Reality TV: Categories Four and Five

This week we I will finish my discussion on categorizing reality television shows. In the blog posts I have done in the last few weeks I have talked about game shows, tag along television, and improvement shows. This week I will be doing two categories in one post. My first category will be dating shows. Dating shows are pretty self explanatory, they are shows where a guy or a girl has contestants that go on dates with him or her and he or she chooses the person who they liked best or maybe they will not choose anyone at all. Some examples of these shows would be, The Dating Game, Blind Date, and Room Raiders. Other shows I would include in this category would be Elimidate, Next, and Parental Control.
My second category in this week’s post would be Hidden Camera shows. Hidden camera shows are also pretty self explanatory. They are shows where a hidden camera watches a person or a group of people react to a situation or watches how they act behind closed doors. Some shows I would include in this group would be, Scare Tactics, Candid Camera, Punk'd, and Room 401. Other shows I would include in this category would be Trigger Happy TV, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, and Howie Do It.
Now like every week, this week I am going to ask that if anyone has any suggestions on how to better my categories whether it be add a show, move a show, get rid of a show, or simply just change the name of a category. I would appreciate any help I can get because I know my categories are definitely not perfect. Also, I do not watch a whole lot of televisions so I do not know each and every reality tv show out there which causes some missing shows in a lot of categories. So once again, I would appreciate anyone’s help.

Reality TV: Category Three

This week I will continue my discussion on categorizing reality television. Two weeks ago I talked about game shows, and last week I talked about Tag Along television. This week I will talk about what I would like to call Improvement shows. These shows could be anything from home improvements to makeovers. I will split this category into groups due to the different types of improvement shows we could talk about. My first group will be home improvement. This group consists of shows that take someone’s home that needs fixing up or take someone who needs a new home entirely getting a home renovation or a new house built. Often this is done for families that are low income, single parents, or disaster struck. This group includes shows like This Old House, Design to Sell, While You Were Out, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Other shows you could include would be Trading Spaces, Holmes on Homes, and Debbie Travis’s Facelift.
This category would also include groups such as car improvement and workplace improvement. Shows that could be included in the car improvement would be Pimp My Ride, Overhaulin, and Trick My Truck. Now you could say Trick My Truck could go in workplace improvement due to the fact that trucking is the way these people make their living but you could also say it goes in car improvement because a truck is a vehicle. Now some shows you could include in workplace improvement would be Restaurant Makeover and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares.
The next group in this category would be makeovers. This group would include shows that take a person who in behind on the times in the way they dress, or a little overweight, or who just needs to learn how to do their hair or makeup and the shows helps them with their problem. This group includes shows such as What Not to Wear, Extreme Makeover, The Biggest Loser, and Celebrity Fit Club. Other shows you may include would be Queer Eye for Straight Guy, Fat March, Supernanny, Made, and The Bad Girls Club.Like every week I know that my categories are not perfect and they may need some work. I ask you for your help and input to make my categories contain the right shows or maybe they need to have a different name. Whatever your input may be I would like to hear it so please leave me a comment.

