Reality TV
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Reality television is a recent and popular American TV type of programming
whose contents, in the main, appeal to the younger generation, specifically.
Generation X, but a wider viewing audience also seems to be emerging. It can be
defined as “ ...broadcast shows with a non-fiction basis” (Vivian 505). Survivor^
Big Brother, Temptation Island and MTV's The Real World, who pioneered their
programs over the last twelve years, belong in this category.
A significant majority of the public finds it more interesting to watch real
people without a script than to view most sitcoms and dramas. They usually enjoy
the idea that anything is possible on reality television programs, and the suspense
of what wi ll happen next keeps its audience intrigued (Peyser 1).
The initial allure appears to be that the programs are unique and different
from the routine sit-coms and drama series of the past, but a closer analysis reveals
other reasons. There is usually a villain, which adds authenticity and validity to the
unfolding action. Conflicts often arise and need to be resolved. No one, not even
the directors, is sure of the resolution or denouement at the programs’ conclusions.
Furthermore, the audience often relates to the weaknesses and inadequacies of the
contestants; thus, it may serve as a catharsis for the everyday problems of its viewers.
I have selected several excerpts of students’ writing that compare a work of
fiction with a Reality TV program, and then superimpose Freytag’s Triangle over
the plot of the reality show. The students were enrolled in the Communications
and Culture course I teach at Holy Family College, a small liberal arts institution
located in Philadelphia.
A student named Patricia selected the reality show Big Brother, whose
participants are invited to stay in a house without any outside intervention:
Big Brother (the viewing audience) is the only link to the outside world.
Daily life is recorded by cameras, strategically placed throughout the house,
and conflict arises as the different personalities materialize and clash. The
isolation and seclusion of the contestants appear to contribute to the conflict.
Each week the participants are polled and asked to cast someone out of the
house. Their motivations are presented to the audience {Big Brother) and a
decision is reached. The process is interactive; the audience is surveyed for
the ultimate determination. The elimination continues each week until a
winner is awarded a million dollar prize.
In relation to Freytag’s Triangle, the exposition stage commences after
the screening process as the participants in the show are selected. The
contestants do not know each other prior to the show, but share the same
motivation. They meet for the first time at the house. The tension builds as
the contestants begin to feel more comfortable with their surroundings. They
become less conscious of the cameras and begin to interact with one another.