See, now after having written in a comment on BTW’s blog about how I ‘don’t do’ reality shows, I’m now fascinated by ‘Trading Spouses’. It’s the American version of Britain’s ‘Wife Swap’.
While ‘Wife Swap’ left me cold, I find myself happily plonking down onto the couch in the evening with a cup of tea and being engrossed in ‘Trading Spouses’. Why? What is it about the show that I enjoy and what’s the difference between the two shows? They both work on the same premise ie: one spouse (usually the mother) from each house, is swapped so that they each have to live the other’s life for a week.
I think the biggest difference is that in the US version, the kids are all over a certain age, able to understand what’s going on and have some input, while in the UK version, sometimes the children are small and bewildered, which makes me feel uncomfortable.
Maybe what I like is the big change, the challenge to everyone’s perception of life and the idea of something so outside their experience that it can’t help but make an impact of some kind.
Anyway, I’m having fun with it and that’s always a good thing 🙂
Learningwoman's Weblog 
Aha! You’ve been caught. 🙂
I watched that show once, and while like you I was intrigued by the way people’s life perceptions were challenged, I was left feeling very thankful that I didn’t personally know any of the people involved, and feeling very sorry for the children.
There are some train wrecks that are too bloody for me. I’ll stick to Tila (I’m so sure there will be a second season), the Bachelor (or ette, as the case may be), Project Runway and Top Chef. And whatever else catches my fancy. 🙂
By: BeThisWay on January 29, 2008
at 2:09 am
🙂 Yes I have and now it’s extended to Extreme Home Makeover!
Funny how these shows got suddenly more enjoyable in the long, dark evenings of winter…..
Roll on summer! 🙂
By: learningwoman on January 29, 2008
at 1:29 pm