TV opinion: Is the golden age of reality TV making its return?
The 2000s and early 2010s were the years of prime reality TV.
The Kardashians, The Real Housewives franchise, The Simple Life, unscripted moments filled with juicy drama, is something we can all admit we were unapologetically drawn to, but it fizzled out.
Producers began to get involved, scripts began to be followed, and the creation of fictional TV began to rise.
Film News Blitz writer Evie Scroggie explains how that’s all starting to change (thank god).
Where it all began
Prime reality TV began with the classics: Big Brother, Survivor, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, TOWIE. Arguably some of the best TV to ever exist. But why is that?
The rawness of reality TV allowed the audience at home to relate to what they’re watching on their screens, something you can’t always do with fictional TV.
But let’s be honest, the real reason we all love reality TV is the drama. If something juicy is going down, we want to see it. But don’t worry, that's not our fault, it’s just human nature.
The comeback
I personally believe the comeback of the golden age of reality TV happened when Big Brother started to gain its popularity back.
For one of the biggest reality TV shows to make its return to more screens, the gateway to the rest had been opened.
Making a new reality show in this era was risky, but it seems we were ready for it. The end of 2022 saw the start of The Traitors, a reality TV show hosted by Claudia Winkleman.
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It was instantly popular and has remained running ever since, with each season gaining more viewers than the last.
Whilst the popularity of shows like Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Love Island has never really decreased, things began to get repetitive, and viewers seemed to be getting a bit bored.
Hence, the recent introduction of The Kardashians reboot and Love Island All Stars show with the same foundations but a new, fresher angle.
And it definitely worked, audiences are more interested now than ever.
Where’s this revival coming from?
It’s no surprise that the return of the golden age of reality TV’s comeback places itself on the timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While stuck inside our homes, we craved the raw social interaction we once had, and those shows acted as an escapism mechanism during such scary times when we didn’t know when the next time we’d be arguing around a large table of people would be.
The rise in the use of streaming platforms throughout this time made it even easier, as there was greater access to these shows, and we were able to lie in bed and binge them all day when we were trapped inside with nothing better to do.
There is also something so incredibly nostalgic about reality TV.
Even watching seasons made in real time, the genre itself just transports people back to the 2010s, just with more money and therefore better production.
As the success of The Traitors and the resurrection of Big Brother prove, reality TV is making a powerful resurgence.
Audiences have been seeking nostalgia and authenticity within the TV landscape, and now they have it.
While it’s continuing to evolve, there’s no doubt it's coming back.
The golden age of reality TV is officially back, and we’re happy about it.
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