Societally, how far away from The Running Man are we?

kvrdave · 02-02-04, 11:25 PM

Just wondering with all the Reality shows on and the need to continually push the envelope because of competition for viewers.

I say 20 years. So long as people consent to being on the show (like in the book, not the movie), I think it will happen.

Corleone · 02-02-04, 11:33 PM

Not soon enough.

Mopower · 02-02-04, 11:35 PM

People getting killed in the game? It will never happen. At least not in my lifetime.

Deftones · 02-02-04, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Corleone
Not soon enough.

exactly. we need to start putting these lifer prison inmates though running man type shows.

maybe they can do a real survivor show like Ray Liott's No Escape flick. I'd pay to see that.

kvrdave · 02-02-04, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Deftones
exactly. we need to start putting these lifer prison inmates though running man type shows.

maybe they can do a real survivor show like Ray Liott's No Escape flick. I'd pay to see that.

Like I said, based on the book. Those were basically poor people who did it to make money for their family. I don't think we will see prisoners as sport any time soon. (70 years).

Josh-da-man · 02-02-04, 11:53 PM

1) You'll never actually see people getting killed on a game show unless some kind of plague wipes out all of the lawyers.

2) If it does happen, it will be on Fox.

Morf · 02-03-04, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mopower
People getting killed in the game? It will never happen. At least not in my lifetime.

Or my children's lifetime. Or their children's...

muggins · 02-03-04, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Morf
Or my children's lifetime. Or their children's...

You seem to be awfully optimistic about the future.

I certainly hope you're right.

Draven · 02-03-04, 09:49 AM

I say within 20 years.

We've already seen some "torture light" with The Chair and The Chamber. Survivor gets pretty graphic about what happens to the contestants bodies. And I could see someone getting killed doing a Fear Factor stunt (don't know if they'd show it though.)

kvrdave · 02-03-04, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Morf
Or my children's lifetime. Or their children's...

See, I think we have started down a slope that will lead us there (which isn't all bad). I am sure people at one time said, "You will never, ever see a bellybutton on tv" and for years it was taboo. "An Inter-racial kiss on TV, not in my lifetime"

Now certainly some of the things that people never thought they would see should be seen (like inter-racial kissing, Quuer Eye for the Straight Guy, etc.). But I am sure that many people said, "Anal sex on TV for $7.99? Not ever!"

It would probably start out as a PPV thing that got a huge crowd of people to protest, people outraged, etc. Over the years we would hear from the contestants family about how he was strung out on crack, but now his daughter was able to go to college with the money, etc. Sure it sounds sick now, but slowly we would start to say, "He volunteered for it, they have safeguards in case he ever decides to quit, etc. so why should he be allowed to? I wouldn't watch it, but I don't think it is my place to stop others from watching it either."

"Dennis Franz's ass on TV, we'll never stoop that low"

Morf · 02-03-04, 11:41 AM

Actually killing/murdering an actual person, in the United States, on air, legally, will never happen with the current laws in place. If a person can't legally commit physician assisted suicide, what hope is there for a Running Man show?

I stand by my prediction. In fact, I will go so far as to say that it won't ever happen as long as the United States exists in one form or another.

Other countries; now that is a different story.

Groucho · 02-03-04, 11:52 AM

There's a huge difference between bellybuttons, inter-racial kisses, and murder. I know you love that slippery slope argument, but I don't see it here.

Y2K Falcon · 02-03-04, 12:04 PM

I've always wondered this:

Does You Gotta See This or Real TV have a 'no one appearing on this show died' rule?

I love how on these shows, they'll show the guy who fell out of an airplane armed with only a handkerchief and a feather, show him plummeting and ending up landing behind some trees, then talk to his wife/friend for 5 minutes (while my wife watches horrified at Bob's demise) before, with about 3 seconds left in the segment showing that Bob is really OK, and is currently taking up Bungie Jumping.

kvrdave · 02-03-04, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Groucho
There's a huge difference between bellybuttons, inter-racial kisses, and murder. I know you love that slippery slope argument, but I don't see it here.

Oh, I agree, but was just pointing out that TV today has a lot of things on it that many thought they would never see.

Extreme fighting is pretty common on PPV, and those guys aren't too far from killing each other (except thos wussy grapplers).

We also see a popularization of Reality TV, and we like to push the envelope.

I sure hope we never see it, but I guess it wouldn't suprise me a lot either.

chemosh6969 · 02-03-04, 12:46 PM

According to my secret source who "is in the know", 4 years, 1 month, 23 days, 4 hours, 56 minutes, and 32 seconds as of right now.

ChrisHicks · 02-03-04, 01:07 PM

if the entire country gets into an uproar about a boob on tv I will have to say never. we're all to uptight.

MEJHarrison · 02-03-04, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ChrisHicks
we're all to uptight.

If not wanting to see someone gunned down in the streets for entertainment purposes makes me uptight, then so be it!

lucasorion · 02-03-04, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Josh-da-man
You'll never actually see people getting killed on a game show unless some kind of plague wipes out all of the lawyers.

Is this how bad things have gotten? We have to rely on lawyers to be the nation's conscience?

AGuyNamedMike · 02-03-04, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lucasorion
Is this how bad things have gotten? We have to rely on lawyers to be the nation's conscience?

You said "lawyer" and "conscience" in the same sentence!

BizRodian · 02-03-04, 10:04 PM

I could perhaps see voluntered stuff happen one day (not too much farther than Fear Factor, but you have a good chance of dying.) I hope that we never see anything like forcing (or even letting) prisoners fight to the death for our amusment though. Not until the current systems of goverment fall and we go into another dark age or whatever anyways.

kvrdave · 02-03-04, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Morf
If a person can't legally commit physician assisted suicide, what hope is there for a Running Man show?

