Reality TV Shows 101 on Satellite TV

Just what is it exactly that attracts us to Reality TV? Is it the faux death defying stunts? Or perhaps it’s the constant backstage quibbling that almost always eventually breaks down into all out fisticuffs. The behind the scenes catfights and cutthroat competition are certainly lowbrow excitement, the stuff you do not want to admit you like, but really secretly adore. And who can really help it? It’s all good fun. Thanks to the wonders of satellite TV, there’s a reality TV show out there for everyone, wherever your tastes may lie. Even better most are available in HD. Here is a sampling of what’s out there.

The first set of reality shows test your mettle. These are competitions that require physical prowess and mental cunning. If you come out on top, the prize is usually well worth the trials and tribulations.

Survivor: In this show, contestants are cast off on some deserted island and divided into tribes that compete against each other in a variety of endurance tests. Through progressive elimination, we end up with one sole survivor who gets to go home with $1 million. When it first aired in 2000, the show sparked a reality TV revolution. Audiences became mad for all things reality.

The Amazing Race: This takes up the Survivor mantle but gives it an international twist. Contestants must travel the world and compete against each other for a series of prizes. To survive, you’ve got to be able to navigate unfamiliar terrain and complete daunting tasks. You can catch the Amazing Race in HD via satellite TV.

Next we have the brainteasers. These shows test your mental acumen.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: This show has been reproduced all over the world. It was in fact, along with Survivor, the catalyst to the reality TV craze. Contestants must choose the correct answer to trivia questions ranging from sports and politics to geography and pop culture. If they get the answer correct, they get a cash prize. They can choose to walk away with a certain amount of money or they can opt to go all the way for a million dollars.

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?: In this reality show, you have to match wits with a fifth grader. Contestants must answer grade school level questions to earn cash prizes. Additionally, they may choose to get help from an actual fifth grader; however, their help may be misleading and it is up to the contestant to discern the truth.

The following two shows are basically talent competitions.

American Idol: This show pitches contestants from all over the great US of A against each other in a singing contest. The audience votes for the winner after a series of eliminations.

America’s Got Talent: The task of this program is to find America’s next great talent. Here you do get a lot of oddballs. Talents range from the fairly standard to the fairly wild and wacky.

Finally, we have the love competitions. These shows can get dramatic as emotions and greed take over.

The Bachelor: The set up: we have one rich, single bachelor and a gaggle of 25 girls fight over him, trying to win his heart. Through a series of dates, the girls are eliminated. At the end one lucky girl remains.

Rock of Love: Featuring the lead singer of the band Poison, Bret Michaels, Rock endeavors to find the celeb a girlfriend.

Of course, this is just a taste of what’s out there. Check out your listings to find even more reality TV shows.