Sunday, May 25, 2008

Mormon Reality Shows

I can barely tolerate watching Reality shows on TV. The only time I watch them is when I need some new ideas for Seminary games (for example, an adaptation of "Survivor" is a GREAT Scripture Chase game!) My favorite activity, on the other hand, is picking at Mormon themes. So if producers were ever (in an alternate universe) to attempt to interest my demographic, they might choose to air some of the following Mormon Reality Shows:

Council of the Twelve TV
The viewer is given a glimpse inside meetings of the Twelve. They discuss such themes as whether the time is right for giving women the priesthood, who to call as the next Apostle, and who will draw the assignment to visit inner-city Chicago.

Who Wants to be a Stake President?
Real-life bishops are filmed as they implement strategies to improve home teaching, increase temple attendance, and safeguard the morality of the youth.

America's Next Top Mormon
Contestants compete in categories such as Sacrament Meeting solo numbers, Hymn composing, leading Primary Singing Time, and Forming a Ward Choir with the capability of singing four-part harmony. Disaffected Mormons critique their efforts.

The Church Office Building
We learn about the daily drama that goes on in the lives of those who work in the Church Office Building.

What Mormon Reality Shows would you turn the TV on for?

14 comments:

S.Faux said...

One obvious program might be to follow around pairs of young missionaries. The program would be an amazing combination of the spiritual with the absolute zany.

An adaptation of Survivor could be made in Nauvoo. Who can live like a pioneer in a log cabin eating only weird homegrown plants and fresh squirrel?

Finally, (and I am not sure I could stomach this one, but my wife could): "The Life of Donny and Marie." The show could be a good mix of singing during Family Home Evening, musically expressed squabbles, fist fights, and whining -- the Mormon version of the Hulk Hogan reality show.

M said...

America's Next Top Mormon gets my vote. Last night, as I was trying to sleep and couldn't (you know, brain whirring), I thought of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake County: Dishing dirt and Jello."

I like Faux's Pioneer Survivor. I think they should have to dress authentically too.

M said...

Ok BiV, I'm giving this a whirl:

AI

M said...

Woo, woo!! Doin' a little dance!

M said...

I love this, Are we simply better at singing than other Christian Denominations?
Seriously, have they been to a Sacrament meeting? Sometimes (my own performance DEFINITELY included) it's just painful!

M said...

Thanks for the HTML lesson. I can almost do it now without my crib sheet (but ask me tomorrow and the answer may be different).

The Faithful Dissident said...

I'd like to see an LDS version of "The Bachelor." 25 catty BYU chicks fighting over a hunky RM. Honestly, there could be some pretty good drama there.

An FLDS version, on the other hand, would be boring because no one would get cut.

M said...

Wouldn't the LDS version of the Bachelor just be a singles' ward?

The Faithful Dissident said...

Good point, Maraiya. Would be kind of fun to lock them all up in a stake centre until 25 becomes just 1. Just let them out to go on group dates to Temple Square or an overnight date to Boise, with a chaperone of course. :)

RoeH said...

And I thought I was the only one of the planet sick of reality shows. I am SO tired of them. But...everything has a plus and some of these ideas are great.

Tim said...

The Nursery--
Ask one unprepared person to be in the Nursery for two hours by themselves. See what they'll do to calm the children down and survive.

M said...

My worry is that the elimination might be via ambulance! Those singles wards can get nasty! Drama, drama, drama. Seriously though, I think the Mormon version would totally kill off that other version.

I like the nursery idea - maybe we could have different levels. Round 1 is just the initiation. Then, in Round 2, we take away snacks. Round 3, we could take all the toys except for a wide array of hand puppets. Round 4, they have to teach a lesson. And a song. And get them all to stay on their mats during "class time." Mwhahahaha. I'm loving this a little too much.

Anonymous said...

What about a trading places type show where the stake president and the Nursery leader take over eachother's callings to see who lasts longer. That would be a fascinating social experiment.

littlemissattitude said...

What doc said.

Although it is probably inevitable that the Stake President would go down way before the nursery leader.

;)