Dose of Reality

I always thought of myself as someone who had a pretty good grasp of popular trends but I have been wrong on a few occasions for example shoulder pads and stir-up pants I actually had a tube of shoulder pads that you could pop in to just about any blouse or jacket and instantly attract the opposite sex with your big boxy shoulders. I am the first to admit when I am wrong and boy was I wrong about reality shows. I seriously thought that no-one in their right mind would want to dedicate time to watch real people doing real things. Here is a list of reality shows in the United States alone-the UK , Japan and India are all fans of reality shows as well. I think this list will blow you away! I have seriously not heard of 75 percent of these. Enjoy.

Documentary style

• Up series (began with Seven Up! in 1964) (UK)
• An American Family (1973)
• The Real World (1992)
• Road Rules (1994)
• Airline (US; 2003 on A&E Network)
• Bug Juice (1998)
• True Life (1998)
• Making the Band (2001)
• Project Greenlight (2001)
• Scariest Places On Earth (2001)
• Making the Band 2 (2002)
• The Salon (2002)
• Sorority Life (2002)
• American Chopper (2003)
• Fraternity Life (2003)
• Jamie's Kitchen (2003)
• The Restaurant (2003)
• Starting Over (2003)
• American Casino (2004)
• American Hot Rod (2004)
• Amish in the City (2004)
• Bands Reunited (2004)
• The Casino (2004)
• College Hill (2004)
• Family Plots (2004) (US; A&E Network)
• Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County (2004)
• Rachael Rocks (2004)
• Deadliest Catch (2005)
• Miami Ink (2005)
• Stranded with Cash Peters (2005)
• Who's Your Daddy? (2005)
• 8th & Ocean (2006)
• Bonds on Bonds (2006) (ESPN)
• King of Cars (2006)
• Opening Soon
• The Real Housewives of Orange County (2006)
• The Real Housewives of New Jersey (2009)
• The Real Housewives of Atlanta (2008)
• Deadline (2007)
• Ice Road Truckers (2007)
• Jon & Kate Plus 8 (2007)
• Chef School (2008)
• Ax Men (2008)
• BBQ Pitmasters (2009)
• The Colony (2009) (US; Discovery)
• Jersey Shore (2009)
• Teen Mom (2009)
• Freshwater Blue (2010)
• The Generations Project (2010)
• Throttle Junkies TV (2010)
• Half Pint Brawlers (2010)
• Oddities (2010)
• Sister Wives (2010)

[edit]Historical re-creation

This genre takes modern-day contestants and puts them in the lifestyle of historical people or places.

• Warrior Challenge (2003) (US)
• Colonial House (2004) (US; PBS)
• Infamous (2004, E!)
• MTV's The 70s House (2005)
• Kid Nation (2007) (US)
• Over The Rainbow (2010)

[edit]Science

This genre documents scientific analysis or exploration firsthand.

• "Mythbusters" (2003) (The Discovery Channel)
• "The Crocodile Hunter" (1997) (The Discovery Channel)
• "Human Wrecking Balls" (2008) (G4 Network)
• "Doing DaVinci" (2009) (The Discovery Channel)

[edit]Dating

In this genre, couples or singles are brought together in dating or romantic situations

• Blind Date (US) (1999)
• Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? (2000)
• The 5th Wheel (2001)
• Chains of Love (2001)
• 12 Corazones (2006)
• Dismissed (2001)
• Temptation Island (2001)
• Who Wants to Be a Princess (2001)
• The Bachelor (2002)
• Bachelorettes in Alaska (2002)
• ElimiDATE (2002)
• EX-treme Dating (2002)
• Meet My Folks (2002)
• Shipmates (2001)
• Average Joe (2003)
• The Bachelorette (2003)
• Cupid (2003)
• For Love or Money (2003)
• Joe Millionaire (2003)
• Married by America (2003)
• Mr. Personality (2003)
• Room Raiders (2003)
• My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé (2004)
• Boy Meets Boy (2004)
• The Littlest Groom (2004)
• Outback Jack (2004)
• The Player (2004)
• Date My Mom (2004)
• Who Wants to Marry My Dad? (2004)
• The Ultimate Love Test (2004) (US)
• Beauty and the Geek (2005)
• Next (2005)
• Flavor of Love (2006)
• I Love New York (2007)
• Parental Control (2006)
• Matched in Manhattan (2006)
• Age of Love (2007)
• Rock of Love with Bret Michaels (2007)
• Transamerican Love Story (2008)
• When Spicy Meets Sweet (2008)
• Real Chance of Love (2008)
• Momma's Boys (2008)
• For the Love of Ray J (2009)
• [[ [v] Lovenet]] (2010)

