“A Real Truman Show:” One Of The Best Comedies Of The Last Few Years Made The Jim Carrey Movie A Reality

 
In 1998, Jim Carrey starred in The Truman Show , which saw his character at the center of a wild social experiment where everyone around him was an actor, and in 2023, that idea came to life in Jury Duty . While Jim Carrey became famous for his outstanding comedy with his physical style, and his quick wit, The Truman Show was distinctly different from the other films he had worked on before. His character, Truman, lived every day in a community that seemed to center on him, with much of his life playing out in blissful peace.

However, Truman started to notice weird idiosyncrasies about his life, his neighbors and even the people closest to him, like his wife. As he began to take notice, he started experimenting, and before long, he figured out that people were not being honest. In a shocking revelation, Truman discovers that his entire life, since the day he was born, he has been the subject of a TV show that followed his life, and actively influenced the world around him. Everyone in his life was a part of this set up, including his wife and best friend, who hid the truth from him in order to keep the show going

Jury Duty Is The Closest Thing We Have From A Real Truman Show

The Similarities Between The Truman Show And Jury Duty

The Truman Show may be an extreme example, but it did put forth an interesting proposition; what would happen if a show was designed around one individual, and everyone else was simply an actor? Enter Ronald Gladden, a typical American man, who is called on to serve jury duty. Since jury duty is a civic duty for any American citizen to participate unless they have appropriate extenuating circumstances, Ronald is easily lulled into the idea that this cast of characters, which ranges from an actor to a very eccentric biohacking enthusiast, is real.

However, the series hijacks three weeks of Ronald's life, as it makes him the center of a show where everyone is an actor, except for him. Just like Truman, Ronald builds relationships, friendships, and he becomes the hero of a story that everyone else has a deep vested interest in, while he remains clueless that nothing around him is real. However, this show is designed to lean into the comedy aspect, as it sees Ronald facing increasingly absurd situations, and trying to make the best call in each new setting.

How Jury Duty’s Ultimate Courtroom Prank Was Pulled Off

Jury Duty Required A Lot Of Preparation To Make It Work

In order to pull off the elaborate hoax and create an environment that could pass for real, convincing Ronald that he was actually a part of a jury with these unusual figures, a number of tricks were employed. It all began with getting the right man, so they screened some potential candidates for the role of the "hero," which is the name they used behind the scenes for Ronald. Then, it was time to hire the right people, which meant actors who could perform improv comedy, and would not be immediately recognizable (via THR).

once all the characters were in place, including a lawyer and judge who had long legal careers as well as experience as actors, it was time to build the narrative for Ronald. Of course, the show included ludicrous and bizarre moments, but in order to balance this out and avoid suspicion, there were also many hours of making reality bank deposits, as revealed by the popular actor James Marsden in an interview on the Stephen Colbert show. By creating long days and hours in a makeshift trial that was ultimately never intended for broadcast, Ronald was convinced that this was a real trial, with real jurors, and despite the odd moments, it was too elaborate to be fiction.

Jury Duty Season 2 Would Have A Hard Time Replicating Season 1’s Magic

It Would Be Nearly Impossible To Repeat Jury Duty's Success

• 
  
  

Jury Duty, like the fictional Truman Show, was a once in a lifetime type of show. Truman was a character that people felt deeply connected to, and they loved to watch his life, both the mundane and the exciting moments. Likewise, Jury Duty had the perfect casting at the heart of the show, with Ronald Gladden. Ronald is simply a good man, who is willing to look for the best in others, tries to be honest and decent, and feels a real obligation to do the right thing.

If the show was to attempt a Jury Duty season 2, a lot of things would need to change. Due to the show's popularity, it is unlikely that it could keep the courtroom setting, it certainly would need to change the cast of actors, and it would need to find the perfect person to put at the center of the show. Realistically, it's unlikely that all of these elements could come together as smoothly as they did with Ronald, and so, it's likely that Jury Duty is the closest thing to The Truman Show that will ever be made in real life.