TV trends come and go like the wind; one big trend is reality television. Reality television has been a staple for decades, whether it’s a show following swinging bachelors finding love or people trying to make it big with their cooking skills. However, recent trends have suggested that it might be about to change.
When Did This Start for Reality TV?
As time went on, TV trends shifted. The rise of reality television in the 90s gave way to tons of shows with one unifying trait, a host to guide the audience. The most iconic part of some of the shows is the person who has to deal with the chaos, but that might be going away soon. Multiple shows on Netflix that follow the reality TV format have ditched the host. This started in 2020, likely because of Covid and to reduce the number of people to worry about, but the trend has persisted into the present day, why?
Why has it persisted, and will it stay?
As time goes on, a reality show becomes more and more defined by its host. To look at game shows as an example, Jeopardy’s legacy is largely because of the role Alex Trebek played in hosting the show. Most shows are lucky to have a host with that level of impact, but most aren’t that lucky. The Bachelor had to get rid of Chris Hanson due to the controversy surrounding him, and every attempt of finding a new Jeopardy host has been lukewarm at best. Networks have probably looked at this and decided to cut the baggage of a host and just make the shows hostless. To them, it’s cheaper, but it does make some sense.
Is This a Sign for TV in General?
It’s no secret that Cable Television has been on a decline in popularity. Ever since popular streaming services showed up, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, it’s been hard for cable to compete. Add to how expensive cable is and this has led to a decline in viewership. So with a decline in viewership, comes a decline in money coming in for these channels. They have to make a profit, so what’s the answer? start cutting corners rather than making programming that people want to watch. The host of your favorite reality television show might not be the end of it, and if network behavior is to be repeated, more and more elements of these shows might be cut off the chopping block.
Reality television is some of the cheapest programming to produce, and with the rising costs of everything in the economy, network executives are desperate to save a quick buck. Their solution is clear, get rid of the person running the show, but soon, it might be much more. If you’d like to read more about the best villains in film and TV in 2022, check out this article!
