Some things for vampires to do on reality TV...

alysdragon — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:52:38 +0100

I've been plot bunnied by this all day, and need some help now. Okay, so, in this world, vampirism isn't very widespread as the recently 'outed' vampire society is incredibly hierachical and strictly regulated - they do not turn people without a very good reason. So, the vampires in question are all have at least two centuries and almost certainly remember public executions. Essentially, vampire society was 'outed' a few years back, but due to canny manipulation, the vampire elders now have law enforcement and government in their pockets. Due to the nature of vampire society they are also fairly powerful as these things go - traits like fascination and psychic ability are relatively strong, although they can't shapeshift. They do have hangeron vampires who are less strong, but these are the children of the vampire elders - they are attractive, wealthy and famous for being famous. They have innordinately powerful daddies. Before they were outed, they lived lives of luxurious seclusion, seeing humans as amusing toys and 'cattle' ( for reasons too complex to explain most of them have never been human), preying on their human servants and the occasional kidnapped 'pet'. For the most part they are self-important spoiled brats and unspeakable sadists. Now they have fan clubs. Any ideas?

Re: Some things for vampires to do on reality TV...

Itzika — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:51:21 +0100

So... these vampires are actually on reality TV? Okay then. Awesome. If they have fan clubs, they have willing donors. You can do something with that. Bring in a donor, let them fight over zir, enthrall zir into doing whatever they want and not leaving. If it's a "Big Brother" type scenario, where they're not allowed to leave (which would be hilarious--imagine a dozen centuries-old vamps not allowed to leave the house because Big Brother Said So), they can fight each other. They probably won't be as affected as humans by the tendency to suddenly turn into a Wild Thing when the camera is pointed at them, so, actually, it would probably be boring. I'd expect a lot of incidents where some vampire broke the camera because it caught him doing something he didn't like, luncheons with members of Congress (what better way to show how in control you are than by rubbing it in everyone's faces on nationwide TV?)... Honestly, it would probably be cancelled after a season. Unless the vampires are throwing tantrums and turning their lives into soap operas, which as semi-immortal beings with superiority complexes they have no reason to do, I don't see them doing much that's both interesting and able to be shown on prime time.

Re: Some things for vampires to do on reality TV...

vampyre_smiles — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:29:16 +0100

Actually, people with superiority complexes seem to make the most drama... If you never heard of him, look up Don the Vampire. ^,-,^ There was a reality show with the hosts as various lifestyles and he was on the show as the representative for (living) vampires. He was rather amusing, IMHO.

Re: Some things for vampires to do on reality TV...

alysdragon — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:14:27 +0100

Hey, sorry about taking a while to get back - I've been distracted and wanted to give proper thought to a response, and thank you for ideas! Yes, they are on reality TV, I was thinking more the aspirational stuff like "Come Dine with Me", than the Z list craziness of Big Brother, and having them more in the role of Simon Cowell than... oh whichever nobodies that other awful show has created. Still, Itzika, your idea of a vampire BB is just too funny. I might have them trying it at some point. Perhaps a half living, half vampire household, where you vote for a mortal to go into the room full of bored and aggressive and hungry vampires (who, probably well used to boredom, spend their time bickering and discussing literature or music while the mortals play up the drama downstairs.) That could actually make quite interesting concept television: "We're bored, mortal, entertain us, or we kill you." The legal furore, even in that world, would be immense. There will be definite smugness at how powerful they are, and I was thinking probably some 'mortal combat' style vampire grudge matches, which would make good viewing. But when it comes to the tantrums (which there will be) these vampires wouldn't just break the cameras if they were annoyed. They'd probably smash up the camera, then have the camera person flogged on live television before a screaming crowd. What I was trying to create was a parody of our reality TV (which to my mind is just watching other people's pain and humiliation) where people are struck with a sort of horrified fascination as these beautiful, cultured monsters throw our society back to some kind of feudal nightmare, with the rapturous consent of the crowd.