When reality TV first exploded in the early 2000s, network executives thought they had discovered a gold mine whose treasure would never run dry.
Shows like “Survivor,” “The Bachelor,” “The Osbournes” and “American Idol” bring the kind of ratings and pre-social media word-of-mouth that were previously reserved for top-tier scripted shows.
Even better, these series are incredibly cheap to produce, and there’s no need to worry about creative exhaustion.
Situation comedies and dramas alike eventually run out of storylines, but Jeff Probst and his ever-changing band of castaways have been spinning different versions of the same story for 24 years with no end in sight.
In other words, Reality promises to be the gift that keeps on giving, and every broadcast and cable executive wants a piece of the pie.
With new subgenres popping up all the time, there seems to be a reality TV style to suit every taste.
Want a little world-traveling fame to ease your guilt? Check out The Amazing Race!
Want to shut off your brain with some celebrity-fueled escapism? Enjoy some help from the Kardashian family!
It seems like this recipe will never go bad as it can be constantly tweaked to suit changing tastes.
And as a bonus, these shows are strike-proof!
During last year’s twin strikes by writers and actors, ratings for reality content predictably soared.
In fact, for a while, the genre seemed to be entering a second golden age (the first was from 2000 to 2005, during which it first became a national obsession).
Spoiler alert: That turns out not to be the case.
The beginning of the end for reality TV?
In fact, if recent data is any indication, reality television is currently in unprecedented disarray.
According to the latest report from Reuters, the output of Hollywood reality TV shows will drop by 57% in 2024.
The situation is so dire that The Hollywood Reporter recently published an article declaring that the reality genre is “on life support.”
The article features testimonials from producers and other reality professionals who are currently struggling to make ends meet in an alarming shrinking market.
What’s the reason for the sudden decline in popularity? Well, it’s complicated…
Why is television’s most profitable genre becoming a trend?
As with every pop culture trend, there are countless theories, and the right answer can be found in some combination of all of them.
First, a post-strike market correction is inevitable, as networks and production companies redirect money toward scripted series that have been absent for months.
In fact, the entire television industry is struggling.
In fact, many analysts are wondering whether broadcast and cable networks will soon become a thing of the past as streaming services continue to slowly take over.
But one undeniable factor in this surprising storyline is that reality TV simply doesn’t capture the attention of the masses like it once did.
Again, there are many possible reasons for this, and we wouldn’t be having this discussion if someone knew exactly how to fix it.
One factor appears to be that Americans are more divided than ever.
Since we don’t watch the same shows anymore and word-of-mouth doesn’t spread like it once did, cultural phenomena like the first season of Survivor are few and far between now.
In fact, the novelty has worn off.
Generally speaking, with a few exceptions (such as Taylor Swift), people are no longer as interested in the private lives of celebrities as they once were.
The most successful reality TV series is also a few years old.
It doesn’t help that the stakes aren’t as high as they once were — no one on “The Bachelor” can stay married, no one on “American Idol” can become famous.
But perhaps the biggest cultural reason for reality TV’s rapid decline is that the fighting and acrimony that once made shows like Big Brother so popular are now part of our daily lives.
Who needs to see two actors screaming obscenities at each other when our social media and presidential debates are twice as controversial?
Just like people who live in a war zone may not be too fond of war movies, people who are surrounded by hostility may not want to watch strangers lose their temper at night.
This could be a very bad thing for the aspiring Kardashians of the world.
TV fans, what do you think? Are reality TV shows about to become a thing of the past? If so, is that a bad thing?
Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts!
