re: Can you tolerate any reality show?

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There are at least four different categories.

Dirty Jobs, Hell's Kitchen, Bar Rescue, and those type of shows I don't even consider "reality shows". They are just TV shows with real people and not actors.


Survivor, Fear Factor, Wipe Out, etc.

I would consider those more like game shows. If they win a prize at the end, it is really just game show evolution.

Kardashians, Jersey Shore, Housewives, etc. IMO are the only real reality shows because the camera literally follows then around and the audience watches them live. Obviously, they are edited as well as put in certain situations or attend events for the show, because who wants to watch someone play video games or watch tV for hours.

Those shows I have no need for.

I don't know what to call shows like Pawn Stars and Storage Wars that are trying to pass themselves off as reality but are clearly staged and scripted to anyone with a lick of sense. Oddly enough, I like a few of these types of shows, even though I know they are full of it.

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Nice summary. Some shows do seem to straddle the line on those catagories, though.

For instance, I watch American Chopper. Probably the only "reality show" I've ever ben intereted in. I like to watch them design and build bikes, but there is also the personal story lines and conflicts. I'm probably naive, but I tend to think that most of the personality and conflict stuff is real on that show. It helps that there are some likeable people on the show.