TV reality shows are third-rate entertainment and not worth watching.
What do you think?
There is nothing new about reality TV. Confessional shows, where ordinary
people make their private life public, have been around for a long time. However,
over the last five years TV reality shows such as Big Brother and Survivor have
become more popular. Obviously some of these programs have been the most
successful shows in television history. Is it unfair to say they are third-rate
entertainment?
In order to evaluate reality TV, we need to define exactly what a TV reality
show is. Reality shows have several things in common with soap operas. Actually,
they both involve a group of people who have to live together and get on with each
other whilst solving various problems. The difference is that reality shows aren’t
scripted, so the dialogues are often quite tedious. In addition, problems contestants
deal with are artificial and don’t arise naturally from a “story”. Apparently, in this
sense they could be seen as third-rate entertainment.
Why then do people watch them? Presumably, what holds the audience’s
attention is the “reality” or spontaneity of the shows. You never know what is
going to happen next, and we are fascinated by people who will stop at nothing in
their pursuit of fame. We are also fascinated by how the contestants cope in
different situations, and to some extent measure their reactions against our own.
To conclude, it’s probably true to say that reality shows are third-rate
entertainment when compared with classical films or award-winning
documentaries. However, as audience figures prove, they are strangely compelling
because we are able to empathize with ordinary people in extraordinary situations.
This ultimately is what makes TV reality shows worth watching.
Mass Media 