# The Un-Reality of Reality TV



## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

Is anyone else out there getting turned off by all the "reality" shows taking over tv? Maybe I'm in the minority, but most of this stuff is garbage. Yeah, they get ratings, but at some point I'd think people would start tuning these shows out.

Bickering housewives, obviously staged events, contestants/participants encouraged to act like spoiled brats, its all just so phony. But in a world of 200 channels, they draw what amounts to a large audience these days. 

Last year, one of my once favorite channels - History - saw a huge increase in ratings. Was it from a 12-part series on the Chester A Arthur administration? an in-depth exploration of the women's suffrage movement? Nope. Ice Road Truckers and Pawn Stars. Arrrrrrrrrgh!


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## Devo1237 (Apr 22, 2008)

I've been turned off by them for years. The only "reality" show I have ever enjoyed watching is The Amazing Race, which is more like a sporting event than a reality show in my mind. 

The worst is those shows like the Kardashians where everything is so obviously scripted. They hire writers who can't write for actors that can't act, and somehow people still watch. This is what the Mayans predicted...


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

I agree, most of these shoes are horrible and you can easily tell it is all staged. 

I do watch Pawn Stars, I know it is fake, but I like seeing some of the staged items brought in and a History lesson given. They obviously know what is being brought in ahead of time and they either do their homework, or are given information about the said item. 

Way too many fake reality shows out there right now. The sad part is, you can easily tell they are fake.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

That's why I call'em Fakeality.

Ain't nuthin' 'real' about 'em.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

The reality shows I can't stand are those base around individuals or families. 

Shows with a business-like atmosphere - Pawn Star, America Pickers, American Restoration, Storage Wars are fun and somewhat interesting. 

The reality competition shows are watchable, but of little interest to me.

The adventure one like Ax Men are also somewhat interesting.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

Drucifer said:


> The reality shows I can' stand are those base around individuals or families.
> 
> Shows with a business-like atmosphere - Pawn Star, America Pickers, American Restoration, Storage Wars are fun and somewhat interesting.
> 
> ...


I think we found something we agree on. I would add shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race are more like extended game shows to me and I do quite enjoy them.

The Housewives, Real World and Jersey Shore are all shows I am proud to say I have never watched.

I figured I would put my opinion in here because every "reality show" thread I start someone has to pop in and tell us all how stupid the shows I like are.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

I never got into reality shows in the first place.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

As others have stated, there's different types of reality shows.

I like Axe Men, Black Gold, Amazing Race, Survivor, America's Got Talent, COPS. etc.

I won't watch what Wikipedia refers to as DocuSoaps (The Simple Life, Hogan Knows Best, etc.), Lifestyle Changes (Celebrity Fit Club, Trading Spouses, etc.), Makeovers (Extreme Makeover, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, etc.), or Dating (Bachelor, Meet my Folks, etc.) type reality shows.


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## BosFan (Sep 28, 2009)

I always considered Cops, at least the first few years, to be the only true reality program. Otherwise none them really keep my interest, unless American Idol is a reality show.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

I don't know if the contests on Food Network are considered Reality TV but that's as close as I get. Never watched any of the other stuff.


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

spartanstew said:


> As others have stated, there's different types of reality shows.
> 
> I like Axe Men, Black Gold, Amazing Race, Survivor, America's Got Talent, COPS. etc.
> 
> I won't watch what Wikipedia refers to as DocuSoaps (The Simple Life, Hogan Knows Best, etc.), Lifestyle Changes (Celebrity Fit Club, Trading Spouses, etc.), Makeovers (Extreme Makeover, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, etc.), or Dating (Bachelor, Meet my Folks, etc.) type reality shows.


I used to like Black Gold too. It seems to be somewhat staged anymore....


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

dave29 said:


> I used to like Black Gold too. It seems to be somewhat staged anymore....


Bummer, I actually missed the last season (I think, not even sure when it is on/coming back - or is it on now?)


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Has there ever been a so-called reality show that isn't staged to some degree or other?


