GAD: New night, same annoying humans
Wonderful as those "Greatest American Dogs" are, should we really have to put up with all those greatly annoying humans on the show?
That's the question Anita Gates asks in a review of the new reality show.
"As the fourth episode is broadcast on Wednesday (the show has been moved from Thursday nights to Wednesdays), I am resigned to the producers’ intent to make the series “Most Annoying American Dog Owner” instead," she writes. "Clearly somebody was inspired more by Christopher Guest’s comic film “Best in Show,” a study in human inanity, than by a love of animals."
While calling reality shows "one of the most hideous, soul-destroying genres ever hatched," Gates goes on to point out that GAD has had some good moments, "like the first time Elvis, the scrappy Parson Russell terrier from New York, and Andrew, the silky-haired, 10-pound Maltese from Virginia, play together on the lawn, running their little legs off."
She calls Brandy, a California fashion designer, the Omarosa (villainous contestant on “The Apprentice”) of the group. “I won’t tolerate anybody touching my dog,” she announced in the first episode.
All in all though, Gates wants more footage of dogs, less of dog owners, and she particularly likes the relay races, Frisbee catching, hoop-jumping, chutes and mazes.
"Note to producers: More of this, please.," she writes. "If you’re hoping to win doting dog lovers as viewers, take the cameras off the owners and point them toward the pets."
Comments
I dislike any competitve use of animals. It brings out the worst in people and the animals will suffer,
Posted by: bluhawkk | July 30, 2008 2:23 PM
I liked the show's concept (not necessarily it’s execution)– but mostly the dogs so much I created a song especially for all the great American dogs out there. Check it out at http://www.musicforanimals.org It's a free download, it's fun and it's for all the dogs that mean so much to all of us dog lovers. Dogs Rule!
Posted by: Skip Haynes | July 30, 2008 6:00 PM
If there's a dog in it, I'll watch any stupid (or sometimes clever) ad. I even look at print ads if there's a pooch in the picture. However, it turns out that not even dogs can save "reality" TV! I watched about 15 minutes of the first episode of "The Greatest American Dog" before picking up a library book. Does anyone really have time to spend watching insipid people talk about themselves with dogs wandering around in the background?
Posted by: Mary Schmidt | July 30, 2008 7:38 PM
Sorry, really, really hated what I saw of the show, so I have to bark on...
An excellent dog show would be film of dogs and owners in your parks there in Baltimore or in any dog park. Real dogs and real people out in the world. PBS already did a good documentary about a bearded collie and a bloodhound being retrained for work and spared from euthanasia--almost any documentary showing a dog and a human involved in training together would have drama, comedy, and warmth. Why does network TV have to broadcast programming akin to something I'd need to pick up in a plastic bag and deposit in the park's trash receptacle?
Posted by: Mary Schmidt | July 30, 2008 7:46 PM
I watch part of the episode last night. The person who sprayed grapefruit juice in her dogs face and received a well deserved bite, and then put a rubberband over the dogs mouth and teeth, should have been tossed out.
Posted by: bluhawkk | July 31, 2008 5:53 AM
bluhawkk: "I watch part of the episode last night. The person who sprayed grapefruit juice in her dogs face and received a well deserved bite, and then put a rubberband over the dogs mouth and teeth, should have been tossed out."
What??? I've never watched the show and don't intend to. They actually allowed someone to do this for this insipid show??? She should also be charged with animal cruelty. Citrus really hurts if it gets in your eyes, and the rubber band over the mouth is just cruel. Animals have been found dead that way. I don't care if it was for even a minute, in this case. What does she (and some of the others) do when no one is watching!!!
By the way, I completely agree with bluhawkk's first comment on competitive use of animals. Don't like it at all.
Posted by: Linda | July 31, 2008 8:05 PM