EDHS Contemporary World Affairs

MrsCavalluzzi · Guru

American Idol-izing

edepuy · Veteran Member

it's interesting that so many people are drawn to reality tv and how tv started out being fake. it's interesting how things progress. i'm not sure that it means that conventional sitcoms and dramas are going to be eliminated, but there are alot of people who prefer reality tv. i think the tv stations should look at certain ratings and then determine where they go from there. i don't watch alot of tv, but my mom and sister do. i sometimes watch reality tv with them.

KW00D · Senior Member

I think that people are so drawn to reality tv because they feel that the participants are just like them, normal, everyday people. They like to feel connected, and watching others go through the 'trials and tribulations,' if you will, of the reality competition just makes it seem more 'real.' However, I will say that the amount of new reality tv shows popping up are just ridiculous...'Tool Academy,' 'For the Love of Ray J,' really?! Idol, Survivor and The Real World will always be classics [though not by my standards]; after all you can say they are the shows with the most consistent ratings for the longest periods of time. All of them have been top rating-grabbers for over 5 years...The Real World has had 20 seasons! And to be honest, I do watch Reality TV, but only when there's nothing else to watch. I am guilty of watching Survivor...from the beginning. But I watch it, not only because there's nothing else on anymore, but because it is entertaining to watch people in their everyday lives while they're competing for money. Reality TV is like watching a bunch of monkeys at a Zoo...it gets old after a while, but you can't look away because you hope something outrageous will happen.

Vanessabug · Senior Member

I hope reality TV is over! I truly dislike it. All it is is sticking people who dont even know eachother in one big house, then they give them reasons to hate eachother and get in fights. It truly saddens me that people in our country enjoy watching other people at their worst, and get happiness out of watching someone else in their misery.
My family watches American Idol but I think this takes on a completely different form of reality TV than does survivor. Obviously you are going to have people who dont get along and start drama no matter what reality show you watch but I think that AI does a very good job of keep most of that nonsense out. I believe that this is a major reason that this show does so well. It makes it easy for parents to watch with their kids :)

coco captian bpurn · Veteran Member

i think that so many people are drawn to reality tv becasue they feel its the real deal. they probably feel like they car relate to it since its REALity. but half the time some of the stuff is staged or fake. i will say i do watch reality tv. im a fan of the amazingrace, just becasue you get to see real people competeing for a big prize, and you get to see the world along with it. its entertaining, but sometimes enough is enough. theyre are tons of new ridiculous shows coming out.

Lindsey.Breeding. · Veteran Member

I have to admit that I like watching American idol because i get to see lives of real people and not just characters that people make up. People like to watch real American people lives on the TV. I think that if there were more reality shows then a lot more people would be watching them or recording them. I could be a good thing or a bad thing. There are also people that don't like watching those shows to. So this would be a good thing for people that like reality shows but a bad thing for people that don't.

saraheckberg · Veteran Member

people like watching reality tv more than other shows because it is real...i think if shows want to be able to compete, they need to make their material more realistic so that viewers will relate in the way they relate to reality tv. Also, with reality tv, most of the time you get to vote and influence the outcome of the show, which you don't get to do if the whole season is already planned.

ericaedgley · Senior Member

I personally love american idol. its a good show. i dont watch much t.v. i love non-reality shows. like gossip girl, and one tree hill. those are pretty much the only shows i watch.
oooh, and two-and-a-half men :) hilarious! they shouldnt only have reality t.v. because honestly that is fake too. not all of it is real. and people like non-reality t.v. alot too!

Co Captian Bwall. · Veteran Member

people are into the reality tv shows because it is intresting, weather or not its real or not. its like reading a book or watching a movie..your gonna continue to watch or read it because its an intrest to you. it is cool to see lives of people go threw these experiances and maybe they can related to one another. with shows like american idol it shows that average people can make it in the hollywood scence. i think some of the reality shows today are rediculous, like its a joke to me. i do like watching some of them..its not on the list above but big brother is one of my favorites.

ich_binJason · Senior Member

I love the Amazing Race, its awesome to see the locations they go to and some future vacation spots. other than that, most reality tv is ridiculously staged. nah network tv is fine keeping it how it is, although Heroes is a extreme disappointment this year and Prison Break is going to finally end. but Chuck is still great.

