Do you think Reality shows are scripted or not? ?

Question

I think these shows are a bit crazy at times, yes. The more c**p that happens though, the more I think they are scripted. I am sure millions of people try to sign up for Big Brother, for example. Yet, look who they have as contestants. For example, "Evel d**k".. He hob nobs (if thats the right saying, lol) with music stars and apparently a few actors. Or.. Will from seasons past ... he's a doctor? Why would they put someone who makes a lot of money on a show to compete to win a large amount of money? Why did HE win his season? It's gotta be scripted, the shows gotta be entertaining so people will watch.

Answer 1

most of them are scripted ... The Hills is, and i watch it anyways  

Answer 2

I don't think these shows are scripted they just pick the most controversial contestants. For example someone who enters who clearly doesn't need the prize money is gonna annoy more people.

The other contestants will resent them so much it will make for more arguments and therefore in the producers opinion better tv.

More viewing figures more money for the tv company.  

Answer 3

I think that a lot of what happens on those shows, is not necessarily scripted, but maybe prompted by the shows producers

Not sure about the occupations, whether they are fake or not....

Some people just want their fifteen minutes of fame......

Answer 4

I think so yes but ppl in that shows are too good actors with really real acting so you won't believe it's real or fake.

Answer 5

All reality shows are scripted, at least a little bit. It's like h**l's Kitchen when they choose some people that can't cook to save their lives but are problematic or dramatic and make the series more entertaining. Same with all these "reality shows". Real life is not that entertaining, they just give you an overdose of the moments that may be entertaining if they were real.  

Answer 6

some yes like tila come on all the mtv's are fake as heck

some no like ANTM or h***s Kitchen

Answer 7

Yes, I'd say the majority of them.

Answer 8

I only watch BB and I'm a celebrity (get me out of here), i'm not sure if you have that in the US. Those 2 are not scripted, they just get people in who they think would make good TV, it's up to the people then to prove themselves.

I saw BB5 or 6 (US) and BB8 or 9 (US) the one with James who was cycling "around the world" even though he never left America.

Answer 9

Is this a UK question, I watched every BB and don't remember Will.

I do think so called reality TV is being more and more scripted or staged maybe a better word, its not necessarily the words more the characters and behaviour also situations they are put in.

Wife Swap and Supernanny are classics I just hope we don't go down the routine of America reality tv, they actually state at the beginning of their Wife Swap that some scenes are staged, so whats the point how is that reality. I don't like how they try and make tiny things on American reality so dramatic they do the same on our Shipwrecked thats why i stopped watching.

Answer 10

Their not necessarily scripted but the producers make a story  out of the footage that has been shot. Reality shows have to be interesting so the make the show the way they want it to . Producers will sometimes step in and egg on a fight between contestants. Big brother will help the houseguest out in the diary room with what they want to say.  

Answer 11

Well, that really depends on the reality show.  Lots of shows are scripted and lots aren't.  Most have SOME element in them that is not scripted.  Shows like the Amazing Race, Survivor, Big Brother, American Idol, Biggest Loser, America's Next Top Model .. they aren't scripted except for the task part or the elimination part where the host has a script.  

However, EVERY Reality show is edited and THAT'S where it can start to look fake.  Especially when something happens and they don't get it on tape or don't get it from the right angle and then they ask the people to act it out again .. or if they show someone having a conversation, they might show the face of the person they are talking to and that person has a certain reaction, but really those two scenes happened at different times and then they put them together later to make it look like something else.

Then there are the shows that are obviously, at least for the most part, scripted.  Basically almost anything on MTV, except for "the Real World".  Things like "the eX-factor" (not the British singing show), "Date My Mom", "Room Raiders", "Next" .. etc .. I can't even think of them all .. but you know .. where there's a couple or a guy who's supposed to pick a girl to go on a date with .. stuff like that .. those are really scripted.

(And for the person who didn't know which BB is being referred to, both Dr. Will and Evil d**k were housemates in BBUS.)

As for why do they pick people that obviously don't need the money.  They pick them because they think they will make good TV.  That's why anybody who is on a show is picked.  They are a character or they impressed the casting director enough for them to think that they would be an interesting person to watch on TV.  They don't really care who wins the money.  That's a very small part of the show.  They want people who will stir things up and cause controversy, so that they will get more viewers.  And yes, Will is really a doctor.  In fact, he is one of the new doctors on "Dr. 90210" last I checked.

Answer 12

Yeah there are a lot of reality shows that are in fact scripted.  I mainly came here to stand up for Big Brother.  

BB is very open with pretty much what goes on inside the house -- there is Big Brother After Dark on SHO2 and if you are really hardcore you can buy the live feeds on cbs.com also.  Almost everything in the house is unscripted.. but it is widely known that during the diary room sessions the producers may poke and prod and the contestants to either "plant seeds" in their heads, or provoke them into saying something about another player.  But that does not constitute SCRIPTING.  Everything the contestant says, even in the DR, is from their own mind.

Answer 13

Big time, Yes.

All I had to see were the *trailers* for that new George Foreman one & you could tell right away from the bad acting that it's scripted. Reality Shows are all a joke now. Back in the 70s when we 1st saw the earliest versions of them, they were very basic: ordinary family/ cameras/ the end. The point was to observe & learn. Today it's more like "Haha. Look how normal/dysfunctional those famous people really are"