuss the questions.

1. What kind of reality show is that?

2. Is it really a reality show? Why do you think so?

3. How authentic is it? Or is it manipulative? Are the characters acting naturally? Explain it.

4. Would you follow such a show?

5. What can you say about the participants?  

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE STEPFORD WIVES

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE HUNGER GAMES