Enough with the reality shows.. (American Idol, cost, nbc, actors)

[rekab23]

I mean, really! Yes, I know...the,public likes them..but this all started with "Survivor" in 2000...and hasn't stopped. Let's see, we have...endless talent contests featuring EVERYTHING imaginable, shows featuring young roommates on the beach or in the city, people competing to be the "top" insert profression here, shows centered around religious groups that feature their particular customs, shows with 100 bachelors and bachelorettes, wife/husband swapping, weight loss, blue collar professions, etc..

Damn!!

[JayInCA]

Reality shows are here to stay it seems. I'm not a fan of most of them, but there were reality shows before "Survivor", remember MTV's "The Real World" that started in the 90's?

[Sundaydrive00]

I was thinking the other day that the networks have less reality shows then they have in year's past. The Bachelor(ette) is the only reality dating show, when there used to be all sorts of different ones. After American Idol ends this year, will The Voice be the only singing competition?

Or maybe they just all kind of blend together. The weight loss shows on ABC feels like an extension of the Biggest Loser on NBC and all the cooking competitions on Fox feel the same. The only ones that feel unique are Survivor and The Amazing Race, which is surprising since they're probably the oldest ones airing.

[hifijohn]

I agree but as long as they make money they are here to stay.

[katie45]

I don't care for them; however, there are shows I like that others don't - and I wouldn't want them removing the shows I like just because they don't care for them. And will all the channels available we can all pretty much find something to our liking.

[jim9251]

They cost nothing to make and bring in millions to the networks who air them. Not going away anytime soon I fear.

[Labonte18]

Originally Posted by Sundaydrive00

I was thinking the other day that the networks have less reality shows then they have in year's past. The Bachelor(ette) is the only reality dating show, when there used to be all sorts of different ones. After American Idol ends this year, will The Voice be the only singing competition?

Or maybe they just all kind of blend together. The weight loss shows on ABC feels like an extension of the Biggest Loser on NBC and all the cooking competitions on Fox feel the same. The only ones that feel unique are Survivor and The Amazing Race, which is surprising since they're probably the oldest ones airing.

TAR is perhaps the best show that noone watches.

The fact that it keeps getting renewed blows my mind.. I'm happy it does, but..

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by Labonte18

TAR is perhaps the best show that noone watches.

The Amazing Race had 1.3 demo this past Friday, with over 6 million viewers. It was the top rated show, both in demo and overall, in the first time slot (8E/7C).

The Amazing Race (CBS) – P 1.3/5 6.09

[j_k_k]

I have a high school friend who spent a career in Hollywood. The simple reality is that reality shows, except for those that cannot resist shifting their focus to celebrities, mean lots of profit with little downside risk, because one doesn't have to pay a Tom Hanks or a Hilary Swank. One instead pays a Rachel Reilly or a Russell Hantz. I'm not surprised they keep throwing new reality shows at the wall to see which ones stick.

It mirrors our political culture, though, which increasingly looks more like a crappy reality show than an assemblage of learned statespeople cooperating to govern and defend a great world power.

[stan4]

Now that they are all pretty much scripted, they're not *real* and it makes me wonder if they are in effect just producing shows with amateur actors and paying them jack crap so that the costs stay low.