What Would You Do? (ABC)

[bachelorwatcher]

"What Would You Do?" is a show on ABC. It's similar to "True Beauty." There are hidden cameras that catch people's reactions to a variety of situations. There was one segment about what people whould do if someone passed out on a sidewalk. When the person was well-dressed, they quickly got help. It took a while for a homeless man to get help. There was only one person who helped the person in the third scenario: a homeless man who passed out with a beer can. There also was a bride segment, like the bride episode on "True Beauty." There was a very involved segment about cutting in the ten items or less line at the supermarket. There are some segments that I don't like: it seems the purpose of some of the segments is to point out to viewers what the show's producers consider are problems in society.

[momrek06]

"What Would You Do?" is a show on ABC. It's similar to "True Beauty." There are hidden cameras that catch people's reactions to a variety of situations. There was one segment about what people whould do if someone passed out on a sidewalk. When the person was well-dressed, they quickly got help. It took a while for a homeless man to get help. There was only one person who helped the person in the third scenario: a homeless man who passed out with a beer can. There also was a bride segment, like the bride episode on "True Beauty." There was a very involved segment about cutting in the ten items or less line at the supermarket. There are some segments that I don't like: it seems the purpose of some of the segments is to point out to viewers what the show's producers consider are problems in society.

Yes, this show has been on for a few years now. DH & I really enjoy it but lately they have been showing reruns. Last night's was not a rerun. GREAT SHOW!

ABC's Primetime: What Would You Do? is an American television newsmagazine broadcast on ABC since 2007 as part of the Primetime series. The show is about setting up everyday scenarios and then capturing people's reactions. Whether they're compelled to act or mind their own business, John Quiñones reports on their split-second and often surprising decision-making process. Often people speculate on how they might act in a difficult situation, but this series looks at how they actually do in the face of everyday dilemmas that test their character and values.

[karalott]

I've watched this before and really enjoy it. I remember a situation that took place in a park in NJ, where they used two sets of teens to vandalize a car. One group was white, the other was black. People seemed more willing to approach the white teens and ask them to stop, or just looked away. With the black teens, people didn't really go near them and were much quicker to call 911. If I remember correctly, one of the black teens family members was sitting in a car, just minding his own business and waiting for the scene to be done. Someone called the police on him just for being there

[bachelorwatcher]

In many cases, people seem to help those who are most like themselves. For example, for the college fraternity hazing, a high school girl tried to stop it. She said that she had been picked on throughout school and wanted to stop the "bullying." In the cutting into a line at the grocery store segment, one man said that he wouldn't let the pregnant woman cut in line ahead of him because he had less time, (left in his life), than the woman. Also, the only person who helped the passed out homeless man with the beer can, was a woman who had been homeless herself. The homeless man on the sidewalk was white, and the person trying to help him was African-American, but they both were/had been homeless. It was odd that the white fraternity guy thought that the white man with the knife was going to hurt the guy who was taped to a post. All that he did was cut the tape. Don't people have a tendency to trust those who are like/look like themselves?

[Kip]

I think it's an entertaining show - mostly for the value of thinking what I might do in those situations.

Sometimes I want to scream about the conclusions they draw. For instance, a recent test was whether or not patrons in a restaurant would tell another patron who was talking loudly on a cell phone to be quiet. In the first test, the actor was a male who was having a loud conversation about spreadsheet numbers. Several male patrons asked him to be quiet. In the second test, the actor was a female, who was having a conversation with a coworker about having lied to her boss about sending a fax. The conversation was hilarious - it turned into a mini soap opera. Patrons were laughing and straining to listen - not surprisingly, no one asked her to be quiet.

These were two very different situations, but one of the conclusions the host drew was that people respond differently to men and women. That's possibly true, but these conversations were so different that the bigger factor was likely the type of conversation.

[bachelorwatcher]

I think all cell phone conversations are boring. They should have had the lady discuss items on a grocery list, or have her talk to her husband for an accurate comparison of reactions to men and women. Then I think at least as many people would have complained to her as complained to that man.

[pfeifferdcat]

I sometimes watch this show too.
Funny story, we were leaving the mall about a month ago & saw a very pregnant girl smoking. I told my husband that I expected John Quinones (the host) to come out & asked us why we didn't do anything, when we obviously saw her & kept walking. I guess I figure at that point the damage is done. Me telling her something is only going to get me yelled at or worse by her in front of my kids.

[bachelorwatcher]

I've never seen a pregnant woman who was smoking. I've seen a lot of women smoking around their babies or young children. I've never said anything to them. My comments wouldn't be helpful. They might never quit smoking, or maybe quit in twenty years. With people and their cigarettes, you don't want to even try to get involved. Smoking is a deeply ingrained behavior.

[bachelorwatcher]

I'm disappointed with this show: they're repeating scenarios. They should come up with new ideas for each show, and not reuse ideas from previous shows.

[Egomaniacal1]

I agree. How many time are we gonna see the bridal shop/wedding dress scenario? I think this show needs to dig deep and probably come on less actually. I mean the experts tell us why we as humans behave as we do(ie looking to others to see what to do when in doubt) so i doubt we'll see much deviation from that in the various scenarios. So unless they can come up with more compelling scenes the show itself is becoming a boring repeat of just a few types of different scenarios only played thru different and not so different scenes.