What do you think about the quality of reality TV shows?

@KaptainKichigai: Good one!

Reality TV is tv without the studio. It mostly doesn't take place on a set with all that terrible lighting at least. A better question is what do I think of years and years of scripted dialogue that bores the living daylights out of me like nothing else. Even if reality TV is a little scripted and heavily edited, there is more spontaneity there. I never liked a constant stream of make believe emotions

My bimbo colleague told me about some new "Skating with the Stars" reality TV show... She was totally stroked! Did I mention she was a bimbo?

@ kawachi or "Japan" and "Today"? reality shows are about as real as Japanese Idols are talented.

Isn't putting the words "quality" and "reality TV" in the same phrase an oxymoron like "jumbo shrimp" or "military intelligence"?

i don't know if it qualified as 'reality,' but I always enjoyed Ainori. Not so much for the love stories, but to see all the places they went, and they people they met. Wish it was still on the air.

Sooner or later, they will all become some version of "Ow, my balls."

Klein2 : Thanks for the chortle...

@Badge213, i think ur mistaking the Amazing race for survivor! In other words, 2 teams out of ( ) on the amazing race actually look good in a bikini to begin with; if we ever get to seem them in one that is!

Depends on the show. However with the camera crew present it makes people behave in ways I think they would not behave under normal circumstances.

I actually like the Amazing Race, however I think the show can be a million times better and they come up with stupid rules each year. Also notice that 99% of the time if you aren't a good looking person in a bikini you won't be on the Amazing Race. Sure they do have a couple of teams that are "normal" but for the most part, hot looking in a bikini or you're not going to be on that show.

Survivor is still amazing! Amazing race. Top chef. Hell's kitchen (Ramsey is awesome other than that the show and the other chefs are blah...)

You can't really lump all reality tv shows into one like that. Like drama or comedy, there are some really great shows (Survivor, Amazing Race, ANTM, etc), and some really horrid, boring reality shows (Kardashians, Ozborns, John and Kate plus Eight, etc).

I for one really, really, really wish that they would allow us American Expats to participate in the Amazing Race and Survivor. I would be all over those shows if that was the case.

There are about four I enjoy, but the rest I could do without. Occasionally a worthwhile one pops up. I don't like the ones that either wreck lives (Bachelor) or follow some idiot (Simple Life). Competitions are usually pretty good.

One thing I like about reality TV is that even if it's somewhat nudged in a direction, something bad can always happen. Fan favorites lose all the time. Sometimes you get a team on Amazing Race whom everyone loves to death, but they don't get that flight that everyone else managed to get, or they get a challenge they just can't complete. Regular, scripted TV can be so dull. You know the hero will win. You know he'll get the girl. You know good will always triumph. It gets dull. In reality TV, evil or even mediocrity win.

Don't love em, but they can be good for a laugh. I think in many cases that they are designed for people who are tired from work and want to unwind while not having to think and can just half pay attention to while relaxing... and while I generally watch other genres more, at times they fit the bill.

Cops is about the only reality show that is reality the rest is scripted garbage and the Sh!te in japan tv is undistandably stoopud.

Japanese reality TV...perhaps the best in the world! US reality TV...some good, some great, some amazing. British reality TV...some great, some amazing. ROTW...no idea!

Of course, those comments were written with a heavy hand of sarcasm! Most 'realty' shows featuring celebs are truly awful. Some shows...cops, etc can be quite 'fun'.

Sooner or later, they will all become some version of "Ow, my balls." Most already are, really. People used to watch sitcoms to see contrived families being nasty to each other. Now they can see real people do it. There used to be cop shows with chases, gun battles and assaults, complete with stereotypes. Well, now we can see real people following the same "scripts" of sketchy behavior.

Every time you turn around, life is imitating art, and it is not an art that is uplifting or humanizing in any way. It is glorification of the mediocre. The lowest common denominator wins in this genre, so the more popular it is, the closer it is to Jerry Springer.

inane garbarge.

I don't really watch very many anymore, but competition ones are kind of interesting to watch. Like America's Next Top Model or Top Chef and the like. The rest though, yes, pretty boring and tasteless. I wouldn't write them all off, but for the most part, they're all pretty much a waste of time.

Never been into them and could completely ignore their existence if my Facebook feed wasn't spammed with weekly X-Factor comments.

If people want to waste their time with these mindless shows, thats their decision. But it's amazing that many of the same people will absolutely not believe that these shows are scripted for maximum ratings. It's been going on one way or another since the game shows from the 1950's. The only thing real about them is the money they make.

They are cheap mind numbing trash. So go figure who they're made for...

Those Toubou shows with the Men In Black are great. JTV sucks pretty badly apart from that and the travel/nature shows on BS.

"catering to the lowest common denominator factor." "Ridiculous, boring, cheap." REAL open minded!!!! yes they are cheap and a dime a dozen, but I think there are some good ones out there. The only one I really enjoy is Top Chef. I think it is a great cooking show. I like to see chefs from all over the world and their talents. I had no idea I knew so little about food. My parents have traveled all over the world. They love to watch the Amazing Race because it goes all around the world as well. They love to see so many of the places they have visited. Granted I think a lot of it is trash, but their are always good ones out there to be found. and guess what? sometimes people have different tastes as you. I don't like the amazing race, but I understand why my parents love it so much. The thing is 90% of them are awefull. But isnt that true about all TV? wait, music, and movies too?

The Amazing Race is a great show.

Ridiculous, boring, cheap. I agree with rainman1 and I would also prefer to watch a good, intelligent drama series.

In Japan the airwaves are reserved for tarento who have strong agencies. Also, most reality shows require spontaneity but Japanese producers prefer to adhere to a controlled format minus surprises. Perhaps more importantly, I don't think Japanese viewers get off on watching people being backstabbed or shamed - this is the basic premise of most reality shows.

Rubbish. But catering to the lowest common denominator factor. Cue cliches on people get waht people want etc.

" Toubou " is a good show because it's not in the studio room and outdoors all the time. I wish they would make or bring back " LASER TAG " or paint ball gun series or start one up !!!!!

Survivor 1st & 2nd Show was the best of all. Tattoo Shop Miami Beach was an interesting series Las Vegas Pawn Shop series was good Pimp My Ride MTV Cribs Life Styles Of The Rich & Famous with Robin Leech

they suck.

I am with Papiquilio. I don't think reality TV shows are very popular in Japan. I was one of the 3 people in Japan that watched the Japanese version of "Survivor" (all seasons) for lack of anything else to watch.

About the nearest thing I can think of is those "Toubou" (Runaway) shows that appears as specials with entertainers playing hide and seek with Men In Black. I think those are a bit of fun but they don't really count as "reality" TV shows.

Are there any Japanese reality tv shows other than the 24 hour marathon shows?

I saw a great movie on the dramatic interpretation of reality show, "Dot the I". Very impressive.

But reality shows in general, they just don't give as they get.

Nothing to 'think' or comment upon here. They are all complete rubbish. It's our own fault - By demanding more channels all we have done is deny advertising revenue from the television companies and preventing them from producing quality dramam television for example. Unfortunately there are some idiots out there who will call into vote on the reality shows. @tokyonovice: Isn't that a good thing?

I like reality shows that require some talent or skill of the participants, like Project Runway or Top Chef. I don't really watch American Idol, but I respect the people who win.

Shows like "Keeping up with the Kardashians" or "Real World," "The Bachelor," etc., are just utter garbage now.

I don't know. It's been a long time since I've been able to see Big Brother.