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

I watch:

"American Idol," "The X-Factor," "Dancing With The Stars," "Rachel Vs. Guy", etc. I am also going to try "The Voice" this year.

I enjoy some of the competition shows. I'd rather be tortured than watch the other kinds... :eek2:

~Alan


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

spartanstew said:


> Bummer, I actually missed the last season (I think, not even sure when it is on/coming back - or is it on now?)


It's been on for several weeks. Not worth watching anymore. Pretty fake.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Alan Gordon said:


> I watch:
> 
> "American Idol," "The X-Factor," "Dancing With The Stars," "Rachel Vs. Guy", etc. I am also going to try "The Voice" this year.
> 
> I enjoy some of the competition shows. I'd rather be tortured than watch the other kinds...


Are competition shows nearly universally considered "reality shows"?


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

dave29 said:


> It's been on for several weeks. Not worth watching anymore. Pretty fake.


Weird, I could have sworn I searched for it a few weeks ago and just searched for it again. All I get are some VOD.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

klang said:


> I don't know if the contests on Food Network are considered Reality TV but that's as close as I get. Never watched any of the other stuff.


I sometimes watch Top Chef on Bravo and Chopped on Food Network, but I'm more interested in how inventive they are with creating great food (hot chilis in ice cream!?!?!?!) than I am in any drama between the personalities.



Laxguy said:


> Are competition shows nearly universally considered "reality shows"?


I think they get lumped in now since so many of them are designed to highlight the characters of the contestants. Old style game shows were about the game (Jeopardy is a modern classic) where the contestants were pretty much inter-changable.

Some people trace the origins of the modern "reality" genre to the first season of Real World on MTV. It was a groundbreaking show, and since nothing like it had been on tv in a long time, the participants were more "real" on camera than today's highly staged and scripted reality shows.


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Laxguy said:


> Are competition shows nearly universally considered "reality shows"?


Yep... 

~Alan


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

mreposter said:


> Some people trace the origins of the modern "reality" genre to the first season of Real World on MTV. It was a groundbreaking show, and since nothing like it had been on tv in a long time, the participants were more "real" on camera than today's highly staged and scripted reality shows.


Ah, thanks. But that kinda means "An American Family", eg. The Loud Family- It was a PBS show in 1973- that's often cited as the first reality show- gets pushed to the back burner. The "Real World" didn't air till about 20 years later- so, yes, not done for a long time!


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

As an old guy reading this. I thought reality TV has been around forever, we just didn't know what it was. So I checked the subject at Wikipedia:


> Precedents for television that portrayed people in unscripted situations began in the 1940s. Debuting in 1948, Allen Funt's hidden camera Candid Camera show (based on his previous 1947 radio show, Candid Microphone) broadcast unsuspecting ordinary people reacting to pranks." In 1948, talent search shows Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour and Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts featured amateur competitors and audience voting. The Miss America Pageant, first broadcast in 1954, was a competition where the winner achieved status as a national celebrity.
> 
> In the 1950s, game shows Beat the Clock and Truth or Consequences involved contestants in wacky competitions, stunts, and practical jokes. The Groucho Marx-hosted game show, You Bet Your Life, was primarily composed of Marx' prescripted comebacks to what was most often candid interviews of the contestants, although some 'contestants' were actors.
> 
> The radio series Nightwatch (1951-1955), which tape-recorded the daily activities of Culver City, California police officers, also helped pave the way for reality television. The series You Asked For It (1950-1959), in which viewer requests dictated content, was an antecedent of today's audience-participation reality TV elements, in which viewers cast votes to help determine the course of events.


The article goes on to cover the 1960's and later.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

Laxguy said:


> Are competition shows nearly universally considered "reality shows"?


I say they should be classified as game shows where they would fall under different regulations.

No matter how you dress it up, or which island or jungle the film crew and production company and support staff ship their tons of equipment to, 'Survivor" is still a game show -- a group of people vying for a cash prize.


