Reality Shows - What's the Fascination?

What reality shows have you watched? Check as many as apply.

  • American Idol

    Votes: 7 46.7%
  • America's Got Talent

    Votes: 2 13.3%
  • Apprentice

    Votes: 5 33.3%
  • Bachelor/Bachelorette

    Votes: 5 33.3%
  • Biggest Loser

    Votes: 5 33.3%
  • Dancing with the Stars

    Votes: 3 20.0%
  • Hell's Kitchen

    Votes: 9 60.0%
  • So You Think You Can Dance

    Votes: 4 26.7%
  • Survivor

    Votes: 6 40.0%
  • Other - You left out my favorite

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • Total voters
    15

Foxfyre

Eternal optimist
Gold Supporting Member
Oct 11, 2007
66,965
32,304
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Desert Southwest USA
Do you watch Reality Shows like American Idol or Survivor? I don't seek them out, but once I start watching, I can't resist at least checking back to see what happened.

I'm a grown woman. I think I'm probably on average reasonably well educated. I have lots of different interests and plenty to do to occupy my time. I know one or two important people. I can speak in whole sentences if I focus. I like to think I'm a pretty normal American.

And I know that these shows are often not all they are cracked up to be. Probably some are even rigged.

But heaven help me, I love reality shows.

Why is that?

And are you hooked too? Why?
 
In my humble opinion, the reality of Reality Shows is that they all suck really bad. I think they are a waste of good electricity to even air them on the tube.
 
Except for Hells Kitchen..

That's just simply entertaining and actually Good.


Not to mention my Brother in law works on that show as a Sound Editor.
 
Hell's Kitchen is one of my favorites too. Hubby can't stand it though because he doesn't like Chef Ramsey's rants. :)

We both got hooked on Survivor this past year. Had managed to avoid it all this time but once you watch, it is compelling.

And I've watched a couple of seasons of Apprentice and, being a student of human nature, I've found it has an intriguing side.
 
I've seen almost all of those except Hell's Kitchen and Survivor, but only because someone else was watching it or I just left the TV on while the computer was there, or my girlfriend was watching them.

I fucking hate them. Can't understand why anybody would actually sit down and follow any of it; half of it is so obviously fake, scripted, or directed, and it's just BAD. It's literally people making complete retards out of themselves on TV, out of greed or an intense desire to be an attention whore. What I can conclude from my regrettable experience in watching reality television is that 90% of participants have no dignity, and I don't even know what that says about people who watch it (No offense to anybody, really). I think people just like terrible shit, or that they get off on other people's total shaming, or I dunno, maybe they fantasize with being there and meeting their "bachelor" or bieng "paris's best friend" or "america's next top model," but I mean... for fuck's sake, it's just terrible.

Thats my rant for today.
 
IMO, Hell's Kitchen by a longshot.

Before my wife retired as a 911 dispatcher, The fire dept. recruited alot of private ambulance paramedics during one recruitment, mostly young, who came into training.

My wife was one of the trainers. For months, she came home from work totally fatigued while training them, because they came in cocky, thinking they knew everything. Most refused to listen, challenged the trainers, thought they already knew protocol.

To make a not-to-long story shorter, almost 75% failed their probationary period out of that recruitment. Now, my wife is far from being a Ramsey, but at least he seperates the 'wheat from the chaff' efficiently.

And, like my dear wife, he knows his shit!
 
I can appreciate what you're saying Epsilon, and no offense taken. :)

I do feel creepy watching Bachelor or Bachelorette and that's the one I do avoid after tuning into a few shows. It just feels wrong.

But I am something of a ham I guess, and I liked being center stage as a kid. So I can appreciate the talent competitions like Idol or America's Got Talent. And when you see the big money stars some of those shows produce, there has to be at least some reality to it. If I was young again and had the chance and could get on one of those shows, I would compete in a heartbeat even knowing that I wouldn't last long. It would just be the fun of having that on your life resume that you actually did it I guess. :)

Hell's Kitchen and Apprentice both require innovation, creativity, and being able to work under pressure. I love any plot that has you cheering for people who are giving it all they've got and since there are only good guys, the good guy will win. :)

But I'm nobody's fool. I know a lot of it is staged. Probably some of it rigged. It is intended to be for the entertainment of people watching a TV show.

I console my uneasiness at enjoying some of these shows by knowing that I have a lot of company out there. :)
 
Oh Tom Clancy. I just saw your comment about your brother-in-law.

So can you give us any inside scoop or is it classified information?

The competition is for real, yes?
 
Yeah, I mean, it depends on what you're thinking. Most of the talent ones are ok, I can understand those (not the "reality" part of it, like when they're living in a house and having drama, but the competition part of it, and I'd even go as far as saying that those are mostly not rigged, though some shit is probably staged).

I guess the ones I really hate are the ones like, yeah, Paris's best friend, or tila tequila, or the "real" world or that one about the ultra-rich brats whose parents spend $5 million on their 'sweet 16'. That sort of dumb shit. UGHHH!!!
 
I liked "The Mole" when it came on.

Now I occasionally watch "The Amazing Race" (cuz' it's close to the same concept). But I don't ever think about watching it. What I mean is, I don't even know what day or time it comes on. If I happen to be scanning through channels I'll pop it on if I see it.
 
I watch Deadliest Catch every week and have watched every new season for the past few years. Is that considered reality tv?
 
I hadn't thought about 'reality shows' as being a show in which there is a resolution at the end of each episode and then you have a brand new plot for the next one. Say something like "Hoarders" in which you have a different 'cast' every week.

The reality shows I get hooked on all start out with a cast of characters who compete for a big prize at the end of 10 or 12 weeks or so. Somebody is eliminated each week and the last one standing wins.
 
I watch Deadliest Catch every week and have watched every new season for the past few years. Is that considered reality tv?

Yes.

IMO, it's also considered boring :lol:

That's fine. I also watch baseball and boxing and most people think those are boring too. I guess I'm just a boring kind of guy. :thup:

You sound like Mr. Foxfyre. Friday night is his night with the TV because boxing is on. And he does like to watch girls college softball and college baseball as well as a bit of golf and occasionally Nascar all of which I get tired of really quick.
 
You sound like Mr. Foxfyre. Friday night is his night with the TV because boxing is on. And he does like to watch girls college softball and college baseball as well as a bit of golf and occasionally Nascar all of which I get tired of really quick.

Anyone who watches Friday Night Fights is a friend of mine.
 
1. Project Runway

Why? Because I love watching the work of extremely talented and inspiring people.

2. Biggest Loser

That show very often brings tears to my eyes. To see somebody so committed to something and working so damn hard at reaching that goal over many and extremely hard hurdles is very inspiring. I have the utmost respect and regard for some of those people.

3. So you think you can dance

The reason is the same as why I love Project Runway. I just love seeing a bunch of extremely talented and brilliant people doing what they're best at. Plus the performances and the music are very inspiring and extremely enjoyable. Some of those have brought chills down my spine and even made me tear up a bit. It can really be an experience watching someone dance amazingly well.
 

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