Ever since it started I have HATED '"reality" shows. While Survivor looks like it would be fun to participate in, watching people backstab each other for an hour is pretty boring. At least when these shows started, they would use some people that would be considered average, but now its a bunch of wanna be models.

Now we still have Idol, and Dancing. My wife watches Amazing Race, which I admit is actually OK just because it is good as a travel piece. But all the new shows the networks are putting out are things like Fringe, My Own Worst Enemy, Eleventh Hour, Life on Mars and so forth.

Lost, Grey's and CSI proved people will tune in to watch a well written show and now we have big copycat hits like Heroes. I would MUCH rather watch a creative well written drama or sitcom over instead of whiney people eating pig brains and fighting in crisco.

So is reality dying off? Who is still watching? And will the crappy ones on MTV and E die off too?

I must admit, I can't watch the lame cable reality shows, but LOVE watching The (TALK) Soup make fun of them. I would hate for them to have no material.

 

Well I hope they aren't dying off as my daughter is an assistant producer on several of those Amazing Race/ Big Brother included and if she can't make a living I may have to support her again.


But one you may want to watch is Scare Tactics. It's a really funny hidden camera show.

 

I'm still a fan and watch regularly, Amazing Race, Hells Kithen, Kitchen Nightmares and Next Food Network Star.

 

The only one I watch is Amazing Race, it's about the only one I've ever been able to stomach. I watched the first season of Survivor, thought "huh" and moved on. Never watched after that. As you pointed out AR is great as a travel show, I couldn't give two shits about the over played drama that crops up every now and then, its cool to see different countries and what different cities are like.

 

I watch Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares because of how hilarious it is when Ramsey flips out and the people cower in fear. It's even funnier when they try to fight back and end up failing.

Those two are the only reality shows I watch. It's a shame when reality and game shows are still around while they cancel something great like The Black Donnellys after 1 season.

 

I know! WTF was up with that?!

 

Never saw it but the Wiki entry sounds interesting.

I may have very much liked the show but have been so chased away from the networks the last few years with Fear Factor, Big Brother, Deal or No Deal to even channel surf to discover something like Black Donnellys.

 

Some tv shows are being so well done now that screen stars are starting to flock to them. it gives them exposure and the shows can take more risks and go in more directions because of less production costs.

For me, I gravitate to the reality shows like No reservations and bizzare foods because not only is it entertaining but it also gives some pretty good insight to the regions and cultures.

The game based reality shows blew their wads on year one. now you have cancerous and retarded shows like the hills and my super sweet 16 that are doing more to ruin todays youth than either political candidate could ever do.

For the life of me, I cant even begin to comprehend the appeal of these "reality shows" out today.

The vehicle is dead IMHO. All we are getting with these shows now is socially destructive behavior.

why am I typing so much today????....jeeeeezus

 

It's really pretty simple. The shows are dirt cheap to produce (no writers, no actors -- acting and writing require talent and talent costs money) and as long as people watch, the networks will continue to air them. People will watch shit so they give them shit to watch.

 

x eleventy-billion.