Interesting Counterprogramming or Ridiculous Concepts?

You’d have to be living under a rock or not watching a television to not know that reality programming over the past seven years has become a staple of the television schedule. In comparison to the typical sitcom or drama, a reality show (or even a game show) is relatively inexpensive to produce. Less writers, less talent, and less behind the scenes personnel needs to be paid in the production of a reality program. Plus these programs are interesting ways for networks to counterprogram against the sitcoms and dramas that appear on the other networks’ schedules during those time slots.

The television networks have recognized this and typically a day doesn’t go by where you don’t find a reality program somewhere on the prime time schedule. All of the big five broadcast networks have their hits that seem to return year after year to their schedule, often posting some of the best ratings that the network sees. ABC has Extreme Makeover Home Edition and Dancing with the Stars, CBS has Survivor and the Amazing Race, Fox has American Idol and Hell's Kitchen, and the CW has America’s Next Top Model and Beauty and the Geek. The NBC brass has gone so far as to recently announce that they plan to program much of the 8:00 hour in prime time with reality and game shows. While NBC has had modest hits with the Biggest Loser and the Apprentice, their biggest ratings have been coming with game shows such as Deal or No Deal and 1 vs. 100. (It’s also worth noting that cable networks aren’t exempt to these programming trends either.)

I must admit that the ideas behind reality programming fascinate me. Real people placed in contrived situations and watching their reactions is something that I watch with great interest. With the start of January many new reality programs are on the slate, and I plan to give each at least one viewing to see how entertaining it really is.

So far I’ve given NBC’s Grease You’re the One that Want and the Apprentice Los Angeles, the CW’s Beauty and the Geek, and CBS’s Armed and Famous a shot. Beauty and the Geek has been the best of the bunch, but over the past two seasons has been a quality performer. The Apprentice Los Angeles was interesting because it took and existing show’s formula and tweaked it just a bit. Grease You’re the One that I Want was definitely lacking, appearing as if they were trying to be American Idol for the Broadway audience. And last night I watched Armed and Famous, which looks like it is going to end up being Cops with celebrity police officers. (Am I the only one frightened by the idea of LaToya Jackson carrying a gun?)

Still to come are new seasons of American Idol, Survivor, and the Amazing Race. You can bet that I’ll be there to at the very least sample these programs.