Are Reality Shows Real? What Makes Us Watch Them?

Really? here in my country reality shows are a big hit like DREAM ACADEMY, BIG BROTHER AND PHILIPPINE IDOL(muck like american idol). I think most of it are real just because the participants are captured by cameras aware/unaware. But it stil has a director who directs and manipulates every scene. So it is not 100% real at all. But we like to watch them because of raw emotions, unexpected events and who will be the winner in the end.

I have answered a similar post before and i'll answer this one the same! i think all reality shows are prearranged, nothing is real! i used to enjoy watching survivor but since the footage of it being fake started to circulate i lost all interest in it and similar reality shows.

There are lots of reality shows nowadays and I think it depends on what situation they want people to get involved with. That's why it's called a "syndicated show", the production staff would create a situation for viewers to believe that it really happened, and to feel raw emotions stirring up. It's like a modern day soap opera with participants from different walks of life, and are of little knowledge in acting. I only watch one rea;ity tv show called the Amazing Race, more of competion and less with emotions.

I just love those shows, yes they are real and can get so funny sometimes, specially I enjoyed anna nicole show, she made me laugh so many times.

i don't really bother with them as i am so busy with mylotting and trying to become a millionairess in record time lol..but i thinkit is because people like to associate mr or mrs ordinary with their own lives..and thereis that affinity..i used towatch eastenders lol..but now in the u.s with hubby i see or listen to alot of news cos it'spartof his work lol..my son lovesbig brother..

Think about the classification given to the show. I don't think the title is really true because these shows are done to have the viewing audience watch and get high ratings. So I think they enhance on these programs what they want to enhance to make it even more enticing to watch. Remember they are using camaras and can rearrange and add things where ever they want. I don't think they are real events anymore than I believe wrestling is a sport that doesn't have some phoniness in it.

I think they're real. But I also think that if the reality starts to get a bit dull, the director's will add their own twists to liven it up again.

i don't have any problem with reality shows.i think that some of the reality shows are real.and some are not.i certainly don't think that they are videos captured without the knowledge of the participants.there are reality shows which involves really risky stunts.i don't think that they would do it again and again.i have seen people who completely believe in these type of shows and trust them for their reality.i think that it is the reality part which they project which make us watch it.

Yeah i think some of the shows are a bit contrived and dont look so 'real' big example... jerry springer. some hows are good but most reality tv is garbage

yes i think they are real, they are tv for the lowest common denominator. The hard of thinking are easily pleased this is the cheapest way of pleasing them

I consider myself a reality tv junkie! I love watching them all, although I don't know exactly why that is. Maybe because even if deep down we know it's all scripted, it's still nice to watch "life" in someone elses eyes?

Well this is the very reason I have not been very interested in them. Of course they are contrived. No producer is going to take the chance that any given reality show is going to go bad on camera. So they have to control it. There are shows however that present movies taken at the time of an event but I have yet to see one that anyone really gets hurt in. Why do we watch. It has to do with the same reason we may go to boxing or wrestling matches. We know there is a possiblity that someone may get hurt or survive a spectacular event but somehow the fact they signed up for it makes all the differance. I got into "The Amazing Race" for quite a few weeks. But evne that got old after te second season.

i know for sure these reality shows are just a gimmick played gy the tv producers to increase their viewer rating. nevertheless if it is made as real as posible it will be interesting to watch. but over a period the monotonous progrmme becomes sickening and we lose interest. i for the one view just a glimpse of it not really in totality

I think there's less reality in reality tv shows than most believe. Alot of it is staged or scripted, and the producers cut out alot of stuff and only include certain parts to make the show more interesting. For example, a producer might want to have a mean, aggressive character on his reality show so he'll choose one who fits the bill and only show them on the show when they're having their mean or aggressive moments. I personally don't care for reality tv but I know plenty of people who can't get enough of it. I think the fact that it's "real" people on the show makes it appealing for other people to watch.

I've never been a huge reality show fan. To be honest I think they're as FAR from REAL as anything could be. Example, how many gorgeous women do you know? Yet the bachelor gets a house full of them to choose from. I just think they're all a set up and definitely seen from the entertainment fields view as a form of entertainment. Once in a while you might catch me watching the last episode or so of something, just to see what happens.. but for the most part I prefer watching something that is a slightly more intellectual.

Ashjoe, when reality shows were new most of them felt at least a little more real to me than they do now. I was really into the craze at first, but.. I think that "Joe Millionaire" was the first show that really kind of turned me away. I watched it, because it was the first show with such a big twist involved, but it just semeed like after that almost every reality show on the block felt like they had to have bigger and more shocking 'twists' than ever to get high ratings, and the whole thing turns my stomach a little bit. I mean, most of the reality shows that I saw after that seemed to me to be nothing but people doing some pretty poor 'acting'. Outside of a few shows like Survivor and some in the UK that I like, I find most of the shows to be anything but 'real'.. and I know that Survivor isn't all that real, either, but at least the competition part is real. And I still watch Big Brother (all countries' versions that I can get ahold of) because I love the psychological aspects so much, even though I wonder how much of the drama on that show is somewhat 'scripted' by the producers, as well. You just never know.

Some reality show are not bad, so I watched them. Some are just good to be passed by. When it comes to talent reality show, like singing, dancing, etc, I usually watch them. Some I don't watch is like the big brother. Unless, there is nothing more interesting on the telly to watch, then I will have to put up with the show.

Well I think that my favorite reality show, extreme makeover: Home Edition. Well I believe that although some of the stuff might be real. I DO NOT believe they DO NOT know that Ty is coming over there to scream into the mic "Good morning, blah blah blah family!" Yeah right. Why do they ALWAYS come running out RIGHT when he yells? The whole family? And they look nice, dressed, etc. I think I like this show cause I love to see what they do for people in need's homes. Some people have had it really rough and here they are to help them out. I think that is a GREAT thing to do! Sure its not my house. But I believe they'd come out to us. I know they had one they did in Garden Grove when I was in Anaheim. Its like the next city over about 10 mint away. My cousins live in GG. But I love that show. I also have watched and enjoyed Wife Swap & Super Nanny. Fun stuff there! Those are for entertainment ONLY but who cares? :))

I think people like reality shows mainly cause of suspense. If you have watched the show 24 you will know what I mean. If you have watched the show 24 you will know that is very suspensful mainly because you want to keep finding out what will happen next. Will he die or not? You keep asking yorself all these questions and you keep getting more and more exited about watching the next episode and you will get addicted to the show and you will want to watch it. This is why I think most people like to watch these basicly because they are easy to get people hooked to them.

To a certain extent I do think that reality shows are real, like certain reactions or tendencies of the participants in the show which cannot always be premeditated or staged. And maybe even some of the relationships they make with other participants, like with whom they hang out with and tell secrets to, stuff like that. But most of it is really staged, in my opinion. As much as the people on the show may mostly be left on their own to decide how to act or what to say, the very fact that they know cameras are watching their every move affects these things. They may be more honest or tactless than actors or celebrities that we watch on television, but the fact is the cameras are still there and they know they still have to offer some sort of entertainment. I actually like a lot of reality shows like Survivor, Amazing Race, several from MTV. I guess the reason why I watch them is because I like how you can see most of the people for who they really are, even if most of them are obviously just faking being as nice or sensitive or whatever. You always watch reality shows knowing it's never as real as they proclaim it to be anyway.