How much longer can this shitty era of reality TV last?
 

Do you think this era of crap TV will ever end? I can't even stand to watch History or Discovery channels anymore. I used to love to watch their programs about various things around the world and so forth.. However now days if it's not some shit ass redneck reality show it's hey let's find mermaids or Bigfoot..

Outside of the occasional decent TV series like Breaking Bad, hell on Wheels, I barely can stand to watch TV for anything but background noise. Anyone this this reality shit will ever end?

Networks discovered reality shows are much cheaper to produce than studio sitcoms...and we've been stuck with that cost-cutting formula ever since.

SAG actors strikes didn't help matters, either. Or insane wage demands by actors (cast of 'Friends' demanding $1m apiece for each episode). The networks just had enough.

I seldom watch TV much these days. I'd get rid of cable altogether if not for the fact the wife still watches a few shows on a regular basis.

It doesn't matter. Just don't watch it

It is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Like SilentKnight said, it is cheap to produce so they don't need much in the way of ratings for it to be profitable and some of the shows actually get really good ratings.

Luckily there are plenty of other options out there. There are good shows, plenty of good movies and sports if you like it.

I like watching The Amazing Race, but beyond that most of the reality stuff is just so fake it is painful to watch. . . oh and I watch Gold Rush and Shark Tank as well which are both reality shows. Gold Rush is all about watching people do stupid shit and Shark Tank is actually pretty interesting.

The ratings dictate ,it's what the majority like wins

they are dumbing down the society

TV without talent.

I watched about 5 minutes of that 'lets find bigfoot' show at a friends place last week...

What utter garbage and worse, the friend actually said it was one of his 'favorite' shows.

The cost nearly nothing to produce. Take a camera out on a boat on a swamp and it costs you $200 a day to shoot, then some quick editing, sell that time slot for tens of thousands....

There is more great quality programming of every type on tv than ever before filling up more channels than ever before including documentaries on history, science and every other subject including on channels like History, Discovery, Nat Geo, on PBS and elsewhere. Likewise, the amount of dreck has increased as well for the same reasons.

Why don't you separate the wheat from the chaff using online tools like tv forums and such to see all the new shows and specials and then DVR them for watching at your convenience?

Duck Dynasty, the 20-person cast will be making over $200,000 per episode. Pretty cheap for the producers of cable TV's most popular show.

As long as it gets good ratings it will remain. Period.

I like Shark Tank but I find myself hating myself when I find myself caring about Chum Lee and the cast of Pawn Stars. As in, 'Oh I hope they make a PROFIT and rip that desperate asshole going into the pawn show OFF!'

More tits.

I dont mind the original reality shows, its the spin-offs that piss me off, gold rush is good, yukon gold bad. Pawn stars good, british pawn stars bad and so on. Lazy production co's being lazy.

Shark Tank is awesome. I also watch three different Dragons' Den series online which is the name of the Canadian, British and Irish versions of the same show.

It's permanent. Just don't watch.

I wish it would end too, but in a way I think crappy reality TV may be the reason we've had a golden age of TV drama in the last few years as kind of a backlash.

I agree. It seems like those who hate reality TV are supporting good shows. Netflix and Hulu are helping people find new shows and when networks can make easy money with reality shows they might be willing to take a risk here or there on another show that they may otherwise not have.

Reality TV is in no small measure a response to piracy.

So much for piracy promoting creativity huh ?

The demand for that kind of shows is high. I also use the TV for background noise.

I kinda dont really care. If all TV was like Breaking Bad or the Sopranos or other good stuff, not only would I get nothing done, but it would take away the enjoyment of looking forward to my fav show...

TV companies just don't want to take the risk by entering new formats. The same what Hollywood does with these shitty superhero movies.

Once Hollywood finds something that works they will ride it into the ground.

my new fav is Animal Planet!

used to have H, NG and Discovery on numbers 1, 2 and 3 on the remote but in last couple of years they all turned to shit

stopped watching tv years ago, best thing I ever done. not as clued up on current affairs as I used to be, but that's well worth the pay-off. I'll watch football on firstrow, 2 or 3 movies a week either on netflix or grab a torrent, and same with something really good like breaking bad.

end result: more time to work, and read, and almost zero jaw-dropped amazement at the pure dross that most tv is.