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## renbutler (Oct 17, 2008)

I find Storm Chasers entertaining.

Yeah, some of the drama between storms is played up artificially. But you can't stage a tornado...


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## SPACEMAKER (Dec 11, 2007)

I watch a few of the "reality" shows on Discovery and History simply because I enjoy them. It's obvious that much of it is staged and I am OK with it because I understand the producers need to create entertaining segments. The key is to just not take it too seriously. It's only TV.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

dave29 said:


> I agree, most of these shoes are horrible and you can easily tell it is all staged.
> 
> I do watch Pawn Stars, I know it is fake, but I like seeing some of the staged items brought in and a History lesson given. They obviously know what is being brought in ahead of time and they either do their homework, or are given information about the said item.
> 
> Way too many fake reality shows out there right now. *The sad part is, you can easily tell they are fake*.


No, the really sad part is that people watch any of the so-called "reality" shows at all. I've always thought that the networks and producers of reality shows target the lower echelon of our society.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

What's even sadder is that people degrade others for what they watch. As if their viewing habits put them on an intellectual pedestal.


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

I used to really enjoy reality shows like Ax-Men but it has gotton so obviously faked that it's just like watching a soap opera.

Oh, I still watch it but it's not as exciting as it use to be for me. I just have to go into it expecting to see all sorts of staged events and know that it's strickly for entertainment purposes only.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

Laxguy said:


> Ah, thanks. But that kinda means "An American Family", eg. The Loud Family- It was a PBS show in 1973- that's often cited as the first reality show- gets pushed to the back burner. The "Real World" didn't air till about 20 years later- so, yes, not done for a long time!


I've seen some clips and interviews from American Family and it looks like an amazing piece of work. I think PBS may have done a special on it for the 20th anniversary. It probably set the stage for shows like Real World and others that came much later.


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

The reality of it all (pun intended) is that there is a market for these shows (even 'real housewives'). If it wasn't a money maker, it wouldn't be on the air. "good" isn't a requirement. "watched" is.


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

mreposter said:


> I've seen some clips and interviews from American Family and it looks like an amazing piece of work. I think PBS may have done a special on it for the 20th anniversary. It probably set the stage for shows like Real World and others that came much later.


HBO did a good movie about it called Cinema Verite. I believe it still comes on and might be in HBO's VOD section.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

mreposter said:


> I've seen some clips and interviews from American Family and it looks like an amazing piece of work. I think PBS may have done a special on it for the 20th anniversary. It probably set the stage for shows like Real World and others that came much later.


Yes, it sure did. I watched it "live on tape", ie. when it aired. There were one or two family members who were loud in addition to being Loud. It got annoying, and my interest fell markedly.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Doug Brott said:


> The reality of it all (pun intended) is that there is a market for these shows (even 'real housewives'). If it wasn't a money maker, it wouldn't be on the air. "good" isn't a requirement. "watched" is.


Sad but true...


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Doug Brott said:


> The reality of it all (pun intended) is that there is a market for these shows (even 'real housewives'). If it wasn't a money maker, it wouldn't be on the air. "good" isn't a requirement. "watched" is.


+1. Kinda like an ad: don't have to like it, don't have to think it clever, don't have to talk about it, but if you remember the product, it's effective.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

My wife and I are both big fans of reality shows but we enjoy some of the scripted ones, too...

1. Unscripted (reality) shows:

We watch _Amazing Race, Survivor, America's Got Talent, X-Factor, American Idol, The Voice, Sing off, The Real Housewives of_ (insert city here), _Whale Wars, Big Brother, Big Brother After Dark, Kitchen Nightmares, Undercover Boss, Top Chef_ (et al), _The Apprentice (et al),_ _Project Runway_ (et al), _ANTM, SYTYCD, Man V Food, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, Wheel of Fortune, Flying Wild Alaska, DWTS, Deadliest Catch, Bering Sea Gold, Hell's Kitchen, Master Chef, Ice Road Truckers, Jeopardy, IRT-somewhere..._ to name a few.

