With so many different genres of television out nowadays, and even more possible streaming platforms to use, there is more talk about different television shows than ever before. However, while the new season of  “The White Lotus” and the show “Severance” are the main talking points in conversations today, the shows that never fail to disappoint me fall under the genre of reality television.

Don’t get me wrong, I love me a juicy high school melodrama or murder mystery, but the shows I constantly tune in to watch are reality tv shows. “Survivor” has been my comfort show for as long as I remember. Despite it being on its 48th season, meaning I’ve now watched 14 seasons live (I started watching during season 35), it never gets boring. I will always enjoy watching ordinary people interact with each other while trying to win a social-strategy type game. 

For the first time in forever, a reality television show has made its way into mainstream news. The show “The Traitors,” following 20 reality tv celebrities as they work to find multiple traitors amongst themselves, had an extremely popular third season. This is the second reality television season of the past year to blow up, following “Love Island USA’s” sixth season this past summer. It’s obvious that reality television is still being watched and producing well-liked seasons, so why are we barely hearing about it? 

Unfortunately, it seems like reality television is a dying genre. Sure, “Survivor” will probably last forever, but the viewership has gone down and down since its very first year on air. I never hear people talking about reality television, and if they hear me bring up “Survivor,” their first response is “Oh, that show is still on air?” Similar shows that I love like “Big Brother” and “The Amazing Race” have also had decreased viewership, but are just as good as ever.

I think the reason why I love reality television, and the reason why others love it too, is because it’s interesting watching the dynamics of ordinary people in a social-strategy game or just their everyday lives. It’s also easy to get attached to the cast and characters, as they are often ordinary people that are competing in a chaotic game. Escapism is another big aspect to reality television’s popularity. During a stressful work week or a busy school day, watching reality television and letting your mind focus on something else is extremely nice.  

Ultimately, while reality television is decreasing in popularity, it is one of the most interesting tv genres to me today. Whether it’s 20 people competing on a remote island for one-million dollars, or 20 celebrities trying to find the traitors in a remote Scottish castle, reality television will forever be my favorite form of television.