One thing that will turn an agent off with the quickness is you being clueless to what’s hot on TV. It’s your duty as an actor to watch as much television as you can. Believe it or not, there are many different acting styles being performed on various television programs. For instance, soap opera actors usually are more dramtic in their acting style. They tend to be overly dramatic at times. This is done on purpose. You ever notice how at the very end of a scene on a soap opera an actor will hold their reaction for like thirty good seconds right before the commercial break? What dramatic effect!
Other shows like CSI and House, M.D. are “dramatic” but the style of these shows are more “true-to-life”–more realistic. Incidently, reality shows are not all “true reality”. A lot of it is scripted. There will be many times when an agent will ask you if you’ve heard of a particular television show. That will be your chance to make a good impression and say “Yes, of course, I heard of…” “I watch it all the time.” Your agent will be impressed. It will also give her/him confidence to push hard to help you get an audition for the show–especially if they know you’re a fan. So, you should watch and be familiar with the current popular TV shows. You may not like some shows but it’s still good to be well-rounded in your knowledge on what’s out there.
