All Locked Up on MSNBC
In this documentary, a camera crew steps into some of America's toughest prisons and allows the inmates to relate the horrible crimes they committed in order to end up inside. I know this is a time of trendy crimes shows, the grittier the better, and television is always "pushing the envelope," but this show is a real piece of crap. This show achieves two major, albeit unintended goals. The first is accomplished through the interviews with inmates where we see that, beyond a shadow of doubt, these animals deserve to remain there forever. The second is to educate the tax-paying public about just how well these prisoners have it. We get to see endless footage of them sitting around in nice new prison clothes, playing chess, using computers, visiting with family, watching cable TV and drinking soda. We get to see inside their customized cells, complete with decorations, posters, pictures, snacks and sometimes a really nice guitar, because we would not want to deny a convicted rapist guitar time.
The show spends a lot of time letting the criminals vent. We get to hear them brag about their heinous crimes, and about fellow inmates they have assaulted or in some cases killed, and wow us with a list of correctional officers they have intimidated and victimized as well. And lucky us, we get to here them bitch about the conditions in prison and an insane amount of pissing and moaning about "respect." I can't help but think that, if you lived your life by a code of true respect, you wouldn't be in prison to begin with. This turd of a show appears to be nothing more than an opportunity to let convicted felons brag, and bask in some perverse glory. And that¹s not all: this program also tends to show correctional officers in a poor light, only turning the cameras their direction when they have a story of being stabbed or otherwise victimized to recount.
We as the public should not support this kind of programming. Crime shows are great (who hasn't seen CSI?) but this one is pure sensationalist sludge disguised as a legitimate documentary. If we succumb to this trend, the production of lame crime shows will never end. What¹s next? A wacky sitcom about Ted Bundy? Will we all huddle around the TV to watch a cable show about a likable pedophile? Or an American Idol-type show featuring these sorry excuses for human beings, where we could give them even more lens time? Now I¹m no prude, nor am I known for being conservative, but you have to draw the line somewhere.
I¹m not against the revealing nature of reality TV, I just don't feel the need to sensationalize the horrible actions of a bunch of predators that could never make it on the outside, so instead spend their time incarcerated, bragging about their actions and making excuses. The "reality" of this show is that these people have not learned from their crimes. And they don't have to, they can spend their down time being coddled and babied by our state institutions with plenty of goodies and lots to watch on TV.
This television show receives one "shiv to the ribs" out of a possible five, shame on you MSNBC.