We all know that reality television isn't really "real," it's highly edited and therefore lies some distance from the real. It's important, I think, as with all television shows, to be able to differentiate between what we're being shown and what the "truth" of the situation is. With Last Restaurant Standing opting to somehow, in a very unclear way, edit two nights of dinner service down so that it appears to be one night, I become lost. I simply don't know how to work backwards and come to something closer to the "truth" of what happened.
It leaves me very disjointed. I enjoy the show, but I end up scratching my head trying to figure out what has taken place that I haven't witnessed. A simple little explanation of how the elements are sifted in order to create a single whole or never, ever, referring to their being two nights of dinner service if I only see one, would go such a long way to making me feel a whole lot more comfortable.
I don't think that television should ever just be allowed to "wash over" you. I don't for a moment think of it as a passive medium. Good television is engaging, it causes viewers to think and wonder and contemplate. I have a great deal of trouble when a show seems to, purposefully, make that contemplation more difficult. Sure, I'm engaging with the show right here and now, but it's not the sort of fruitful discussion I would have it be. I'm not going to stop watching Last Restaurant Standing because of it, I just wish it were different.
Article comments
1 - victoria
they never hide that they are judging two services.... They only judge one service in person and the second service on numbers and profit made... Gives them a larger view of the weekend.
Smart? No not really
2 - Dave
I must be simple minded. I never caught there were two service nights.
3 - Angela
What bothers me more is the latest NBC program that is premiering tonight, Chopping Block. Why can't NBC just refer to it as the American version of the BBC program Last Restaurant Standing? Now, I probably will watch the program, since I want to see how Americans react to Marco Pierre White.
4 - scharabo
Yes, the couples are told to wear the same clothing both nights. From another site apparently they aren't even allowed into the restaurant without a film crew being present.
I get the impression each couples taping is edited down and then reviewed by the judging panel before meeting with the individual couples.
Anyone dining there has to sign an appearance release form.
I didn't see LRS Season 1 but understand it was far more focused on profitability than Season 2 - which seems more focused on marketing. I wonder what Season 3 will be.
A large part of the problem with the program is, from what I understand, it was a full hour when shown on BBC (no commercials). BBCA cut 15-20 minutes of the program to fit in commercials. As such, sometimes scenes from the promo aren't even shown during the episode.
For example, four teams participated in the cooking demo. Yet, it only showed a flash or two of Helen and didn't even say where she was.