Captain John Manassero · Senior Member

i think reality tv is ridiculous. its completely futile to portray something as reality when it isnt, in fact, reality. the real housewives of oc, for example...there is nothing typical or real about them. those kind of people are an insult to the human race. theyve never lifted a finger in their life and they still complain and create drama. i know plenty of hardworking, genuine, REAL housewives that care about their families and dont need all these senseless assets and plastic surgery and money to be happy. the dating shows like the bachelor are lame. if these "beautiful" people cant find any E.O. on their own, they need some help. most of the relationships that are formed on these shows dont work out anyway. its a disgrace to the idea and adventure of classic courtship. as for the real world, all i have to say is, " hey, thats bob dole's chair!!!!"

DaisyVo1212 · Senior Member

I think people like reality shows so much these days because they think reality shows are "real". I think it makes some people feel like they're watching how society really is on their TV. I personally think most reality shows are trying too hard. Producers are coming up with ideas for reality shows that really don't exist in the real life. Like for example, men who REALLY want love do not go and hook up with 10+ women and broadcast it to the world, we don't all look hot, have money, and have annoying voices in the REAL orange county, and we definitely don't eat bugs and climb ropes to win money (some people might, most won't).

Reality shows are really popular, but they aren't really "reality" I personally think they get more and more annoying as time progresses. Most reality shows just cast people and pretend they are real (there are exceptions of course).

:)

mannyg · Veteran Member

i personally dont like reality TV that much. all i really watch on TV is sports. It would seem weird if networks completely did away with sitcoms and dramas and shows like that, but if thats what ratings indiciate should happen, then it should. Afterall television is a business and the companies should provide what is going to make them the most profit.

MrsCavalluzzi · Guru

Captain John Manassero wrote:

as for the real world, all i have to say is, " hey, thats bob dole's chair!!!!"

who ate bob dole's peanut butter? you wanna chip in, that's a different story

what a GREAT reference!! one of the most fab SNL sketches EVER!! :)

EDHS alum Aaron Behle was on Season 2 (LA) of Real World - they even filmed a little of it (his intro to the show) here at EDHS at Distinguished Scholars Night my senior year - you can see Mrs. Crays in that episode :)

KW00D · Senior Member

I'm not sure if some people know the real definition of 'Reality TV,' so here it is courtesy of Wikipedia.

'Reality television is a genre of television programming which presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors. Although the genre has existed in some form or another since the early years of television, the term reality television is most commonly used to describe programs of this genre produced since 2000. Documentaries and nonfictional programming such as news and sports shows are usually not classified as reality shows.

Reality television covers a wide range of programming formats, from game or quiz shows which resemble the frantic, often demeaning shows produced in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s (such as Gaki no tsukai), to surveillance- or voyeurism-focused productions such as Big Brother.

Such shows frequently portray a modified and highly influenced form of reality, with participants put in exotic locations or abnormal situations, sometimes coached to act in certain ways by off-screen handlers, and with events on screen sometimes manipulated through editing and other post-production techniques.'

Shows like Chuck, Psych, House, etc etc are NOT reality tv.

Ayesha · Veteran Member

i watch reality tv because it's more interesting to me. but that doesn't mean they should just stop making non-reality tv, because that is interesting too. this is a sign that non-reality tv is less popular than it used to be, and that is because reality tv is more popular now. it's probably because there are a lot more reality tv shows now than there used to be, and the reality tv that already existed before has been made more interesting to appeal to a greater audience. so, it's not surpirising to me that people like watching shows like American Idol. because i do too :)

Natasha · Veteran Member

plently of people love reality tv because its juicy "real life" drama that everyone likes to hear about so seeing it makes it even better. i personaly dont like reality tv really because it seems fake..like the bachelor i think is thee stupidest show ever. last night i was watching good will hunting and me and my sister got in a huge fight because she wanted to watch the bachelor. i think it is pointless and half the shows on tv are pointless waste of money. it makes me mad. but i love the real house wifes of orange county not going to lie.. haha :) and bad girls club FOR LIFE. and the sober house..but that seems real..same with bad girls club.

ich_binJason · Senior Member

KW00D wrote:

I'm not sure if some people know the real definition of 'Reality TV,' so here it is courtesy of Wikipedia.

