By: Yade Medina
Reality TV is a very controversial form of televised entertainment and has been for more than two decades.
There is a fundamental difference in reality television between the different channels and streaming services they have aired on and continue to air on.
The evolution of streaming services has actually increased accessibility to reality shows between countries and formats.
The formula for reality shows can be very unique and the differences between the different genres they fall under are quite interesting.
So to give everyone a peer into this kind of television and maybe give you all something to binge after a study session or exam, we’ll go over a few notable reality television shows, what genres they fall under and the goings on behind the scenes!
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Love and Romance:
Love and Romance are two of the most popular genres for most visual media. With reality tv, the usual set up for these shows is matchmaking.
Shows like The Bachelor, or most recently the Netflix era romance reality shows like Love is Blind or the Ultimatum are great examples.
There are similarities in formula between the two as the end goal is for someone to find romance based on a group of people present, but Love is Blind increases the number of people for each gender, as opposed to just one potential couple.
Recent seasons of Love is Blind have been critiqued for losing what made the show unique, as people are more interested in seeking internet fame than actual romance.
Though, folks on the internet have argued that a basis for reality tv, especially romance has always been the achievement of fame, or at the very least some semblance of public notoriety.
The folks arguing that have also made note that rather than that, the aspect that is being taken away from in the show is the structure that made it different in the first place.
Aside from those controversies plaguing the genre, the entertainment facet of the show continues to pull viewers in.
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2024 saw an increased number of longform YouTube or TikTok videos analyzing the personalities of each of the contestants while reviewing the actual episodes of the show.
That has been the case for many of the recent shows in this genre, as well as shows of other genres, especially when they have a cultural connotation or aspect that draws viewers.
The hosts of the shows themselves, the Lacheys have been noted to be generally robotic and a tad inappropriate as hosts of a reality show.
They have been critiqued for hosting the amount of romance shows that they host to get even richer than they are based on how the formulas have seemingly become tiresome and repetitive.
When it comes to fun watches in this genre, Catfish and Love is Blind are the most accessible!
Catfish streams on MTV and on Hulu, and saw a host change in 2018 with Max Joseph being replaced by Kamie Crawford. She was the second co-host for about two years before announcing her departure on Season 10.
Nev Schulman is still set to host Season 10, though the future of the show’s two-man/woman dynamic is still up in the air.
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Legal:
Legal reality tv seems to be something that might be a bit stuck, with the most notable one that remains being Divorce Court.
The newest presiding judge Star Jones has only been present on the show for at most two years, so there are many viewers still skeptical about her abilities as a judge and television personality.
Aside from Divorce Court, if folks are feeling nostalgic, there is always the option of rewatching Judge Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court or even the iconic Judge Judy.
New legal shows have been hosted on TikTok and apps like Patreon, though those are more self-contained than international shows.
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Improvement:
Self-Improvement and Home Improvement are some of the most popular aspects of reality television. HGTV has forged multiple generations of homeowners, decorators and overall years of entertainment.
Home improvement shows like Property Brothers and Flip or Flop are popular in conversations between college students and many people of older ages as well.
Though these shows have not all come through their air time unscathed. A jury trial was scheduled in 2024 when a couple stated that the show Property Brothers had caused a biohazard in their home.
Since that occurred the brothers have started their own production company.
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Self-Improvement shows like Queer Eye have been a great comfort for those who want a watch that will heal their spirits and also entertain them through different aspects of life.
Queer Eye’s access to education over cooking, fashion, culture, decor, and self-cae have allowed the second series of the same name to reach 9 seasons on Netflix.
In regards to Queer Eye, the only strange comments have been from viewers of the first iteration of the show who regret the changing of the main cast.
The show has received great praise for its inclusivity, good vibes and subversion of stereotypes or other damaging issues regarding marginalized communities.
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Competition and Strategy:
Competition and strategy shows come in many different forms, likely more forms than any of the other genres listed previously.
The Voice is a great watch for those who are musically inclined and enjoy the idea of singing competitively. The format for the voice has gone international and even expanded for more than just adult singers.
Food competitions are very interesting and surprisingly versatile. Shows like Worst Cooks in America or Beat Bobby Flay have captured the hearts and minds of countless people all around the world!
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RuPaul’s Drag Race has revolutionized the way that people of the LGBTQ+ community have been seen on television.
From the nearly 20 years the show has been on air, it has received 17 seasons, 10 all star renewals and more than 5 international series in the past 8 years.
Many competition shows have seen their contestants become celebrities based on their competitions and drag queens have been no exception.
A great number of them have become musicians or begun acting in movies and television shows. This adds such an interesting layer to how far reality competition has come.
The host, RuPaul Charles has seen his own controversies, such as his former comments on the transgender community, as well as rumors of fracking.
His comments on transgender competitors have been resolved, but the fracking rumors remain to this day, leading many to keep a close eye on him and the show itself.
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Final Thoughts:
Entertainment during stressful semesters is greatly important, I doubt many folks will disagree with us on that.
Genres are such an interesting and integral part of so much of what people consume, and media is all the better for it!
With that being said, go out and watch a new show, anything that helps relax after studying, exam taking, or even just a long day at work!