We stopped watching Axe Men, Black Gold, Gold Rush, Build it Big (et al), _Emeril Lagasse-anything, Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, Tabatha-anything, The Fashion Show, Mobbed._

We've never watched, Jersey Shore, American Family, Kardashian (et al), _Dirty Jobs, Jesse James-anything, The Bachelor, The Bachelorett_, _Biggest Loser. A_ctually, it's a pretty long list.

2. Scripted shows:

We like scripted, too (although these may be subject to heavy-handed cancellations)... _Alcatraz, The Big C, Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Homeland, V, Firefly, Touch, Harry's Law, Glee, House, Warehouse 13, Terra Nova,_ _Caprica,_ _Battlestar Galactica_, Modern Marvels, The Universe, Planet Earth, and so on.​


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## tnd777 (Jan 8, 2011)

I like the history part of Pawn Stars, but I am also sick of reality tv.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

Henry said:


> My wife and I are both big fans of reality shows but we enjoy some of the scripted ones, too...
> 
> 1. Unscripted (reality) shows:
> 
> We watch _Amazing Race, Survivor, America's Got Talent, X-Factor, American Idol, The Voice, Sing off, The Real Housewives of_ (insert city here), _Whale Wars, Big Brother, Big Brother After Dark, Kitchen Nightmares, Undercover Boss, Top Chef_ (et al), _The Apprentice (et al),_ _Project Runway_ (et al), _ANTM, SYTYCD, Man V Food, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, ..... , Flying Wild Alaska, DWTS, Deadliest Catch, Bering Sea Gold, Hell's Kitchen, Master Chef, Ice Road Truckers, ..... , IRT-somewhere..._ to name a few.​




Other than the couple of game shows I deleted, what makes you think any of those are 'unscripted'?​


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

SayWhat? said:


> Other than the couple of game shows I deleted, what makes you think any of those are 'unscripted'?


Nothing ... what makes you think they are?


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## Getteau (Dec 20, 2007)

Go Beavs said:


> I used to really enjoy reality shows like Ax-Men but it has gotton so obviously faked that it's just like watching a soap opera.
> 
> Oh, I still watch it but it's not as exciting as it use to be for me. I just have to go into it expecting to see all sorts of staged events and know that it's strickly for entertainment purposes only.


+1. I used to really enjoy the show, but now it's all about the "Characters" in each company. I'm actually surprised that Shelby hasn't killed someone yet. It seems like they only keep him around to do crazy and stupid things. Granted, he's also my favorite logger on the show.


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## mkdtv21 (May 27, 2007)

Could someone give me a list of ten cable channels that don't ever show reality shows. I bet you can't.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

Big Ten Network
QVC
HSN
Baby First
TCC
C-Span
EWTN
Gem Network
GTV
JTV
Sprout



What do I win?


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

spartanstew said:


> Big Ten Network
> QVC
> HSN
> Baby First
> ...


BTN does...they have shows following certain basketball teams on & off the court.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

Good thing I listed 11 then


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

spartanstew said:


> Good thing I listed 11 then


Well played. :lol:


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

PBS


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

Nick said:


> PBS


No. Frontier House and Colonial House were 2 reality shows on PBS. Market Wars is an upcoming reality show.


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## mkdtv21 (May 27, 2007)

spartanstew said:


> Big Ten Network
> QVC
> HSN
> Baby First
> ...


Isn't it sad that those channels you listed are not mainstream channels. I remember in the back in the 90's almost all channels like bravo, tnt, sci fi, discovery had quality programming on it that was niche oriented based on what channel you tuned to. I'm trying to make a point that almost all major cable networks that once were once designed for a certain type of programming are all showing the same thing for the general masses. Its all about getting the highest ratings possible by butchering the channels original purpose.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

Nick said:


> PBS


Antiques Roadshow.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"SayWhat?" said:


> Other than the couple of game shows I deleted, what makes you think any of those are 'unscripted'?


