How real are reality shows?

[Evanesque]

I'm not sure whether a thread like this has been made before.

As the topic says, how real are reality tv shows? Sure the makers say it's live, uncut and all but how can you be sure people are not pretending. The camera can be switched off at any time and people can just improve their situations and pretend to have everything under control. So how are these shows any different from scripted tv shows?

Open to all kinds of opinions. What do you think?

[MasterX25]

We have survivors on our TV show and if someone is sick they have ti be taken if the island, they actully showed them taking him/her away.

[Habanero]

As far as I know, there usually is some sort of loose script on how everything should be going. And at least in survivors there are some staged events so it's not totally real.

But seeing as how in the survivors the people loose a lot of weight and get into bad shape sometimes, it's seems pretty "real". The staged events are probably there to spice things up when nothing interesting is happening.

[rei]

i feel that they are just acting it out a part or playing for the crowd, if your an avid viewer you would know if the characters are consious of the camera. so its not raw emotion anymore and you would feel that. i agree that in survivor those people lost weight and got sick but that's about it.

[toxxin]

Its only human nature to want to be seen, noticed, and therefore we entertain. Don't forget, in most cases these people sign up for these shows.

Having said that, I can't say for sure if they're told to be a certain way by the producer, for rating purposes, but on a sidenote I will say that its human nature to go out of your way to act a certain way on camera. So yes, the goal is "reality tv" but there is a fair deal of non realism that goes on both on AND off camera.

[Sal1981]

As real as Superman, X-Men, Batman, Spiderman, The Justice League and the Incredible Four.

It may have started out with genuine reality television, but now it's an ironic name for its staged performance.

[Aelix]

think about this: would a "reality" show happen in reality? not really, very rarely infact. I mean, how often do you get stranded on an island where you are foreced to do wierd games/showdowns? oh wait, i do taht all the time! he he jk. but really, the've gotten too far from reality to be called reality shows nowadays. I think they should be called "Modern Gameshows for the Really Desprate for Money" there. and many appologies for those who have been/know someone who was in/are in a reality show. I would rather watch "The Price is Right" than "Survivor".

[dragoneyes001]

its staged reality as was said above if it gets boring they add a twist to stir up the pot.

survivor is only real in the sense they are on an island and they are to incompetant to even start their own fires its real that they are dependant on thier suroundings for the most part of their food sources but you'll notice the script will always add food when they are close to becoming listless and boring.

personaly i could do 39 days in the bush without loseing any weight from starvation and my shelter would be comfortable and have a fire started every night regardless of the weather (try starting a fire in monsoon rain without matches its doable just need to know how)

if you question survivor try these questions:

where did they get the bedings all the players have in the night shots?
not from contests!

why does the worst team also have some cooking tools by day 10?

just what axe or hatchet cut all those logs that make up their raised platforms? (ever notice they dont show it during the day when you can actualy see details?)

and its really unlikely they shit in the woods so to speak since most places would not permit human waste to litter the area bet you there are porta pottys out of camera range.

[DJ StarScream]

I really wish it was reality tv so people wouldn't beable to say BS. More and more bs reality shows are coming out and thiere even more and more fake.If you want a real reality show go to africa and film there live's for 7 days now thats more reality than the survivor or real world can muster up.

[Momentum]

Err some seem to be real while some don't like Survivor, well thats what I think, I don't know about The Apprentice. I believe The Contender was real as one of the people in the show committed suicide and some other stuff...

So yeah some Reality Shows don't seem to be real while some others are...its really up to you judge whether the show is real or not...

[AznPoi]

It's somewhat scripted. Basically, they let the people live out their "lives", but when someone goes bad mouthing or stabbing people in the back the director shows the footage to the other castmates to start drama.

It's somewhat entertaining.

[Vampyrelord]

Way too much spamming here, ladies and gents.

Elven, Razyr and Sunten_satsu, I have deleted your posts because they are essentially just one-line opinions which add nothing to the debate.

[xiaoshawn]

i think theres mostly pretence in reality shows, maybe don't but most still have their little deep dark secrets, don't tell me you don't lie at all, lol x)
well, heres what don kanonji, your charismatic spiritual medium for the new century thinks, "all reality shows are fake! except mine! bwahahahahaha!"

[Aristocrat]

lol thats soo hard..i guess it depends on the show i dunno -_-

[Sweeney]

I think the recent shows are mostly staged. Its gotten to the point where its not even entertaining to me.

[Kray]

They are just as staged as a dance performance.

[rhoden23]

some of it are fake. they get paid for wat they do in camera.