Various Forms of Reality TV

[#1]

I was curious as to what your thoughts are on the different forms of reality tv, and if you have any favorites.  Since it's cheap to produce, the channels are almost full of reality tv shows.

I'm not for the MTV or E! celebrity shows.  My family and I tend to watch the ones on the History or Discovery channel.  Although the people on them did not start out as celebs, they are quite well known now.  Of course, I know segments are still going to be played up and staged, but they probably have more reality than some of the others.  At my house, the following can be on the tv or DVR:

Deadliest Catch -My mom is a die hard fan, and she loves the Northwestern.  It definitely is a real and dangerous job, and there's no way I would do it lol.  It was so sad when Captain Phil died.  He was probably my favorite.

Axe Men -I would never get in a boat with Shelby lol, and S.S. Logging just needs to go away lol.  What a jerk.

Ice Road Truckers -New season this Sunday I believe.  My mom probably has the DVR set already lol.

Swamp People -Another job I would not want lol.  The people who go after the alligators for all the gator skin merchandise do not get enough credit.  Have you seen the prices on things like Alligator skin boots?!  Dang!!

America's Got Talen -My favorite!!!  Nick Canon is a hilarious host, and Howard Stern has been a pretty good judge so far.  I like him better than Piers Morgan.

Others include Pawn Stars, American Pickers, Storage Wars, and others that I can't recall.  Storage Wars is currently on right now lol.  I can't stand Dave, but Barry cracks me up!

[#2]

1. American Idol

2. X Factor

3. Americas Got Talent

4. So you think you can dance

5. The Voice

I have seen a few episodes of Storage Wars but I cant say Im into it.

[#3]

I watch far more television than I'd care to admit, but usually I do other things while watching it like cook, draw, paint my nails, etc. A good 60% of what I watch is probably reality TV.What I like most about reality TV is the fact that not much dedication is needed to catch up on the synopsis, unlike traditional television shows.

I've watched a ton of reality TV shows, I fell into the whole Vh1 ____ of love shows. They had so many! And I watched pretty much every single one. I also use to really be into E! reality TV shows; Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Girls Next Door use to be two of my favorites. Now I'm completely over the Kardashian craze. I feel like E needs to change their name to the K network, that family is taking over.

Some of my current favorites:

America's Got Talent- I love watching the auditions. Howard Stern is a nice addition to the team and Nick Canon is so funny!

Best Ink-Pretty much any sort of tattooing show always interests me. I really enjoyed Best Ink, which just ended. It was a tattooing competition show. I was always so eager and excited to see what sort of challenges the artists would get and how they executed them. I hope they come back with a second season!

Breaking Pointe-I just started watching this and it occurred as a bit of an accident, but it's about a bunch of dancers and their daily lives with a ballet company. I've been doing ballet on and off for many years. Company life is something that has always fascinated me.

So You Think You Can Dance-Another summer favorite! I'm always left in complete awe or in tears at some of the routines I see. It's a fantastic show, unlike AGT I usually skip the auditions and just wait to start watching when the final dancers are chosen for the program.

Intervention-Despite being horribly depressing I find it so interesting to see just how the different subjects ended up in their situation and how they ultimately end up after their intervention has concluded. I remember watching an update show a few years back, the show has saved dozens of people from their addictions. It's always so nice to see what they look like and their demeanor after they get help...it's usually a complete 180.

My Strange Obsession-This was another fun show that has only been around for one season. I hope it comes back. It's so fascinating to see extreme collections and lifestyles.

[#4]

I hate to admit it but I am SO easily entertained by these shows. I used to be crazy about "Big Brother" but after season what, 16? over it. LOL.

I do watch Ghost Adventures and Tough Love on a regular basis. Jerseylicious too. They are so ridiculous I can't help it. I like those "What Not To Wear", "Intervention" and "My Strange Obsession" shows. But I have to admit, I fell victim to the Kardashians, Pauly D and Girls Next Door varieties. The only thing is so many of the shows are POINTLESS and I get hooked! Do I really need to see Kim K fighting with her mom AGAIN about what photo shoot to do and what purse to buy? Not really. Don't get me started on Housewives shows. The OC and Beverly Hills ones really take the cake to me. Not to mention the Bachelor. Number one show I can't stand. I think. It may be tied with about 8 more different awful shows.

I used to study and want to work in TV. But when I was in school and working in TV stations it was more on Celebrity News and there were hardly ANY reality shows.. I think I would go crazy if I kept in that profession and had to watch all these! It's fun to a point then I worry about the things I am losing my brain cells with.

[#5]

Hey Kimmi1115,

This is so funny!  My mom has been trying to get me to watch the Kardashians and the Real Housewives.  I cannot get into these shows, they're soooo bad.  Sometimes I just think, these people are so dumb and to  put it on tv and look like a dummy in front of everyone, no way not something I'm at all interested in.  I do like the one's on the Discovery Channel and History Channel.  I feel they're a little more realistic even though I know some of it may be played up as well, like fights and stuff.  American Pickers is a favorite but I don't watch it alot since I'm always working when it's on.  I also love Mythbusters (it's kind of reality sorta) it's fun to watch and you learn some stuff too.  I've seen some other like Ice Road Truckers, IRT Deadliest Roads, Swamp People, and Pawn Stars and even some of the Repo ones.  Some of the people are just so funny!

