Follow-up: This is reality? Then send me to dreamland...

I got so many great comments on my last post about reality television that I decided to write a follow-up post to address them, and to share a few more thoughts. Thank you to Joanna, Deanna and John for your insightful comments, and for giving me more blog fodder! Much appreciated.

First of all, I can't believe I forgot about Moment of Truth, which was truly reprehensible. I must have blocked it out. Although disgusting, it is also instructive as to what lengths people will go for money.

A couple of the comments also suggested further categories for these shows. In my last post, I mostly addressed the 'relationship' and the 'created competition' categories. As I don't have very many channels, I have never been exposed to many of the shows mentioned, but these are the ones most likely to push my buttons and set off a rant such as in my post. As far as the 'true competition' shows, as I mentioned, my only real addiction is So You Think You Can Dance. While most of the others are relatively harmless, if rather irritating, I frankly just don't much care. I am gratified to hear about the contestants in Top Chef Masters cooperating and donating money to charity. We don't see that sort of thing very often these days.

Which brings me to another reality show that I can be found watching on occasion (although not on a weekly basis): Extreme Makeover Home Edition. As scripted and over-the-top as the show undoubtedly is, it just makes me happy to see good things happen for people who are in a tough situation, and who in turn have done wonderful things in their communities. It's nice to be able to think that there is some kindness left in the world.

One category that I completely left out is the sub-genre of "normal" people allowing their daily lives to be filmed. Once upon a time, in the first few seasons, I watched the Real World. (I'm not even going to think about how many years ago that was. And Joanna, it was indeed an RV that the Road Rules crew drove around in.) In its initial stages, this type of show was novel and entertaining. However, these days it seems that it has turned into a forum for people behaving badly. Outlandishly so. I don't find this to be good entertainment; I find it painful. Sometimes it is like a train wreck from which you can't take your eyes. Deanna, I felt that way about the episode of the Real Housewives of New Jersey you had me watch in which the one woman overturned the table at her dinner party. Appalling, but strangely mesmerizing. It's rather sad that this reaction in the audience has caused this type of show to proliferate and provided an atmosphere in which more and more people are encouraged to act like idiots.

I think you are correct, John, when you say that the same elements occur in more traditional forms of entertainment. Perhaps it is easier to stomach because of the fact that it is dressed up as "entertainment" as opposed to "reality".

The reality genre appears to be making money as well as being relatively cheap to produce, since so many variants keep popping up everywhere, so lots of people must be drawn in for one reason or another. We shall have to see what further gems the networks unveil in the coming years.