A guilty pleasure and personal favourite, the reality genre is popular in TV scheduling on behalf of both producers and audiences, predominantly due to its typical lightheartedness and relatable nature, as well the low costs in producing such programs.
Rather than splurging top dollar on professional actors, producers are able to assemble a loot of free talent in return for their 15 minutes of fame (or a full season of it if they so happen to make it through the show’s respective elimination ceremonies). While there are many a format of reality programs that grace our screens, including adventure-based competitions, fashion industry competitions, talent quests and general lifestyle programs, the most buzz (in Australia) currently surrounds Channel 10’s The Bachelor. Having recently completed the program’s third season and The Bachelorette’s inaugural season with top ratings, it is evident that the quest for true love resonates with and entertains global and Australian audiences. But why is this?
Like every story, there are two sides to Australia’s current fixation with The Bachelor. Australian culture values the ‘every-man’, and celebrates the presence of ‘normal’ people in what is typically a place of exclusivity, in this case, on their television screens. These fans love supporting or ‘backing’ whom they believe is the most down to earth, ‘authentic’ and relatable contestant, allowing these viewers to “compare and contrast their own lives with those of the show’s protagonists” (Connor 2005). For example, the laid-back, flannel-wearing Richie Strahan was picked as fan favourite in The Bachelorette, whereby his slightly awkward, goofy, romantic personality led viewers to fall in love with him (the core principle of the show), therefore emotionally participating in the program themselves. Guys wanted to be him and girls wanted to be with him. As mentioned in “Why Do We Tune into Reality TV?“, this highly constructed and intentional experience is commonly referred to as ‘hyperauthenticity’ (Connor 2005). Alternatively, audiences are drawn to programs such as The Bachelor by means of scrutiny and hate-watching. As Holmes recalls, reality TV is “where ordinary people are valued and scrutinised for playing themselves” (2011). Audiences tend to find gratification in their own lives while watching the emotional turmoil of others. This allows for a vicarious experience whereby viewers are enabled to see the consequences of someone else’s actions without have to experience them themselves.
As previously mentioned, the notion of authenticity is highly valued in relation to reality television. The Bachelor especially places emphasis on the fact that participants are there to find ‘real’ and ‘true’ love, and that the emotions expressed on the show are entirely legitimate. This provides such programs with “professed abilities to more fully provide viewers an unmediated, voyeuristic… playful look into what might be called the ‘entertaining real’” (Oulette and Murray 2004). This subsequent fascination with seemingly authentic personalities and situations is viewed upon as reality TV’s key distinction from fictional television and stands as “its primary selling point” (Oulette and Murray 2004). Although audiences do value authenticity, typically preferring contestants they relate to versus that of an indecent, over-the top-personality type, it is important to note, as mentioned in an audience study by Connor (2005), that “there’s a line between… true reality and reality that’s entertaining”.
While The Bachelor and its Bachelorette counterpart are the leading reality programs to focus on the search for true love, there are many other programs that take these same values and apply them to different formats. This includes Girlfri3nds, MTV’s Next, Dating in the Dark, Farmer Wants a Wife, and Are You The One? to name a few. While some of these are more prize-oriented, they all promote the same values of ‘real’ people finding ‘real’ love on national television.
References:
Connor, P. (2005). Why Do We Tune In To Reality TV?. [online] CBS News. Available at: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-do-we-tune-in-to-reality-tv/2/ [Accessed 23 Oct. 2015].
Holmes, S. (2011). Big Brother RIP: Introduction. In Celebrity Studies. Vol. 2(2). p.215-216.
Murray, S. & Ouellette, L. (2004). Introduction to Reality TV: Remaking Television Culture. New York: New York University Press.
