Should tv networks just give all their reality tv shows a rest?

Reality TV is cheap because they don’t have to pay actors. It’s not going away any time soon.
However my answer is a resounding “yes”. It’s just lazy programming.

The only reality TV I don’t despise, is most of what’s on discovery. Like mythbusters and dirty jobs. All that other crap I hate with a passion.

Hmm. I don’t hate all reality tv, but I do dislike the shows you stated as examples. I’ve never watching American Idol, and Survivor was interesting the first couple seasons..

I still watch crappy VH1 reality shows, because they’re entertaining. And I find things like Wife Swap to be funny, and Super Nanny can be informative.
They all push it too far though.

I hate shows that are about actors…Who the hell cares about the Kardesians[whatever] or Ryan’s Sheckler’s life…?. ugh!

I’ll allow them one last show in which the eight last remaining persons who didn’t participate yet can show that, indeed, they can’t dance.

Yes, but they won’t. They still get ratings and, as The_Compassionate_Heretic said, they are cheap to produce—much cheaper than one hour dramas.

stop watching TV and they’ll stop making crappy shows. Personally I watch shows two ways.

Netflix, either getting the disks or streaming on Xbox Live.

Hulu, the best thing for shows since the TV. (maybe not true, but it sounds good)

The Amazing Race is good fantastic.

Are Idols and SYTYCD called reality TV? I would have guessed talent shows (kk, now that I actually typed it, I see the contradiction in that). When the first Big Brother was shown (yes another great exportproduct from Holland, you’re welcome) there was no word for it and reality TV was born. It grew up to be a brat and it needs to change.

They won’t, but they should. There is wwwwwwwway too many.

yes (please)

I am a great TV watcher but with 100 channels, I never watch the celebrity or model reality shows or the “sit around the pool thinking up nasty things to say” reality shows. And then there are the pseudo-dramas that are so stupid that they end up being the butt of jokes on comedy shows. I see this Heidi and her boyfriend who seem to be a pair of talentless, witless boobs who go on interviews to talk about how great they are. It looks like a mockumentary.

Anyway there is a lot of original drama on cable stations, the programming on the premium channels eventually come to regular cable, the slew of real {not reality) channels like ihe many PBS, Discovery channels, Food Network, Animal Planet, HGTV, NatGeo, History and reruns of L&O and CSI, there is no reason to watch AI, BB or any of the rest.

I personally love reality tv . . .Its the bulk of what i watch. I know it’s mindless dribble it’s garbage it’s stupid. But I still love it. I dont personally watch the examples you used so I could do with out American idol and so you think you can dance. But any reality show that comes out i’ll usually watch atleast one episode of.

The networks produce reality TV because it gives them a much better return on their investment. They can spend $2 million on an episode of Law & Order, or $250K on an episode of Survivor, and if they get comparable ratings and comparable ad revenue, which one do you think they will choose?