In that respect, "Eye on L.A." was a harbinger of things to come -- a show that unabashedly exemplified the "Just win" attitude programmers have come to adopt. Parlaying skin and celebrity into ratings, the show was not only a microcosm of L.A. in the 1980s but also a petri dish for the various strains of "reality" that have followed.
The producers who cut their teeth in that since-leveled bungalow, meanwhile, seemingly learned to laugh at the business' absurdities and not take themselves too seriously. Sure, they provide programs that critics often deride and networks sometimes seem to treat like unwanted stepchildren, but faced with the din of competition and criticism, they know how to make noise.
