Why We Love "Reality" Television

So why do "Reality" shows do so well in the ratings? Is it the suspense that the producers instill in each show? Is it the likeability of the contestants? Is it the plot or the storyline? Is it the money or the prizes that are offered to the winner? Or is it that we are able to see people just like ourselves? In truth all of these things are reasons that we love to watch "Reality" television. For a storyline to be successful it must possess certain elements. The first element is an introduction. All reality shows start by introducing you to the contestants in some way or another. They spend the first couple of weeks letting the viewing audience get to know each of the contestants and allowing us to draw our own conclusions about "good" and "evil." By the end of the second or third week nearly all viewers have a favorite contestant that they want to see win the show. By doing this, the producers have now drawn us into a storyline where we want to see how far our favorite contestant gets in the game. Even after that person is removed from the show, we want to make sure that our least favorite person doesn't win. The next element is the climax. Once we are drawn in to the show they have to keep us interested enough to see what will happen next week. By eliminating one person each week we have to watch to make sure that we don't miss an important piece of the game. Reality TV gives us that climax each week and keeps us in suspense until the very end of each show. Ever notice how during votes they set it up so that the vote count stays pretty even until the very last possible moment? For example, if 3 people vote for Bob and 4 people vote for Dan then it will always be shown as three votes for Bob and three votes for Dan. Only then will they show the deciding vote. They do this in order to continue building a climax through suspense and anticipation until the very last moment. The last element is a grand conclusion. At one point there was a "never ending" reality show that hit the air. Why was it not successful? Because we want to see it end. We need to see that final episode that crowns a winner. What is the point of watching a competition and never seeing a final result? That defeats the point of competition. So the producers work up to this grand conclusion all season long. It is often the discussion of many people in the workplace and is common topic that even uncommon people share. Who will win? Who will lose? Who do we want to win? Who do we want to lose? Who do we hate? Who do we love? The producers always make a grand production of the end of a reality show and give us the answers we have sought. More often than not, they even give us extra by bringing back all of the contestants and allowing us to hear answers to the things that we may have asked them ourselves. But even with all of these things that draw us into "Reality" television, the biggest by far is seeing the "average" person on television. Everyone would love to live the life of a star. We want to be recognized on the street and to feel important. By seeing the average person on television every week and getting to know them, we are living out our own fantasies. What a grand idea to put on shows with real people who we can all relate to. Not to mention that we all feel that maybe, just maybe, if we applied to our favorite show we could be a contestant too. If the producers can see some potential in some of their past contestants then surely they can see some potential in the rest of us.