# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/21 "2012-04-05T06:34:39Z")
Never mind. I misunderstood the post. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/22 "2012-04-05T06:40:45Z")
I’ve only ever found one reality show I like: Amazing Race. So chalk up another vote for “Competition, Other”. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/23 "2012-04-05T08:50:01Z")
The OP didn’t mention law enforcement, which is kind of odd considering the the first reality show (arguably) was _Cops_, and I’m inclined to think of it as being a tad too specialized to fit under the generic “Jobs”. I’m watching _Las Vegas Jailhouse_ right now. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/24 "2012-04-05T09:00:19Z")
I went for Performance competition (American Idol, Dancing with the Stars) on the basis that I enjoy the UK version of Dancing with the Stars, which is called **Strictly Come Dancing**. I also enjoy **Masterchef** , but I wasn’t sure what category to select for that. I like these shows because they focus on the competition more than the contestants, there are minimal pity stories, and the focus is on success rather than laughing at failure. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/25 "2012-04-05T11:45:39Z")
I used to watch a lot of the HGTV decorating and house-hunting shows that, I guess, would be called “reality” but not any longer. Now I pretty much avoid anything that involves following people around with a camera. My spousal unit, on the other hand, loves the “Trauma in the ER” shows and lately, he wastes time on “Parking Wars.” :eek: Honest-to-goodness, who decided that following meter maids around was compelling TV? Or listening to people cuss out the folks whose job it is to collect their fines to release their cars from impound? (The only reason I know that much is that I can hear the TV from my computer desk.) I miss real, well-written programs. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/26 "2012-04-05T11:59:07Z")
I loathe most. Any that rely on fake drama like the Housewives. Or bogus reality like the towing shows (or really any of the fake knock offs that Tru TV cranks out\*). I like the historical ones such as Pawn Stars. I like Deadliest Catch and Dirty Jobs. But most of the other job show knock offs like Axe Men leave me cold. I like some competition shows like Top Shot and Ultimate Warrior. I like most of the cooking competition shows. I like COPS. \*I know Pawn Stars is set up but I still consider it “real”. As far as I can tell real people visit the pawn shop with real items. They are screened and the best ones are kept or told to come back when filming. I know the experts are arranged ahead of time. But they don’t fake the customers or the items. If you go to the pawn shop some of the items are still there for sale. The Tru TV show set in Detroit is 100% fake. The Tru TV storage show is 100% fake. If you can read the disclaimer at the end it says the show is a recreation of the best finds of their careers. I do know someone who is on one of the drama reality shows. They are 100% fake. All the situations are set up ahead of time and mapped out to the actors. I don’t know why anyone would want to watch a soap opera that is badly acted and improvised instead of one written by professional screen writers. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/27 "2012-04-05T12:21:43Z")
I watch Cops whenever I catch it, I guess that falls under jobs but I voted other because I think it should be its own category. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/28 "2012-04-05T12:29:30Z")
Does Top Chef count as “job competition”? ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/29 "2012-04-05T12:38:43Z")
> [@rock\_party](#): > > A really exciting show is “Flying Wild Alaska”. Some tense moments and amazing scenery. I love that show! The other one I think is called “The Last Frontier” – the small family group living off the grid outside of Kodiak? It had a shorter run than FWA but I think it’s returning sometime this season. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/30 "2012-04-05T12:43:22Z")
Reality TV can be broadly categorized in three ways: documentaries, pseudodocumentaries, and game shows. Documentaries follow people around in their daily lives. No attempt is made to control what happens. Pseudodocumentaries claim to follow people around, but the producers do things off camera to goose the plot (for instance, telling one woman another woman called her a bitch). Game shows are competitions to win a prize. I will watch some documentary reality shows (like **Deadliest Catch** ). I’m not interested in the fake documentaries or the game shows. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/31 "2012-04-05T13:04:55Z")
I used to like _This Old House_ until once, several years ago, they were in the Southwest, and Tretheway (however he spells his name, you know the plumber guy) asked about the budget. He was told it was $100,000, and he asked, “For me?” meaning for the plumbing/heating. No, that was the entire budget for the house. I lost interest then. Mostly I like PBS for my reality: the cooking shows (_Primal Grill_, _America’s Test Kitchen_, _Nick Stellino_, etc.), travel like Rick Steves, Tommy Mac’s woodworking, etc. For commercial TV, I’d go with _Top Gear_ (I prefer the British version, but can’t get it on my cable system, so I’m left with the American show). I try to watch some of the paranormal stuff like _Ghost Hunters_ and _Finding Bigfoot_, but can barely manage to stomach 15 minutes of it. You can have the rest of the lot like the Kardashians and all the contrived drama stuff (_Big Brother_, _Real Housewives_, etc.). MMA doesn’t interest me, and most everything else listed is in my opinion, not worth watching. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/32 "2012-04-05T13:13:24Z")
