I have a strange kind of love affair with the Bravo network. On one hand, they produce shows like The Real Housewives of Who Really Cares County and The Millionaire Matchmaker, shows that are so vapid and stupid one must read a book immediately just to replenish brain cells. On the other hand, they produce shows like Top Chef and Work of Art that highlight the fascinating creative process of individuals. I find the latter the most interesting. If more reality television looked like TC and WoA, we'd all be better for it.
I remember watching the first season of WoA and hoping like hell it would get a second season. I don't really care about the personalities of the contestants (though there's something to be said for ego being the cause of one's downfall in almost every situation), but I like that these shows really get behind the thinking and the artistry behind the finished product. We need more thinking, more doing, more brains working in tandem to create and fill the world with new and surprising things.
The first season was a good cross-section of styles: photographers, mixed media, performance artists. Abdi Farah, a super likeable seeming guy, won the season overall. Against even someone from my hometown of Kansas City, I felt he earned the win. Much of what he created was aesthetically engaging but had emotional content as well.
Season Two has started and they've done a good job of casting another cast of talented artists that utilize every medium available. If you'd like to stretch your brain a bit from all the other McTelevision shows out there, give this one a whirl. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process can often unlock your own creativity in some way, shape, or form. And really...wouldn't you rather watch someone create a piece of art as opposed to watching trashy old women act like drunken sorostitutes anyway?
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