Here are my initial thoughts on American Inventor. I don’t think it has enough focus on the invention, to much emphasis on the people. I like a good person story as much as the next guy, but the endless of shots of people making it, and then people not making it, without actually showing the invention was annoying to say the least.
If you watched the show, what were your thoughts?
Truthfully, I felt the same way and said so in a recent blog post, but then I read something by Doug Hall (one of the judges) about the show, and I reconsidered my point. Doug says to keep in mind this is a reality tv series -- it's about the people and their 15 minutes of fame, more than it's about the inventions.
Once I heard that point, I looked at the show in a new light (and cut it a *little* slack in the creativity department.)
Posted by: Don The Idea Guy | March 19, 2006 at 11:51 PM
I agree with your initial post about American Inventor. I do enjoy the "human interest" aspect of the program -- to a degree -- but would really rather have the focus be on the inventions and how the contestants came up with them. I am more interested in the creative process of invention, than the sacrifice and drama of the contestants. Some of the contestants scare me with the lengths that they have gone with pursuing their dreams. Some of the backstory behind the inventions are so wrenching that I fear for the contestant's mental health if they are given the thumbs down by the judges.
Posted by: Ro | March 24, 2006 at 12:59 PM
It's called the "American Inventor" not "American Invention".
so by nature it's going to be more about the people.
Posted by: elijah | May 18, 2006 at 11:30 PM