[#6]

How could I forget about Mythbusters?!  I used to watch it all the time, and Dirty Jobs.  Mike Rowe always cracks me up!  The episode that absolutely grossed me out was the one about slime eel fishing.  Those things are beyond nasty!!!!

[#7]

Is Mythbusters considered Reality TV?  That show's more educational than anything I think.  Both my husband and my son love it.

[#8]

I don't have cable, so I rely on Netflix/Hulu for TV.

I like some reality tv, mostly from TLC, Sister Wives, Hoarders (Hoarding: Buried Alive isn't as good IMO), Extreme Couponing, what I've caught of My Strange Addiction. One of my favorite TV shows hands down is Whale Wars. Even though nothing ever happens. I have it recorded at my parents house or we watch it when we're at my boyfriend's parents house. Storage Wars is good, but I only watch it at parental houses when there's nothing else on. I babysit sometimes for my brother at my parents house and will watch the judge shows with my dad while the little one(s) are napping or playing. My favorite episode of all time was the one where this lady was being sued for pooping in the pocket of her friend's jacket.

I used to be addicted to Intervention (haha, punny). I watched ANTM forever, but then my mom encouraged me to try out so I did and didn't make it. After that, my interest kind of dwindled. It didn't help that they pretty much pick the same people each cycle.

I'm a TV fiend. On Netflix, I got hooked on Breaking Bad. It's been agonizing waiting for season 4 to come up, but I hear it's going to be released next week and hope that's true. I watched House, but not from the beginning. Scrubs was a favorite of mine, and I've been getting into Star Trek this year. My boyfriend's mom and I caught an episode of Bob's Burgers last year, and thought it was funny, so now my boyfriend and I are watching the entire show on Netflix.

And then there's the truly horrible TV I watch: Secret Life of the American Teenager, 90210, The LA Complex, Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl. What can I say, I like mindless TV.

[#9]

The only reality TV that I have ever watched was Queer Eye for the Straight Guy when I was staying in a hotel and I was feeling too sick to get up to find the remote. I agree with everyone else, I couldn't stand to waste my time watching inane celebrities and scripted shows. If it's going to be reality, they should show the boring mundane parts of life and not create drama just for the camera. Drama gives me a headache, anyways.

[#10]

Hi Kimmi1115, I have to admit I love Top Chef and Project Runway. I'm a big fan of the Food Network, and most of their show. For the most part I find it entertaining, but also it gives me some idea of food I may have never tried. I do have girlfriends that like show like Jersey Shore, and I can't stand shows that drop my IQ.

[#11]

I avoid Reality TV like the plague.  I used to watch Real World several years ago and I also used to watch Dog the Bounty Hunter and Jon and Kate once in awhile.  Then I realized that there's not much "real" about these kinds of shows.  So much is scripted and edited that it's absurd.  I also decided that "Reality" shows with kids under 18 should be illegal.

 As for the MTV and celebrity shows... I believe they're responsible for the downfall of society.  We are stupider as a whole because of them.

The shows you watch don't sound like they fall into the above category though!  Happy viewing! 

Who else can't wait for the Game of Thrones finale?

[#12]

I watch HGTV, the Food Network, History Channel and sometimes I'll watch a reality show but I don't follow any in particular.   I am kinda in the middle, some are funny/interesting and some are just ridiculous. 

@kalex - yes, looking forward to to Game of Thrones finale, though its bittersweet because I have read all the books so far, though I have to say the author is getting a bit self-indulgent.  In his last few books its taken 50 pages for someone to move from the door to the table, lol.  HBO's version follows the books closely but not exactly and is a more "feel" good method of delivery that gives us some resolution instead of torturing us...lol...ain't nuttin wrong with that though, I enjoy it.

[#13]

Well, I'm usually not a big fan of reality TV shows because even in real life, I hate any kind of gossip/backstabbing/snarky comments whatsoever, and most RealityTV shows depends on that for drama pretty much. At some point I became interested in fashion, so I loved watching America's Next Top Model and Project Runway for like, 5 seasons. After that I sort of gotten a feel for the kind of characters, the kind of challenges and the kind of drama that's going to happen, so it no longer interested me after I figured out the pattern and it's too predictable. My most memorable moment was when I walked into my friends' lounge and had the misfortune of accidentally watching an entire episode of My New BFF by Paris Hilton. It was....unbelievable and I could almost feel my IQ slowly but inevitably going down as I finish watching the episode.

Now instead of reality TV shows, I'm obsessed with dark mystery TV series. I'm a big fan of GRIMM, also watch Awake...and enjoys Body of Proof. The ones that ended but I still love are Life from NBC about 2 homocide detectives and Chuck about a nerd, my type =D. Oh right, I watched Kitchen Nightmare for a while and it inspired me to keep my kitchen cleaner. =X

I mostly go to manga for entertainment (Japanese cartoon) because they are more dramatic with the plot and because they are Japanese and it's a cartoon, I love the elaborate make up and clothe (think great plot but characters are drawn high fashion sketch style instead of American comics style).

Honestly right now the only thing I watch regularly are Colbert Report, Daily Show and GRIMM.