Spring Break
Television Comes Back To Reality
Michael Corsino
Issue date: 2/6/07 Section: Focus
Phrases such as "you're fired," scenes of late night confessionals and voters crowning another "American Idol" have become the norm on television today. With the success of so many types of reality TV shows, networks are hard at work searching and scraping for that next big hit. Shows such as "COPS" and "The Real World" have always been constant on television, but with the success of programs like "Survivor" and "American Idol," large and small networks were able to find a once untapped resource that would take viewer interaction to a new level.
Tuning into today's programming, big-time networks are suffocating viewers with an onslaught of reality TV. Most of the shows today grapple with a broad variety of topics such as dating competitions, job searches, sports, celebrity reality and documentaries.
MTV is one of many networks at the forefront of reality television, bringing shows that appeal to a younger demographic, laced with rich kids from California and sexual promiscuity involved in speed dating.
"Shows on MTV are always entertaining to watch, but I feel like they never give a good impression of how people our age act," said Richard Dynzack, a 2nd-semester biology major. "Not everyone is out sleeping around or having [half a million dollar] birthday parties."
"The Real World" has even begun to lose its flare for addictiveness in favor of a flare of insanity. Debuting in 1992 with a cast set in New York, "The Real World" has always been able to connect to the young-adult audience with its cast of seven diverse strangers whose lives are taped in their entirety for several months. In its eighteenth season, "The Real World: Denver" has had more fights and hookups than the usual topics of race and sexual orientation, a staple and trademark that made the show such a success.
While the original "Real World" has lasted for almost 20 years, the show has spawned many spin-offs such as "Road Rules," "Real World / Road Rules Challenge," "The Gauntlet" and "The Duel." While some shows may leave you wanting more, others can create a false sense of the integrity of Americans. It begs the question of how far people are willing to go to be famous. While many reality shows have come and gone, game shows have always been a steady component of the reality TV genre based on the fact that people are always apt to try and win big. Shows such as "Jeopardy," "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Price is Right" have been a cornerstone of big winnings and have made for enjoyable television.
Tuning into today's programming, big-time networks are suffocating viewers with an onslaught of reality TV. Most of the shows today grapple with a broad variety of topics such as dating competitions, job searches, sports, celebrity reality and documentaries.
MTV is one of many networks at the forefront of reality television, bringing shows that appeal to a younger demographic, laced with rich kids from California and sexual promiscuity involved in speed dating.
"Shows on MTV are always entertaining to watch, but I feel like they never give a good impression of how people our age act," said Richard Dynzack, a 2nd-semester biology major. "Not everyone is out sleeping around or having [half a million dollar] birthday parties."
"The Real World" has even begun to lose its flare for addictiveness in favor of a flare of insanity. Debuting in 1992 with a cast set in New York, "The Real World" has always been able to connect to the young-adult audience with its cast of seven diverse strangers whose lives are taped in their entirety for several months. In its eighteenth season, "The Real World: Denver" has had more fights and hookups than the usual topics of race and sexual orientation, a staple and trademark that made the show such a success.
While the original "Real World" has lasted for almost 20 years, the show has spawned many spin-offs such as "Road Rules," "Real World / Road Rules Challenge," "The Gauntlet" and "The Duel." While some shows may leave you wanting more, others can create a false sense of the integrity of Americans. It begs the question of how far people are willing to go to be famous. While many reality shows have come and gone, game shows have always been a steady component of the reality TV genre based on the fact that people are always apt to try and win big. Shows such as "Jeopardy," "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Price is Right" have been a cornerstone of big winnings and have made for enjoyable television.
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