Why is reality television taking over America? Because fantasy has dried up, and we need a new trend. It used to be that people had guilty pleasures that involved large amounts of science fiction, like cult favorites Doctor Who, but those types of shows are becoming more and more uncommon and reality TV is becoming more of the norm.
Every Monday and Sunday night I spend valuable time in front of my TV watching one of the many Real Housewives of… franchises. When the two hour finale of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was on, I spent the full two hours glued to my television.
“Why are you watching this?” I asked myself. I began to think of all the things that kept me coming back week after week.
The money. While we are living in a recession, and many, including myself, are unable to spend outrageous amounts of money on lavish parties or second homes, it’s nice to see those who can. These are women of all different backgrounds, races, and professions, and they have all figured out a way to make a living for themselves. And trust me, it’s a good living. There is an odd enjoyment in watching those with privilege get what they want.
A main argument against reality television, and The Real Housewives in particular, is that these shows lack artistic expression, but nobody is watching Lisa Vanderpump spend millions of dollars on a dinner party for the art of it all. It’s simply an indulgence. It’s easy to watch wealthy women fight because it isn’t relatable We, as an audience, do not need, or want, to think about our real life problems. It’s healthy to get away from the stress you experience every day.
Also we know it isn’t real. Keeping up with the Kardashians is probably scripted, as is Housewives, the next American Idol has probably already been chosen. Who cares? I don’t.
Mindless television serves a purpose. It doesn’t matter what show or format you prefer, whether it is the dating shows like The Bachelor, the high stakes competition shows like Survivor, talent shows like The X Factor, or famous for being famous shows like The Real Housewives. And I think the sooner people realize that, the sooner we can stop talking about television and start talking about real issues, like who will be the Next Top Model… kidding!
