Today, so-called reality television can be found around the world. One of the earliest such programs was the 1948 show Candid Camera . Candid Camera showed ordinary folks’reactions to pranksor jokes. This style remains common to this day.
However, it was two shows from the late ’80s and early ’90s that inspired more modern reality TV. Cops showed select interactions between the police and the public, while MTV’s The Real World aimed to give people a view of the lives of young adults. In each season of the show, a group of young strangers shared a house in a new city. The central attraction, of course, was that everything in the house was recorded. What made the show more appealing were the confessionals, in which cast members confessed and shared their thoughts—often complaints—on camera.
One of the next big hits was Survivor . The show was based on a series that aired in 1997 in Sweden called Expedition : Robinson . Survivor featured players trying to survive on an island with only a few tools. Each week, the survivors voted to kick out one player, until only one remained. Contest reality shows have been popular ever since.
