Saturday, September 19, 2009

A New Low In Reality Television

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rzEJ-gNhddDP68UtTQ1T0LG-o1V-EzDck2naUqVZAMCLI8i0L2gDlbxlI6m_WeykWRKGHWQE0DtWiJOkmD451J45jxRxNbPBxUDfqRrDlKV8dH6DWTv3_OYaNiabC8oVpQKUQFuNL64/s320/103_Janelle%252C_baby%252C_Mimi.jpg
(this is a still from the one I'm watching right now.)

...or is it a documentary? I'm referring to the new television series "Adoption Diaries," an episode of which I am watching right now. I'm a bit flabbergasted by the show's goal to condense the entire length of a pregnancy, an adoption application process, and the placement of a baby with an adoptive family into one half-hour segment. It's so short, in fact, they throw in another segment of another adoption process just to make the program last a whole hour.

So one adoption isn't worth even one hour on television? What is the takeaway message from this show, then? It's all neat and tidy and wrap-up-able in thirty minutes?

They do show some of the uncertainty and sadness that the birthmothers feel, but the show definitely seems slanted toward the experience of the adopting family.

The whole thing seems really gross and exploitive to me. UGH.

This just in: I just watched a commercial about the show that comes on AFTER "Adoption Diaries" . It's called "The Locator," and it's about--you guessed it--a guy who helps family members reunite after they've been separated for decades by adoption and other such situations.
Unbelievable. Really, now.

2 comments:

Heather said...

Both shows are by the same production company, too. They're linked by a lot more than just timeslot. Someone's realized there's money to be made in exploiting adoption's emotions.

That Adoption Diaries show makes me so mad I want to throw something. It's unbelievably slanted toward the adopting parents and perpetuates the idea that adoption ends at placement, when really there are a whole lot of years ahead for all those folks. I watched the first episode online and literally felt ill. The fact that an agency would agree to participate in it appalls me.

Andrea said...

Oh, Heather, you've said it so well. I'm very glad to hear that an adoptive mom (you) has the same feelings about this stupid show as an adult adoptee (me). Rock on.