Reality TV: Category Two

This week, we will continue on with categorizing the different types of reality television. Last week we made category one which was game shows. This week we will talk about my second category, which I am going to call Tag Along television. This category consists of shows that contain people living there life while being followed around by a television camera. Some of the situations people go through may have been set up by the directors but often things happen at random.
Like my first category, this category can be split into different groups. The first group would be New Environment. This is where average people get to audition to be on a show that puts them in a house with other people who auditioned. People may have to travel all the way across the country to be in the house or they may just have to go to the other side of town. Shows that I include in this group are The Real World, Road Rules, Big Brother, The 1900 House, Temptation Island, and The Lofters. Other shows that you may include would be Survivor and Sober House.
Second would be Celebrity Tag Along. This would be where a celebrity or two or even a whole group are followed around through their normal day lives. This would include shows such as Confessions of a Teen Idol, The Anna Nicole Show, The Osbournes, Hogan Knows Best, and The Surreal Life. Other shows you may include into this group are Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, The Simple Life, Hey Paula!, Tommy Lee Goes to College, and Daddy’s Girls. VH1 has its own name for this group. They call it Celebreality.
Third would be Job Tag Along. This is where people go to their job everyday with a camera following them. Most of the time these people have an exciting job. Shows that are included in this group are COPS, Miami Ink, American Chopper, and Deadliest Catch. Other shows that you may include would be Airport, Border Security, Bondi Rescue, Motorway Patrol, Bands on the Run, D.E.A., and Dog the Bounty Hunter.
This is my second category. It is not perfect by any means so I would appreciate any incite someone might have on helping me shape it up by adding, removing, renaming, and/or moving things.

Reality TV: Category One

Last week I talked about the different types of reality television available. This week I will be putting the different shows into categories that I think best suit the shows. Last week’s talk named a few shows but it only scratched the surface on the numerous shows available out there. This week will have much larger list of shows that you may or may not have heard of and they will be in categories that, in my opinion, best suit them. I will do one or two categories a week and this week I will do game shows. Some people call these elimination shows.
This would probably be everyone’s favorite, well at least it is my favorite. We will be splitting this into four groups. First will be the relationship competitions. This group includes shows such as The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, For Love or Money, Farmer Wants a Wife, and Average Joe. Others would be; I Love New York, For the Love of Ray J, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, Rock of Love, and Flavor of Love. These shows have a number of contestants, male or female depending on the gender of the “judge” so to speak, who compete to not get eliminated and to get a chance to have a relationship with the “judge.”
Second would be the talent search shows. This group includes shows such as America's Next Top Model, The Apprentice, Hell's Kitchen, Shear Genius, and Project Runway. Others include; Top Chef, Top Design, Stylista, Last Comic Standing, The Starlet, Scream Queens, On the Lot, The Shot, So You Think You Can Dance, and MuchMusic VJ Search. These shows have contestants who try and win a competition by showcasing their talents.
Third would be fear or challenge based shows. This group includes shows such as Fear, Fear Factor, Scare Tactics, and Celebrity Paranormal Project. These shows put peoples fear to the test. People are put in situations that would scare anyone half to death and forced to do their best. If their best is not good enough they are eliminated.
Last but definitely not least in this category is the sports group. This group includes shows such as The Big Break, The Contender, The Ultimate Fighter, and Knight School. These shows have contestants who are athletes of a specific sport competing against one another to win the competition.
Well there is my first category of reality television. I know there is probably many more shows out there that I did not put in this list or shows that you may think I should not have put and this list. I ask that if you have an idea of more shows to put in here you please do so and that you voice your opinion if you think I have put a show or two or three in here that do not belong.

Different Varieties of Reality TV

This week we will be talking about the different types of reality tv. With the demand for different, crazy, and wacky television shows from the audience of this generation, there is a reality show for everyone. Some shows bring you celebrities who some may not even remember and put them in situations to see what happens while others call for a random guest in the audience to come and stage and compete. There is so many reality shows out there that not finding one that fits your interests seems, in a way, pretty impossible.
We by using some examples of shows to talk about the different kinds of shows. First, we have the all famous American Idol. American Idol is a contest where the average Joe gets a shot at fame. The contestant auditions in to enter the contest and then they have to survive each week until the end where they win a shot at a record deal. Next, we have the Tool Academy. Tool Academy is a show in which couples come to live at a mansion where the guy is put through test to see whether he is a “tool” and just using his girlfriend, or to see if he actually loves her. Each week the most “toolish” guy left is asked to leave the show until there is only one couple left who wins $100,000. Another show would be The Price is Right. The Price is Right is a show where random guests get picked from the audience to come on stage and get a chance to win many different prizes. Yet another type of show would be one such as Jeopardy. Jeopardy is a show where knowledge gets you the farthest. You pick a category on a board and a statements is read to you. You must answer the statement with a question like; what is, or who is. Each show has a winner who moves on in the rounds to compete against other contestants until there is a Jeopardy similar to a championship. Last, we have the love shows like Rock of Love. This is a show where Bret Michaels has a lot of girls to choose from to be his girlfriend. He puts them through certain events or tests to see how they handle the situations and he determines in the end, who he will call his girlfriend.
These few shows do not even put a dent in the reality show variety of today. And as you can see there is definitely a variety to choose from.