Some of them may not be scripted in that they tell on camera people what to say or cause particular events to happen, but the scripting happens in the editing room. Others are more scripted than that.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

I don't think any of the Nick channels show Fakeality. Or Disney for that matter. Can't swear to it though. I'd add Hub to the maybe list.


Encore Westerns.
Boomerang
Cartoon Network
ID
Cloo


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

SayWhat? said:


> I don't think any of the Nick channels show Fakeality...


I can confirm that there is no Fakeality on any of our channels. There is, however, some frollicking off-set.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

SayWhat? said:


> I don't think any of the Nick channels show Fakeality. Or Disney for that matter. Can't swear to it though. I'd add Hub to the maybe list.


Nick has reality shows. One that comes to mind is called "Camp Orange".



SayWhat? said:


> ID


If COPS is reality tv then ID is nothing but reality tv.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

RunnerFL said:


> Nick has reality shows. One that comes to mind is called "Camp Orange".
> 
> If COPS is reality tv then ID is nothing but reality tv.


OK, like, I see where this is going...according to prevailing illogical logic, all tv shows, with the possible exception of tightly-scripted shows fall into the ever-widening category of "reality". Given that, then it follows that news, sports and weather programs must also be termed reality shows except that such shows fall in the sub-category of "real" reality.

No matter how pure and well-meaning a shows' motives are, whenever a camera is present, it somwhow changes things so that the reality is altered.

Think Jane Goodall, whose original intent was to unobtrusively observe her primate subjects and who ended up injecting herself directly into their daily existence.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

Nick said:


> OK, like, I see where this is going...according to prevailing illogical logic, all tv shows, with the possible exception of tightly-scripted shows fall into the ever-widening category of "reality". Given that, then it follows that news, sports and weather programs must also be termed reality shows except that such shows fall in the sub-category of "real" reality.
> 
> No matter how pure and well-meaning a shows' motives are, whenever a camera is present, it somwhow changes things so that the reality is altered.
> 
> Think Jane Goodall, whose original intent was to unobtrusively observe her primate subjects and who ended up injecting herself directly into their daily existence.


That's not what I meant at all. Someone previously called COPS a reality show and I said if COPS is then the shows on ID are too.


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## Henry (Nov 15, 2007)

Makes one want to ask: So what if it's Reality or Scripted? If you enjoy it and derive entertainment from it, does it matter if it's one or the other?


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

How do we catergorize "news" shows that give us "news" of what happens on their networks [fake] "reality" shows??

Essay, no more than 250 words; speling counts.....


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

RunnerFL said:


> That's not what I meant at all. Someone previously called COPS a reality show and I said if COPS is then the shows on ID are too.


I don't see COPS or anything like it on ID. COPS is taped live, as it happens on the streets, no actors, no scripts, no recreations.

ID shows re-enactments and news-type documentaries (48 Hours). Nothing that would fall into the realm of 'Housewives', et al.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

SayWhat? said:


> I don't see COPS or anything like it on ID. COPS is taped live, as it happens on the streets, no actors, no scripts, no recreations.
> 
> ID shows re-enactments and news-type documentaries (48 Hours). Nothing that would fall into the realm of 'Housewives', et al.


Potato, Po-ta-to.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

More like potato, zu-cchi-ni.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

RunnerFL said:


> That's not what I meant at all. Someone previously called COPS a reality show and I said if COPS is then the shows on ID are too.


Actually, I shouldn not have quoted you at all. My comments were more directed toward the entire thread and the ever-widening reality net we seem to be casting.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

People's tastes in entertainment tv programming change over time. In the 50s westerns were big and there were lots of them on the air. In the 80s there were numerous soaps like Dallas and Dynasty. Recently, crime dramas like CSI and Law and Order were hot, but they're starting to fade. 

Reality-type programs are big right now and come in many forms. They're popular and often cheap to produce, so in this world of 200 channels, networks like cheap. But sooner or later their popularity will fade and something else will take their place - just look at how the ratings for American Idol have slipped in the last 2-3 seasons. 

