Documentary-Style Reality Television



There are a whole host of sub-genres for reality television, and documentary-style reality television is one of the most poignant. Some shows have different degrees of how much observation is present throughout the show. Some shows are based on factual or fly-on-the-wall filming where the film crew is not seen, heard, or remarked upon by the unscripted actors. However, in most of these kinds of shows, the filming is highly edited and scripted although there are normal people instead of actors, there is a pretense of reality, and they often resemble soap operas with real situations instead of actors. It is often the form of soap operas imposed upon real people with some of the results not known. Oftentimes, producers, directors, and cast engage in a collaborative process to enhance the interest, intrigue, or subject of the show. This is like a hybrid version of reality television. Other times, the film crew is well-known like in the case of the COPS where the cast interacts with the film crew on a regular basis.



There are even more sub-genres of the sub-genre of documentary-style filmmaking. There is a special living environment, celebrities, and professional activities. The special living environment is a kind of sadistic way of filming that pits different people against each other in an environment that none of them can get out of. The results are then seen on camera. This is similar to a military draft when everyone is forced to work together without cast member preferences in mind when they're organizing all the people together into the framework of the show. These cast members did not know each other, and they are placed in an artificial living environment. This can be hassle-full, hectic, and annoying for the cast members, and they may strongly object to even small things that the different cast members do. There is often an attitude of conflict, annoyance, and peevishness amongst the cast members as a general rule. On the other hands, it's fun to follow the alliances, friendships, and groups that are formed apart from the main group. Fans of social experiments, psychology students, and politicians may even find an interest in these shows. They're a microcosm of what the world is like at large if people are forced to interact with each other in a closed environment. Numerous scholars, scientists, and sociologists have written at length on the sub-genre sub-genre of documentary-style reality television special living environment. The Real World was the progenitor of this sub-genre. The Road Rules was a spin-off that took over this show's popularity. Big Brother is the most popular show in the special living environment sub-genre of television. There are several different versions in different countries, and this show has transcended cultural boundaries and crossed into many different countries. Another example of a show in this sub-genre that works with other introduced factors like historical re-enactment. The 1900 House is a show that mirrors Big Brother but forces audience members to re-enact historical scenes in a closed setting without breaking character. Temptation Island was another show which placed several couples on an island and forced them to choose between their partners and their new single counterparts. The show received some notoriety, controversy, and criticism because of its preference for adultery. U8TV was a final introduction in the sub-genre of special living environment, and it combined professional activities with special living environment. On top of living together in a loft, each cast member was supposed to host a Canadian television show. It was interesting to see how several people of the same occupation, working on the same thing, at the same time interacted with each other. People like to get a view of a life that is not their own, and in contrast to short segments of competitive sport, this is a kind of sub-genre that lends itself well to long series that people can watch over time, get interested in, and become addicted to.



Another sub-genre of the documentary-style reality television sub-genre is celebrities. In this format, cameras follow around celebrities as they go through their daily lives. Just like the fan magazines were popular in the 1950s for learning about celebrities and their various modes of living, leisure, and vocation, these reality television shows just take it to the next level. Oftentimes, they go outside of the celebrity's daily life, and they concentrate on a specific aspect of that celebrity, like rehab. People are fascinated with the downfall, real lives, and problems that celebrities have because they seem so immortal on the big screen. When they get taken down a notch and are shown to bleed, to have ordinary problems, and to go through life's struggles, people tune in because they are fascinated by this aspect of celebrities' secondary lives. Some examples of these shows include The Anna Nicole Show, The Osbournes, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, Hey Paula!, Hogan Knows Best, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, Cribs, Pimp My Ride, Dismissed, Parental Control, Teen Mom, Celebrity Big Brother, The Simple Life, Tommy Lee Goes to College, The Surreal Life, and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! These shows collectively comprise the fanaticism that accompanies reality television involving celebrities because it combines the best aspects of both worlds related to celebrity stardom and common reality occurrences. MTV and VH1 are gigantic conglomerates of the celebrity reality genre. They have a whole block of programming dedicated to celebrity reality tv. Dr. Drew, a famous correspondent on a previous sex telephone line call-in show that he hosted with Adam Corolla, is now in the driver's set of a fantastic new show called Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. This show epitomizes the phenomenon of celebrity reality television.



Shows which focus on professional activities include COPS. That is probably the best example. No outside consultants, experts, or outside assistance are brought in. It is all focused on the vocation, occupation, and sole occupancy of the professional in charge of his task. This is pure passive observation of the expert going on with his task. The camera crew is not affiliated with producing, scripting, or co-creating the circumstances. Of course, certain situations may be filmed or edited that are deemed more entertaining or exciting than others, like a particularly humorous anecdote on COPS versus a plain oid shooting where no suspects are apprehended. Some examples of these shows include Miami Ink, The First 48, American Chopper, Deadliest Catch, Airport, Police Stop!, Traffic Cops, Border Security, Bondi Rescue, Motorway Patrol, Bands on the Run, and others. Again, VH1 is seen to be taking a lead in this regard.

Home