# What kind of reality TV do you enjoy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 5, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883 "2012-04-05T03:32:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/1 "2012-04-05T03:32:21Z")
Yup, I know there’s h8ers out there – but there’s also more than a few of us who enjoy one or more genres of reality TV. Poll list is based, roughly, on [this Wiki article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_television), though I added a couple of categories and moved a couple of things around. (I don’t consider _Fear Factor_ a paranormal show, though I’ll admit throwing it in with _Amazing Race_ is pretty weird also.) ETA: Note – the list is roughly in order of documentary-type shows first, followed by competition-type shows. The examples are supposed to illuminate the categories, they’re obviously not exhaustive. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/2 "2012-04-05T03:34:02Z")
It’s all fucking stupid. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/3 "2012-04-05T03:38:17Z")
Oh good, we hear from the other side immediately. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/4 "2012-04-05T03:44:36Z")
I used to like a lot more, but now I’m down to pretty much just Survivor (I suppose that be considered competition/special living) unless you include shows like Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/5 "2012-04-05T03:48:26Z")
Oh, man, I was going to go back and plug in _Survivor_ after I figured out where it belonged, and I forgot. Competition, other, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/6 "2012-04-05T03:52:27Z")
Damn, I missed the History option. I like those, too. I can’t stand the “Follow a Celebrity around with a camera” type of show; like the Kardashians or whomever. It all seems like attention whoring of the worst kind. Having said that, I did watch a couple of the celebrity Wife Swap episodes. I love, love, love The Amazing Race, Deadliest Catch and Dirty Jobs. Last summer I got hooked on Parking Wars and Mall Cops on Netflix. Parking Wars had maybe 20 episodes, and Mall Cops even fewer, but I’ll watch them again when they come to Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/7 "2012-04-05T04:15:40Z")
I watch the cooking competitions and RuPaul’s Drag Race, and that’s about it. I don’t know if those are “jobs” or what. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/8 "2012-04-05T04:17:07Z")
Cooking competitions would be job competitions. Hm, never seen Drag Race – that’s like “Top Model” for cross dressers, right? I’d call that a job competition also. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/9 "2012-04-05T04:19:19Z")
I chose the last option, and it surprised me to do so. I used to like a few home improvement shows and some of the competitions (_Top Chef, Project Runway,_ the art one before Sucklord) but either I’ve grown tired of their formula (the competition shows) or they’ve gone too far away from what I liked in the first place. (I’m looking at you, _This Old House_ and _Hometime_.) Either way, I’m not h8ing on the genre; I just think it and I have grown apart. IOW, I loathe the reality shows, but no more than I loathe crime dramas, hospital dramas, and wacky-family-hijinx sitcoms. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/10 "2012-04-05T04:35:24Z")
The only type I like are competition ones. And even then: only those without drama. So You Think You Can Dance is my favorite, by far. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/11 "2012-04-05T04:44:46Z")
I’m not sure which category, but I really like Top Shot, part of what I like about it is that it has a culture of good sportsmanship, there might be a jerk or two, but usually the competitors go out of their way to avoid drama. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/12 "2012-04-05T04:49:44Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I’m not sure which category, but I really like Top Shot, part of what I like about it is that it has a culture of good sportsmanship, there might be a jerk or two, but usually the competitors go out of their way to avoid drama. I don’t know that one – what’s it about? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/13 "2012-04-05T05:12:06Z")
I like \*Pawn Stars _and Storage Wars. Recently added_ Lizard Lick Towing \*and _South Beach Tow_ as guilty pleasures. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/14 "2012-04-05T05:16:24Z")
We do watch Face Off. (SFX Makeup competition.) Have watched Intervention and Hoarders. My wife watches _Jersey Shore_ when I’m not looking. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/15 "2012-04-05T05:17:13Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > It’s all fucking stupid. Well, yeah - I don’t think you’ll get any argument from anyone on that. Reality tv can also be strangely entertaining. One of my categories wasn’t up there - wedding shows. I don’t know what attracts me to them, but I enjoy them. Maybe it’s just the big floofy dresses. 🙂 I like the Storage/Pawn wars kind of shows, too - I like the idea of finding treasures in the storage units. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/16 "2012-04-05T05:23:26Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I don’t know that one – what’s it about? Top Shot is a shooting competition. Each season 16 people form two teams to compete in shooting challenges, as the season progresses, the challenges get more and more insane (like shooting a gumball off a golf tee, or using a bullet to drive a nail). It’s not limited to guns either, they will throw knives, and spears; fire cannons, or gatling guns. I’m not at all into guns, but my wife and I both just really enjoy watching people compete at a true skill. After each round of team competition, the losing team has to nominate who is up for elimination. Most of the contestants maintain this sportsman demeanor that is refreshing and often will nominate themselves to be vulnerable for going home. ETA: It is on the History Channel ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/17 "2012-04-05T05:25:31Z")
I like the kind that doesn’t involve people seeking instant fame, or jumped-up morons making idiots out of themselves. So, basically Dirty Jobs, and Mythbusters, if you classify them as “reality TV”. ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/18 "2012-04-05T05:33:12Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I watch the cooking competitions and RuPaul’s Drag Race, and that’s about it. I don’t know if those are “jobs” or what. I’m crazy about RuPaul’s Drag Race! I want to hang out with all of them so badly (plus have them make all my clothes). I think anything gets stale after long enough - I used to be a big fan of Project Runway and Top Chef, but now I’ll catch an episode here and there instead of DVRing the whole season. Bravo used to have several that I liked, like Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, but now it seems to be the “all Real Housewives” channel, and that show does nothing for me. LOGO has also had some cool ones, one with Elvira Kurt planning weddings, and another one called something like “So you think you can’t get a date” which had the world’s most annoying announcer. Edited to add: I think the common theme for reality stuff I like is learning about stuff that I would normally not be exposed to. Manufactured drama is everywhere, so I don’t need a show whose only purpose is “oh no she didn’t!”, but if I can learn about drag queen culture or special effects makeup secrets or what it takes to run a successful salon, then I feel like I’m broadening my horizons. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/19 "2012-04-05T05:44:08Z")
Dirty Jobs, Mythbusters, home renovations and food shows like how to cook, not competitions like iron chef america [I like Japans iron Chef] and No Reservations. I am currently the lone paranormal voter, but it is because it is fun to trash them for their ignorance on certain things [and hope the people on Destination Truth fall off a cliff in the dark, but they never do:(] I really don’t like the competition crap, or the faux gameshows. ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/20 "2012-04-05T05:46:21Z")
A really exciting show is “Flying Wild Alaska”. Some tense moments and amazing scenery. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883.md?page=2)