The Pre-90s Reality Shows That Gen X Remembers (And You Need to See)

[TMC]

When I was growing up in the 80s, it was a rare thing for a "normal" regular person to show up on a TV screen unless they were lucky enough to be a game show contestant or the subject of a local news story.

If you weren't a celebrity or public figure…or a journalist…or a member of the screen actors guild…the chances of you getting on TV and being on a screen were slim to none.

But…Gen Xers like myself know that there were reality TV pioneers that graced our screens well before we met seven strangers who lived in a house.

There was reality TV before the 90s…and it became the foundation of everything that came after. These handful of shows made it possible for regular people to get past the gatekeepers, make it on our screens, and possibly become famous for 15 minutes.

And that's what today's video is all about. TV shows that focused on "regular people" before the explosion of modern reality TV in the 1990s. Not game shows or dating shows, though.

Each entry explores how these programs pioneered their own path and usually showcased everyday individuals—whether through competition, legal disputes, talent, emergencies, or personal moments—paving the way for the unscripted, human-centric television that would dominate later decades. As well as the social media content that followed.

My name is Natalie, this is my So-Called Gen X Life, and here are the best reality-type shows from the 70s and 80s that put regular people on TV.