Well, I made a point of being home last night to see the show Jockeys. The previews were enticing, very stylized and edgy. I felt that a tuned in, horse-loving hipster such as myself should watch it. I wanted both education and entertainment, which is setting the bar pretty high for contemporary TV.
The first show
Last night's premier was an hour long, two segments back to back. There was the standard introduction to the jockeys and their personal stories. But the theme of the first episode is danger. We see a few bad falls and watch jockeys pray and see horses rear in the starting gate. Two featured jockeys are injured -- one squishes her foot, another breaks a collar bone. Next week's theme is a bit lighter (so to speak): weight management.
Educational?
Did I learn something about racing? Yes. I learned that the second most dangerous job at the racetrack is working at the starting gate (which I correctly guessed), and I learned that Santa Anita has 2,000 horses in sixty barns. I learned about the hardships of the racing jockeys, lots of risk for low low pay unless you're at the top. But the show was not really about educating viewers.
Entertaining?
Was it entertaining? Yes. But I'd hardly call it groundbreaking. The script didn't vary much he standard reality show formula. Young turk versus established older pro. Woman loves man, unrequited love. Unknown struggling at the bottom. It's a lot classier than Housewives of Orange County, but certain scenes are a little campy. For a first show, setting the stage, I'd give it a B or B-, but showing potential. What I didn't like...
Annoying music
I liked the music in the previews, so it was disappointing to find that the use of music was at times annoying. When the plot suggests something sad/poignant, I don't need to be hit over the head with a overbearing soulful background vocals to make absolutely sure I get the point.
Annoying woman
A Canadian jockey moves to California to be near her jockey boyfriend. She moves into his condo. We watch her casually overtake the bedroom with her clothing and other belongings while the boyfriend watches sulkily. Did she not see How to lose a guy in 10 days? She has a vapid kind of "Hollywood pretty," she doesn't really have that jockey toughness or confidence, and we don't see her ride. At this point she's just a clingy girlfriend.
Annoying whiteness
Okay, there are jockeys named Mike and and Corey and Joe and Aaron and Kayla and Chantal. I see no Miguels or Jorge's or Angels or Jesus'es, even though it seems a huge percentage of jockeys are non-caucasion. Doesn't that seem odd? Can anyone explain this? Will we meet some new faces next week? I hope so.
Annoying horses-as-backdrop
I should have anticipated that a show named Jockeys will not necessarily devote a lot of time to the horses. But I was hoping. Maybe I should suggest another show, Thoroughbreds.
Annoying grammar
Quote from Joe the jockey:
"It doesn't get any more better than this."
I'm a rather critical sort, but despite these downer observations I'll be watching next week. What did y'all think?
Friday, February 6, 2009
Animal Planet's Jockeys: A Review
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Good review. Made me laugh. As for:
ReplyDeleteAnnoying grammar
Quote from Joe the jockey:
"It doesn't get any more better than this."
I thought that was about the most real part of the show. Bad teeth and bad grammar abound on the track. Always drove me nuts. The only other very real side was Kayla.
Katy (ex-jockey)
Good review. Made me laugh. As for:
ReplyDeleteAnnoying grammar
Quote from Joe the jockey:
"It doesn't get any more better than this."
I thought that was about the most real part of the show. Bad teeth and bad grammar abound on the track. Always drove me nuts. The only other very real side was Kayla.
Katy (ex-jockey)
Cory is 1/2 Japanese.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't too impressed with the show. It kept going over and over and over the accidents, like they didn't have info. I really wanted to see more horses, OK, so yes, was is about the jockeys but....
ReplyDeleteDon't really care for the "reality" shows, they are kind of boring. You did a good review!
I agree with your observations. I also thought it was a little A.D.D. with all the switching between cuts quickly. And I'll be watching next week too. I'm hoping that some of that was just trying to fit too much into the first episode.
ReplyDeleteNext week, more Thoroughbred and less Jockey please!
Brig is from Santa Anita! I think he lived there for about four years? I'll have to see if there are any reruns so I can see his old house.