'Reality television is a genre of television programming which presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors. Although the genre has existed in some form or another since the early years of television, the term reality television is most commonly used to describe programs of this genre produced since 2000. Documentaries and nonfictional programming such as news and sports shows are usually not classified as reality shows.

Reality television covers a wide range of programming formats, from game or quiz shows which resemble the frantic, often demeaning shows produced in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s (such as Gaki no tsukai), to surveillance- or voyeurism-focused productions such as Big Brother.

Such shows frequently portray a modified and highly influenced form of reality, with participants put in exotic locations or abnormal situations, sometimes coached to act in certain ways by off-screen handlers, and with events on screen sometimes manipulated through editing and other post-production techniques.'

Shows like Chuck, Psych, House, etc etc are NOT reality tv.

if that chuck portion was directed at me, no duh! but the question was should networks like NBC drop all these shows for reality tv. and my answer was no.

Sandy · Senior Member

I think people are drawn to reality tv because they can connect to it. There is no script, and its real most of the time therefor it is more entertaining. I dont like most reality shows, but some are ok such as American Idol, and Dancing with the Stars. I also think some are useless and stupid, and i think that some producers come up with studpid ideas. I cant stand those reality shows where people just sit and talk about how crappy there life is or how people will fight over something small. It makes it seem as though the people in the show just want to get some airtime. I hope that reality shows that are worth watching stay on the air, and the rest that are really just there to waste people's time, gets cancelled.

moniCA92870 · Senior Member

i can see how reality tv can be more appealing because it involves ever day people with all their different personalities, put together in one setting and are in some cases forced to work with each other, but then hate each other and ultimately try to win whatever they're competing for. but some of the shows really have no purpose and i can't understand why anyone would participate in it or even watch it. i personally enjoy american idol because it gives people a chance to get their music out in the world and it creates lots of opportunities if the contestants do really well. so, i do admit reality can be entertaining, but i don't think networks should drop sitcoms and dramas because a lot of people still enjoy watching them. some can get ridiculous over time but there are still plenty of great shows that many americans still watch.

lookitspeter · Senior Member

KW00D wrote:

I think that people are so drawn to reality tv because they feel that the participants are just like them, normal, everyday people. They like to feel connected, and watching others go through the 'trials and tribulations,' if you will, of the reality competition just makes it seem more 'real.'

I agree with the above statement. And no they shouldn't ever get rid of non-reality TV shows. And no I don't watch reality TV, although I have seen a few episodes of The Real World and American Idol. Personally, I feel lazy enough sitting and watching a non-reality show like House for hours but to be using your time watching someone live their life just seems ridiculous. (Of course not all reality shows are like this) Its almost like watching someone watch TV, sort of.

KW00D · Senior Member

Speaking of ridiculous Reality TV, here's a 'spoof' on MTV's 'The Hills/ The City,' entitled 'The District.'

So far there have been four episodes :]

Kudos to Newsweek!

KW00D · Senior Member

PS if the videos don't work on YouTube, here's the link to the Newsweek website

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/popvox/archive/tags/The+District/default.aspx

Sandy · Senior Member

Thanks Karen! : )
haha that was funny

Bam · Senior Member

no I don't think they should because the reality tv shows are not only entertainment but for some reality tv shows it gives the viewer ideas of wat really goes on in the real world. And yes i do watch some reality tv shows.

EDHS Contemporary World Affairs

"Your distress about life might mean you have been living for the wrong reason, not that you have no reason for living." Tom O' Connor