The Real Housewives of Orange County will always be a show that I just can’t turn away from. Regardless of how I feel about Vicki, Tamra, Lynne, and Gretchen, it’s the perfect antidote to channel-surfing boredom, simply because you don’t have to pay very close attention to still understand the drama. (On any given episode just accept any of these philosophies: “Tamra’s a bitch,” “Vicki’s a bitch,” “Gretchen’s a gold-digger!” and you’ll be set.) Despite my twisted love for the show, the most recent season felt tired. (The same goes for The Real World, another reality staple.) I tried to get behind new shows like High Society and Fly Girls – an evil I wish upon no one — hoping to find moments of brilliance hidden under a pile of ridiculous and borderline-offensive story lines. But alas, it seemed like there was no Jersey Shore-esque cure for my reality TV blues.
Until now! WE tv’s newest creation Sunset Daze, about the AARP card-carrying crowd in Sun City, Arizona (see the video after the jump) premieres on April 28th. Take the ladies of Orange County, jack their ages up a few (or 20) years, plop them down in a retirement home, and bam! Reality TV gold. Or something like that..
Here are some things we’ve learned from the trailer:
1.) These seniors like their booze pink, just like the ladies of Coto de Caza.
2) They have a flair for the dramatic, teamed with a penchant for wearing boas and shakin’ booties. (And that’s just the men!)
3) They play tennis and are involved in some kind of new Bob Fosse-esque exercise craze.
4) They also enjoy skeet shooting and skydiving. (An automatic Vicki woo-hoo!)
The trailer also employs the age-old formula: alcohol + crazy dancing = instant reality superstar. (I’m looking at you, Mr. Romeo.) While some of these characters may be interesting (I’m dying to hear the back story of the “Ex-Nun.” Was she thrown out? Did she leave voluntarily? Did she get to keep her habit?!), the whole idea of watching people my grandparents’ age is a very uncomfortable. Will the show focus on serious aspects of their lives — family, illness, finances — or just the ridiculous? Is there a leader of the retirement community? Do they sit in socially segregated Mean Girls-type tables during meals?
Will you be watching Sunset Daze, PopWatchers? Is this scraping the bottom of the reality barrel, or will this show surprise us all? Is my craving for new reality programming finally satisfied?
I’m actually really looking forward to this! Older people are a gold mine of dry humor, lack of inhibitions, and I’m-too-old-to-take-crap-from-anyone…ness.
The math for this show, in my head:
(Golden Girls + some men) + (Real World + brain cells) = Sunset Daze
This actually looks like it will be a hoot. Maybe this will fill my void, now that I’ve given up on RHO-whatever. It’s turned into a boring, sad chronicle of posers, grifters and uneducated ex-strippers.
Just one thing, though … it appears some of the women on this show, Sunset Daze, are younger than some of the women on RHO… Specifically, the woman shooting skeet has got to be younger than Lynne Curtin, whom I believe is almost sixty. While Gretchen, Tamra and Alexis are certainly younger than these women, Lynne is their contemporary.
I think it looks funny. i don’t do any of those things but i have met people that do. i had a neighbor make a small verbal pass at me yesterday its crazy zelma
This looks like it could be funny. It reminds me of my favorite novel, a comedy called INTO THE SUNSET, where a young guy disguises himself as an elderly man to live in an assisted living community.
All I can say is Royce & Marilyn! Google them. It’s the REAL LIFE DRAMA of septuagenarians. The producers most likely saw these clips and knew it was gold. I only wish there was at least a documentary on Royce & Marilyn.
Today’s NYTimes quotes from this posting….go Popwatch and go Emily! “All the News that’s fit to Print” Ha!
Finally! Reality t v to fit my demogrphic. Can’t wait to tell my ya ya friends….thank u we tv…we b watchin!
I-LOVE-LOVE-THE SHOW.
THIS IS A GREAT SHOW FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE REAL-DOWN TO EARTH.AND ARE INJOYING LIFE. WISH I WAS THERE. WHEN IS IT COMMING BACK ON ??
ask terry pappalardo about her brother and how she treated our father at the yime of his death. i am her brother. want some reality tv. i got some for you. her husband john? more reality tv if you can stomach it.