I'm not sure what it is about this show that vexes me so much, wait, yes I do. I hate the fact that the entire concept of the show is completely ridiculous.
The idea of the show is pretty simple. MTV finds an attractive couple who just happens to have one set of parents who isn't exactly keen on the reltionship. So MTV gives the parents a brothel-style lineup of potential dates and both parents are permitted to choose one date for their son/daughter. The son/daughter then goes on a date with the parents' choices, one after the other. All the while the significant other is made to watch this live, with the parents. At the end the son/daughter is forced to make a decision between the person they have been dating or someone they have known for about two hours.
So, my girlfriend wants to see other guys, I have to watch it live, and I get to watch it with her parents, who conviniently hate me? Where do I sign up?
"I think we need to see other people. Well, I do, and you have to watch."Now that the ridiculous premise of the show has been established, the audience just has to sit back and wonder exactly how dumb MTV thinks we are? Judging by this show, they must think their viewers have as many intelligent thoughts as a comatose patient.
I'm not sure what to make of this show. Every time I fear we are finally scraping the bottom of the barrel for reality show ideas, MTV goes and outdoes itself. Are these real families? Doubt it. Are they actors? Probably.
Watching these poor people flounder about on camera is so embarrassing that they may well be real families with no acting experience or talent. It's painfully obvious while watching these couples go out on "dates" that what little chemistry exists between them is scripted.
"Hey, if we get them on some ridiculous date then they don't have to ruin it by opening their mouths!"The dates, which generally consist of some pointless activity which will generally lead to clothes being removed at some point, whether it makes sense or not (hello strip baseball) are clearly meant to be an accurate representation of contemporary American society. I mean, who doesn't take a girl body painting for a first date? A sucker, that's who.
"Well, I tried to model my painting after Picasso's 'Buste du femme au chapeau bleu,' but mostly I just painted your boobs."
The parents are classic. The show is built around the parents' hatred for the son/daughter's boy/girlfriend. This is cemented by the out of control and insanely non-conformist attitude of the boy/girlfriend who acts inappropriately, says swears and ignores all the rules! O M G!!
Well, don't worry the parents get their revenge as they sift through a mound of failed Hollywood starlets to find the perfect lay for their little sweetums.
"Pimpin' ain't easy."
These potential dates do just about anything to catch the eye of the parents (producers) and get chosen to receive more camera time on a date with their pathetic offspring.
The banter between the parents and the boy/girlfriend while they are watching the dates "live" is almost exactly the same in every episode. It goes something like this:
After son/daughter is convinced into removing clothing...
Mom: You better be getting nervous it looks like they're having a good time!
"Well, I tried to model my painting after Picasso's 'Buste du femme au chapeau bleu,' but mostly I just painted your boobs."The parents are classic. The show is built around the parents' hatred for the son/daughter's boy/girlfriend. This is cemented by the out of control and insanely non-conformist attitude of the boy/girlfriend who acts inappropriately, says swears and ignores all the rules! O M G!!
Well, don't worry the parents get their revenge as they sift through a mound of failed Hollywood starlets to find the perfect lay for their little sweetums.
"Pimpin' ain't easy."These potential dates do just about anything to catch the eye of the parents (producers) and get chosen to receive more camera time on a date with their pathetic offspring.
The banter between the parents and the boy/girlfriend while they are watching the dates "live" is almost exactly the same in every episode. It goes something like this:
After son/daughter is convinced into removing clothing...
Mom: You better be getting nervous it looks like they're having a good time!
After son/daughter makes out with date...
Mom: I told you! You better get packing!
Boy/girlfriend: Shut the (CENSORED!) up!
Dad: Oooh, no she didn't!
The parents and boy/girlfriend obviously aren't seeing these dates live and are reading their witty banter off a teleprompter. If the writers for this show had any respect at all for their audience they would at least have the decency to shake things up every once in awhile.
Whoever writes this show is lazy, but not stupid. Though Parental Control is scripted, predictable and pointless it still manages to be a popular and profitable show. As a result, I give Parental Control: 3.5 Parents Pimping Their Children out of 10.
"What do you mean MTV's not giving me my own show after this!? Was my collar not popped enough?"
