This is the question asked by Truth TV when they come up with a new concept to
boost their ratings as they start to lag behind the Gardening Channel's.
From the film audience's point of view, the answer is the same as it is with
The Truman Show and, for the real audience who have
see both, it's impossible not to compare the two.
Both films run pretty parallel with each other although, whilst Truman was
unwittingly and unknowingly having his life manipulated and exposed on TV,
Ed entered into the agreement knowingly and it truly was real life which
we were seeing.
Both ficticious shows become a hit with their equally ficticious audiences as
the stars meander through their lives exposing their loves and dreams.
And both have a twist in their tails. With The Truman Show it was
Truman's attempt to find out what really was going on around him and escape
from his enforced world. In Ed TV it was how to escape the prying eyes
of the cameras as their focus shifts further away from his pivotal role and
preys upon those around him.
Both films explore the voyeuristic nature of an audience and the nightmare
of being continuously under the spotlight with little control of ones life.
But Ed TV is certainly the better film and the long wait, as its
release was held over to avoid clashing with The Truman Show, or being
accused of riding on its back, has been well worth it.
Whilst Jim Carrey performed admirably in places as Truman Burbank, the air of
fabrication around him made the film pale against the realism of Ed TV.
Where Truman's battle is to understand and escape, with the humour arising as
attempts are made to keep him in his place, Ed's battle is how to keep his life
going as he and everyone around him is exposed to media and viewer's
scrutiny with the humour being much darker, as skeletons are accidentally freed
from the family closet.
Both films make good points on the danger of such fly on the wall, real
life programming but Ed TV carries considerably more realism and
insight than the other.
The least worthy aspect of Ed TV was its product placement. Far too
heavy handed and far too obvious. However, full marks must go to whoever
thought, "Okay, let's advertise Panasonic by leaving one of their six foot by
six foot cardboard cartons folded against a bedroom wall". Blatant and
unnecessary.
Both The Truman Show and Ed TV are very good films, but
Ed TV is the better of the two; the former was a good romp, as the star
becomes a hero against all odds, the later, a simple story of a real man placed
in, what turns out to be, a nightmare he must escape from.
No heroism here, just well crafted credibility.
