Does reality TV really reflect reality ?

No

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by Chelsea Fogleman

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The word "reality" in the phrase "reality television" is really a misnomer. It's the name that happened to stick to a particular genre of script-free, guilty-pleasure TV. But rest assured, reality has nothing to do with reality television.

Naturally, there are elements of reality in reality television. We see people interacting on reality TV; people interact in real life. We see people going through joy, anger, and sadness on reality TV; we see people going through joy, anger, and sadness in real life. We see loss and accomplishment on reality TV; and - you guessed it - we see loss and accomplishment in real life. But despite these flimsy connections to reality, reality television just doesn't feel... well, real.

Ultimately the catch lies in the set-up. The artificial nature of almost any reality show's premise (putting a hodgepodge of incompatible characters into staged and unusual situations) isn't exactly a formula for "real life."

First, there's the problem with reality show casting. The people selected for these shows tend to have a "look at me" attitude and (surprise, surprise!) are usually aspiring actors, models, singers, or some variation thereof. Most tend to hail from LA or New York (although producers are fond of tossing in the occasional soccer mom from Michigan or construction worker from Tennessee to round out the cast with an "everyman" feel).

As if the casting weren't enough, the specific premise of most reality shows is far removed from any real-world situation. Twelve strangers are trapped on a deserted island, or in a supposedly haunted house, or in a chic mansion... Maybe such conditions represent reality for a few people. But for most of us, these convoluted scenarios are no more realistic than a Disney fairytale or a James Bond movie.

Reality television is really a spin-off of a classic and beloved TV genre - the game show. Most modern reality television takes the game show format and places it in a highly social context. It's this social aspect that causes us to put the "reality" in reality television.

It's fair enough to say that this social piece of reality television can resonate with viewers in an authentic way. However, that fact alone does not make reality television reflective of reality. When the social tension has been orchestrated by producers and casting directors, you're not looking at reality. You're looking at entertainment intended to entice viewership. It's doubtful that the producers aim to portray reality on most network TV shows. They want to make good television (or bad television, depending on your point of view) that will get high ratings and, consequently, make advertisers happy.

Some shows have been mistakenly attributed the "reality show" label. "American Idol," for instance, shouldn't be classified as a reality show in the same vein as "The Amazing Race" or "Big Brother." Why? "American Idol" is a game show, but it lacks the dense layers of *social* competition that we see on such reality shows as "Survivor." Contestants compete. Eventually someone wins. And sure, contestants make some social maneuvers to win votes, and the show has often been accused of being a glorified popularity contest because of such social appeals. But the social maneuverings on "American Idol" are still not like those on a true-blue reality show. Contestants aren't forced to trust, backstab, and ultimately play a predominantly social game. Contestants are judged by *outside forces* on a scale of their technical expertise and their overall showmanship. "American Idol" is a television ratings juggernaut that is not to be dismissed in its television stronghold. But, even if you did consider "American Idol" a reality television show, you would still have to ask yourself- What's real about trying out for a talent contest, becoming famous overnight, winning over millions of fans, and getting a record deal? It's real for some of the people who have been on the show, but for the other 99.9999% of humanity, this scenario will never represent reality. It's just fun, mindless television.

The term "reality television" happened to catch on in the early 2000s; but, in this case, the word "reality" is used pretty loosely. At the end of the day, most reality television shows are revamped game shows with a heightened social edge. Some translate easily- "The Bachelor" is an update of "The Dating Game." "American Idol" is an update of "Star Search." Others take old motifs and rework them into a socialized, game show format: Think of "Survivor" as "Gilligan's Island" with winners and losers. The social dramas we see on reality television may look like "reality" at first glance. But in the back of our minds we know: The people are a little too pretty, the sets a little too nice, and the drama a little too staged, for the shows to actually feel real.

Indeed, when everything is said and done, we find that the phrase "reality television" is just an expression.

Learn more about this author, Chelsea Fogleman.
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