So I got off work yesterday and I pretty much sat down and watched tv… I know that sounds lame. I wanted to go play trivia, but pretty much everyone I know is sick (and I’d rather not get sick, so…). Anyway, TLC was pretty much having reality show marathon (that’s pretty much what TLC is anyway, right?) and I thought to myself that there are so many categories of reality tv that we need to condense them…
Here are the ways I think reality tv should be categorized:
Awesome
Awesome reality shows are just that: awesome. There is no shame in admitting you watch any of these.
What Not to Wear
The Little Couple: This is normally the kind of show I’d be confused about, but the people in it are just so lovely and relate-able, that you can’t not like them.
MythBusters
Trading Spaces
Extreme Makeover/Home Edition
Pretty much anything on HGTV
The Crocodile Hunter
Candid Camera
What Would You Do?: I found this a week ago and it was great!
American Idol (seasons 1-4): This show really used to be awesome.
America’s Next Top Model (cycles 1-7, maybe 8… maybe…): (see above)
Hit Me, Baby, One More Time
Deal or No Deal
The Price is Right
Don’t Forget the Lyrics
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance (the first season)
Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?
Grease: You’re the One That I Want!/Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods
Say Yes To The Dress
Face Off
Project Runway
Ultimate Cake Off
Awesomely Horrible
These shows are the car wreck syndrome of tv shows. You know they’re bad, but there’s just something so awesome about that that watching is necessary. There is a fine line between awesomely horrible and horrible, though.
The Bachelor/Bachelorette: I don’t know what it is, but this show is awesome and horrible… Maybe that only one bachelorette is still married?
Room Raiders: Hilarious!
Beauty and the Geek (except season 4): It had its really sweet moments and some of the people really changed.
Daisy of Love: I don’t really know what I liked about this show… Maybe how goofy the guys were?
Tool Academy/Charm School: Hilarious in their own ways.
You’re Cut Off!: The contestants are seriously ridiculous, but I think they learn a great deal…
Million Dollar Money Drop: Extreme trivia.
Nostalgic
These shows could probably be labeled as horrible or awesome depending on who you ask, but they’re so nostalgic and classic that you have to let them be awesome.
The Real World (until somewhere around season 10-12) and Road Rules: These shows were great until they just went on way too long.
Bug Juice: Nickelodeon reality tv show? Yes!
Making the Band: I was so dedicated to this show when it was about O-Town. There was just something about that boy band craze, you know?
House of Carters: Normally, this show embodies everything I hate in these shows normally… But, I can’t help but support Nick, for nostalgia… yes, for nostalgia….
Monotonous
It used to be awesome, but it’s been on for way too many years and lost some (or all) of its awesomeness.
The Real World (after somewhere around season 10-12)
American Idol (seasons 5-present)
America’s Next Top Model (definitely cycles 9-present)
So You Think You Can Dance (seasons 2-present)
It Depends on the Episode
This is either an awesome (or awesomely horrible) show or a horrible show depending on the episode.
True Life: Some of these are great! Some of them… are a bit ridiculous.
Supernanny: Jo is always awesome, some of the families…. Eh…
Punk’d: Sometimes the pranks went a bit overboard…
Made: Some of the people, I think…
Cake Boss: If you’ve seen this show, you understand.
LA Ink: (see above)
Confusing
Why is this a reality tv show? Why? Why?
Pretty much any docusoap starring a celebrity (with two major exceptions, see above and below)
19 Kids and Counting: I just… I just really don’t like this show…
Sarah Palin’s Alaska: Alaska belongs to the rest of Alaska too… I’m just saying.
Little People, Big World: I think that these people have some things they should work on away from cameras… It’s not really the show itself, per se, but more that I worry tv drama affects them personally….
Horrible
These shows are just downright horrible. They also fall under “why is this a reality show?” category, but they’re just so bad… I don’t know…
The Real World (season 18): I’m sure everyone feels this way about the Real World filmed in their town… But sometimes people think that what’s on the Real World is all you have to offer. And there’s way more to Denver than the Real World.
Road Rules (season 14): After a four year hiatus, just leave the show in its glory days.
Making the Band 2, 3, and 4: It just wasn’t the same without O-Town.
Laguna Beach/The Hills/The City: I just… Bleh…
Jersey Shore: (see above, but with more orange day glo)
John and Kate Plus 8: So much drama….
Flavor of Love/Rock of Love/For the Love of Ray J, etcetera: (see above, but more catty)
Shot at Love with Tila Tequila: Oh Tila….
Wife Swap/Trading Spouses: Just a bad idea all around.
The Simple Life: I hate Paris Hilton… Just despise her….
Pretty much any game show/competition show (exceptions noted above)
Terrifying
Horrible shows that cross the line of horrible into terrifying… You will see why….
Sorority Life and Fraternity Life: Portraying Greek life with locals that are not subject to umbrella organizations or nationals and they haze and behave badly on television….. Perfect way to portray Greek Life. Absolutely….
The Real Housewives of…: I think this is a combination of the way I feel about Real World Denver, Jersey Shore, and Sorority Life/Fraternity Life…
Extreme Couponing: These people… Do you need deodorant to last 150 years?
Hoarders: Buried Alive: Too much stuff….
I guess my main problem with reality tv shows is these last two I mentioned. When does Extreme Couponing become hoarding? When does being messy become hoarding?
I just thought of TLC’s new reality tv show: Hoarders: Extreme Couponing.
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