# End of Reality TV in sight? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408 "2005-01-18T19:13:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/1 "2005-01-18T19:13:32Z")
[FOX to lay off Reality TV as ratings slip](http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=419851) > [@](#): > > LOS ANGELES Jan 17, 2005 — The sagging Fox network’s chief executive admitted Monday it had leaned too heavily on reality programming this TV season, including the disastrous “Who’s Your Daddy?” > > Fox has been caught on the wrong side of audience taste in the past few months. Scripted series like ABC’s Golden Globe-winning “Desperate Housewives” and “Lost” are hot, while viewers seem to have little patience for new reality series. > > There were others, but Fox’s problems were symbolized by “Who’s Your Daddy?,” the Jan. 3 show where an adopted daughter picked her birth father out of eight strangers and won a $100,000 prize. Now I like some of the unscripted shows, like The Apprentice and Project Runway, but enough, is afterall, enough. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/2 "2005-01-18T19:14:42Z")
Don’t tell **twickster**. 😉 Robin ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/3 "2005-01-18T19:23:27Z")
Now let’s concentrate on some good sitcoms! ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/4 "2005-01-18T19:27:03Z")
Our long national nightmare may soon be over. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/5 "2005-01-18T19:33:50Z")
> [@](#): > > “Fox has been caught on the wrong side of audience taste in the past few months.” As in, Fox has no taste, and audiences are finally getting some? Good riddance. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/6 "2005-01-18T19:58:13Z")
About damn time. I think there will be some serious fallout from the RealityTV run- I think there’ll be fewer syndicated shows for re-running. I mean, who wants to watch reruns of Survivor? Also, I imagine there are fewer writers still working in the field. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/7 "2005-01-18T20:00:36Z")
Fox needs to make room in the schedule for more unbelieveably amazingly good shows that they can then cancel after a season. ---
**Author:** ![slu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@slu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slu)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/8 "2005-01-18T20:03:34Z")
> [@Lightnin'](#): > > About damn time. > > I think there will be some serious fallout from the RealityTV run- I think there’ll be fewer syndicated shows for re-running. I mean, who wants to watch reruns of Survivor? Also, I imagine there are fewer writers still working in the field. This is a great point. I never thought about the re-run part of this. I mean I like Seinfeld and all, but I am already tired of the re-runs and I can’t imaging watching things Survivor and America’s Next Top Model re-runs. ---
**Author:** ![slu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@slu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slu)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/9 "2005-01-18T20:04:44Z")
> [@slu](#): > > This is a great point. I never thought about the re-run part of this. I mean I like Seinfeld and all, but I am already tired of the re-runs and I can’t imaging watching things Survivor and America’s Next Top Model re-runs. Not that I watch them in the first place! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/10 "2005-01-18T20:16:13Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > Don’t tell **twickster**. 😉 > > Robin I never watch FOX – so I’m okay. For now. I think. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/11 "2005-01-18T20:20:23Z")
Please, O Great Og, Cthulu, someone, let this be true, let reality tv self destruct under it’s own weight and incompetence, pleeeeaaase? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/12 "2005-01-18T20:27:15Z")
I’m not trying to be disingenuous here, honest – but for those of you who hate reality TV, what’s it to you? It’s not like the networks are suddenly going to start airing a lot of shows you actually want to watch – there will be more CSI/L&O clones, more crappy sitcoms with bumbling dads and hot moms – and, next season, a slew of _Desperate Housewives_ and _Lost_ ripoffs that miss the point and are cancelled quickly. Why do you care what the show is on the other channel that you’re not watching? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/13 "2005-01-18T20:51:07Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > I like some of the unscripted shows Calling most of these shows “unscripted” would be going a little too far. > [@twickster](#): > > I’m not trying to be disingenuous here, honest – but for those of you who hate reality TV, what’s it to you? It’s not like the networks are suddenly going to start airing a lot of shows you actually want to watch – there will be more CSI/L&O clones, more crappy sitcoms with bumbling dads and hot moms – and, next season, a slew of Desperate Housewives and Lost ripoffs that miss the point and are cancelled quickly. > > Why do you care what the show is on the other channel that you’re not watching? Fair enough. I never thought of it this way, but you do have a point. However, I’d say there’ve been less than 10 shows in the history of television that I’ve actually _liked_, so it’s not like I’m trashing reality tv while simultaneously cheering all that other crap. For me, the big peeve with reality shows has just been: “Didn’t sitcoms suck enough for you?” It’s hard to not be one of the satisfied masses, and if I had a choice, I’d probably _choose_ to like reality tv, Britney Spears, and Michael Bay movies. Too bad it doesn’t work that way. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/14 "2005-01-18T21:12:30Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’m not trying to be disingenuous here, honest – but for those of you who hate reality TV, what’s it to you? It’s not like the networks are suddenly going to start airing a lot of shows you actually want to watch – there will be more CSI/L&O clones, more crappy sitcoms with bumbling dads and hot moms – and, next season, a slew of _Desperate Housewives_ and _Lost_ ripoffs that miss the point and are cancelled quickly. > > Why do you care what the show is on the other channel that you’re not watching? I care because it indicates to many (including other networks) that the public’s appetite for reality TV is waning. And that means that all networks, not only FOX, will stop making it. And that means there’s more times slots available for shows like _Wonderfalls, Tru Calling, Buffy, Angel, Farscape, Firefly_, etc. - shows that were cancelled because the networks thought they could get more advertisers while spending less on production costs with reality TV shows. (OK, except _Farscape_. That cancellation was just wrought by a sweeping round of frontal lobotomy’s over at SciFi.) ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/15 "2005-01-18T21:15:40Z")
