It sometimes feels impossible to ignore the presence of reality television. Whether it’s focusing on a bunch of rich people, discovering people with odd habits or seeing amateurs and experts cook or eat food, reality shows come in all types and are everywhere.
There does seem to be some consistency in certain reality shows though, which I define as the elimination genre. Shows include “The Amazing Race,” “The Bachelor” and “Survivor.”
In my household, we watch “Big Brother,'' which is a show where contestants are locked in a house for around three months eliminating each other until one is left who gets a significant cash prize.
I was the only one in the family who did not crowd around the television every night eager to see what happens. My brother was so invested he tracked the contestants actions when the show wasn’t airing, getting ahead of the show at points. He was far from the only one to do this as well.
That was when the question first came up in my head: Why are these shows so popular and why are there so many of them?
This modern wave all started around the same time at the turn of the 21st century with “Big Brother,” “Survivor,” “The Bachelor” and “The Amazing Race” all starting between 2000 to 2002. The early 2000s was when the world was coming closer together with the young Internet and people were connecting more.
Competition-style shows had been popular for a while, but what made these shows different from ones like “Jeopardy” was the intimacy between the viewer and the contestants.
With elimination-style reality shows, the audience can spend multiple days a week with contestants getting to know them well. Much like popular news anchors in the late 20th century, who would gain trust appearing again and again, it feels like the audience is really a part of the show and the contestants’ lives.
This constant exposure makes it easier for WHO to choose favorites or least-favorites within the cast. It’s very quick to get invested in the people and what they are doing, especially when a camera is on them at all times.
The icing on the cake is the casting choices. The cast of many shows are young people who are conventionally attractive. Especially on shows like “The Bachelor,” this is a selling point, as the investment into a favorite character can extend into their relationships with other liked or disliked characters.
What seems to make reality TV popular is the way producers make the audience feel connected to the setting and competitors, as if they are right in the mix with them. This makes every little thing much more interesting and adds whole new layers to what would usually be a simple reality show.
