Reality telivision.....

Lynne Lefler 2012

I inwardly chuckle when I hear or read that this catagory of TV programming is called "reality."

I'm a grandmother, but I keep up with what's going on, and I have to say...every one of those shows is staged.

Any real thing that happens in front of the camera, if it does not fit in with the show's goals it's scrapped and is never aired. The studio edits each scene, and shows them in a sequence that did not happen that way as it was being filmed. If the shows do not come out as extreme as the directors want, they are scrapped entirely, and the show picks the next subject and films that instead.

Reality is NOT subjective, people. It is what it is.

Labeling them "Reality TV" does not make them actual reality. Nothing real about it. It's all smoke and mirrors, and artificially-set-up situations.

For the majority of us, reality includes a lot of routine, everyday events. Seeing people do some extreme, unrealistic, artifical acts is evidently entertaining to some folks.

I just keep the TV turned off most of the time. Life's too short to watch other people doing stuff, insted of doing the things I enjoy.

Amanda Stewart 1475

6 people from different belief systems are locked into a house untill one person has converted everyone to their belief. The winner has created our national belief system.

Jim Williams 2367

I think the next "novel" idea for reality TV might be something like CNN, where they actually tell the truth as things happen!!! Not just show video and fill in the blanks with random bullshit.

I believe they have just about covered every taboo and borderline legal subject, sooooooooo ...... i guess it's only logical that the boundaries of the law are pushed, or ignored, and we will start seeing things like...live executions. Maybe a panel of judges that decide the manner of death or do a "Deal or no Deal" type where the death row inmate has to pick one suitcase that DOES NOT hold a lethal injection needle.

Cameron Trickey 2333

Jj I'm amazed at you're tenacity. When some of those shows started popping up at the beginning I had to turn that shit off. I couldn't tell you what the next one will be other than being more outlandish and shocking than the previous. Although I always feel the first reality TV show was the NFL, especially when the media aspect became so huge.

Essentially, to me, reality tv shows are those that have people all over the place actually being way too concerned with other peoples lives, and then following and judging whatever they do. I think they are also a sign of just how pathetic we've become. People no longer live their own lives, but sit on their fat asses and observe and criticise the actions of others. And these shows reward people for being the most obnoxious! It's ridiculous! Burn it.... burn it all Jj!!!

Jody Mena 2396

The next big thing in reality TV is fear. Fear Factor and Scariest Places on Earth were precursors, but now they've started popping up everywhere:

a) Estate of Panic (SciFi)
b) Thirteen: Fear is Real (CW)
c) Paranormal State (A&E)
d) Most Haunted (Travel Channel)
e) A Haunting (A&E)
f) Ghost Hunters (SciFi)
g) Cities of the Underworld (History Channel)
h) Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal (A&E)
i) Taboo (NatGeo)

Let's just face it, each and every one of us, deep down, loves watching grown men and women scream like little girls while digging through animal intestines for cash or through the distorted lense of a night vision camera while they wander through the underbelly of an abandoned building.

It makes us feel better about the fact that we'd be doing the same thing in their shoes.

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Danielle - Have you seen Unbeatable Banzuke or Ninja Warrior? Those competitors are inspirational in their almost super-human athletic ability! I'm of the opinion we could do with a few more of those.

You're talking about these:

http://www.esquire.com/the-side/video/insane-japanese-game-shows

Insane, but then, we could all do with being taken down a peg or two, and it's all in good fun! XD

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Kevin - The day that reality show airs is the day I begin my systematic conquest of Earth on behalf of the squirrels, for the time will have come for humanity to fall and give way to their new, chittering, nut-loving overlords.

You heard me.

Kevin Copenhaver 2371

well here is my idea for a good reality TV show. Take a bunch of drug addicts, make a GIANT obstacle course, give them all bows with arrows hidden throughout the course, and make it kind of like a maze. Now, hide drugs in the middle (being the end) of the maze and see what happens. Should at least be interesting.

Same idea can be used for any group of addicts.

Becca Elán 2397

On Danielle's note: They've already taken Japanese game shows and brought them into American pop culture. Take Wipeout for example. It's the US equivalent of "most extreme challenge" which is only aptly named once formed into an americanized dubbed version. I survived a Japanese Game Show happened... but these shows haven't done well.

The reason is, that the production costs on shows reliant upon verité style, is significantly low when compared to a film shot with premium quipment, on a soundstage, with high-billing talent. Nevermind when a show does well and talent has the ability to re-negotiate their contracts.

I work on a talk show. However, I think our show is not crap. Not just because I work for it, but rather because it genuinely is informative for local (and our nationally syndicated) viewers. It involves cooking demos, healht, realtionship, fashion, etc segments.

The only thing that I know for sure, is that tv is dying to make way for internet. It's highly plausible that networks will break down to be solely web-based, and produciton will be filtered into your TV prjoection but instead of being based on a cable distribution setup, it will all be like on-demand, wher eyou can select your programming from a menu sent via the interweb.

TV news is the first casualty to this trend. More viewers are reading/watching the news, but significantly fiewer via traditional broadcast methods...

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Jody:

Great call. Though many of those shows existed in various forms prior to their current reincarnation. My dad used to edit/voiceover shows, like Ghost Hunters (Disc.) and various other shows of this sort. But yes, the fact remains, that people love feeling braver/more confident than others. Laughter is derived from fear and intimidation. Anywho.

Danielle Shanley 2399

Sadly, if it catches on, I think that Japanese Game Shows will be the next chapter. There are already a few on (Hole in the wall, etc.). The Japanese Game shows are SOOOOO extreme! They go way beyond anthing we do on our television (which is saying alot!!).

In a perfect world TV fads would go to the other extreme where there is actual acting going on...but somehow I don't see that happening.

Good question...can' wait to see what others think.