Let’s be real: after a long day of class or work, it is refreshing to sit back, relax and watch some good television. We look to television for an escape from reality. The market for reality TV is growing more than ever, and producers are finding themselves almost forced to create these types of shows in order to attain good ratings, be profitable and keep their careers going. So, why is it that there are so many reality TV shows on the rise when they aren’t necessarily the most interesting thing out there?
They’re easy to watch
From Keeping Up with the Kardashians to The Real House Wives, the storylines of reality TV are not difficult to follow. Instead of focusing on how simplistic these stories are, we tell ourselves that we deserve to indulge in shows that don’t take up too much brain power. At the end of the day, we watch TV to relax. We don’t want to have to solve a Rubik’s Cube to understand what we are watching. Instead, we watch reality TV, which gives us all the entertainment of other genres, without beating up our brains.
We find entertainment in the lives of others
Sometimes the problems of others are just funny or entertaining. I find the family drama in the Keeping Up with the Kardashians so enticing to watch. I always think to myself, “there is no way a family can have so many problems that are just completely ridiculous.” But for some reason, I keep going back. I keep wanting to see if the feud continues, or if the sister is really pregnant. For some reason, I feel completely invested in the lives of those people whose show I am watching.
Sometimes, it’s all that’s on
If you find me watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians, it is probably because there was nothing else on to watch. I can almost guarantee that when every channel seems to be playing boring content, there is at least one reality TV show playing somewhere. I do have to note that while I am guilty of watching the show a little too often, it’s usually just playing in the background while I am doing laundry or homework.
The cinematography
I don’t quite understand why, but the visuals on Keeping Up with the Kardashians are enjoyable to watch. The little transition scenes are pretty visually appealing. As a fan of a well-shot film, TV shows, commercials, etc., shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians keep me coming back just to see the nice images of the various locations they attend.
It’s a guilty pleasure
Many viewers of reality TV shows, like myself, are well aware that the content they are watching isn’t all that great. However, we still keep tuning in each time we turn on our televisions. We just can’t help it! There’s also a certain amusement that comes with indulging in poorly-produced shows. It’s one of those “it’s so bad it’s good” concepts.
We don’t judge
Now, if you are one of these hardcore reality TV followers, that’s totally fine! Everyone has their own style and is into their own shows. For me, I find the fact that people watch reality TV just a tad bit ironic, but I watch it, nonetheless.
All I can say is that I’m not 100 percent sure why we watch so much reality TV. All I can say is that reality TV is most definitely my guilty pleasure, and despite the fact shows can be pretty ridiculous, I will continue to watch them.