Reality Shows
Reality Television In the past few years, television has been dominated by so called "reality" television shows. It is nearly impossible to flip through the channels and not see one of these shows. Reality television has been around since the 1940's, but since the premiere of "Survivor" in 2000, the popularity of reality shows has exploded. Since thisexplosion in 2000, reality shows have become extreme and bizarre. I am personally not a fan of these shows and I don't watch much t.v., but there are a few shows over the years that have caught my attention. Networks have come out with hundreds of different shows, which can be divided into different categories that each go to different extremes; talk shows, hidden camera, celebrity, dating based, makeover, professional activities, special living environment and hoax. Talk Shows. The talk show has been one of the most consistent genres on television since the 1980's. Talk shows involve a host who interviews guests about a certain subject. Many talk shows discuss normal subjects and recount guests' experiences, but there are a few talk shows that premiered in the 90's that explored ridiculous topics. The most well-known has become The Jerry Springer Show, which hosts dysfunctional families in front of a rowdy audience. On every show, the guests fight with each other, make unusual confessions (such as a man who admitted to marrying his horse), and get heckled by the audience, all revolving around topics involving sex, racism and marital problems. The typical guest can be described as a "toothless redneck," for lack of better words. The Jerry Springer Show was once voted "The Worst TV Show Ever," by TV Guide. Hidden Camera. The first ever hidden camera show was "Candid Camera," which premiered in 1948. The premise of the show involved hidden cameras filming people in unusual situations, usually caused by trick props, such as a car with a hidden extra gas tank. In today's television world, a show