Awful Reality: Networks Are Doing Better Without Writers

[EmoJoe]

Originally Posted by roseanne88-97

American Idol has literally NO competition this year at all. It could just be it's biggest season yet. Everyone knows there's a strike going on, so the first thing they're gonna head to is AI. I wouldn't be surprised to see it take in 30 million viewers each week, especially for the auditions.

If any network went alll-reality, NBC would definitely be first. They've been coming in dead last all fall (either that, or switching on and off with FOX), yet now with this strike, they've brought in all these reality shows, and now they're winning.

it does that anyway for auditions but i agree with you, it could be the biggest season yet.

but i dunno, i dont think itll last forever. reality TV was kind of dying out on network TV until this strike, and there has to be a reason for that. i mean how many dance competitions or shows about nannies handling unruly kids can you watch before it just all starts to get old?

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by Muppet Joe®

it does that anyway for auditions but i agree with you, it could be the biggest season yet.

but i dunno, i dont think itll last forever. reality TV was kind of dying out on network TV until this strike, and there has to be a reason for that. i mean how many dance competitions or shows about nannies handling unruly kids can you watch before it just all starts to get old?

That's true. And to think about, the only Reality Shows or Game shows that do well nowdays are the ones that have been on the air for awhile already. American Idol, Deal or No Deal, Dancing with the Stars, Supernanny, Wifeswap - those have all been on the air already, so everyone knows what to expect when they watch them

The new reality shows/game shows - Power of 10, Dance War, Duel, Singing Bee - are all realitively newer, and are not holding up in the ratings as well as should have been expected. Just another sign that as soon as the big reality shows get old, that could be it.

[EmoJoe]

yeah, reality TV has moved over to cable now. like you said, the only shows doing well are the old favorites (with the exception of The Apprentice which had been slipping but came back), the new ones aren't really holding up.

[waichingliu81]

Originally Posted by TJL

I have been saying this for a few years now; reality TV shows will be the death of scripted programming.

Why? as Walking Tall said, they are cheap to make. No stars, no writers, easier to develop than a sitcom or drama so if a show tanks, you have another one ready to go in no time.

You think FOX cares about the strike when "American Idol" is going to bring in 20 million viewers when it premiers?

I really don't want to think about what TV will be like in say a year if the strike is still going on and the Networks are doing an "all Reality" format.

all this reality tv is making me sick. i know that its dominance on tv has nothing remotely to do with killing off children's tv today, but still the cartoon industry looks to be all but dead, and now sitcoms are going to follow in its exact footsteps. nobody in tv land cares about scripted based TV unless its some drama or dramedy. this is one of the reasons why i watch my favourite shows on dvd and youtube

[catlover79]

I am staunchly anti-reality TV. I can't stand it!!

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by Muppet Joe®

yeah, reality TV has moved over to cable now. like you said, the only shows doing well are the old favorites (with the exception of The Apprentice which had been slipping but came back), the new ones aren't really holding up.

Speaking of The Apprentice, I was surprised it didn't slip more, with new Grey's Anatomy and CSi up against it last week. I'll bet this week, since both are repeats (right?) it'll see a ratings increase. It's still doing better than it was last year, which is a good sign.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by roseanne88-97

Speaking of The Apprentice, I was surprised it didn't slip more, with new Grey's Anatomy and CSi up against it last week. I'll bet this week, since both are repeats (right?) it'll see a ratings increase. It's still doing better than it was last year, which is a good sign.

That just proves what people want anymore...you wait .Script shows are going to be outdone by reality tv in the years to come. The networks probably also feel like its much less of a headache.

[Faith_27]

Some of then are scripted some are not but what they only want is the ratings.

[EmoJoe]

Originally Posted by Walking Tall

That just proves what people want anymore...you wait .Script shows are going to be outdone by reality tv in the years to come. The networks probably also feel like its much less of a headache.

i really dont think so. reality shows were losing popularity on network TV up until this strike. and most of the new ones are still doing poorly.

[JulieSomoski]

Originally Posted by Muppet Joe®

i really dont think so. reality shows were losing popularity on network TV up until this strike. and most of the new ones are still doing poorly.

That doesn't really mean anything though. It just means that because of this strike, reality TV is strong again. It's A LOT cheaper to produce than scripted TV shows, most reality shows have been doing either the same or better than scripted shows this season, and people seem to like reality shows more than they do scripted shows. Like Walking Tall said, it's a lot less of a headache.