Graphic by Kevin McFadin
You may believe that the best reality show of the year was the McDonnell trial, but there were plenty of others. It was a big year for cameras in the commonwealth; almost everyone got a turn in the spotlight. Take The Real Red Light Runners of Elkhardt and Hull Streets, about lead-foot soccer moms who try to outwit the city’s first ticket-issuing red light cameras. Urinal Wars follows the owner of a popular Mechanicsville nightspot who fought bathroom vandals by installing surveillance equipment in the boys’ room. Richmond’s Felonious Home Videos showcases master criminals who believe sunglasses and ball caps make them invisible. And of course, Cheetahs Caught on Camera, a show not about spousal infidelity, but a new family of cheetah cubs at the Metro Richmond Zoo. You haven’t really lived until you’ve watched the world’s fastest land animal sleep for two hours in a plywood box.
