It’s fair to say reality TV comes in for an awful lot of criticism. Tapping into our natural voyeurism and love of people watching, it tends to chart the extremes of human behaviour, so it’s little wonder it’s so often ridiculed and critiqued, given that it paints neither its audience nor its participants in the best of lights.
That said, it’s also immensely watchable. There’s a reason shows like Big Brother, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and Love Island have taken TV ratings by storm, and it’s because whether or not we want to admit it, we’re all a little bit addicted. There’s an element of realism that has us hooked, so the thought of not knowing what happens next is nigh on unthinkable.
That’s why it’s such a shame that these three reality TV shows were cancelled before we ever got the answers we craved…
Pretty Wild
Given the success of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, it’s little wonder another TV network decided to capitalize on the tried and tested formula of a family of rich and beautiful women looking to monetize their privilege. Enter Alexis and Gabby Neiers, Tess Taylor and their “momager” Andrea Arlington, who were all set to become the hottest new things on television – until Alexis got arrested for being a formative member of the Bling Ring. It might have made immensely watchable viewing, with parts of the trial even included in the show, but such scandal made Pretty Wild a much less saleable enterprise than it had originally promised to be, leading to its axing after a single season.
The Casino
If there’s one premise that hasn’t been repeatedly explored through the lens of reality TV, it’s the gambling industry, and given the natural drama stemming from such high-stakes action, it’s actually a pretty surprising oversight. In 2004, American series The Casino sought to remedy this, by following millionaire casino managers Thomas Breitling and Tim Poster. The show made for some fantastic viewing but it failed to pull in the ratings it should have done, causing it to be axed after a single season. Although we live in eternal hope of a reboot, it at least gave us some inspiration for those times when we need something to do instead of studying – online roulette, we’re looking at you!
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo
When it first aired in 2012, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo made for compulsive watching. Taking one of the stars of Toddlers and Tiaras and giving her a show of her own, the series revolved around larger-than-life Alana Thompson, child beauty pageant contestant and pint-sized southern powerhouse. We couldn’t get enough of it, so it was no surprise it lasted for four seasons. Yet still it felt as though it had been taken from us prematurely, and that was all due to a scandal surrounding family matriarch June Shannon. Rumors circulated that the star of the show was knowingly dating a registered sex offender, and fans were rightly disgusted. In an entirely understandable move, the network immediately pulled the plug, and the adventures of Honey Boo Boo came to a murky and disappointing end.
Tell us, if you could bring back any one of these shows, which would it be?