I’m all about the competition when it comes to reality TV: TAR Survivor Top Chef Chopped Project Runway (before it moved to #@\*(@$^ Lifetime) the old Fear Factor (I haven’t watched the resurrected show yet) In that category, there are a few shows which I don’t watch anymore because of oversaturation – Iron Chef, for instance. I also like the social experiment shows life Wife Swap and The Colony, which runs during the summer on Discovery. I’ve watched Big Brother before, but for some reason I’ve never been able into it. I’ve only started watching Survivor in earnest the last 2-3 seasons. I love the occupation reality shows too – Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs, Million Dollar Listing on HGTV (they follow the high-market real estate agents in NYC). It’s the “teach me something I know nothing about” kid inside me. Back in the day I loved The Real World and Road Rules (remember when MTV was REAL as opposed to the pale imitation it is nowadays?) I wouldn’t watch either one nowadays because they’re probably nothing like the way they used to be. The other category? Survival shows like “Man vs. Wild” , “Dual Survival”, etc. I LOVE those shows. Og forbid I’m ever caught in a survival situation, but I’d like to think I’d know what to do. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/33 "2012-04-05T13:14:36Z")
Personally, I’d put “Big Brother” under Competition, Other instead of Living Situation. While they all do live together, the entire point of the show is that people get voted off, just like in Survivor. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/34 "2012-04-05T13:28:12Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > The only type I like are competition ones. And even then: only those without drama. There was one that I liked called The Mole, where you had two levels of competition: to win the most prize money in challenges, and to work out which contestant is really a saboteur. Whichever contestant best achieved the latter would win the money earned by the former. There, the drama actually served a purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/35 "2012-04-05T13:34:10Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I am currently the lone paranormal voter I voted for them too 😉 I find them mostly hilarious. I like cookery based shows, like Ace of Cakes and Cupcake Girls, I used to watch Iron Chef America but got bored with it. I love Mike Holmes and other similar home fix-up shows. Dancing With the Stars/Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing on Ice are my fav shows, but I wish they’d let ordinary people have a go and keep the celebs for a Christmas Special! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/36 "2012-04-05T13:39:55Z")
I chose I Loathe Them All, but I also chose Sports Competition because I don’t really consider that “reality television” - at least as it applies to the Ultimate Fighter lately. They don’t really go in for the whole “look at the wacky hijinks that goes on in the house” thing and they are more about actual fights. I mean, are Red Sox games considered reality television too? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/37 "2012-04-05T13:44:20Z")
I voted for job competition because I like (well, used to watch but don’t anymore) Project Runway and Top Model. Also voted for “real people” because I watch Housewives and Jersey Shore (or is Jersey Shore more of a special living environment?). I also really like real estate shows like Selling New York or House Hunters on HDTV but not sure where that would fit in. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/38 "2012-04-05T13:58:23Z")
I loathe producer created faux drama which is a necessity in 99% of of reality shows these days. Some good ideas out there for some interesting shows but producers are just too quick on the trigger to appeal to the lowest common denominator and push the conflict angle. Complete trash but I guess that’s what sells. I’ve really hated the tendency of every single reality show to be Springerfied (as in Jerry Springer). Every idea or concept for a show eventually devolves into having the people overdramatically get into it with eachother in a manner fit for an episode of The Jerry Springer Show. A documentary style show on the inner business workings of a tattoo parlor and what type of people get tattoos? Nah, lets have a couple of employees threaten to throw down cause one got dissed. A cooking competition that shows real life kitchen situations and actual talent? Nah, let’s have the head chef be a prick and a couple of the contestants threaten to throw down cause one got dissed. A documentary style show about building custom motorcyles and what goes into it? Nah, lets have the father & son threaten to throw down cause one got dissed. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/39 "2012-04-05T15:00:00Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > 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. I only watch Survivor as well. I don’t get all the other reality TV. I don’t even think of it as reality TV. It’s a game show. ---
**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, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883/40 "2012-04-05T15:47:28Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > There was one that I liked called The Mole, where you had two levels of competition: to win the most prize money in challenges, and to work out which contestant is really a saboteur. Whichever contestant best achieved the latter would win the money earned by the former. There, the drama actually served a purpose. We used to like “The Mole,” too - it was fun trying to figure out who was the lying, cheating saboteur and who was just stupid and incompetent. 🙂 Our favourite reality tv show which has disappeared was “Beauty and the Geek.” A bunch of nerdy guys paired up with beautiful, usually shallow, vapid women - the interactions between the guys and the guys and girls were priceless. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-reality-tv-do-you-enjoy/617883.md?page=3)