Reality TV-your opinion?

[broberfett]

What do you think of all these reality shows. They are anything, but real. It is a bunch of fake, manufactured crap. Shows like Ghosthunters and Destination Truth seem to be built around some guy shouting,"What was that!" followed by a whole lot of nothing there. There are shows like monster hunters that ran out of monsters and never found anything in any of their investigations. The shows like American Idol are built around an asshole trashing some attention whore's singing. Are you sick of reality tv?

 

[mimic]

It's a genre, and within that genre there are some worthwhile shows and a lot of crap. Survivor gets a lot of hate for starting the reality craze, but really it is just an iteration of the gameshow format with an added psychological element. Project Runway is also fun, even though I don't care about fashion or any of that.

I am sick of American Idol because it eats up so much time when it comes on. If it aired once a week for an hour I wouldn't care, but when it's on at primetime for multiple days it bugs.

 

[tomalak301]

I think I blame American Idol for the whole competition/game show/talent thing more than I blame Survivor for the reality stuff. For one, because of Idol, we have shows like Dancing with the Stars and America's Got Talant, which like Mimic said, eat up so much time. I mean this week alone, Dancing with the Stars has 5 hours worth of coverage. Next week it's probably the same thing and that is just way too much. America's Got Talent is the same way. So much time it takes up and given my mom watches all those shows, I find it even more annoying.

On the other hand with Survivor, Reality TV has been around for much longer, with shows like Cops and The Real World. Also, they don't "own" the networks like some of these other shows I've mentioned do.

As for the original question, the only two reality shows I watch so far are Survivor and The Amazing Race. I just like the competition format of those shows, and I actually think they are more gameshows anyway than actual "reality" shows

 

[Mr. B]

I can't stand reality TV myself and it's sad how many time slots it eats up... the only thing sadder than reality TV is it's popularity. I guess you can't wholly blame the networks for such tripe as it's so popular and profitable.

 

[Caliburn24]

Reality TV is to the 21st Century what Ultra-Nationalism was to the 20th Century.

The cause of millions of deaths, untold amounts of suffering, and the bane of culture, civilization and human society.

Perhaps I am being a little bit over dramatic, but not by much.

 

[Mr. B]

...just a bit, we could probably measure the body count in hundreds of thousands.

 

[Thor Damar]

Is there going to be a new judging system or these shows or is the last season of Big Brother taking a new approach

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

I think I blame American Idol for the whole competition/game show/talent thing more than I blame Survivor for the reality stuff. For one, because of Idol, we have shows like Dancing with the Stars and America's Got Talant, which like Mimic said, eat up so much time. I mean this week alone, Dancing with the Stars has 5 hours worth of coverage. Next week it's probably the same thing and that is just way too much. America's Got Talent is the same way. So much time it takes up and given my mom watches all those shows, I find it even more annoying.

Certainly American Idol's influence is quite clear, particularly since all of these other talent shows all have to have an ultra-critical British judge, totally ripping off Simon Cowell.

I'm not a huge reality show fan but there are a few I like.

I watched The 5th Wheel & A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila for the occasional HLA.

I liked some of the fake reality shows like The Joe Schmo Show & Pop Star USA.

But mostly I prefer stuff that is more straight up game shows like American Gladiators, Dog Eat Dog, I Survived a Japanese Game Show, & Wipeout.

 

[Spot's Meow]

There are many different types of what is now considered 'reality TV.' There are the talent shows (American Idol, Dancing with the Stars), the dating shows (The Bachelor, Tila Tequila), the informational shows (Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers, Ghost Hunters), and the competitive gameshows (Big Brother, Survivor, Amazing Race). All of these types are very different and one can certainly enjoy one type while disliking another.

I hate the term reality tv, because it leads those who dislike it to make the claim "well, it's not even real!" But people who watch reality tv, me included, don't care about that. Dramas and comedies aren't real, I enjoy those. If reality tv isn't real, so what? It can still be entertaining, and knowing that it was written in advance doesn't make it any less enjoyable to me.

I enjoy the gameshow style reality shows, which I believe should be more aptly named adventure gameshows or something like that. Survivor, Big Brother, and Amazing Race are some of my favorite shows on tv. However, I really can't stand the talent competitions, especially American Idol and Dancing with the Stars.

