Primetime: What Would You Do?

It's an interesting show.

Just feel like they want and only want to show people sucking up to be the hero on few segments which isn't realistic in the real world. People are nasty.

Verdict: They just found another way to use people as pawns for entertainment.

It has overstayed it's welcome. They're starting to recycle the same actors and even the same scenarios. They're doing it so much so that some of the participants are even starting to catch saying things like, "This is like that show, 'What Would You Do?'" or "I knew something was off." That's how you know you should go! There's no longer the element of surprise. The scenarios are so over the top as well as the actors/actresses. And I've asked since I started watching the show off and on with my family whether people are really that nosy. I'm sure there have been many situations similar to this where I've heard a parent in the store being too stern or their kids being too wild, or where I should have stopped to help or I overheard a disturbing conversation. But I mind my own business! Everyone doesn't always like or appreciate your intervention. I don't think that makes me uncaring or oblivious just because I don't jump into everyone's conversation and confront someone who obviously has issues. Finally, I feel like they have an agenda as they address a certain issue every episode. I understand bringing things to light, but every episode?

This is one of my favorite shows. It really makes you really think about what you would actually do in these situations.

They don't hit a home run every time but WWYD is always intriguing. I'm amazed at those who decide to act appropriately as well as those who don't act at all. Not every scenario can be compelling, and how could they. The point is that they set up controversial scenarios that give you an insight to us as social creatures while also creating topics for discussion.

There once was a certain type of pride in being an investigative reporter in that one would dig up the news in all manner of methods and from all sorts of sources, and it was real news. What passes for investigative journalism now on both national and local newscasts, and news specials like this show, is setting up and making the news, and doing it in a way that shows the ultimate superiority of journalists to know what's best.

This show is only one example of the phony setup or sting operation to create a feel-good moment for the viewer. I put into this same category such programs as the NBC Dateline To Catch a Predator, and all other setup situational news programs of this type. With this I also include the myriad of local newscasts that promote themselves as "looking out for you" when they do a setup sting on some business.

This is not investigative journalism, but this is taking the easy way out to get ratings and to feel like they've really done something, and to show all of us that newcasters are experts on any subject that comes up, and by insinuation they know best how we should run our lives, and what way we should vote. While these people are creating something, and I mean creating not reporting, they are failing their duty to tackle the tough subjects of the real world.

They don't investigate where the WMDs of Iraq went, or how the Patriot Act ended up a bad idea, or why we have so many people without work STILL, or why we need two people to support one household now, or why and who sent weapons to Mexico that killed hundreds, or why and who allowed our citizens to be killed in Libya, or any coverups of these, or why China is allowed to pollute the world and steal our secrets, or where our right to privacy went in the last decade.

But instead, they either just propagate government pronouncements or tell us how we should act in setup situations that could only possibly have one right answer, theirs. Or that it is okay to create unethical and criminal acts with false situations. This is the EASY WAY OUT of saying you are doing investigative journalism, when you really are not. It is as bad as the local police doing things easily by making every single driver pull over for an inspection just to catch a few, rather than do the hard police work of watching and observing those drivers who are problematic, or shooting someone (or even a dog) before determining that they are actually a threat.

What a country this has become, run by power-hungry corrupt federal institutions, over-zealous enforcement officers, and journalists who think they are the 4th branch of the government, and that their journalism degree gives them omnipotent knowledge of all subjects.