Just to make sure we are discussing the same thing, here is a quick breakdown of what reality TV is, relative to other types of television programming.  (If you already work in reality TV, you might want to skip this chapter.  Nah, just go ahead and read it; it will be an important refresher course!)

TV programming generally is broken down into two realms:  "scripted," or fiction television, and "unscripted," or non-fiction television.  Non-fiction is a broad category that defines virtually everything you watch except for sitcoms, hour-long dramas, television movies and soap operas.  So news programs, game shows, documentary shows, talk shows, etc., all are considered non-fiction programming.

The "baby" of the non-fiction family is reality TV.  Its birthday is widely stated as 2000, with CBS’ launch of Survivor.  Actually, that show, and the many similar shows that followed, launched and popularized the second of two reality genres, commonly called the "competitive" or "elimination" genre.  But from many people’s point of view, nearly 10 years before Survivor became a reality rock star, what we now know as reality TV was born with the runaway hit MTV series The Real World in 1992.  That show, and its multiple spin-offs and imitators, created the first and other reality genre, known as the "vérité" or "slice of life" genre. 

So there are two types of reality TV, "competitive" and "vérité."  Within those two genres, or "formats," are endless

categories of programming, from Lifestyle programming (makeovers, fashion, cooking, decorating) to Travel to Health & Fitness to Procedural (criminal, medical) and more.  An example of a "competitive," "fashion-based," "lifestyle" show would be Bravo’s Project Runway, while a "vérité," "fashion-based," "lifestyle" show would be TLC’s What Not to Wear.  Or a "competitive health" show would be NBC’s The Biggest Loser, while a "vérité health" show would be Intervention on A&E.

One common mistake people make is confusing reality TV, especially the vérité format, with documentaries (like PBS’ groundbreaking An American Family).  Both film real people in real settings.  Documentaries, though, require impartial observation, recording what takes place and editing it into a narrative presentation.  Reality TV, on the other hand, is not a passive or observational experience!  In reality TV, we create and control the environment and/or activities our subjects engage in then record what they do as a result. 

 

 

Competitive reality shows are, of course, highly controlled environments, ensuring the ability to create conflict and advance story in every episode.  But vérité reality shows rely on controlled environments, too.  Examples of fully controlled vérité worlds would be the plastic surgery immersion that is Extreme Makeover or any other makeover show.  More loosely controlled vérité environments include the fishbowl campus experience that is BET’s College Hill or many of the character-driven shows, like A&E’s Dog the Bounty Hunter.  But even such so-called "docudramas" have a guiding hand, usually due either to removing participants from their familiar environments and dropping them into a controlled residential or working world (like the aspiring chefs in Hell’s Kitchen), or dropping controllable talent into other people’s worlds (like The Simple Life). 

The only thing we do not control in reality TV is how our carefully cast participants react to the world we expose them to.  These shows are not fake!  The best ones are just exceedingly well cast to maximize conflict, humor and, ultimately, story.  Reality casting is all about creating a compelling, distinct and even incendiary "mix" of subjects, whether they all are participating together as a group, as on NBC’s The Apprentice, or there is a different main participant each episode, as on MTV’s Pimp My Ride.  I always say that casting a reality show is like the college admissions process.  You are not really looking for preconceived stereotypes ("the princess," "the bitch," "the snob," etc.), as many people believe.  You are looking for a group of people whose diverse experiences complement, conflict with and challenge each other, so everyone will change during the show.

Many industry insiders, including me, believe passionately that reality TV is made in the casting phase.  In fact, shows often are picked up on a "casting contingent" basis, meaning that if the production company cannot come up with the right mix of participants to assure compelling TV, the show will not be produced.  As you develop your show, remember it is the magic of excellent casting, mixed with good storytelling and some luck, that makes or breaks the reality shows you love…and love to hate.

Once you grasp the truly vast scope of reality TV, it is harder to hear–or to say–"I hate reality TV!"  There is just too wide a range of shows to trash in a single judgment.  Yes, there are dominant trends, with the first five years of the millennium evolving from cutthroat competition shows (like Big Brother) to titillating dating and romance shows (like The Bachelor) to feel-good, community service-based shows (like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition).  Do you have any personal preferences?

Take a moment now to list at least three reality shows you have watched and enjoyed (if you don’t have three, stop trying to sell a show and do some more front-end research.  Watch more shows!).  Now write down whether they have competitive or vérité formats.  Next, figure out what category each falls under: Lifestyle, Health & Fitness, Travel, Sports & Gaming, Procedural, Relationships & Romance, a hybrid of several categories, etc.  Finally, pay close attention to how controlled the experience is for participants in the show. 

Feel free to make your Research Lab notes right here in the book; that is why we chose spiral binding!

 

 

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Get a sense of your own taste, and you will have an immediate compass for developing shows you yourself would love to see.