[edit]Law Enforcement/Military

• COPS (1989)
• Rescue 911 (1989)
• Real Stories of the Highway Patrol (1993)
• LAPD: Life On The Beat (1995)
• World's Wildest Police Videos (1998)
• Boot Camp (2001)
• American Fighter Pilot (2002)
• Combat Missions (2002)
• Dog The Bounty Hunter (2004)
• Commando VIP (2005)
• Armed and Famous (2007)The Academy (2007)
• Jail (2007)
• Inside American Jail (2007)
• DEA (2008)
• Steven Seagal: Lawman (2009)
• Coming Home (Reality Show) (2011)

[edit]Makeover

This increasingly popular genre features ordinary people having home or lifestyle makeovers with the assistance of professionals.

• Changing Rooms (1996) (UK) = Trading Spaces (US) (2000)
• What Not to Wear (US)
• Extreme Makeover (2002)
• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2003)
• Monster Garage (2002) (US)
• MTV's Made (2002)
• Clean House (2003)
• Clean Sweep (2003)
• Knock First (2003)
• Monster House (2003) (US)
• Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003)
• Dr. 90210 (2004) (US)
• Trading Spaces: Home Free (2004)
• The Complex: Malibu (2004) (US)
• Pimp My Ride (2004) (MTV, US)
• The Swan (2004) (US)
• Town Haul (2004) (TLC, US)
• Queer Eye for the Straight Girl (2005) (US)
• A Makeover Story (US)
• Relationship Rehab (?) (Style Network, US)
• Trinny & Susannah Make Over America (US)

[edit]Lifestyle change

Here, ordinary people experience an extraordinary change in their environments or occupations.

• Faking It (2001) (UK; remade in US in 2003)
• The Biggest Loser (2004) (US)
• He's a Lady (2004) (US)
• Nanny 911 (2004)
• Supernanny (2004 - UK, 2005 - US)
• Trading Spouses (2004) (US)
• 30 Days (2005)
• Brat Camp (2005)
• Shalom in the Home (2005) (US))
• Survival of the Richest (2006)
• The Bad Girls Club (2006)
• Fat March (2007) (US)
• Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School (2007) (US)
• Rock of Love: Charm School (2008) (US)
• Tool Academy (2009) (US)
• Charm School with Ricki Lake (2009) (US)

[edit]Fantasies fulfilled

• Thrill of a Lifetime (1982-88 & 2002)(Canada & USA)
• No Opportunity Wasted (2004)
• Your Reality Checked (2004)
• Let's Get This Party Started (2005) (US)
• Three Wishes (2005) (US)

[edit]Docusoaps starring celebrities

This genre, launched most successfully by music channel MTV, follows a camera crew into the lives of celebrities.

• This Is Your Life (1952) (US)
• The Anna Nicole Show (2002)
• The Osbournes (2002)
• Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica (2003)
• Rich Girls (2003)
• The Simple Life (2003)
• The Surreal Life (2003)
• The Ashlee Simpson Show (2004)
• Blow Out (2004) (US)
• The Gastineau Girls (2004)
• Growing Up Gotti (2004)
• The Simple Life 2 (2004)
• Britney and Kevin: Chaotic (2005)
• Filthy Rich - Cattle Drive (2005)
• The Girls Next Door (2005)
• Hogan Knows Best (2005)
• I Married a Princess (2005)
• Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (2005)
• Meet the Barkers (2005)
• The Simple Life: Interns (2005)
• Tommy Lee Goes to College (2005)
• #1 Single (2006)
• House of Carters (2006)
• The Princes of Malibu (2006)
• Gene Simmons Family Jewels (2006 - present)
• Being Bobby Brown (2005)
• Rob & Big (2006)
• Adventures in Hollyhood - Three Six Mafia (2006)
• The Hills (2006)
• Life Of Ryan (2007)
• Keeping Up with the Kardashians (2007)
• Snoop Dogg's Father Hood (2007)
• Run's House
• Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane (2007)
• Flipping Out' (2008)

[edit]Hidden camera

Perhaps the oldest reality show genre, popular as far back as the early days of television.

