“If the basis of storytelling is the surprise of what's going to happen next, reality can be better than fiction because no one, not even the protagonists themselves, can predict the outcome” (Gabler). In our generation, reality TV is very popular. Most of the people I know have a particular reality TV show that they watch religiously. People will basically block out the world when their favorite reality TV show comes on. What makes reality TV shows entertaining? Everyone has their own drama going on in their lives; it makes it interesting to watch someone else’s. It’s entertaining to watch people who have worse drama, or maybe even better. Every week, when our show is on we tune in and get excited to see what is going to happen next because it’s always surprising. Most people love not knowing, others can’t wait to know the outcomes. Reality TV can be so entertaining because it’s a show that can reveal real life issues that we don’t have to go through. Reality can be very educational and we don’t even know it. For example: “The Biggest Loser” teaches us about obesity and healthy habits, “Teen Mom” teaches us the consequences of pregnancy at an early age, and “Survivor” teaches us about basic survivor skills in the wild. But do we watch this reality shows for educational purposes? Not really. Most of the time we watch reality TV as entertainment at the cost of others. As the fans and viewers of these shows, we promote the ratings which control the longevity of the show. We influence these “games” because we keep watching for our entertainment. We look forward to the “news” each show brings along with the drama that goes along with it.
I don’t watch reality TV shows often, but this past week, I watched Teem Mom 2. There are four girls who found themselves in trouble at an early age. They didn’t plan on getting pregnant and now they have to suffer the consequences. In this particular show, four “new” moms (Chelsea, Leah, Jenelle, and Kailyn) are dealing with several problems. Chelsea is dealing with the father of the baby who isn’t paying child support and who already has a new girlfriend. She also is struggling with school and obtaining her GED. She prevents the father from seeing their daughter because of his irresponsibility. Leah is strongly concerned with her one twin daughter who is going through tests to see what is wrong with her. She is also planning a wedding with the father at the same time and has concerns. Jenelle has issues with her mother who is taking care of her son. She also has financial issues and stole her mom’s credit cards and lost her job. Kailyn, is struggling to get her dental hygienist degree while taking care of her son. Her and the father don’t get along so well and would like joint custody over their son. The people in this show are very real. It’s entertaining because these girls have a lot going on and it’s interesting to see what’s happening in their lives. They each have a lot on their plate and it’s entertaining to watch them sort through it all. Most people that watch it might laugh at their situation, have sympathy for their situation, or are going through their situation and can relate. I couldn’t relate to any of their issues, but that is partially the reason of why it was so entertaining. Many people enjoy this show and that’s what keeps it going! There are many teen moms in the world and it is interesting to pick a few out and see what their lives are like, raising a baby before they are prepared to. It makes me feel thankful that I don’t have those issues, but feel bad for them.
Reality TV is something many people enjoy watching. The more people watch it, the more shows they are going to make. There are so many reality TV shows to watch, and people will always continue to watch them because they are entertaining and interesting to watch. Everyone can find some sort of enjoyment in other people’s drama. It’s unfortunate that these people have these kinds of issues, but they are broadcasting it to the world for us to watch and enjoy. It was their choice to go on the show and let everyone in on their personal lives, so they obviously don’t mind. We look forward to tuning in and seeing what’s new each week without having a clue of what’s going to happen each show. People love not knowing and the suspense draws them to the show each week. Reality TV is very common and it is so darn entertaining.
I really like the Gabler quote you chose to begin your blog entry. We do want to know what is going to happen next, and that is why we continually watch. I don't watch Teen Mom on a regular basis, but I have seen a few episodes from this current season. I do feel that this show is probably one of the most realistic reality shows. You make a good point saying that people watch because they can relate; either because they are a teenage girl or because they are a mother at a young age. When I was in high school (I graduated in 2008) there was only one girl that got pregnant while were still in school. However, since '08, there are probably about 10 girls that I graduated that have a child. 10!!!!!! That is crazy, especially because I am twenty years old so the majority of the people I graduated with are now either 20 or 21. It's just crazy to think that people have children at such a young age. We love watching drama and watching out peoples' lives. They let us into their lives every week.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you reality television is really entertaining and it is hard not to watch it. It stinks having to wait a week for the next episode of a show when they always show you a really good preview for the next. It is wild how people are willing to show the world the most intimate parts of their lives and relationships. I don't think I'll ever be able to do that!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how many reality shows are available to watch. I guess this revisits the idea that we are easy to advertise to. There are so many shows to involve just about everybody. I agree with you that it is entertaining, but it is also very trashy. It is kindof ironic that so many of us hate drama but yet we constantly watch drama on TV. Doesn't really make any sense does it?
ReplyDeleteI like how you bring up the educational purposes some of these shows could serve. I think if the producers leaned more towards those outcomes, the shows would not be criticized so badly. Now obviously Jersey Shore could not have any educational lessons in it, unless the cast members stopped drinking and partying and took up a different hobby, such as collecting treasures from other people's yards or if Sammi had a baby. (How bad I'd feel for that child.) I do think that shows like Teen Mom and Survivor could be very educational. I hope that some day reality television shows are used for the good they could be.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big fan of this show but sometimes when my gf is watching it i just so happen to be watching it too. I think it's more of how bad the teen is at being a mom than it is them trying to be good parents. There is always something going wrong in their lives that has nothing to do with the baby or her living as a teen mom. It just bothers me that this show airs without actually more than 5 seconds of the baby and it's mom.
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