One of the plot devices in The Truman Show was that the life of a man, Truman Burbank, was always televised. And because it was always televised, there were a number of commercials that made their ways into everyday life. In one scene, for instance, Truman is enjoying a breakfast when his wife – fully aware of the camera – picks up the cereal box Truman is eating from, gives it a solid camera shot, and works in the sales pitch. Truman, unaware of the camera, is a bit perplexed at his wife’s behavior.
That look is what I had on my face after I read that there’s a TV show in the works that incorporates commercials into itself and eliminates the need for a commercial break. It’s not surprising, but it’s still slightly disconcerting.
In an era of PVRs such as TiVo, I suppose the television industry will continue to come up with something different. They know we tend to fast-forward commercials. But what happens when we choose to fast-forward an entire show?
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