I agree with **twickster**. It’s not like the influx of reality TV shows got rid of a bunch of amazing scripted shows or anything - they just took the place of other shows that would have been equally abysmal (or good, depending on the show). Plus, while reality shows might not be as agressively pursued as they have been the past few years, they’ll still be around. MTV’s lineup alone is mostly “reality” in some form. ---
**Author:** ![Grither](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grither/32/425_2.png) [@Grither](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grither)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/16 "2005-01-18T21:22:16Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Fox needs to make room in the schedule for more unbelieveably amazingly good shows that they can then cancel after a season. Also, don’t forget wretchedly bad series that somehow stick around forever and ever. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/17 "2005-01-18T21:35:44Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I care because it indicates to many (including other networks) that the public’s appetite for reality TV is waning. And that means that all networks, not only FOX, will stop making it. I am reading this differently, I guess. To me, the important part of the quote was the line “viewers seem to have little patience for **new** reality series” (bolding mine). This is pretty much true, and FOX is getting hammered for that because most of the reality programming they produce is “disposable” (see “Joe Millionaire,” “Rebel Billionaire,” etc.). There are only so many new CEO’s of the Virgin Group that shareholders will handle, you know? So they have to start from scratch every season. It’s all a gimmick. Much like almost everything on FOX, except maybe “The Simpsons” and “Arrested Development.” And football. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/18 "2005-01-18T21:56:18Z")
> [@rockle](#): > > I am reading this differently, I guess. To me, the important part of the quote was the line “viewers seem to have little patience for **new** reality series” (bolding mine). This is pretty much true, and FOX is getting hammered for that because most of the reality programming they produce is “disposable” (see “Joe Millionaire,” “Rebel Billionaire,” etc.). There are only so many new CEO’s of the Virgin Group that shareholders will handle, you know? So they have to start from scratch every season. It’s all a gimmick. Much like almost everything on FOX, except maybe “The Simpsons” and “Arrested Development.” And football. I agree with you that the “disposable” Reality TV is what’s finally starting to irritate people. Shows like The Amazing Race, Survivor, and American Idol will probably keep going because the concept is at least mildly interesting and it can be done over and over with new people. Unfortunately, Bachlorette-type shows will probably keep going, too. ☹ Has anyone actually gone through TV Guide and made a list of all the shows currently on the major networks that would count as “reality TV”? I’m curious to see how much prime-time airtime is dedicated to these shows. I, for one, would be happy to see networks at least _trying_ to get some good new shows going. And can we get Family Guy back, please? ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/19 "2005-01-18T22:03:55Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > And can we get Family Guy back, please? Dude, where have you been? It’s coming back in early May. ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408/20 "2005-01-18T22:18:03Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I care because it indicates to many (including other networks) that the public’s appetite for reality TV is waning. And that means that all networks, not only FOX, will stop making it. And that means there’s more times slots available for shows like \*Wonderfalls, Tru Calling, Buffy… I don’t know, I think Buffy had kind of run its course. It’s hard to say a show that was cancelled after seven seasons was cut off too early. Reality TV won’t ever end, I think. It’s a nascent genre that’s going through some growing pains, though. Survivor, The Bachelor/ette, The Amazing Race and The Apprentice still get decent ratings. I think the key to a good reality show is how much exploitation there is. I mean, the people in Survivor, The Amazing Race and The Apprentice are actually trying to _win_ something. Really, all they are are game shows that don’t take place inside a studio and we see some of what’s happening when “the game” isn’t being played. But then you have shows like “Who’s Your Daddy?” and “The Swan” and “The Will” that are basically designed to exploit the participants and have no real “game show” feel to them. My guess is these are the ones that will fade as time goes on. For the same reason, I think that the documentary-style reality shows, like The Real World or the how-to ones like Extreme Makeover Home Edition, will stay on. These shows don’t really leave a bad taste in people’s mouths. Also, keep in mind that most new TV shows in ALL genres fail. My guess is that the ratio of good reality TV to bad reality TV is the same as you’d see for sitcoms and dramas. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-of-reality-tv-in-sight/285408.md?page=2)