ReplyDeleteJulie
All I normally get is bad taste with anything to do with horse racing. I didn't expect a whole heck of a lot with this new show. Maybe Mike Smith and his true passion about riding Thoroughbreds, is all the good any viewers are going to get out of this show? What else good is there with horse racing for the general public to enjoy?
ReplyDeleteWe recorded the show but haven't watched it yet. Thanks for the review! I can't wait to watch.
ReplyDeleteVery good job w/ your review! I watched w/ husband (non-horsey) and he found it Boring. (He did comment on Mike's girlfriend's attitude!)
ReplyDeleteIt seems that to fill the time they just repeat footage.(E Entertainment shows drive me nuts w/ that.)
And where's the "flipping"? Although next week we do see toilets.
I'll give another try but IMHO the promos were better than the show.
Nice review! I felt the same way, but I'll probably continue watching it anyway (as I end up doing with most reality shows and their odd appeal). TiVo helps - but I was constantly fast forwarding through the same previews and accidents.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I had to miss the show, but the "Annoying Woman" is Chantal Sutherland! Before this Jockey show came out I had no idea that she was attractive or had been featured in Vogue and as one of People's 100 Most Beautiful - all I knew was what a great jock she is. From the get go in Canada she's been one to watch - never count a horse out of it if Chantal's on their back, she has a great reputation for bringing home longshots. Hopefully her "character" will be broadened in the future on the show.
ReplyDeleteThe canned Denman calls are really distracting. I understand the temptation to re-record them using jockey names, but if it's "reality" then going back and re-recording the script is specious. That bugged me more than the music.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get a chance to see it yet. It's on tonight though so I will watch it later.
ReplyDeleteIt figures. A horsey show wouldn't appeal to the general public and a non horsey show is just...useless!
I saw the last 20 minutes of the last episode at 1 something in the morning today, haha, so it wasn't to entertaining.
ReplyDeleteAnd FYI the song is "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by Daft Punk. look up Daft hands, on youtube, and there is an awesome video for the song completely using someone's hands. the original is by frecklestudios? I think? it is an entertaining watch, even though it is not horsey at all. =]
If they do a show called "Thoroughbreds" I'll be in the front row!! Did not see this one but enjoyed your review. I'll try to catch a re-run.
ReplyDeleteQuote from Joe the jockey:
ReplyDelete"It doesn't get any more better than this."
hahaha- I pointed out that same thing to my fiance when we watched it.
I also wanted to see more horse stuff- which he pointed out also- "um- it's called 'JOCKEYS'"
good review- I felt the same way about it.
The show's ok, pretty much what you'd expect from a reality show about jockeys in that you really can't show any of the juicy stuff!! I'm sure though that for people outside of racing it will be somewhat educational, and help to give a small insight into how the sport runs.
ReplyDeleteII have to agree with "Anonymous'" comment about the race calls.... Reality is rarely real and the obviously re-recorded commentary got pretty annoying. And is it just me, or is Kayla Stra the most irriatating, miserable, un-personable character on the show??!?
I think though that this would have been a great premise for a fictional show based at the track, because as someone who works there I can tell you, there is pleanty of drama to keep you watching lol.
p.s. great review :D
In the "Annoying Whiteness" factor: Mike Smith is Mexican, according to Chantal Sutherland. One would assume "Mike" is probably Anglicised from "Miguel", as sometimes happens in circumstances where minorities with minority-sounding names work in settings filled with WASP origin peoples and names.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, I had a friend whose family origins were in India, and he admitted that his name was deliberately chosen so that it could be easily Anglicised later, since they now lived in America, and that it was a tradition of many Indian families to Anglicise their children's names. His brother Joe and Sister Ann had long Indian names that could be easily cut down to those easy-to-pronounce Anglo names.
My friend Rajashri, called "Rajashrina" as a child, cut her name to "Rina" as an adult because of its ease of pronunciation but still Indian-sounding origins. It was fascinating at her wedding because she married a guy named Brian. Those outside of Rina's family who knew Rina personally addressed their gifts to "Brian and Rina". Everyone else-Rina's family and all of Brian's friends and family--addressed gifts to "Brian and Rajashri". It was hysterical.