Pushing the Limits of Television.

Two things have been happening in the entertainment industry that might foreshadow what we should get used to. Both have in common that they blur the distinction between reality and fiction even more than before.

Not long ago, this blog mentioned how an ambiguous Web site seemed to cross the border between fantasy and reality (a Website that claimed to be the Home Page of some real guy was actually a fictitious element of the TV show ‘Lost', but there was no clear mention of it on the website’). Now on Monday, CBS is going to have you come to their internet site for the resolution of their CSI Miami plot.

But the most daring move comes by far from British television which is pushing the frontier of reality shows yet further: Channel 4 is going to pull off the biggest hoax ever since the beginning of television and if it reminds you of the The Truman Show, that’s because it is aa similar flavor

Their coming prime-time program, called Space Cadetsis going to show contestants preparing for an actual journey into space. The 9 contestants will be made to believe that they are actually flying 100 km above the Earth while in reality they will be in a disuse US military base somewhere in the UK. Apparently, the greatest Hollywood Special FX experts will be involved and the the participants will be joined by 3 actors whom they will believe are fellow contestants. (for the incredible details read here).

Talk about some practical joke!