Playing small ball

After going for broke in Tokyo two weeks ago, I decided it was time to shut down for the month and narrow my lens - namely, on studying for my Japanese test in December, and on writing the 2009 Tokushima English-language musical. While the fruits of my labor remain to be seen, a couple of things have happened in the interim: 1) it got cold, and 2) I got around to watching I Survived a Japanese Game Show. And while I don't have much to offer in the way of an actual program review or analysis, I will present the following for consideration:

If the primary result of American reality shows (if not the primary aim) is the satirization of the general population by means of manipulation, is a show like the one mentioned above really necessary? That is, if reality shows produced stateside are already effective in highlighting the often ridiculous nature of those who choose to broadcast themselves to the world, are the secondary cast members and live audience of I Survived a Japanese Game Show actually needed for contrast?

Call it food for thought, and consider me entertained.