What constitutes a reality show?

Exit

Yesterday I was watching my DVD of Long Way Round (the show where Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman travel around the world on motorbikes) and the missus who'd never seen it before asked if it was a reality show. I hate that term, and I told her that it was a documentary.

It got me thinking though. What constitutes a reality show? Where's the line between reality show and documentary show?

So what do you include in the term 'reality show'? I wouldn't consider stuff like the selling houses/doing up houses/makeovers/getting your garden done type programmes as a reality show. Would you?

If Big Brother is a reality show, is something like The Real World or The Osbournes in the same category? What about that Orange County Choppers (or whatever it's called) show? Wife Swap? Dog The Bounty Hunter?

simu

Hidden cameras and near-constant recording of participants = reality TV imo.

Mr E

I wouldn't say hidden cameras .... Survivor and Apprentice are reality shows, imo.

I'd say any show that films people (as themselves), working towards a goal (winning a competition, achieving something) is a reality show.

As such, I think all shows Exit mentioned (including Long Way Round) are reality shows.

Exit

TmB wrote:

I wouldn't say hidden cameras .... Survivor and Apprentice are reality shows, imo.

I'd say any show that films people (as themselves), working towards a goal (winning a competition, achieving something) is a reality show.

As such, I think all shows Exit mentioned (including Long Way Round) are reality shows.

But then what is a documentary? Documentaries can feature somebody working towards a goal whether it is winning a dance competition/bodybuilding contest/spelling bee or a politician running for election or whatever.

If it's an episodic show rather than a straight 2 hour documentary, does that make the difference?

Let's take the dance competition for example. On one hand you have a 2 hour documentary about a young woman going along to practice and other various "adventures" and with it all building up to performing at the big competition. On the other hand, what if it was spread out over 6 weeks and at the end of every episode a narrator says "Tune in next week to follow Tanya on her journey" while it shows clips of next week's episode? It's basically the same concept.

Is it to do with being on television? Just to choose a well known documentary, take "Bowling For Columbine" What if that was shown on television in episodes with the objective being to watch Michael Moore as he takes on America and its gun problem?

dr.bollocko

A reality show doesnt have "takes". If somebody says something wrong they don't shut the camera off and start the scene again, its just constant filming of a person in their natural environment.

Exit

dr.bollocko wrote:

A reality show doesnt have "takes". If somebody says something wrong they don't shut the camera off and start the scene again, its just constant filming of a person in their natural environment.

I was tending to agree with that, but then again Big Brother obviously doesn't have retakes. Still, I'd guess that and "scenes that are set-up" would be something that features heavily in reality shows and differentiates them from straight out documentaries.

dr.bollocko

Plus if you look at a lot of these "reality shows" at the end credits, they have this disclaimer stating something like "aspects of this show not effecting the plot have been previously contrived or have been added post recording" or the like in official sounding language, basically admitting its all a sham of a load of bollix and we are fools for believing that this reality is any more real than any other fake tv show.

Mr E

No, that means that they cut out the filler and only show the good stuff. Its like comparing Big Brother Live vs. Big Brother Edited Highlights. Give me the highlights any day.

kevmy

Untalented chavs with nothing to say looking to wiin money/monkeys + loads of cameras = sh1te = reality TV.

Usually documentaries focus on talented or interesting people or subjects who are not solely motivated by going on TV. Nobody who goes on reality programmes have any talents (possible exception in Celebrity .... where approx two of the contestants had a modicum of talent and fame in the early 80's)

FlutterinBantam

kevmy wrote:

Untalented chavs with nothing to say looking to wiin money/monkeys + loads of cameras = sh1te = reality TV.

Usually documentaries focus on talented or interesting people or subjects who are not solely motivated by going on TV. Nobody who goes on reality programmes have any talents (possible exception in Celebrity .... where approx two of the contestants had a modicum of talent and fame in the early 80's)

Have to disagree with you there Kev" Untalented ugly chavs with plenty to say looking to win money/monkeys+loads of cameras = shooite=reality TV"

Don't know why but Calum Best and Fran Cosgrave immediately spring to mind.

Reality tv is now the path out of the sink estates whereas before it was a trial with Liverpool/West ham/Arsenal.