^ smart thing to do, i'd like to detach myself from tv too

and to stop jerking smartphone whenever there's a second of boredom

I completely agree, I hate this reality shit. Discovery used to be so good when they had real documentaries. I cant watch this shit anymore.

Used to love NG, DC and HC as well but today I rarely check the TV guide.

This is today's program for History Channel:

http://i59.tinypic.com/52i0c1.gif


I mean WTF is all this shit doing on a HISTORY channel!

Youth is getting dumber by generation, and a lot started with Youtube and the hunt for fame.

History Chanel went to real shit lol

As long it brings profit, we'll see shitty program on tv

I like many of those shows but you have a point. It's supposed to be the History Channel. I remember when it used to be mainly WW2 documentaries and the like. If it keeps up they should rename the channel.

Yea I got rid of cable back in 2010 and never really missed it. I'm staying with some friends at the moment and they have cable and I just can't believe how bad HC, DC and so on have gotten its just shitty redneck drama show after shitty redneck drama show.

Yea I don't mind the shows, they just need to be on some other channel.
History Channel used to be very educational, but not so much lately.

I see this complaint all the time. How is it that everyone watched old shitty WWII documentaries and the channel still didn't make huge bank?

I grew up on sitcoms and the current reality stuff is better/same. You want more of 2 1/2 Men versus the Kardashians? I don't see a huge difference in quality there.

It's not going to end. Too many factors make the reality show format compelling viewing for their intended target audience.

The studios make huge profits with low risk and will run the shows for as long as possible and continue to throw subjects at the wall married with exactly the same format for years to come.

It's not unlike adult really.

If it wasn't for the sports channels i doubt i would have cable at all.

As it is, i watch football, F1, boxing, golf etc, so i suppose i do get my monies worth to an extent...

i'm confused are u saying 2 1/2 men and the kardashian show are on the same level??

It's not the producers fault, its our fault. Too many people opt-in for the brainless crap like Honey Booboo and Duck Dynasty that passes for "entertainment" these days.

Whats worse is that now, science shows like "Daily Planet" are dumbing their shit down. During the Daily Planet show, this tool named "Alan Nursall" comes on with his bit called "The Alan Nursall Experience". It is by far, the most dumbed-down version of any science show you will ever see.

Please Discovery channel, Feed my brain something nutritional.

That may be a point, however there's market for high end entertainment and it seems that the channels want to invest and take part in a somewhat prestigeous contest.

I'd assume Golden Globes may be getting more prestige these days too, with top Hollywood actors, directors, screenwriters involved. The channels want to have their flagship up there. I reckon we may as well be experiencing almost a golden era these days when it comes to high end TV shows.

Some of those involved perhaps even get more creative freedom on TV than they could get in Hollywood. Too bad it usually lasts up to three, four series max. then the original concept and its momentum in most cases fades away and turns into a milkcow dying a slow death.

Otherwise I don't think "reality" is going anywhere, it's a niche, the programming may be slightly mentally challenging at times, but where is demand there's supply. It's here to stay although the boom where there's like 100 "reality shows" aired at any given time may be overdue.

One day they'll find big foot and the joke will be on you

We are certainly in a golden era of sorts when it comes to TV. Like you say many movie stars are not working in TV. There used to be a taboo of sorts about being a movie star and working in TV. It was like you were at the end of your career. Now that no longer exists. There have been a few big actors talking about how TV gives them the freedom to develop good stories and characters and it offers then quality roles that they might not get in movies right now.

I think with the critical and commercial success of shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men and House of Cards we will see more and more shows that not only strive to bring quality, but also aren't afraid to end the show on a high note instead of dragging it out for years and just letting it die off.

This. Couldn't have said it any better.

I will have to check out those versions, thanks!!

Shark Tank is interesting. It amazes me some of the products these people bring to the Shark Tank, how they market their products and what they intend to do with the investment money. It kinda shows how some people can come up with a good idea/product but then be semi-clueless on how to either conduct business or take their small businesses to the next level.

That's a good point really. There is so much good TV on these days...

I feel the same way. It really goes to show that creativity and business acumen are two very different skills. I used to work in music journalism and one of the things I noticed was that many bands are terrible at promoting themselves. They can write and perform good music, but can't market for shit.