In of popularity, reality shows have sured many other kinds of programs in recent decades. The genre really took off in the late 1990s and early 2000s on networks like MTV with shows like The Real World, Survivor, Big Brother, America's Next Top Model, and Man Vs. Wild. Cooking and quiz competition shows such as Jeopardy! and Hell's Kitchen were also popular among audiences, as they allowed for a more interactive, engaging viewing experience by inviting viewers to root for specific contestants and even vote or play along.
Many of these shows have sadly not stood the test of time. For every show like The Amazing Race there was one like Toddlers and Tiaras, shows that were in such bad taste and gave reality television its reputation for being a guilty pleasure. It is worth reflecting on the reasons why they are considered questionable by contemporary audiences.
Toddlers and Tiaras (2009-2016)
The cable network TLC has garnered a reputation in recent years for its slew of controversial reality shows that border on the exploitative, focusing on everything from arranged marriages to hoarders. One little show back in 2009 was the start of it all, however; Toddlers and Tiaras covered the wild world of child beauty pageants and all the drama they entail. The children in the show were dolled up and expected to meet unrealistic and toxic beauty standards at an unbelievably early age while their parents looked on in glee. The show surprisingly (or unsurprisingly) spawned multiple spin-offs, the biggest being Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Numerous controversies have tainted its reputation and led to the cancellation of these shows.
The Swan (2004)
It is difficult to fathom how The Swan ever made it on the air. The show made no effort to hide the ways in which it capitalized on the deep-rooted insecurities of women everywhere. The women on The Swan were specifically selected because they were deemed to be 'ugly' according to conventional Western beauty standards and were subjected to extreme physical transformations, including plastic surgery, all in the name of conformity. In this day and age of body positivity and celebrating diversity, one would be hard pressed to find a show like this one airing on a major network.
There's Something About Miriam (2004)
British reality television is known for being some of the most outrageous and scandalous out there, and There's Something About Miriam is perhaps the most egregious example of what the nation has to offer. What is made to look like just another dating show is given a terrible twist when the Mexican model Miriam Rivera is made to withhold a crucial part of her identity from her potential suitors: she is transgender.
This show only served to perpetuate harmful stereotypes about transgender people being deceitful and manipulative instead of celebrating the trans identity. The lawsuit filed against the show on behalf of the men involved certainly didn't help its reputation either.
Boy Meets Boy (2003)
What makes this show all the more painful to watch is the missed opportunity to create a truly game-changing piece of reality television. Similar to There's Something About Miriam, Boy Meets Boy ends up being noteworthy for prominently featuring a member of the LGBTQ+ community but misses the mark in of execution. A gay man is given 15 men from which to choose a partner but isn't told which ones are gay and which ones are straight. The result is a dating show that comes off as uninspired and gimmicky instead of fresh and new. Boy Meets Boy uses the lead's sexuality as a punchline and fails to give it the care and sensitivity it deserves.
Born in the Wild (2015)
This show gives a whole new meaning to the term "natural birth". Born in the Wild takes couples who are expecting and places them in the middle of the wilderness in order to have their child without the aid of doctors, modern medicine, or hospitals. The general consensus seemed to be that the risks taken on show far outweighed anything positive. By giving birth without access to medical care, the mothers put themselves and their child in danger of countless complications, many of which could be fatal. The voyeuristic spectacle of it all is what rubbed many viewers the wrong way and the series was canceled after only six episodes.
Britney and Kevin: Chaotic (2005)
With all of the recent focus on the mistreatment of pop star Britney Spears by the media, the reality show Britney and Kevin: Chaotic serves as one of many examples of how her personal life was exploited for profit and ratings. The short-lived television program depicted the failed relationship between Spears and Federline and was immediately panned by audiences and critics alike for being painfully dull and shallow.
It is now nothing more than a regrettable footnote in Spears' career but gave the world a few memorable moments courtesy of the couples' home videos.
Kid Nation (2007)
Even before Kid Nation premiered on CBS, the reality show generated plenty of controversy, drawing comparisons to Lord of the Flies. Needless to say, the show wasn't exactly popular among critics, many of whom felt like it needlessly risked the well-being of young children for ratings. Kid Nation took a group of kids and put them in the middle of nowhere, seeing what it might look like if they were in charge of forming their own independent, fully functioning society. The experiment luckily didn't last long.
The Pickup Artist (2007-2008)
Originally airing on VH1, The Pickup Artist was hosted by television personality Erik von Markovik, also known as Mystery, and followed him as he taught a group of men unlucky in love the 'art' of talking to women. The list of offensive and problematic behaviors on display in this show is vast; the men tended to be shamed and stigmatized for their lack of experience with the opposite sex and saw women as objects to be conquered instead of fellow human beings. Critics also pointed to the lack of concrete science behind von Markovik's techniques. All of these offenses led to the cancellation of the series after only two seasons.
Are You Hot? (2003)
This ABC reality show disaster had a simple premise: find the sexiest man and woman in America. The contestants were judged solely on their body's sex appeal and physical attractiveness. Such a one-dimensional program did not gain a wide audience and it was on the air for less than two months. One look at Are You Hot?: The Search for America's Sexiest People and it is not difficult to determine why: it was a shallow concept and made for a dull viewing experience. People also were unhappy with the implication that beauty and attractiveness were objective and the ways in which the contestant's physical appearance was harshly critiqued based on arbitrary standards.
The Moment of Truth (2008-2009)
Humiliation and shame were for sale on this Fox reality game show. Contestants competed for cash prizes but in order to do so had to answer a number of deeply personal questions while taking a polygraph test. It was all fun and games until real people's reputations and livelihoods were put on the line. This type of mean-spirited entertainment understandably angered many people, leading to its cancellation and even a number of unaired episodes. It is difficult to imagine a reality show like this getting greenlit today.