Types of Reality TV

I don’t know about you, but for me it seems as if nearly all the shows on TV are becoming Reality Based. For this blog, I thought it would be interesting to find out the different types of reality TV out there.
According to http://realitytv.suite101.com/article.cfm/casting_directors_and_reality_tv, there are 4 basic types of Reality TV. One is called The Slice of Life, which can bring you into a particular celebs life. The second is the Social Experiment, which would be a show that brings a number of different people to live together for a period of time. The third is the Talent Competition, which conducts searches for people with a particular talent. The fourth and final type is the Game Show, in which contestants compete against one another for the grand prize at the end.
As I said, the Slice of Life type of reality TV brings you into the life of a famous or infamous person or people. On show fitting this type that comes right to my mind, is the Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. This show aired on MTV several years ago when the couple was newly married. Each episode followed the couple as they faced new challenges in marriage. Many of us can recall the classic quote Jessica asked while eating a can of tuna “Is this chicken what I have, or is it fish?”
In my previous blog I mention the Real World, this type of reality TV would be considered the Social Experiment. In this show we are able to watch these people interact and build relationships with each other as are forced to live with each other for a specific period of time.
The next type of show is the Talent Competition. In this type of reality people are sought out for a particular talent such as singing or dancing. Many of us are familiar with TV series American Idol. However, One more recent one is Americas Best Dance Crew, which different dance groups compete to win $100,000 and a touring contract.
The final type of Reality TV listed is the Game Show, one example of this type of show is the CBS hit Survivor. In this show, contestants are isolated in a remote location and compete for cash and other prizes. With each show there is an elimination that allows the contestants to vote off a tribe member, until only one final contestant remains. The final and winning contestant at the end of the show receives $1,000,000.
Though each of these shows is different, each has one very important factor: Reality. In one form or another it is almost without a doubt, that we’ve all been drawn to one form or another of this addicting and growing form of television. I personally can admit that Reality TV plays a huge role in my weekly viewing schedule!

Reality TV

There’s no doubt that we’ve all been intrigued by this growing form of television, by one show or another. Whether watching the Bachelor on ABC, Real World on MTV, or Rock of Love with Brett Michaels on VH1, we’ve all been sucked into this exciting new world of television. I myself am an avid watcher of Real World, as well as, the numerous dating shows out there. However, I guess my question about these shows has started to become, “Is all reality TV thriving on the sex, drugs, and drinking of its cast?” Don’t get me wrong, these factors do make for one interesting episode after the next.
Take for example, Rock of Love with Brett Michaels. I was extremely hooked to the first season, which in my opinion provided the least amount of sex and drinking. However, now that the second and third seasons have been introduced, I’m starting to see more of the sex and drinking. While watching an episode of the third and newest season the other night, I became somewhat disgusted at the fact that he actually admitted to eliminating a girl because she took a vow to have no sex for three years. In my opinion if all he wants is a groupie to begin with, he shouldn’t need a TV show to get one.
Another example of how sex, drugs and drinking have become a huge entertainment in reality TV, is The Real World on MTV. In this series 7-8 strangers are picked to live in a house together for several months. I admit to having watched numerous seasons of the Real World. But now thinking back to all the episodes that I have watched, almost every single episode showed them out at bars partying and “hooking up.” There have been numerous episodes in which, fights have broken out due to the excessive drinking and partying of the roommates. And there is only a handful of times, when I have seen the producers step in to stop the fighting and/or drinking.
The Bachelor, however, is one show that I do respect as far as reality TV goes. This show has still kept most of its morale as far at the sex and drinking goes. The drinking is kept in moderation and the sex is still somewhat nonexistent, except for the kissing.
I guess my question for this week regarding reality TV is, Why is it that sex, drugs, and excessive drinking sell so well? And why to the producers of these shows seem to encourage these things so much? If the Bachelor can still survive its countless seasons without providing sex and drinking in excess, why is it that most of the others can’t?

The following are trailers for the newest season of Real World, Brooklynn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIWZCJ2ZD2A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viRH5yX6rw0&feature=related
This URL is the trailer for season 2 of Rock of Love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA8Vm4SWgeE&feature=related