So my opinion is that it's just another genre that covers a variety of show types, with those different types appealing to different people. Whether they are "real" or not matters little - people watch tv primarly to be entertained, and if a show entertains them, then they shouldn't be ridiculed for watching it.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

It's a genre, and within that genre there are some worthwhile shows and a lot of crap.
[ /QUOTE]

Reality genre television. There are different styles other than just documenting something. That's where the subgenres come in:
Elimination/game shows, Self-improvement/makeover, Social experiment, Hoaxes (Prank shows)

Mark Burnett is the creator and Exec. Producer of Survivor and The Apprentice

"Mark hypothesized that if you put ordinary people in extraordinary situations, you will absolutely get interesting television, and he was right," says Kelly Kahl, CBS' exec VP of program planning and scheduling.

Dehnart adds: "Give credit to 'The Real World' for the conventions of the genre, but (Burnett) made reality television look cinematic and beautiful."

"'Reality' is a label some journalists created," Burnett says. "What I do is unscripted drama. 'Survivor' and 'The Apprentice' put people into situations that aren't real at all.

July 2009
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118005751.html?categoryid=3669&cs=1



I must bring up this very good op-ed from the editor of Broadcasting & Cable magazine from 2003. 2003!

What damage reality television is doing for the overall image of television is beyond calculation.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/147819-Reality_Please_Stop_.php

I must say I dislike all of the subgenres. The only style show I think is good is the the docu-reality which is more of a documentary like Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County (2004) that is shot over 6 months rather than 40 days. It is edited together for the most dramtic storytelling. Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County was also the best looking reality show I have ever seen.
The other subgenre shows I sort of like are the Social experiment. Two shows come to mind
"30 Days" (2005) that was on FX channel where

An unscripted, documentary-style program where an individual is inserted into a lifestyle that is completely different from his or her upbringing, beliefs, religion or profession for 30 days.

The other show is "Beauty and the Geek" (2005) on WB then CW Network.

An unscripted program that pairs MENSA-worthy "geeks" with gorgeous women.

This actually was a social experiment and showed a lot of these Geeks you would never see.


Another docu-reality show that was educational and okay was
"Colonial House" (2004)

an exercise in vicarious "experiential history" that is characteristic of an attempt to provide an educational version of popular reality television. It aired on PBS in 2004. The series, intended to recreate daily life in Plymouth Colony in 1628 along the lines of the recreated Plimoth Plantation,
The show was videotaped in an isolated area near Machias, Maine and featured colonists and several members of the current Passamaquoddy tribe of Maine.

The problem I had with the show was it was not covered like "Survivor" is with a number of cameras constantly shooting for hours actually documenting what the subjects did. No "Colonial House" had one camera crew. When they went to shoot certain people the people on camera acted totally different when the camera was around I was told by a line producer who worked on-location on the show.

 

[24thcenstfan]

It's a genre, and within that genre there are some worthwhile shows and a lot of crap.

That pretty much sums up my view of Reality TV. I find that most of it is sensationalist garbage, but occasionally I stumble upon something that interests me.

Survivor gets a lot of hate for starting the reality craze, but really it is just an iteration of the gameshow format with an added psychological element. Project Runway is also fun, even though I don't care about fashion or any of that.

I am sick of American Idol because it eats up so much time when it comes on. If it aired once a week for an hour I wouldn't care, but when it's on at primetime for multiple days it bugs.

“Top Chef” and “Project Runway” are interesting shows that I catch when I can for example. The participants really have to use their craft to progress in the competition.

I have a like/hate relationship with “American Idol”. Sometimes I like it when they are focusing on the contestants vocals/performances, and other times I don’t due to the bias and other shenanigans that go on with that show.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

There are many different types of what is now considered 'reality TV.' There are the talent shows (American Idol, Dancing with the Stars), the dating shows (The Bachelor, Tila Tequila), the informational shows (Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers, Ghost Hunters), and the competitive gameshows (Big Brother, Survivor, Amazing Race). All of these types are very different and one can certainly enjoy one type while disliking another.

I dislike all of them.

 

[Kelthaz]

Burn them with fire.

