If you watch television, chances are you have stumbled upon reality shows, and chances are you have watched and followed at least one reality show.
This number could be greater given the sheer volume of reality shows on television.
If you are looking for reality on television, chances are you will not find it in a “reality show.”
This doesn’t mean there are no truths to reality shows, it only means the truth is a little stretched and way too dramatized for something that is purposely real.
Drama brings reality into question and our tolerance for “reality” is questionable too.
I watch reality shows as much as the next person.
I mean, do you really have a choice?
You can scroll through channels and find some sort of reality show on most stations.
It is important to note that reality shows survive and continue to come on season after season because people watch them, and they are accounted for in millions.
So the next logical question would be, what is it about reality shows that make them so popular?
I would not say reality does not exist entirely in reality shows; however, some shows are more “real” than others.
For instance, American Idol participants can be considered raw.
It’s you and your singing. The contestants and their stories is what makes the show.
Once you have a glimpse of what their lives have been before the show, what their lives could be after the show, thanks to the numerous success stories, you will find yourself rooting for a contestant and genuinely wanting that person to win.
I mean, who doesn’t love happy endings?
There are some shows that make you wonder about why they still exist on television and how did they even make it past the first episode.
One such show is “Dating Naked.”
The name already gave up the show and you can already tell what the show is about and what you would see: contestants dating naked, yay!
You would think that no one would go on such a show, yet they had participants.
You would think that no one would watch the show, yet they had a successful season.
You would think that no one could ever find a life partner on a dating naked show, yet they had a wedding at the end of the season.
And yes, everyone at the wedding was naked too.
How long that marriage would last is kind of a nobrainer, if “The Bachelor” has thought us anything.
Other shows like “Keeping up with the Kardashians” don’t say much about family dynamics or values, but they are here season after season, and it doesn’t look like they are going anywhere anytime soon.
Shows like “The Real House Wives,” “Dance Moms,” “Bring it” are all about the drama.
The more drama you bring, the more secure your position on the show.
Need I remind you that, they too are very successful because people watch them.
Though I think the desire of a person to watch dramas, disasters, and unhappy endings says much about them.
All these shows and their success stories tell us something about a larger story.
Our liking and tolerance for shows that are anything but real is scary. Reality is acting besides yourself.
There are instances were certain people are removed from a show because they, quote “do not bring drama.”
Our society’s need for drama is indicative of something wrong somewhere but hey, this is one person’s opinion.
Comments