The Populatriy of Reality Based TV

The first reality based show the American public was exposed to is the all enticing show “Cops.” This show aired in 1989 and captured first person footage of criminal activity and justice. What made this show popular was the up close footage of drug busts, drunken driving, weaponry use and the good old high speed chases along the bad guy good guy heists. The American public was given thrills and enrapturing entertainment that brought t

Executive producer of Survivor, Mark Burnett explained “the island culture on Pulau Tiga was no different from the bedrooms and boardrooms of American society. That is, we have to learn to get along with people we like and people we dislike and, to survive, we have to keep trying.”

As we switch the channels with the remote and decide to engage in an hour of Survivor we are making a choice. A choice between watching a scripted show or, what we have now come to understand – reality T.V. These shows all share a common formula or theme. There are five to sixteen people posing as “characters,” these people live or co-exist with one another and are expected to survive extreme conditions and triumph over others. There are a few exceptions to the “plot,” but all of the shows capture footage 24 hours a day allowing the viewers to witness the various emotions of the people, the fights and conflicts with each other and even the once taboo subject of sex. Why have we become so enraptured by others lives? Many people try to analyze this major trend. Some experts believe that people, as they like to escape from their everyday lives enjoy watching others attempt to live in the world. The popular concept of survival of the fittest is a relevant issue today. Richard Hofstader from The Boston Press wrote, ‘At the beginning of the new millennium, the popularity of the reality based shows reflect the influence of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection and even the long-discredited application of Darwin’s ideas to human relationships known as social Darwinism on the American culture.” Such shows as Survivor, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Road Rules and Joe Millionaire all involve survival and competing against the others for a prize. This prize is normally in the form of money and/or a fiancé. Competing, natural selection and win and losing is a true parallel in everyday life– but winning a fiancé or money in such extreme and unusual conditions is far from reality.

likens the fascination with these shows to listening to someone else's conversation in an elevator, or looking in someone's window when we walk by at night. He calls it a natural and widely accepted sense of curiosity.

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