[Jack_]

I think I'm the only one that doesn't want BOTS to become more 'upmarket', the tackiness and the fact it's trash TV is all part of the appeal to me, I find it quite endearing. Spin-off shows like this aren't meant to be upmarket and serious either, the whole point of them is they're meant to be light-hearted, silly and irreverent. Xtra Factor and BGMT are full of stupid VT's, innuendo and running gags. Hell, even BBLB with Dermot had him dancing in leotards and singing Bright Eyes with candles...

Sure, the main show and highlight shows should be serious, the tacky editing should be cut completely, there should be absolutely no cabaret dancers or anything of the sort on launch, evictions or final night, and this new psychology show should have actual psychologists on it and not asparagus woman, but a light-hearted spin-off show like Bit On The Side? The camper and tackier it is, the better.

[Tregard]

Originally Posted by Jack_

I think I'm the only one that doesn't want BOTS to become more 'upmarket', the tackiness and the fact it's trash TV is all part of the appeal to me, I find it quite endearing. Spin-off shows like this aren't meant to be upmarket and serious either, the whole point of them is they're meant to be light-hearted, silly and irreverent. Xtra Factor and BGMT are full of stupid VT's, innuendo and running gags. Hell, even BBLB with Dermot had him dancing in leotards and singing Bright Eyes with candles...

Sure, the main show and highlight shows should be serious, the tacky editing should be cut completely, there should be absolutely no cabaret dancers or anything of the sort on launch, evictions or final night, and this new psychology show should have actual psychologists on it and not asparagus woman, but a light-hearted spin-off show like Bit On The Side? The camper and tackier it is, the better.

A show can be casual but upmarket at the same time. Something like "The Apprentice: You're Fired" seems about the right balance.

[Jack_]

Originally Posted by Patrick

It makes the show itself and the brand look ridiculous - shows like Jersey Shore and Made In Chelsea can be taken more seriously nowadays than BB, honest truth. So having a tackyfest like BOTS isn't helping.

Also, BBLB managed just fine for 10 years without the need to be overly camp.

I see Big Brother (in the UK at least) as a cult show nowadays anyway, and BOTS is certainly a niche show. Anyone I know that does still watch BB doesn't watch BOTS, and I don't think that's out of knowing what it's like, but because they're just casual viewers and don't have much interest in a spin-off show. To be honest thinking back it was probably the same for BBLB and Big Mouth, I rarely spoke to anyone about what happened on them as opposed to what happened on the main show, and this was in the show's prime.

For that reason I really don't think it matters what BOTS is like. As long as the eviction shows remain free of circus dancers, the highlights drop Marcus' OTT shouty narration and weird unnecessary graphics throughout tasks, then it'll be fine. X Factor, BGT, shows like that are all produced and edited slickly and professionally...but their spin-off shows are informal and childish, but that's what they're supposed to be.

And I disagree that BBLB wasn't camp

Youtube video

Things like that were a daily occurrence...

Originally Posted by Tregard

A show can be casual but upmarket at the same time. Something like "The Apprentice: You're Fired" seems about the right balance.

I get your point but there's a bit of a difference between the likes of X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, I'm A Celebrity and Big Brother to The Apprentice. The latter is supposed to be a more upmarket business show (I know it's not really nowadays but it is still vastly different to the rest of the shows I listed), the others are reality/talent shows...slight difference in audience and style.

Xtra Factor has Olly and Caroline do running jokes about her tits and his cock, Britain's Got More Talent has a game in which its catchphrase when shouted is supposed to end up sounding like a rude word (last year it was RANKER, this year it's MASTERATER). BBLB with Dermot as I said had him dress up in girls clothes, as Kylie Minogue, prance around to silly songs, have pointless props on set for them to do some interview segment with Davina or family/friends of the housemates. All these kind of shows are tacky and camp, that's the appeal of them, that's what they set out to do. People on here know how much I hate the silly editing of the main show, and the cabaret dancers they had for the launch last year, but Bit On The Side's appeal for me is all about its crude, irreverent, camp, mocking, tacky style. I know it's trash TV but it doesn't try and present itself as anything else, it's very self-aware.

[Tregard]

I get your point but there's a bit of a difference between the likes of X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, I'm A Celebrity and Big Brother to The Apprentice. The latter is supposed to be a more upmarket business show (I know it's not really nowadays but it is still vastly different to the rest of the shows I listed), the others are reality/talent shows...slight difference in audience and style.

I guess BBBOTS felt like it was trying too hard, and Jeff was unfortunately part of that. Hopefully this newer version will cater to us both.

[emmetmcl]

Originally Posted by Jack_

And I disagree that BBLB wasn't camp

Youtube video

There is a difference between camp and funny.

Dermot is obviously not gay, and was doing it as a joke. That cross dresser has a job doing that. Also, it isn't funny. Just because something is effeminate, or gay, doesn't mean it's necessarily camp.

[ahopkins]

Originally Posted by Tregard

A show can be casual but upmarket at the same time. Something like "The Apprentice: You're Fired" seems about the right balance.

I completely agree. They need a famous comedian to front the show and be joined by a series of guests plus the evicted house mate! It could only be on Fridays and called "big brother: you've been evicted"

[Jordan.]

Originally Posted by Jack_

I think I'm the only one that doesn't want BOTS to become more 'upmarket', the tackiness and the fact it's trash TV is all part of the appeal to me, I find it quite endearing. Spin-off shows like this aren't meant to be upmarket and serious either, the whole point of them is they're meant to be light-hearted, silly and irreverent. Xtra Factor and BGMT are full of stupid VT's, innuendo and running gags. Hell, even BBLB with Dermot had him dancing in leotards and singing Bright Eyes with candles...

Sure, the main show and highlight shows should be serious, the tacky editing should be cut completely, there should be absolutely no cabaret dancers or anything of the sort on launch, evictions or final night, and this new psychology show should have actual psychologists on it and not asparagus woman, but a light-hearted spin-off show like Bit On The Side? The camper and tackier it is, the better.

No, I agree with you. All spin offs have the tackiness and running gags, whether fans like it or not it goes down well with the general public (bots gets great ratings)

I'd say the past couple of series they've got the jokes to actual discussion ratio about right, it was nowhere near as bad as some people make out. But whatever let them have their 'upmarket' show which will likely just be more time for Natalie Cassidy and the audience to give their opinions...

[pcro]

Originally Posted by Jack_

I think I'm the only one that doesn't want BOTS to become more 'upmarket', the tackiness and the fact it's trash TV is all part of the appeal to me, I find it quite endearing..

I agree with this. I loved the tackiness when it was done right. Going right back to the first year and the dumb Sunday Game Show, I just loved the general silliness of the whole thing. It was meant to be stupid and boy was it ever. Seven straight days of panel discussions of happenings in the house just gets old. You can be tacky and still be creative and clever but its a dififuclt balance to be sure and probalby they tipped too far. I just think by the end of last season the creativity had been drained from BOTS and it had become somewhat robotic and tacky rather than creative and tacky.