The genre known as reality TV is suffering from a lack of breakout hits. Why? It comes down to one word: fear.
I explored that in a long feature story, which appeared on the cover of The Los Angeles Times’ Sunday Calendar section:
And there are some outtakes that didn’t make it into the piece in a follow-up piece I wrote for reality blurred:
One of my favorite scripted shows last year was Lifetime’s UnReal, which used the setting of a Bachelor-like show to satirize reality television and tell soapy stories starring two strong female protagonists.
When it returned for a second season, the show had lots its way, and the first season seemed like a distant memory. I wrote about that, and my review was cited in a Variety Q&A with UnReal’s creators.
Read the story, and let me know what you think, of my take and season two:
I was thrilled to join Amanda and Emily, two exceptional comic improvisers and actors, on their podcast. We talked a lot about reality TV, and I shared some behind-the-scenes stories of adventures in reporting on reality television.
Oh, and we improvised scenes from Frontier House and Kid Nation.
Listen via iTunes (it’s episode 006) or with the player at the end of this story.
Covering the entertainment industry offers the possibility of working with publicists, who can help provide information and access. I value the relationships I’ve established and the reporting I’ve done with their assistance, but it’s a quirky system I’m still learning to navigate.
On May 19, I’ll be talking to a group from the Florida Public Relations Association about the role of those professionals in my work. The talk is titled “A Freelancer’s Reality: PR Lessons from Covering Television,” and it’s open to the public, though tickets are required.
Details about the event are at the FPRA Volusia/Flagler chapter’s web site.
I wrote about The Bachelorette’s latest casting and what it means for the show’s dismal diversity track record.
Also, I was briefly quoted in an LA Times story about this.
For my first story in Pacific Standard, I explored the fascinating way reality television seems to have helped to marriages thrive, and explored research that suggests elements of reality shows can benefit all relationships.
CNBC’s The Profit just wrapped another season, and I reviewed the show and also talked about it on the radio. Check out the story, the podcast, and the show:
Last fall, I launched a new newsletter to help people keep up with the latest news in reality television—and, more importantly, the best shows. There are so, so many shows now that it’s impossible to watch them all, so I highlight the best (or sometimes, the weirdest, or funniest, or most dramatic).
Join me, will you? Subscribe here, free.
(No spam, I promise, and you can unsubscribe any time, of course—but I hope you will be with me for a long time!)
In January, I spent time in Los Angeles at the Television Critics Association press tour, and while I was there, I interviewed many people about the reality TV shows they host, produce, created, star in, and/or write about.
Here are five of those interviews—plus one, with Bachelor spoiler Steve Carbone, that I conducted before leaving for L.A. Enjoy!
At the end of the year, I looked back at the year in reality television:
Happy New Year! I hope 2016 brings joy to you and yours.