Is Reality TV Done?

Reality TV shows have proliferated this year. But their time may be coming to a close. “Advertisers, in fact, have done what critics and cultural warriors couldn’t – namely, chase the so-called reality genre into temporary retreat, leading to at least a short-term resurgence of scripted sitcoms and dramas.” This fall’s new schedule reveals a changed landscape. “Of the 39 new programs scheduled, 20 are comedies and 17 are dramas, leaving staged reality on the sidelines because many of those shows create an environment for commercials that makes sponsors uncomfortable.”