 

[freak]

Personally, I think reality TV is just entertainment, just like the rest of the TV shows are for people. I do like reality TV but not all of it appeals to me.
Just to name a few, I enjoy these diverse shows:
Project Runway, Real Housewives of OC, ATL, NY, etc, Real Chance of Love 2, Tool Academy 2, Flipping Out, Split Endz, LA Ink, American Idol(even though I won't watch this year), and Brooke Knows Best.
But with reality TV, it's like this-you either love it or hate it. There's no real in-between on it. It's kinda like science fiction..you either love it or hate it. No kinda-sorta about it!
I do agree, however, that reality TV has become way too much of a genre and takes up way too much TV time. It has however become the basis for so many peoples' lives in that we can sorta relate to some of these people's lives that are on TV. It's kinda scary too if you wanna know the truth!

 

[mswood]

Just with all other subsets of tv, there is good and bad.

I will admit though, reality can be really, really bad.

For me I love Amazing Race, and on rare occasion will watch Top Chief.

Probably my biggest problem with reality tv with a few exceptions like Survivor or Amazing Race they are incredible cheap and fast to produce. Amazing Race for example takes about 4 to 5 months to film 11 or 13 episodes. Which is very similar to what scripted Dramas can produce. And isn't that much cheaper (especially when you figure that all your revenue has to come from that initial broadcast. Others can be conceived planned and shot within a month and for a small fraction of scripted fare.

It's this generations "News programming" or "Game show".

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Reality TV bores me. I am honestly astonished that anyone can stomach it.

There are many different types of what is now considered 'reality TV.' There are the talent shows (American Idol, Dancing with the Stars), the dating shows (The Bachelor, Tila Tequila), the informational shows (Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers, Ghost Hunters), and the competitive gameshows (Big Brother, Survivor, Amazing Race).

"Informational reality TV" is a convoluted way of saying "documentary." Except when they are faked documentaries like Ghost Hunters, I don't know what the hell to call that. The other three categories are just one category - they are competitions. Reality TV is nothing more than an elaboration on the game show/talent show concept.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

I've never had a strong opinion either way. It's just another form of TV so I don't have anything particularly against the format itself. I don't really care for the shows that are supposed to be like fly on the wall views of people's lives because they are so obviously scripted. The show that really turned me off that was the Simple Life. Every scene was so obviously and badly scripted it was just a joke. On the other hand Keeping Up With The Kardashians is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine even thought it is just as dumb and just as scripted. I only saw one season of Survivor, the first all-star show they did, and it just pissed me off so badly how bad and clueless all of the players were I never watched again. I'll probably watch a bit of DWTS just because Liddell is on it.

 

[tomalak301]

Just with all other subsets of tv, there is good and bad.

I will admit though, reality can be really, really bad.

For me I love Amazing Race, and on rare occasion will watch Top Chief.

Probably my biggest problem with reality tv with a few exceptions like Survivor or Amazing Race they are incredible cheap and fast to produce. Amazing Race for example takes about 4 to 5 months to film 11 or 13 episodes. Which is very similar to what scripted Dramas can produce. And isn't that much cheaper (especially when you figure that all your revenue has to come from that initial broadcast. Others can be conceived planned and shot within a month and for a small fraction of scripted fare.

It's this generations "News programming" or "Game show".

I've been meaning to ask this question but since you brought it up, it's a good reminder. How much does a show like Amazing Race cost. I mean I keep thinking about this economy and people struggling to make ends meat, yet for a show like this you pay for travel, mileage, gas, and bundles of other variables that go into this show. I guess the question is for this being on CBS, where does all this money to produce and run a show like The Amazing Race come from?

I was also thinking after I made my comments about Dancing with the Stars being 5 hours this week, people were up in arms (And probably still are) when NBC announced the Jay Leno Show. That is 5 hours of scripted programming lost and I can understand why people are upset. My question is, why does shows like Dancing With the Stars tend to get a free pass?

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

But with reality TV, it's like this-you either love it or hate it. There's no real in-between on it. It's kinda like science fiction..you either love it or hate it. No kinda-sorta about it!

I plan on bringing the 2 genres together with my new reality series for SpikeTV: Keeping up with the Cardassians.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

By far and most, they are contrived crap and not worth watching. I found a few, such as the PBS Colonial House to be somewhat interesting as they seemed to be more of an experiment rather than a contest. No crazy "stack the baloons to get a candy bar" drivel.

We'll see more "reality" TV, I have no doubt. Network execs love them because they are relatively cheap to produce.