10 Reasons People Should Be Watching 'Shark Tank'
For those who have never watched it before, "Shark Tank" is about a group of self-made multi-millionaires and billionaires (referred to as "sharks" in the show) who invest in America's businesses and products to help the owners or inventors chase their dreams in their company. If you aren't watching it, here are 10 reasons why you should start.
1. You get to watch people's dreams come true.
Sometimes, people come into the" Shark Tank" and they are there to get an investment to help save their business. Others are there to help start or grow it. Either way, many of the people who come on the show are there to get an investment from a shark because they need help. There's nothing better than watching someone who has been working so hard get so excited when they reach a deal in the tank. You're watching the "American dream" come true for someone right in front of you.
2. Mr. Wonderful is brutally honest.
The cast of the show is all around great, but the main reason for watching is for the pure comedy of Kevin O'Leary also known as Mr. Wonderful on the show. He is probably the rudest out of the bunch and he knows it, but sometimes is the most realistic. It's just entertaining to watch the show to hear what comes out of his mouth because he doesn't hold anything back and doesn't care about being nice, even to some of the youngest contestants.
3. You get to witness the sharks throw out ridiculous amounts of money.
Sometimes, the business owners or inventors come into the tank asking for tens of thousands of dollars and sometimes they ask for hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's amazing to watch the sharks throw around dollar amounts like it's nothing. They are all very wealthy but sometimes the same shark will make two or three different deals in one episode and will throw out $500,000 like it's nothing.
4. The negotiations can actually be a learning experience for viewers.
These people come into the tank and they ask for too much money and not enough equity in the company, according to the sharks. The sharks aren't afraid to tell people they are asking for too much money either. One of the best parts of the show is when the sharks turn the scene into a teaching moment. Sometimes the owners or inventors change their deal they are trying to make and end up getting a shark to invest and other times the person is too stubborn and loses their chance with a shark. The sharks are always very thorough with why they are or are not making a deal with the person, so viewers can learn from what is being said.
5. How else are you going to learn about useful products?
The whole point of the show is to present new products or businesses to get the sharks to invest in them. There are so many things out there that are great but just unknown. But the show helps you discover these unknown products, whether the sharks decide to invest in them or not.
6. Some of the best stories are told on the show.
Reality TV is filled with humbling stories or experiences from people, but it seems like "Shark Tank" has some of the most inspiring. People from all walks of life come on the show and try to get an investor. One of the most recent stories involves the owners of Bottle Breacher, who have been married for over nine years. The husband is a former Navy Seal turned entrepreneur and the wife has always had a passion for business. The product is a .50 caliber ammunition that was used in war but the couple decided to make it into a bottle opener. The bottle openers are made by Active Duty service members, veterans and reservists. This is just one example of a product and story that you would have likely never known about if it wasn't for "Shark Tank."
7. Things get a little heated between the sharks and it's just fun to watch.
One of the biggest fights in "Shark Tank" history actually just happened in the latest season. The creator of an app that curated scholarships for people couldn't even finish his pitch or answer any more questions because one of the sharks, Lori Greiner, offered him a deal. The other sharks wanted in, too, and they all got upset because they wanted to ask more questions. Then, Robert Herjavec jumped in on the deal with Lori and the creator of the app accepted it. When he stepped out of the room, all of the sharks except for Lori and Robert left the room because they were so mad. The arguments don't happen often but when they do, it's quite entertaining.
8. The show is so unexpected!
You never know what the sharks are going to do after they hear a pitch. Just when you think an entrepreneur is going to lock up a deal with one shark, another shark swoops in and cuts a better deal and the entrepreneur usually takes it. Or just the opposite happens. When you think an entrepreneur is going to make a deal no matter what with a shark, none of the sharks are actually interested in investing in the business.
9. There's no other reality television show like it.
"Shark Tank" is so different from anything else on TV right now. It's such a simple concept, but so entertaining to watch. The cast is very distinguished, yet they still make it easy to understand the deals they are making. It's a unique show for any type of viewer.
10. There's a spinoff of the show coming.
Many people wonder what happens to the entrepreneurs after they make a deal with a shark and some even wonder what happens when the entrepreneurs don't make one. So ABC is answering all questions and giving viewers a show called "Beyond the Tank" where it does exactly that, going beyond the tank to let us know where people are after they appear on the show. So in order to watch the spinoff, you're going to have to watch the actual show first.
"Shark Tank" airs on Friday nights at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
Vanessa Gomez is a student at the University of Southern California and a contributor to Moviefone's Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!