What did you think of The Shire?

I watched The Shire tonight. I kind of felt that I should. Then perhaps I shouldn't haveI

Eldest has a predilection for certain popular US TV shows, so I have actually watched more of this type of show than you might expect. Many more, in fact.

The official web site describes the program in this way:

Set against the backdrop of the Southern Sydney region that commands the loyalty of its residents like no other, TEN’s brand new ‘dramality show’ The Shire is the latest daring addition to its schedule.

Screening Mondays at 8.00, The Shire isn’t another contrived piece of TV faux-fact; it’s true unscripted Shire life-through-a-lens. The entertaining cast of characters may seem larger than life, but they’re every bit as real as the relationships they share.

From Mitch, the ‘Peter Pan’ surfer boy who never wants to grow up, to Nikee, the glamour model who wants nothing more than to settle down, seeing what makes The Shire’s personalities tick and what ticks them off is certain to make compulsive viewing.

Some you’ll love, some you may loathe, but you’ll all be talking about them when The Shire hits your screens. Are you ready to meet them? Find out who's who on The Shire!

Mmm! The show begins like a tourist promo, then switches into the "story". I can only manage so much shopping in Dubai with Daddy's credit card, and I probably learned more about botox that I cared to. Now on the US shows I have learned about the Housewives, even the real housewives, of Orange County. I have seen the most amazing manipulation of parents by seventeen year old girls spending enough on their birthday party to retire half the Greek debt. But I wasn't bored. And here I was, except for rare flashes. 

Now accepting that I am not in Ten's target demographic(!), accepting too that Twitter is not a good guide given those I tend to follow, I did what any sensible person would do, I went to the official Facebook page. Wow, some of the negative comments there would make Tony Abbott look like the Gillard Government's greatest promoter.  Angie wrote: "Thank you 'The Shire' for reigniting my will to hang myself."

So I went to the official Shire Twitter hash tag. Oops!  According to Chris: "BREAKING: RTA says Tom Ugly's Bridge bumper-to-bumper northbound. Residents fleeing. More detail in Late News". Peter thought that the show was making Being Lara Bingle look like Q&A.

Mind you, even as I wrote the last two paragraphs eighty new tweets came in. They included this one: "If you missed ‪#TheShireTV‬ tonight, this image basically sums it up. pic.twitter.com/69CEnQ9x " Ouch!

Mind you, and as one twitterer noted, its seems just so bad that everybody is likely to switch in next time just to see what the fuss is all about. Now Ten may want that, be seeking it, for if the next episode is better then people may stay. Better? I don't mean high drama, just something that fleshes everybody out in a more interesting way.

Still, what do I know? I will put this post up on Facebook to see what reaction I get. But then I'm not sure that most Easties actually talk to anyone from The Shire. In the meantime, Channel Ten can send me a cheque for promotion!