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Sub Genres of Reality TV

Page history last edited by Lisa Lagerman 12 years, 3 months ago

 

Sub-Genres of Reality Television

 

Documentary-Style

Documentary style is one of the most emotional styles of reality TV.  Some documentary-style reality shows are based on accurate or “fly-on-the-wall” filming which means the film crew is not seen, heard, or acknowledged by the reality stars. In most documentary-style shows, the filming is extremely edited and scripted, despite the stars being normal people instead of actors.  There shows often resemble soap operas with real life situations.

 

Special Living Environment

“The special living environment is a kind of sadistic way of filming that pits different people against each other in an environment that none of them can get out of. The results are then seen on camera.” (1)

 

Examples: The Real World is the originator of this style, and other examples include Road Rules, Big Brother, and Jersey Shore

 

    

 

Celebrities

These documentary-style shows follow celebrities going about their everyday life. 

 

Examples: The Anna Nicole Show, The Osbournes, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica and Hogan Knows Best, Celebrity Big Brother, The Simple Life, Tommy Lee Goes to College, The Surreal Life, and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!.

 

 

Professional Activities

A professional activity shows which focus on professional activities, and no outside consultants, experts, or outside assistance is brought in. It is all focused on the vocation, occupation, and sole occupancy of the professional in charge of his task.  In these types of shows certain situations may be filmed or edited that are deemed more entertaining or exciting than others. 

 

Examples: Cops, Miami Ink, The First 48, American Chopper, and Deadliest Catch

 

 

Competition/Game Shows

Another sub-genre of reality TV is "reality competition" or so-called "reality game shows," which follow the format of non-tournament elimination contests. (5)

 

Dating-Based Competition

Reality Shows where “contestants are supposed to chose a suitor from a group of eligible suitors. The suitors are eliminated one at a time until the contestant has only one suitor left.”

 

Examples: The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, For Love or Money, Paradise Hotel, Temptation Island, and Average Joe

 

Job Search

These reality shows are “often conducted via the reality television shows where contestants are interviewed for a certain skill then those who are short listed are subjected to a series of tasks based on the skills. Usually the job related competitions involves a team of experts in the field as the judges who evaluate the amount of skills possessed by the contestants which are vital for the job in questions. The contestants are eliminated over time until the best is left and they are rewarded with a monetary gift, as well as, a job in the same profession.”

 

Examples: America's Next Top Model, The Apprentice, Hell's Kitchen, Top Chef, Shear Genius, and Project Runway

 

 

Sports

Most of these programs create a sporting competition among athletes attempting to establish their name in that sport. (4)

 

Examples: The Club, The Big Break, The Contender, and The Ultimate Fighter

 

 

Self-Improvement/Makeover

Reality television shows where the individual is in need of a make-over.  These shows are screened in three major parts; before, during and after the make-over. Similarly, most of them are based on physical appearance attributes such as beauty as well as personality for instance enhancing ones self-esteem

 

Examples: Biggest Loser, Celebrity Fit Club, Queer Eye, What Not to Wear

 

    

 

Social Experiment

Another type of reality program is the social experiment that produces drama, conflict, and sometimes transformation.  People with different values agreed to live by each other's social rules for a brief period of time and sometimes learn from the experience.

 

Examples: Wife Swap, and The Bad Girls Club

 


 

Renovation

Some shows make over part or all of a person's living space, work space, or vehicle.

 

Examples: This Old House, Trading Spaces, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and Pimp My Ride

 

Dating Shows

Unlike the aforementioned dating competition shows, some shows feature all new contestants each episode.

 

Examples: Blind Date, Matchmaker, Room Raiders, and Parental Control

 

Talk Shows

Traditional format of a talk show is that of a host interviewing a guest or discussing a chosen topic with a guest or guests, the advent of trash TV shows has often made people group the entire category in with reality television. (3)

 

Examples: Ricki Lake, The Jerry Springer Show, Dr. Phil

 


      

Hidden Cameras

Another type of reality programming features hidden cameras rolling when random passers-by encounter a staged situation.

 

Examples: Candid Camera, Punk’d, Scare Tactics and Cheaters

 

Supernatural and Paranormal

Supernatural and paranormal reality shows place participants into frightening situations which ostensibly involve the paranormal.

 

Examples: Ghost Hunters, Scariest Places on Earth

 

Hoaxes

In hoax reality shows, a false premise is presented to some of the series participants, when in reality the premise of the series is completely different, and the rest of the cast are actors who are in on the joke.

 

Examples: The Joe Schmo Show, My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss, Hell Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. http://realityshows.com/articles/documentary-style_reality_television.html

2. http://academicwritingtips.org/component/k2/item/2709-reality-television-show.html

3. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/05/the-case-for-reality-tv/5791/

4. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101030217-421047,00.html

5. www.realitytvtoday.com

 

 

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