Task 6 | Essay

The Only Way is Reality: Is the popularity of “Dramality” television leading to the ‘dumbing down’ of audiences?

“The popularity of reality TV has led to a dangerous blurring of boundaries between fact and fiction… as a result reality TV has had a negative effect on modern society”. Reality television has quickly arisen to be one of the most popular television genres over the last decade. However, since “The Only Way is Essex” began in October 2010; its audience has peaked to a figure of 1.5 million and ignited a conveyer belt of other similar programmes – such as “Made in Chelsea”, “Geordie Shore” and “The Valleys” - which fall into a new mainstream category of ‘dramality’ or structured-reality television. ‘Dramality’ is a hybrid of drama and reality TV genres; with no speech or reactions scripted, but scenarios mediated by the producers to create more of a narrative and spectacle to primarily entertain its audience. Although this genre is detested by a significant proportion of society; we must question why it is so popular. It could be described as notoriously addictive; with audiences being considered “peeping Toms” or striving to replicate the superficial lifestyles the ‘characters’ lead – surely, with much more substantial and serious issues surrounding our lives – such as world poverty and the dwindling economic prosperity – why are consumed by watching frivolous conflicts and relationships from narcissistic individuals to pass the time, consequently ‘dumbing down’ its audience?

Reality TV began in 1948 with Allen Funt’s “Candid Camera” in America which the UK later adopted in 1960. Its premise was a basic hidden camera prank show which confronted unbeknownst members of the public with unusual scenarios in order to capture their genuine reactions. There have been various other reality shows since then but none exploded in popularity until “Big Brother” hit the screens in 2000. It could be said that this millennium mile-stone spurred a revitalisation in the reality TV genre. Unlike the generic elements of the genre; “Big Brother” was marketed as a social experiment game show which enticed an audience interested in the physiological aspect as well as voyeurs.  However, over the years, the exhausted concept has developed as a platform for fame-hungry individuals to get their “fifteen minutes of fame”. It has now turned into a spectacle of eccentric and melodramatic characters living in house with producers concocting more extreme and unusual scenarios and tasks in order to get more of a reaction. From this, it is evident that the television show itself has ‘dumbed down’. Additionally, the popularity from the US hit TV show; “The Hills” – which started in 2006 – provided a mould for structured-reality to become a mainstream genre. The simple concept of following the lives of young, aspirational people living in Los Angeles gave audiences an insight into this remote and idealistic lifestyle. This basic ‘winning formula’ may have been the inspiration the UK’s answer to “The Hills” – “The Only Way is Essex” (“TOWIE”) which began in 2010.