TV shows, for better or worse, are clearly detached from reality. Even the ones that are supposed to be based on real life do not have accurate portrayals of the real world. For instance, there are shows about lawyers, doctors, and fire fighters. But just how close to the real thing are these television portrayals?
Grey's Anatomy
This show, as many are already familiar with, follows the drama in the lives of the doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Truly, the doctors in this show have very exciting lives. Everything from plane crashes, shootings and out of this world storms have been thrown at them and the doctors, for the most part, make it out alive.
There is also drama between the lives of the individual doctors as relationships blossom and fizzle out between them. Additionally, behavior that would be grounds for immediate dismissal seem to just be in a day's work in Grey's Anatomy. For instance, attending physicians sleep with resident doctors, interns get it with nurses, and even patients are not exempt.
In terms of the medical side of things, however, TV Fanatic says, "The residents agree that the terminology and medical procedures are pretty accurate. Usually."
Homeland
This show is one of the most popular cable TV shows and it focuses on the CIA in a post 9-11 world. Actual American history is used and the scenarios that the characters find themselves in are not outside the realm of possibility. For instance, hunting terrorists already living in US soil is just one of the many possible scenarios.
However, real CIA agents weighted in on this. The Telegraph noted that, "Homeland takes the high-intensity, high-adrenaline moments and packages them into an hour... The real job as an analyst was maybe 15-20 percent awe-inspiring and dramatic moments... Other times, it's about writing reports. You wouldn't want to watch an analyst at a computer writing a President's Daily Brief."
The Newsroom
Political drama in the US and how fictional news channel Atlantis Cable News deals with them are the centerpieces of this show. Will McAvoy, news anchor, and the rest of the staff take morals stands on issues even if this means angering powerful people and the network's owners.
A former producer of the show "The O'Reilly Factor" chimed in, as Slate reported. He said that many aspects of the show are actually true even in real life. Included here are the facilities, computers and software and even the dress code.
However, the producer did have comments about McAvoy. He said, "McAvoy is too safe, too middle-of-the-road, too afraid to offend or rock the boat." This is comparison to real-life anchors who are "quite eager to stir the pot."
TV would not be as fun to watch if writers were not given some (or a lot) of room to improvise and embellish. But knowing that some of TV's most beloved shows are actually anchored on real life situations and contexts does make their appeal even greater.
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