I agree that this would change first. But that will change, I think.

Deftones · 02-03-04, 11:43 PM

I'd like to see a gameshow like that movie Series 7: The Contenders!

POWERBOMB · 02-04-04, 09:14 PM

No matter when it will happen you can be sure Pete Rose will bet on it.

Breakfast with Girls · 02-04-04, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Corleone
Not soon enough.

I agree. Toss in some homeless people knife fights for good measure.

DeadLamb · 02-04-04, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Draven
I could see someone getting killed doing a Fear Factor stunt (don't know if they'd show it though.)

yeah full on running man I don't think we will see... I can see some sort of "opps they died" and then spun into some warped marketing spin. Ya know, like "They would have wanted it to be shown" and so on...

Maybe only to be pulled off the air at the last second? Maybe some other country then the usa? Would some death bloodsport set in china or a 3rd world country really be that huge of a shock?

Get some super poor, offer the winner one million, film the thing on some boat in the middle of no where... Sell the DVD and wait or the outcry of how wrong it is to push sales over the top. Wrong? yeah sure it is.. Still, I can see it happening if someone thought they could get away with collecting the money for it..

Maybe just internet sales with the server based in some data center that is above the law.. No idea..

02-02-04, 11:25 PM	#1
kvrdave DVD Talk God Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Pacific NW Posts: 79,182	Societally, how far away from The Running Man are we? Just wondering with all the Reality shows on and the need to continually push the envelope because of competition for viewers. I say 20 years. So long as people consent to being on the show (like in the book, not the movie), I think it will happen. __________________ Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. - C.S. Lewis

02-02-04, 11:33 PM	#2
Corleone Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Edmonton Posts: 987	Not soon enough. __________________ Xbox Live: StrangehateTHX

02-02-04, 11:53 PM	#6
Josh-da-man DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: The Bible Belt Posts: 16,764	1) You'll never actually see people getting killed on a game show unless some kind of plague wipes out all of the lawyers. 2) If it does happen, it will be on Fox. __________________ "Here's to Boston cops, they did what so many men never have been able to do: they found the little man in the boat." -- Bill Maher

02-03-04, 09:49 AM	#9
Draven DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Rosemount, MN Posts: 15,215	I say within 20 years. We've already seen some "torture light" with The Chair and The Chamber. Survivor gets pretty graphic about what happens to the contestants bodies. And I could see someone getting killed doing a Fear Factor stunt (don't know if they'd show it though.) __________________ XBL GamerTag: Draven Sinclair PSN: DravenSinclair Game Center: Draven-X

02-03-04, 11:41 AM	#11
Morf DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: IL Posts: 3,507	Actually killing/murdering an actual person, in the United States, on air, legally, will never happen with the current laws in place. If a person can't legally commit physician assisted suicide, what hope is there for a Running Man show? I stand by my prediction. In fact, I will go so far as to say that it won't ever happen as long as the United States exists in one form or another. Other countries; now that is a different story. __________________ I've tried 1000 different beers. How 'bout you? RateBeer.com

02-02-04, 11:35 PM	#3
Mopower DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Janitor's closet in Kinnick Stadium Posts: 15,717	People getting killed in the game? It will never happen. At least not in my lifetime.

02-03-04, 11:52 AM	#12
Groucho DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 62,161	There's a huge difference between bellybuttons, inter-racial kisses, and murder. I know you love that slippery slope argument, but I don't see it here. __________________ Xbox Live: Runner Groucho PSN: RunnerGroucho "The Borg is a species" -- Tracer Bullet (Citation)

02-03-04, 12:04 PM	#13
Y2K Falcon DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Aostin, TX, USA Posts: 19,876	I've always wondered this: Does You Gotta See This or Real TV have a 'no one appearing on this show died' rule? I love how on these shows, they'll show the guy who fell out of an airplane armed with only a handkerchief and a feather, show him plummeting and ending up landing behind some trees, then talk to his wife/friend for 5 minutes (while my wife watches horrified at Bob's demise) before, with about 3 seconds left in the segment showing that Bob is really OK, and is currently taking up Bungie Jumping.

02-03-04, 12:46 PM	#15
chemosh6969 Banned Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Talent, OR Posts: 1,053	According to my secret source who "is in the know", 4 years, 1 month, 23 days, 4 hours, 56 minutes, and 32 seconds as of right now.

02-03-04, 01:07 PM	#16
ChrisHicks DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 4,611	if the entire country gets into an uproar about a boob on tv I will have to say never. we're all to uptight. __________________ Wii Friend Code: 1249 6431 9623 9624 / XBL Gamertag / PS3 Gamertag: chrishicks

02-03-04, 10:04 PM	#20
BizRodian DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Ottawa Posts: 9,975	I could perhaps see voluntered stuff happen one day (not too much farther than Fear Factor, but you have a good chance of dying.) I hope that we never see anything like forcing (or even letting) prisoners fight to the death for our amusment though. Not until the current systems of goverment fall and we go into another dark age or whatever anyways.

02-03-04, 11:43 PM	#22
Deftones DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Arizona Posts: 59,186	I'd like to see a gameshow like that movie Series 7: The Contenders! __________________ John Henson: McDonald's has dumped Kobe Bryant as their spokesperson and have replaced him with Yao Ming. Apparently McDonald's prefers Yao because he is a bigger international star, and he doesn't rape so much. "You are everything that's wrong with this forum".---SleepyW

02-04-04, 09:14 PM	#23
POWERBOMB DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 6,252	No matter when it will happen you can be sure Pete Rose will bet on it. __________________ I don't mean to offend anyone and yet it happens anyway.