Is TV real?!?

July 16, 2008 5:54 AM

What are other sites that tell me about the "realness" of television shows?

I love sites that analyze the real-world consequences or accuracy of television shows. I've found sites about the litigation problems Michael Scott would face on The Office, and I've read about how shoddy the medical facts are on House.

What are some other sites that analyze television shows in this way? Specifically, I'd like to read an expert's analysis of The Closer, but really anything similar would be interesting. The key is they have to follow through specific episodes and tell me what's legit and what's total fiction.

As a small aside- if you saw the new episode of The Closer on Monday, was their disgusting method of getting fingerprints based on any part of reality? Thanks!

posted by parkerjackson to education (6 comments total)

Not a site exactly, but there are a series of books that cover assorted Star Trek and X-Files series that do some of this as well as point out production flaws (continuity mistakes, visible microphones, etc.).
posted by mmascolino at 6:25 AM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

What Do Real Thugs Think of The Wire?
posted by breaks the guidelines? at 6:53 AM on July 16, 2008 [6 favorites has favorites]

Re: Monday's The Closer it's similar to any of the forensic shows on TV these days....real in a sense that it can be done but isn't done nearly as often as they show on TV.

Also, I don't know anyone who would go near something like that without gloves in this day and age.
posted by Captain_Science at 7:48 AM on July 16, 2008

And from the comments of breakstheguidelines? link, The Economics of The Wire.
posted by goo at 7:49 AM on July 16, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Regarding your specific question, I've seen that icky/awesome fingerprinting technique on documentary series like Forensic Files.
posted by ultraultraboomerang at 8:07 AM on July 16, 2008

I'm almost 100% sure you and everyone else who reads this has heard of it, but in a similar vein (ie, not television) is Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics, which grades films on their adherence to the laws of physics.

great question!
posted by fishfucker at 8:59 AM on July 16, 2008