MovieChat Forums > Becoming Us (2015) Discussion > Scripted?

Scripted?

posted 9 years ago by Taco_Lips
21 replies | jump to latest

On first watch I kept flipping back and forth on whether or not this is supposed to be scripted or reality. Reading the blurb here on IMDB they are saying it is reality, and UNscripted...

However I do think a lot of it may definitely be staged and setup and that makes it lose the "realness" of it. A few times throughout I was snapped out of the subject matter by how certain characters were saying and doing things - which felt forced and unrealistic - specifically the sister and her parts. It just didn't feel natural, at all. The same with the Teenagers at the restaurant.

What did you all think?

It's very interesting though, and I look forward to more episodes. It does just take some getting used to the way they are choosing to tell the stories and show the people in seemingly very cliched and one dimensional ways. I hope that ceases. It definitely appears they are trying to setup this "sister villain Bridezilla" thing, and pressing the melodrama for all it's worth, and that worries me.

[–] jamesbutler76-1 9 years ago

This program is beautiful, courageous and necessary. Educators! Please get it into your classrooms!

[–] rockethulsey 9 years ago

YES! IT IS!

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Anonsfmale 9 years ago

For your information, no one is doing anything to anyone. It's just what has happened. It also appears that Ben AND Danielle are fairly well adjusted and handling the situation as well as can be expected. It is a fact if life that most people need to understand. They don't have to accept it, but please be tolerant of the differences in others.

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[–] Taco_Lips 9 years ago

I agree it's a great program to showcases a families reality and reactions when a parent goes through a gender transformation. But I do worry about the network stretching and staging that 'reality' into being more melodramatic for effect and entertainment, than a real representation of the family and people therein.

[–] jamesbutler76-1 9 years ago

You're very bigoted. Your "beliefs" are exactly why we need this type of beautiful human being discussed and educated about in our classrooms. What is sick is when parents like you push your "beliefs" on the innocent and open minds of children.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] jamesbutler76-1 9 years ago

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] jamesbutler76-1 9 years ago

MyJewishSoul:

Congratulations! You're the proud winner of a lawsuit for cycberbulling and slander.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] movieinsider411 9 years ago

I agree. I feel like these characters are written. And I find some moments too sketched to be real like when the guy is skyping his girlfriend, you see a camera shot of the guy in the room and you see a camera shot of the girlfriend skyping back to him. How could the cameramen know to be in both of those rooms to film the skype conversation unless they staged it? That's why I can't stand reality shows. I find fictional shows to be more relatable and real than reality shows.

[–] Taco_Lips 9 years ago

I feel like these characters are written. I find some moments too sketched to be real..

So agree! Like the friend taking Ben upto the roof of some random building and screaming into the sky. It just didn't feel real.

Oh and the Bra shopping! NO ONE else in the lingerie shop!?!

I just read an article here: http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jun/08/becoming-us-transgender-abc-family

that said:

The problem is how much of the reality seems to be massaged. So many of the non-interview scenes seem scripted. It feels just as rehearsed as so many other shows. There are real lives and actual emotions on the line here, the stakes are so high that scripting them so blatantly seems unnecessary and untoward. By this point we know that reality TV isn’t all that real, but there are some things that just seem more deserving of being portrayed honestly. This is one of them, but sadly the honesty is not there.

and I so agree with that! They owed it to the subject matter to be more authentic.

[–] Taco_Lips 9 years ago

A few episodes in and I still absolutely stand by this show being very staged and setup.

This is not reality. This is scripted.

The character of Lathan is obviously planted by producers to amp up the drama, too. Many of the circumstances like camping, dating etc are obvious setups and I really just can't get pass how unnatural the interactions are.

It's sad because I think it does a great disservice to a subject that deserves much more realism. It's disappointing overall.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] cwamne_h 9 years ago

I was thinking the same thing, once Lathan came out as transgender, I knew this show isn't completely real. To find a girl going through the same thing is unreal, unless it was a internet thing, then to have a friend that is also transgender, is just way too unlikely, not even a quarter of people, even know a transgender person, let alone 2 others.

With that said though, I still love the show and I think its good for awareness and the transgender community. There is no completely real reality show anyways. They probably input some people into Ben's life, but most of it is real. They are not trained actors, there's no way they could completely fake all that dialogue. Kinda like real house wives shows or little women LA, I doubt they really knew those people before, but they had them become friends.

[–] beara530 9 years ago

oh it is SCRIPTED.

I watched last nights episode where Ben's friend Lathan comes out as transgender too. I believe that Carly, Lathan, and Sallydan are really all transgender. What seems odd to me is how these 3 all just "happen to be together on a show." It seems like a setup to me like the network/producers wanted to tell the story of a highschool kid (Ben) who has a transgender parent. And then why not find a girlfriend for Ben who has a transgender parent as well. Right? Oh and wouldnt it be cool if we found a transgender kid who could be Ben's friend?..... Do you guys see where I am going with this? Especially since it is never told how Ben and his girlfriend Danielle met. For all we know they did meet at some kind of group from kids with trans parents.

[–] beara530 9 years ago

did you see last nights episode where Lathan comes out as trans? Yeah a bunch of people who just "happen" to meet and are all trans is the basis of the show. More like a bunch of people who really are similar and have something in common who ARE SET UP BY THE PRODUCERS/TV NETWORK for the sake of what could be a good show.

[–] cwamne_h 9 years ago

Yeah some of the relationships have to be forced, only 0.3% of the population are transgender, only 13% of people actually know someone transgender, so to know 3 is against the odds. About 4 or 5% of the population is gay, I live in California and I only know 4, kinda knew 6 or 7. Unless Ben met his gf online, like say in a support site or something, I find that unlikely.

Then there's Ben's friend, so he happens to be dating someone who has a transgender brother, who happens to move in with them as they are shooting? Then his friend is in college, he's only 15, how did they meet? That I'm guessing is forced.

I'll keep watching the show and I think it can do some good, but Ryan Seacrest should be ashamed of himself. Fine do that with the Kardashians, but not with real serious issues.