My original post was about my personal frustration that the abundance of shows in this category were crowding out more traditional dramas and comedies. But the audience speaks with their remotes and right now the clickers are tuning to Real Housewives and Biggest Loser.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

mreposter said:


> My original post was about my personal frustration that the abundance of shows in this category were crowding out more traditional dramas and comedies. But the audience speaks with their remotes and right now the clickers are tuning to Real Housewives and Biggest Loser.


I guess my perspective is from 1958 when basically we had access to three channels (ABC, CBS, NBC) that offered a total of 67 programs during prime time (8 to 11, Mon-Sat, 7-11 Sun). Right now - not counting Disney, Nikelodian, and premium package channels - using the Futon Critic search engine I come up with 81 scripted new-episode shows currently being aired:

BODY OF PROOF on ABC Tuesday
CASTLE on ABC Monday
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES on ABC Sunday
GREY'S ANATOMY on ABC Thursday
HAPPY ENDINGS on ABC Wednesday
LAST MAN STANDING on ABC Tuesday
MIDDLE, THE on ABC Wednesday
MODERN FAMILY on ABC Wednesday
ONCE UPON A TIME on ABC Sunday
PAN AM on ABC Sunday
PRIVATE PRACTICE on ABC Thursday
REVENGE on ABC Wednesday
SUBURGATORY on ABC Wednesday
JANE BY DESIGN on ABC FAMILY Tuesday
LYING GAME, THE on ABC FAMILY Monday
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS on ABC FAMILY Monday
SWITCHED AT BIRTH on ABC FAMILY Tuesday
DELOCATED! on ADULT SWIM Thursday
FADES, THE on BBC AMERICA Saturday
MISTRESSES on BBC AMERICA Wednesday
GAME, THE on BET Tuesday
LET'S STAY TOGETHER on BET Tuesday
LEVEL UP on CARTOON Tuesday
2 BROKE GIRLS on CBS Monday
BIG BANG THEORY, THE on CBS Thursday
BLUE BLOODS on CBS Friday
CRIMINAL MINDS on CBS Wednesday
CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION on CBS Wednesday
CSI: MIAMI on CBS Sunday
CSI: NEW YORK on CBS Friday
GIFTED MAN, A on CBS Friday
GOOD WIFE, THE on CBS Sunday
HAWAII FIVE-0 on CBS Monday
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER on CBS Monday
MENTALIST, THE on CBS Thursday
MIKE & MOLLY on CBS Monday
NCIS on CBS Tuesday
NCIS: LOS ANGELES on CBS Tuesday
PERSON OF INTEREST on CBS Thursday
ROB on CBS Thursday
TWO AND A HALF MEN on CBS Monday
UNFORGETTABLE on CBS Tuesday
90210 on CW Tuesday
GOSSIP GIRL on CW Monday
HART OF DIXIE on CW Monday
NIKITA on CW Friday
ONE TREE HILL on CW Wednesday
RINGER on CW Tuesday
SECRET CIRCLE, THE on CW Thursday
SUPERNATURAL on CW Friday
VAMPIRE DIARIES, THE on CW Thursday
ALCATRAZ on FOX Monday
FINDER, THE on FOX Thursday
FRINGE on FOX Friday
GLEE on FOX Tuesday
HOUSE on FOX Monday
NEW GIRL on FOX Tuesday
RAISING HOPE on FOX Tuesday
JUSTIFIED on FX Tuesday
RL STINE'S THE HAUNTING HOUR: THE SERIES on HUB Sunday
INCREASINGLY POOR DECISIONS OF TODD MARGARET, THE on IFC Friday
I JUST WANT MY PANTS BACK on MTV Thursday
30 ROCK on NBC Thursday
ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA? on NBC Wednesday
FIRM, THE on NBC Thursday
GRIMM on NBC Friday
LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT on NBC Wednesday
OFFICE, THE on NBC Thursday
PARENTHOOD on NBC Tuesday
PARKS & RECREATION on NBC Thursday
UP ALL NIGHT on NBC Thursday
WHITNEY on NBC Wednesday
MASTERPIECE! on PBS Sunday
BEING HUMAN on SYFY Monday
LOST GIRL on SYFY Monday
MERLIN on SYFY Friday
TYLER PERRY'S HOUSE OF PAYNE on TBS Friday
SOUTHLAND on TNT Tuesday
HOT IN CLEVELAND on TV LAND Wednesday
ROYAL PAINS on USA Wednesday
WHITE COLLAR on USA Tuesday

