Hyperreality, when reality is replaced by simulacrum. In this case Reality Television represented as real life, appears to offer us the position as the all-seeing eye, just one form of hyperreality. A representation which simply wouldn't exist without the cameras being there. Eastenders is a fine example of this false representation; a set, manufactured to look and represent a part of london, to look, feel and sound like just that. A selection of actors, given a fabricated script and image, to look at, and be perceived as real people we can relate to as viewers. Its a constructed image for an audience to engage with, to become part of the soap being shown allows us a voyeuristic passive consumption of a type of reality. The boundaries between reality and fantasy become blurred, we know its in fact set in a studio, with actors, scripts, costume and makeup but become unconciouss in really reconginzing this. We still react although it were real, we still talk to one another about the soap although the place and people exist. The media too respond in this way, talking about the actors first hand using reference to name, past events and characteristics but then tell us of future plots; reminding us that this is in fact a soap, not a real event. The danger of hyperreality is we begin to see constructed characters as role models, this fabricated image becomes our reality. Something we want to be and act like, even if we consider how extreme the Eastenders actors are, as characters. In recent events we have seen many murders, assaults and arson attacks all carried out by the characters - more often than in reality. Within the half an hour the programme is shown, we relate to it although real, but are often reminded that it is, in fact just a soap; the end credits, the BBC logo clearing the boundaries between reality, and fantasy.
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