by C. Elliot

Created on: July 07, 2008

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

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