I was not happy with the reality show trend particularly during the Writers' Guild Strike a few years ago as I feared the end of scripted programming. So far, it appears I was wrong as I cannot watch everything I record and have a huge backlog of scripted programming to watch on four external hard drives.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

mreposter said:


> Is anyone else out there getting turned off by all the "reality" shows taking over tv? Maybe I'm in the minority, but most of this stuff is garbage. Yeah, they get ratings, but at some point I'd think people would start tuning these shows out.
> 
> Bickering housewives, obviously staged events, contestants/participants encouraged to act like spoiled brats, its all just so phony. But in a world of 200 channels, they draw what amounts to a large audience these days.
> 
> Last year, one of my once favorite channels - History - saw a huge increase in ratings. Was it from a 12-part series on the Chester A Arthur administration? an in-depth exploration of the women's suffrage movement? Nope. Ice Road Truckers and Pawn Stars. Arrrrrrrrrgh!


Yes I'm sick of reality show, but they're cheap to produce.


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

The only "reality" show I watch was Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It started out just as that. Making over homes of needy or deserving families. Then it morphed into building a new house in seven days. These houses were modest. Then they got to be large and ostentatious. I have no doubt that the houses were built in seven days, but there had to be a lot of up front planning to pull it off. Even with mortgages being paid off, you had to think about property taxes etc. And whether the people could keep up with the maintenance. The finale of this show had them building seven homes in a tornado devastated area. Now this show was NOT inexpensive to produce. Kudus to ABC and all of their sponsors. Was I a little disappointed that this show came to and end? Yes, but it was obvious that they couldn't top the previous show week after week. IMO, they really didn't need to top themselves. Just present a story and help out a family.

Another show that went this route was This Old House. I liked this from an educational standpoint learning about construction etc. Then they went off track showing you showrooms and then the final result.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

Ditto on "This Old House".

Started out as a good guide for do-it-yourselfers to build a deck, or replace a toilet or bathroom sink or upgrade windows and doors -- projects that might cost a few hundred dollars and could be done in a weekend.

Turned into tearing a place down nearly to the foundation and doing a near full rebuild requiring multiple contractors, several weeks (or months) and many thousands of dollars.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

SayWhat? said:


> Ditto on "_*This Old House*_".
> 
> Started out as a good guide for do-it-yourselfers to build a deck, or replace a toilet or bathroom sink or upgrade windows and doors -- projects that might cost a few hundred dollars and could be done in a weekend.
> 
> *Turned into tearing a place down nearly to the foundation and doing a near full rebuild requiring multiple contractors, several weeks (or months) and many thousands of dollars.*


When they remodeled a barn into a home and the only things they salvage were a few boards and pegs was when I stopped watching it.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

I remember that one. That's probably about the same time I stopped.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

SayWhat? said:


> Ditto on "This Old House".
> 
> Started out as a good guide for do-it-yourselfers to build a deck, or replace a toilet or bathroom sink or upgrade windows and doors -- projects that might cost a few hundred dollars and could be done in a weekend.
> 
> Turned into tearing a place down nearly to the foundation and doing a near full rebuild requiring multiple contractors, several weeks (or months) and many thousands of dollars.


Well, tens or hundreds of thousands, based on the last one I watched....


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

I just happened to see a listing for one on tonight. It mentioned Hurricane Irene, so I'd say it's pretty current.

Said it was Part 2 of 10.


Huh???

They used to do a project in one or two shows.


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