Review: “Trudne Sprawy” (transl. Tough Cases). Reaching deep bottom in Poland.
This polish mockumentary from Polot Media shows ordinary people in and their problems in budget way. Is it really worth it?
By Jakub Mikulski
May 9, 2023
By the standards of TV show’s mockumentary stories (which is a fictional film or TV show that looks like a documentary, using the same style and conventions, but the events and characters are made up. It’s often used to parody real-life events or social conventions for humorous or satirical purposes) and pseudo-documentary shall be higher.
This show has been on the air for over a decade has become quite popular in Poland. The show’s concept is simple (and after its popularity it’s possible to say effective): real people come on the show to discuss their problems, and the audience gets to watch it all play out in this format, but it’s important to examine whether it’s worth watching or not. Discussing the format of the show, the quality of the acting, and the overall production value. As mentioned, this show is presented as a pseudo-documentary series, where real people discuss their problems in a mockumentary style. While the idea of featuring real people and their problems is intriguing, and that’s the only advantage of this series, the show’s execution leaves much to be desired. As Combs, James E.; Mansfield, Michael W. said, “Drama is a way of understanding the complex and dynamic nature of human communication” (p. 2). which catch people’s attention. In this case the script, dialogue, and plot are all cheap and poorly executed, which makes it difficult to get invested in the stories being told. One of the biggest issues with “Trudne Sprawy” is the quality of the acting. The actors are non-professionals, it seems like they were taken randomly from the street, it’s really clear that they were hired without much consideration of their ability to perform convincingly. This results in a lack of authenticity in the performances, making it hard to take the characters and acted by them stories seriously. Furthermore, the actors seem to be uncomfortable in front of the camera, which makes the show even more difficult to watch. The technical aspects of the show are also problematic. The set design is minimal, and the cinematography is subpar. The show is poorly lit, which makes it not eye-catching and hard to see what’s happening in certain scenes. Although the scenes are pretty like each other, it’s possible to see some dependence e.g., “character’s interview” background always have a frame with photography. That’s where the directors’ work ends. Work from other production team members is similar. Costume designer doesn’t seem to exist in show’s crew, actors look like there’s no management in clothes they wear, they look such a casual or basic. Maybe in fact of budget cuts. Additionally, the show’s pacing is slow, which can make it difficult to maintain interest in the stories that are being told. In terms of the show’s format, it’s clear that the producers were trying to capitalize on the popularity of reality television. However, the show lacks the authenticity and drama that make reality television so fascinating and catchy. The stories featured in “Trudne Sprawy” range from petty theft to marital problems, but they lack the emotional depth that would make them engaging to watch. The popularity of this show is because of the type of its audience, most people watching this show are ordinary and without any other sight or view for better productions. To sum up, “Trudne Sprawy” is a disappointing television show, that in its genre doesn’t have many to offer. It has a lot of episodes that don’t combine into one big story, every episode is a different story with different actors. While the premise of featuring real people discussing their problems is intriguing, the execution is lackluster. The show’s formulaic, basic plot, with artificial dialogue, and poor production value make it difficult to invest in the stories being told. The quality of the acting and technical aspects of the show further detracts from the viewing experience. It’s alarming that this show has become so popular in Poland, as it reflects a decline in the quality of Polish television programming. While there are certainly good television shows being produced in Poland, “Trudne Sprawy” is not one of them. It’s simply not worth the time or effort to watch this show, and there are many better options available for those looking for quality television. In conclusion, while the idea behind “Trudne Sprawy” is interesting, the show’s execution leaves much to be desired. The lack of quality in the acting and technical aspects of the show, combined with the formulaic plot and poor production value, make it a difficult show to watch. If you’re looking for engaging television programming, there are many other options available that are much better than this show. Unfortunately the show isn’t satirical referring to its description which clearly says it’s not. In my opinion this genre even with cheap production could be better carry, with some creative idea, as Kjellmer, Viveka described mockumentary in 2022. “A mockumentary production could be defined as a combination of documentary form with fictional content (Rhodes and Springer Citation2006, 4). This fictional content would make show much more interesting and not harmful for eyes
In the words of Wesley Morris I don’t know what actually this piece of “art” (if it can be consider as one) wants to say. In fact of it’s cheap production that want to have the best earnings. They could accomplished that in fact they stay in TV for that many years.
Works Citied
Combs, James E.; Mansfield, Michael W. “Drama is a way of understanding the complex and dynamic nature of human communication” (p. 2).
https://cuny-cc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CUNY_CC/o05rus/alma990009242400106138
Kjellmer, Viveka. 2022. “A mockumentary production could be defined as a combination of documentary form with fictional content (Rhodes and Springer Citation2006, 4)
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