HELP! Someone explain the appeal of Reality TV to me?

Is it wrong that I play Chrisley Knows Best as background noise?

Something about a gay man with a hetero family that's intriguing

 

It's supposed to be authentic even when everything is scripted as hell. The lack of "professional actors" fuels that unpredictable "realness".

If you want a taste of the deep end, it's because urban people are cooped up and don't interact as much with their neighbors. In the old days when everyone lived in villages, there was no concept of privacy.

Instant drama with town drunks, town whores, and that dysfunctional family everyone shames to feel better about.

It also serves as a form guilt free gossiping for the ladies.

 

Requires no talent and attracts a huge audience of talentless viewers

Kardasians is the longest running show
Think about that

 

Ever since Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous people like to see the inside look at rich and attractive people.

Then you add all the drama and gossip which women eat the **** up. And guys let’s face it we do too or we wouldn’t be on a message board posting about Harden having a beef with Tillman and wanting to move onto Brooklyn.

Essentially whether it’s sports, video games, making money, racing cars, whatever we like to watch people who excel at activities. And we really like to watch them have drama and struggles doing it. The reality TV cameras just make it seem more authentic so all to the better.

 

They're mostly trash TV shows. TV network skew towards it because it's cheaper to produce.

There's a special place in hell for the network execs who have pushed the Reality TV era upon the masses.

 

I'm totally down with American Pickers.

 

I love Survivor and have watched since the beginning. I also like true crime shows like the first 48 etc.

I don't watch any dancing or singing shows, or dating shows like the bachelor etc, but I do like a good cooking reality show.

Its just something mindless to watch from time to time.

 

The swimming pool building shows got me thru COVID with house flipping until I burned out. Still watch gold rush the spin offs meh. Cooking shows are always a nice diversion.

They should just make new versions of Tiger King and take the $$$ to the bank.

 

it's real, don't let anybody tell you otherwise

 

The best reality show on tv is The First 48 Imo.

 

1. Have a crappy reality TV Game Show
2. Be a dick
3. Become President
4. Profit!!!

 

I don't consider home improvement, cooking or news-type shows to be "reality television", even though they're more real that what I do consider "reality television" (Survivor, Apprentice, Big Brother, etc...). I watch the former, never watched any of the latter.

So long story short I can't help you, OP.

 

I used to watch Big Brother but haven't kept up. I've watched a few 60 Days In, the latest one on Netflix being the best. And watched a little bit of Survivor and Naked and Afraid.

The appeal for me is watching people who deliberately put themselves in stressful situations fall apart when the stress or reality hits them. They all go crazy after being secluded from their reality and I sit back and laugh because the chose to do it. I'd say that sound sadistic, except they chose to do it!! Volunteering to do 60 days in county jail sounds like a good idea???? Until you get there.

 

I'm working on items 1,3 & 4. I've got #2 covered

 

Don't forget the secret side 3b quest: Get compromised by foreign agents!

 

RIP Cops

 

Yeah I watched 60 days in. The whole time I'm thinking "No F'ing way"

Lock me in an house in a tropical paradise with other people for 60 days and make us do stupid competitions... that I can do.

Send me to jail for 60 days? No thanks. it would take 500K guaranteed for me to do 60 days in.

 

Theoretically, it should appeal to the common people (read: everyone who watches the show).

Doctor shows, police officer shows, lawyer shows are all sorts of wish fulfillment, in a way - we watch these shows because most of us want to see what being a doctor/officer/lawyer is like. Because most of us aren't those people.

With reality shows like Survivor, Amazing Race, etc, these people are mostly working class people trying to outdo other people. 42 year old Mike from Texas who's been working his whole life in construction trying to make ends meet, teams up 34 year old Patricia from NY who has 2 children and is a housewife, etc. We're supposed to connect better to these people, and that's why we watch.