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| Reality stars acting real. |
Though Reality TV dates back to the mid
40s, the version of it we know today began with MTV's The Real World (1992).
Then, in the early 2000s, Survivor made reality TV even more popular.
These two shows are the ones that set the template for contemporary reality TV.
On the one hand, we have the Kardashians show, Duck Dynasty, Jersey Shore, and
other shows similar in structure. These are the "follow a group of people
around and see what they do" side of reality TV. On the other side, we
have the competition reality TV; that is, we have your Master Chefs, American
Idols, and Bachelors. Whatever other sub-genres they fit into (extraordinary
people, dating, law enforcement, etc), almost every major reality show will
follow one of these two formats: see people do things in their everyday lives,
or see people compete. And it seems that
with every new iteration of a reality TV program, these shows are becoming more
invasive and extreme. Join me now in a
flight of fancy as we think about the future of reality TV and its ultimate
unraveling as a tool of control and intimidation, rather than one of mass
entertainment.
