Reality Show or Relationship Saver?
Katye Gilliland
February 26, 2010
Filed under A & E
The reputation of reality shows is that of set-up fights, bad language, and over-used themes. Many reality shows have tried to change this reputation with some-what changed themes. Yes, there’s still fighting and cussing, but without this there would be no interest, right? “To be honest, the fights make the show,” Junior Bradley Green admits.
One show that is out to fix things, instead of breaking them, is Tool Academy. The show on VH1, which has aired for two seasons now, thought that t.v. needy a relationship boot camp.
Tool Academy is a show were un-expecting “tools” are sent to a boot camp by their significant others. In the past two seasons, the tool academy boot camp was limited to male contestants who thought they were in the running for “Mr. Awesome.” This season however, the tools are not limited to males; there are two females in the boot camp. The show sets up many sessions with a relationship therapist, Trina who councils the group of couples and tells them what their problems are and how to fix them. The couples then compete in games that are centered around a central idea for that week, such as: infidelity, honesty, communication, intimacy, etc. The winning couple wins a special date and an over-night stay.
For the girls, the chance to win a date is the best prize, for the guys, it’s the over-night stay…keep in mind that they are isolated in separate houses from their significant others. (Ulterior motives to winning the challenge?) After the challenge and the assessment of their relationship, they are then subjected to elimination. One tool is eliminated and he (and now she) will have to face his/her partner. The ball is in their partner’s court, they have to choose if they want to stay in the relationship or choose to walk away.
The end result is often a break up, considering that Tool Academy is a last-ditch effort to salvage a broken relationship. Senior Liz Towles believes that she would walk away, “if my boyfriend could not survive a boot camp like Tool Academy, he doesn’t deserve me.”
However, the show did result in the marriage of season 1’s winners, Josh and Ashley. After winning the $100,000 grand prize, Josh proposed to Ashley and she said yes.
Although Tool Academy is set up to save relationships, fights and cussing are big parts. The emotions run high and there is a lot of slapping and screaming. The girls hear really bad things about their boyfriends and the first response is often a slap in the face.
The tools also often engage in full on fist fights. In season one, they often fought about whose girl was less of a “garden tool.” It’s definitely no surprise that the men stick up for their women, tools or not. Whether the show actually achieved its goal, and saved a relationship, that’s left to the imagination because as soon as the camera goes off, we never know what really happens. We can assume that they stay together or stay broken up after the limo pulls out of the drive, but we don’t really have any idea. Sophomore Caroline Foss doesn’t care. “The couples’ relationship really makes no difference to me, I just like watching the show.”
In the end Tool Academy may be just another lame reality show, but regardless, it’s interesting to watch.
