Television Comes Back To Reality

Phrases such as "you're fired," scenes of late night confessionals and voters crowning another "American Idol" have become the norm on television today. With the success of so many types of reality TV shows, networks are hard at work searching and scraping for that next big hit. Shows such as "COPS" and "The Real World" have always been constant on television, but with the success of programs like "Survivor" and "American Idol," large and small networks were able to find a once untapped resource that would take viewer interaction to a new level.

Tuning into today's programming, big-time networks are suffocating viewers with an onslaught of reality TV. Most of the shows today grapple with a broad variety of topics such as dating competitions, job searches, sports, celebrity reality and documentaries.

MTV is one of many networks at the forefront of reality television, bringing shows that appeal to a younger demographic, laced with rich kids from California and sexual promiscuity involved in speed dating.

"Shows on MTV are always entertaining to watch, but I feel like they never give a good impression of how people our age act," said Richard Dynzack, a 2nd-semester biology major. "Not everyone is out sleeping around or having [half a million dollar] birthday parties."

"The Real World" has even begun to lose its flare for addictiveness in favor of a flare of insanity. Debuting in 1992 with a cast set in New York, "The Real World" has always been able to connect to the young-adult audience with its cast of seven diverse strangers whose lives are taped in their entirety for several months. In its eighteenth season, "The Real World: Denver" has had more fights and hookups than the usual topics of race and sexual orientation, a staple and trademark that made the show such a success.

While the original "Real World" has lasted for almost 20 years, the show has spawned many spin-offs such as "Road Rules," "Real World / Road Rules Challenge," "The Gauntlet" and "The Duel." While some shows may leave you wanting more, others can create a false sense of the integrity of Americans. It begs the question of how far people are willing to go to be famous. While many reality shows have come and gone, game shows have always been a steady component of the reality TV genre based on the fact that people are always apt to try and win big. Shows such as "Jeopardy," "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Price is Right" have been a cornerstone of big winnings and have made for enjoyable television.

"Game shows are extremely entertaining because no one is harmed physically or mentally", said Danielle Scopel, a 6th-semester English major. "Other types of reality TV are extensions of what Hollywood always tried to make into a sitcom or drama, but failed at."

Recent hits have included "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?," "Deal Or No Deal" and "Fear Factor", but even with the success of these shows, there tends to still be those drawn out commercial breaks where the show takes too long for the actual outcome to be revealed.

Ratings have dropped steadily with many successful reality shows due to a lack of new material. The first season of the widely popular "The Apprentice" saw its season finale reach 28 million viewers. In its fifth season, the show was able to draw only 11 million viewers. In the newest season, producers have been forced to find even more dramatic twists - making the losing team from each challenge sleep outside in tents.

People are always searching for their chance at 15 minutes of fame and reality television allows those people a fast shot at stardom, showing that sometimes our culture values the quick money and fame over personal dignity and pride. Networks are willing to show people's insecurities and vulnerabilities if it brings in a few more million viewers. Storylines and events can often be re-enacted to create better television leaving the audience in suspense over the next series of events. Is this insane television a real picture of the actions and views of people in today's society? Is reality TV a microcosm of the country we live in, or is it an instrument used to pull in viewers who feel that they are able to relate to the characters on shows because they are real people?

"Reality TV has lost much of the flare and interest that it used to have", said Mark Whimmer, a 4th-semester political science major. "Shows used to be about how real people interacted with each other in front of a camera. Now, series are just about ratings and prove nothing others than putting some idiots on TV who just end up make fools of themselves."

Reality TV has always been incorporated into the interaction of humans through the use of television, but over the last year, desperate networks have started airing programs that may take the "real" out of "reality TV." Lack of material for networks has seen ratings steadily decreasing for many hit series. With the downfall of ratings and the lack of creativity exhibited by network TV, a culture that once saw the rise of an empire known as reality TV may see the same dynasty crumble in the blink of an eye.