Has The Masked Singer Become Too Predictable? Fans Cry Foul Over Scripted Show
When the South Korean Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation came up with the idea of a show that would involve celebs dressing up in outrageous costumes to sing to an audience, they couldn't possibly have imagined that it would be the global success it has gone on to become.
But viewers lap it up – and they're even starting to cry foul over what was created to be predominantly entertainment.
Indeed, one recent Reddit thread complained that the show is now too predictable and over-scripted. Most contributors seemed to be ok with a little bit of scripting.
Let's face it, somebody behind the show needs to be in charge of what's going on. And it's going to be edited anyway.
But there was a sense that we should all be going along with the elephant in the room when it comes to the script. Yes, we all know it's there. But if nobody mentions it, is it even a real thing?
But there was debate over the degree to which the showrunners are…well running the show.
With Dick van Dyke eliminated in episode 1, some fans expressed the opinion that the producers had arranged for a big-name star to enter the singing contest safe in the knowledge he'd only have to put in one performance.
Other users were really not bothered and said they'd rather have short appearances from big-name celebs than a whole season of people they've never seen nor heard of.
If true though, this brings into question whether we're really watching a competition show. This feeling of it all being a bit too contrived was backed up by viewers who say that even the judges are in on it.
The increasingly absurd suggestions as to who's behind the mask, along with overstating the quality of every performance – even the really poor ones – gives rise to a general feeling that the competitive element of the show is being superseded by other factors, according to some.
And this is not something that has gone down well. Neither have the crocodile tears on the judging panel and the overacting by some members of it.
Quite how people are so annoyed about a show that is, at its heart, absurd is not immediately obvious.
But the truth is, as TV viewers, we're happy to buy into pretty much anything in the name of entertainment, and we trust producers and showrunners to make good on concepts that we never could have thought of – or at least wouldn't have ever believed could genuinely be produced.
But the one thing we demand of any show, no matter how ridiculous its premise, is authenticity.