American Idol, a Chance Maker

This week, I am going to talk about reality shows that have everyday people trying for a chance to be famous because of their talents. The best known and probably favorite show for this would be American Idol. American Idol is a show where people from across the country do a singing audition to get a chance to win a vocal artist contract. Also, the contestants that remain at the end who do not win are offered a contract by other studios. The thing that the contestants get the most of is fame in the end. Some may not get a long lasting contract that earns them the top dollar or a name that is used in households around the world like Kobe Bryant or Derek Jeter, but while they are the show they are famous.
American Idol is a show that gives any person in the world the belief and hope that they can be what they want to be whether it be a famous actor, a professional athlete, an astronaut, or even just a journalist. Just by trying out for something you may become famous. For instance, a young man named William Hung auditioned for American Idol back in 2003. Mr. Hung did not make the cut but his audition using Ricky Martin’s, “She Bangs,” got him his fifteen minutes of fame and a spot on quite a few talk show programs. He appeared on shows such as Entertainment Tonight, the Early Show, the Late Show with David Letterman, and the George Lopez Show. He was even asked to perform at MTV’s Asian Awards. He was so popular that he even created a fan site that had over four million hits in its first week.
What we all should get from Mr. Hung is that even just to try something maybe just once may give you the opportunity to become someone famous or maybe just someone or something you have always wanted to be. So, all I am saying is to not be afraid to go out on a limb and take a chance because you never know what might happen.

History of Reality TV

Reality television has been around for more than sixty years. This is a shock to me considering how big reality shows have been in recent times I would have thought that reality television was somewhat new the world. In fact, the first reality show was called “Candid Camera” which first came about in 1948. This show created by Allen Funt, was based off of his reality radio show from 1947 called “Candid Microphone.” It was a show where ordinary people react to pranks pulled on them similar to what could be considered today’s version of this show called “Punk’d.” “Punk’d,” an MTV reality show hosted by Ashton Kutcher, was first aired in 2003. This show took celebrities in their everyday lives and pulled pranks on them to see how they would react.
Next on the list would be talent shows such as “Original Amateur Hour” and “Talent Scouts.” These two shows feature amateur competitors with audiences making the votes. Today, this would be similar to “Nashville Star” and “American Idol.” Both singing shows where amateurs get to audition to compete in front of a voting audience. The top competitor gets a chance to make it in the big time and be a huge star.
The very famous “Miss America” pageant was born in 1954. This competition had a woman who represented her state compete to win celebrity glamour. Also in the 1950s, game shows such as “Beat the Clock” and “Truth or Consequences” debuted. These shows involved contestants doing wacky stunts, competitions, and pranks.
In 1964, a show that paved the way for ordinary people becoming famous through a reality show was born. In the United Kingdom, the show called “Seven Up!” took ordinary seven year olds from all different classes of society and asked them questions to see how they would react to situations in life. Every seven years, they would take those same kids who were once seven and ask them more questions, these sequels were called “7 Plus Seven” and “21 Up.” Today, shows that would make ordinary people celebrities would be shows such as “The Real World” and “I Love New York.”
As you can see, the reality shows that were born long ago have given today’s reality show creators a template to make new and improved reality mania.
http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/punkd/series.jhtml
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/C/htmlC/candidcamera/candidcamera.htm