Nanny 911
A history of reality television (part eight): Family, work ... and the future
Family and the workplace -- two constants in everyday American society. They are the places where we spend most of our lives. Sometimes we spend more time at one over complaints of the other. Other times, we barely want to spend time at either location.
Because these are so important to many people across this country, it made sense that television would delve into both of these environments during the Reality Revolution. However, since a 60-minute show about a senior technical analyst sitting in his four square-foot cube was not likely to draw in the audience, the reality shows that were created focused on those families and workplaces that were a tad more unique. Thusly, shows were created around well-to-do families, celebrity families, or families with multiple children, while workplace shows dealt in tattoos, motorcycles, hair styling, and house-flipping.
Coming in later than the game operas and relationship shows, these family and workplace programs ushered in a new phase of the Reality Revolution and set the stage for the future of reality programming.
New TV on DVD releases this week
Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.
- The Cosby Show - Seasons 7 and 8
- Deadliest Catch - Season 3
- Def Poetry Jam - Season 3
- Fortysomething - Complete Series
- Hell's Kitchen - Season 1
- The Last Detective - Series 4
- Living with Ed - Season 1
- Matlock - Season 1
- Meerkat Manor - Season 2
- Mythbusters - Collection 3
- Nanny 911 - Season 1
- Perry Mason - 50th Anniversary Set
- Rock of Love with Bret Michaels - Season 1
- Sense & Sensibility - Miniseries
- Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles - Season 6
What's on tonight: Ghost Whisperer, Las Vegas, Law and Order, Smackdown!
At 8, PBS has a new NOW, followed by a new Washington Week. - CBS has a new Ghost Whisperer, then new episodes of Close To Home and Numb3rs.
- NBC has a new 1 vs. 100 at 8, then new episodes of Las Vegas and Law and Order.
- FOX has a new Nanny 911 at 8, then a new Trading Spouses.
- There's a new Smackdown! on The CW at 8.
- Sci-Fi has a marathon of Jake 2.0 starting at 8.
- At 9, ABC repeats the pilot eps of The Knights of Prosperity and In Case of Emergency.
- At 10, Food Network has a new Paula's Party.
What's on tonight: Stargate, Smackdown, Men In Trees, Serenity
At 7, ESPN has the Red Sox vs. the Yankees. As if it matters now. - At 8, FOX has a new Nanny 911, followed by a new Celebrity Duets.
- ABC repeats the Men In Trees pilot at 8, then there's a new episode.
- NBC has a new Dateline at 8.
- UPN has a new Friday Night Smackdown at 8.
- Kill Bill, Volume 1 airs on TNT at 8.
- TLC has two new episodes of Take Home Chef at 8.
- Also at 8: HBO has Serenity.
- At 9, Sci-Fi has a new Stargate SG-1, followed by Stargate Atlantis.
- Funny Friends repeat at 10, the one where Eddie moves in with Chandler. It's on TBS.
- At 11, HBO has a new Real Time With Bill Maher, with Pat Buchanan, actor Michael McKean, national security expert Clark Kent Ervin, and Gloria Steinem.
What's on tonight: new Monk, Ghost Whisperer, Las Vegas, Conviction
PBS has new eps of NOW and Washington
Week. Check local listings.- At 8pm, FOX has new eps of Nanny 911 and Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy.
- ABC has a repeat America's Funniest Home Videos, then new eps of In Justice and 20/20.
- CBS has a new Ghost Whisperer at 8, followed by new eps of Closer To Home and Numb3rs.
- NBC has Deal Or No Deal yet again, followed by new episodes of Las Vegas and Conviction.
- On the WB, a new ep of What I Like About You, followed by repeats of Living With Fran, Reba, and Reba!
- The Sci-Fi Channel has new eps of Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica.
- 8pm movies: TNT has Saving Private Ryan, while Disney has High School Musical and IFC has Bend It Like Beckham.
- At 9, American Life has Dennis Farina in Crime Story.
- Also at 9: Bravo has a repeat of the Project Runway finale, if you missed it.
- At 10, USA has a new Monk.
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