• Candid Camera (1948)
• TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (1984)
• Beadle's About (1987) (UK)
• Totally Hidden Video (1991)
• Cheaters (2000)
• Spy TV (2001)
• Qué Locura (2001)
• The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (2002)
• Oblivious (2002)
• Girls Behaving Badly (2003?)
• Punk'd (2003)
• Scare Tactics (2003)
• Hi-Jinks (2005)
• Fire Me...Please (2005)
• Boiling Points (US) MTV

[edit]Reality game shows/Reality "Playoffs"

This, the biggest and most successful reality genre, features contestants who compete for prizes, while often living together in close quarters. Usually, they feature the eliminations of contestants until a winner is chosen. Sometimes they are considered to be "Reality Playoffs" since their format is similar to that of a playoff in sports.

• Beat the Clock (1950)
• Truth or Consequences (1950)
• Expedition Robinson (1997)
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (1999) (US)
• The Weakest Link (1999) (US)
• Survivor (2000)
• The Mole (2000)
• The Amazing Race (2001)
• Boot Camp (2001)
• Cannonball Run 2001 (2001)
• Fear Factor (2001)
• Lost (2001)
• Murder in Small Town X (2001)
• Pilipinas, Game KNB? (2001) Dubbed as The Best Philippine Gameshow (Philippines)
• Beg, Borrow & Deal (2002-2003)
• Endurance (2002) (US)
• I'm a Celebrity... US version (US)
• Model Flat (Fashion TV, 2002)
• Under One Roof (2002)
• Dog Eat Dog (2003)
• Celebrity Farm (2003)
• Paradise Hotel (2003)
• The Benefactor (2004)
• The Code Room (2004)
• Forever Eden (2004)
• Mad Mad House (2004)
• Quest USA, Da Tiao Zhan (2004) (US)
• Actuality TV's Casting Call (2005) (US)
• Deal or No Deal (2006) (US)
• Solitary (2006) (US)
• Treasure Hunters (2006) (US)
• Ultimate Challenge (2006) Pakistan first adventure based reality show
• Unan1mous (2006) (US)
• Pirate Master (2007) (US)
• I Love Money (2008)
• Wipeout (2008) (US)
• I Survived a Japanese Game Show (2008) (US)
• 13: Fear Is Real (2009) (US)
• The Great American Road Trip (2009) (US)

[edit]Talent Searches

Often similar to the game show genre in that there are eliminations and a final winner, this genre centers on contestants competing a specific skill or talent, rather than in random challenges.

• Original Amateur Hour (1948)
• Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (1948)
• The Gong Show (1976)
• Star Search (1980s)
• Bands on the Run (2001
• • American Idol (2002)
    • American Juniors (2003)
• WWF/WWE Tough Enough (2001)
• WWE Tough Enough 2 (2002)
• WWE Tough Enough 3 (2003)
• America's Next Top Model (2003-present)
• Comic Relief does Fame Academy (2003) (2005) (2007)
• Last Comic Standing (2003)
• Nashville Star (2003)
• Performing As... (2003)
• Surf Girls (2003)
• The Apprentice (2004-2007, US, NBC)
• The Assistant (2004)
• The Contender (2004)
• Can You Be A Porn Star? (2004)
• Dancing with the Stars (2004) (many countries)
• Dream Job II (2004)
• Dream Job (2004)
• Hell's Kitchen (2004 - UK, 2005 - US)
• Next Action Star (2004)
• The Next Great Champ (2004)
• Project Runway (2004) (US)
• Wickedly Perfect (2004) (US)
• The Rebel Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best (2004)
• The Next Food Network Star (2005)
• Rock Star INXS (2005)
• The Scholar (2005)
• So You Think You Can Dance (2005)
• The Ultimate Fighter (2005–present, USA, Spike)
• America's Got Talent (2006)
• American Inventor (2006) (ABC)
• Dirty Dancing (2006)
• Knight School (2006, USA, ESPN)
• The One: Making a Music Star (2006)
• Rock Star: Supernova (2006)
• Skating With Celebrities (2006) (US)
• Top Chef (2006)
• Who Wants to be a Superhero? (2006) (Sci-fi)
• Grease: You're the One that I Want! (2007)
• Ego Trip's The "White" Rapper Show (2007)
• The Next Iron Chef (2007, US, Food Network)
• Phenomenon (2007, US, NBC)
• Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll (2007, US)
• The Singing Bee (2007)
• The Shot (2007, US)
• America's Most Smartest Model (2007, US)
• America's Best Dance Crew (2008, US)
• Ego Trip's Miss Rap Supreme (2008)
• Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (2008)
• My Kid's a Star (2008)
• I Know My Kid's a Star (2008)
• Scream Queens (2008)
• Redemption Song (2008)