Vern Seward offers a weekly look at some of the free TV and music being offered on iTunes.

I guess I can understand why reality shows are so popular; it’s what I call, ’The Train Wreck Syndrome’: We see something that is just so terrible to look at that we know we should turn away, yet we watch anyway. We are fascinated with life and the trials, tribulations, tragedies, and triumphs it brings others, but terrified to live through those tragedies and triumphs ourselves. Afterall, no one wants to willingly be involved in a train wreck, right?

We are raised in a society where conformity is desired, and radicalism is frowned upon as something distasteful and to avoided at all cost. So when we see something that falls outside the confines of our safe lives we stare, mesmerized at the uniqueness, the tragedy, the stupidity, or the eccentricities on display.

People living lives and lifestyles outside the ’norm’, whether by choice or circumstance, are candidates for the intense unblinking stare of the camera, and so, the public at large. We are fed a steady diet of close-up camera shots of relatives of accident victims trying desperately not to display emotions in the public eye, and ultimately failing, or a couple airing their marital problems in some kangaroo TV court, and we listen intently while rape victims tell their stories to talk show hosts.

We are fascinated with shows that detail the quirky lives of celebrities. Witness the popularity of the quasi-reality show, The Osbournes, whose on-camera shenanigans was rivaled only by their foul language. (I say "quasi-reality" because there seems to be some question as to whether some of the situations on the show was scripted, hence making it less than real and more like any other TV show.) The Osbournes loosely fit the model of a normal family; there’s a father, mother, and 2 kids, but that’s pretty much where any semblance of normality ends. I’ve watched a bit of the show out of curiosity, which was satisfied after about 15 minutes of viewing. I never bothered watching again.

I wasn’t turned off by the silliness of the characters and their lives, but it just stuck me that my life has quirks too, and if I tried to live it with a bit more gusto, I’d be living through some of the situations The Osbournes found themselves in. Hopefully, I’d make better choices and speak with more intelligence.

Now E!, the entertainment channel, is offering "Welcome Back Carter," an episode of House of Carters, which further diverges from what is considered normal by eliminating the parental units altogether, and you watch as adult siblings attempt to be a family.

Nick Carter is from the once wildly popular pop group, The Back Street Boys, and his younger brother, Aaron, has a solo singing career. All of the siblings are trying to find their way in life, and I guess that’s what passes for good TV viewing these days.

Watching sibling interaction is not my idea of a useful way to spend 40 odd minutes; my reasons are essentially the same as those with The Osbournes; there are issues in my own life that need addressing and can be every bit as odd, engrossing, and traumatic as anything found on TV. And I get to live through it: The ultimate reality show.

Yet, there will be those who feel that reality TV has its value, as watchers can find parallel situations with real life events. I would argue, however, that every situation is unique to the individual and an answer to one are not necessarily the answer to another situation. Besides, you’ve got to wonder how much of what is shown is them hamming it up for the camera?

Still, watching House of Carters, is infinitely better than watching "Noah’s Arc: Tales from the Arc Side," and episode from Noah’s Arc.

Let me state that I have absolutely no problem with homosexual situations, lifestyles, or choices. It is not my lifestyle: To each, his or her own is my motto. The problem I have with Noah’s Arc isn’t that the show centers on a group of openly gay Black men, my problem is how these gay Black men are portrayed.

I know I’m going to get a lot of flame mail on this, but I don’t care, it has to be said: The show’s producers claim that Noah’s Arc will help break down the stereotypical view of gay Black men and show them as people going through what other people go through, i.e. love, relationships, loss, and life in general.

Noah’s Arc is ground-breaking in that male homosexuality plays such a prominent role in the lives of the main characters yet these same characters are the exact stereotypical images of gay Black men that the show should be dispelling. All of the main character to one degree or another walk, act, and talk with an exaggerated feminine quality, dress flamboyantly, and try to be funny.

Not all Black gay men act this way. It reminded me of the stereotyped Blacks in early sitcoms who were the funny sidekick, or the stereotyped Black guy in movies the 70s who was the gadget wizard. Each was suppose to be shattering stereotypes, but wound up becoming a stereotype in and of itself.

That you have 4 gay guys in one place who act like RuPaul on a bad day seems less than real to me. After watching the free behind-the-scenes download I decided that Noah’s Arc was one show I definitely could live without watching. You may disagree with me. Download the freebie or catch it on MTV and see for yourself. The show is in its second season so someone must like what they’re seeing. I’m just not one of them.

Life happens whether you sit on the sidelines and watch or you get in the game and play. Watching is fun sometimes, but it should not be how you live your life. Do something, anything, and you may find that living your own life leaves you little time to watch House of Carters or the characters in Noah’s Arc live theirs, which, in my humble opinion, is a good thing.

Other recent free stuff on iTunes:

Title	Network/ Album	Free Episode/Artist	Genre	Description (according to iTunes)
Battlestar Galactica	SciFi	The Story So Far	Drama SciFi	Before all new episodes of the Battlestar Galactica arrive on October 6th, don’t miss the chance to relive the entire first and second seasons as SciFi turns over 30 action packed hours into one 44 minute adventure. This exclusive special traces mankind’s fight for survival back to Battlestar Galactica’s rebirth as a ground breaking miniseries, and follows the last of humanity as they struggle to outrun their relentless enemy. Narrated by Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica: The Story So Far is an essential look inside the events and people that define life on the edge of extinction. Whether a series fan, or first time viewer, this special will leave you up to date and prepared for the premiere of the third epic season of Battlestar Galactica, October 6th. Be sure to check out my previous Free on iTMS article, which featured this Battlestar Galactica episode, and Sarah Kuhn’s review of Battlestar Galactica seasons 1 and 2.
Bones	Fox	The Titan on the Tracks	Medical Drama	Brennan and Booth investigate the site of a train wreck where the bodies of a senator and a high-profile businessman are found within the wreckage. The businessman’s body is found in a car on the train tracks, and at first glance, it is an apparent suicide. While investigating a possible connection between the two victims, Brennan and her team discover the businessman is still alive, but severely injured, at a local hospital, and the body at the scene is someone else. As the clues begin to unravel, the investigation gets more complicated when details of the man’s private life are revealed, leading Brennan and Booth to a private detective who may hold key information. Meanwhile, Brennan is introduced to Dr. Camille Saroyan, a first-rate pathologist who has been hired as the head of forensics at the Jeffersonian, and more importantly, Brennan’s boss. It doesn’t take long for Brennan to figure out "Cam" is a little too familiar with Booth and that they share something of a past. Also, Booth encourages Brennan to visit her mother’s gravesite for the first time.
Our God Reigns	Brandon Heath	Our God Reigns	Inspirational	"Our God Reigns is a worship song originally written for my church in Nashville to sing on Sundays. I consider it the highest honor to write songs for the church to sing. If a song can lead a person into the presence of God, then there is no greater reason to write."
Plan B	MuteMath	Plan B	Alternative	The four piece (originating from New Orleans) has scattered influences that are apparent without being obvious, and touch on everything from DJ Shadow styled beats, moments of beauty and grandeur a la Bjork, and vocals that pay legitimate homage to Police-era Sting. When asked about this vast expanse of musical territory that we are asked to find them dwelling within, Meany replied, "I blame it on the past forty years of music."

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Vern Seward is a writer who currently lives in Orlando, FL. He’s been a Mac fan since Atari Computers folded, but has worked with computers of nearly every type for 20 years.