Gone are “The Bachelor,” “All-American Girl” and “American Idol,” but this summer a fresh dose of reality is ready for viewers to watch.
The reality TV craze has grown from a fad into a profitable marketing scheme. Americans who are tired of reality TV will have no relief this summer.
Over 20 new series will take the place of off-season sitcoms and dramas.
Quick to jump on the reality TV bandwagon is supermodel Tyra Banks, who co-produces and hosts “America’s Next Top Model” for UPN.
The series, which premiered three weeks ago, shows 10 aspiring models living in a New York penthouse and learning the ropes of modeling.
Banks leads a panel of celebrity judges that removes one wannabe every week until a winner, who will receive a modeling contract, finally is chosen.
In September, MTV kicks off its new seasons of “Fraternity Life” and “Sorority Life.”
After a successful second season for “Sorority Life” and first season for “Fraternity Life” at the University of Buffalo, the MTV crew will head to University of California, Santa Cruz to document the adventures of Zeta Sigma Phi Sorority and Delta Omega Chi Fraternity.
MTV’s latest reality show, “Surf Girls,” follows 14 amateur female surfers in a bid for a wild card at the World Surfing Organization championships.
Also premiering this summer are the new seasons of “Road Rules” and “The Real World.”
Season 13 of “The Real World” focuses on 7 strangers living together in a plush chateau in Paris, and the Road Rulers are traveling the South Pacific in the show’s 12th season.
ABC Family has joined the reality TV craze with “Switched,” which depicts teens switching families and lives, usually pitting the two in opposite worlds, such as switching teens from rural and urban areas.
Catering to older audiences, NBC will air a mini-series competition called “Second Chance: America’s Most Talented Senior” sometime this summer. Senior citizens can compete in song, dance and other novelty acts on the mini-series.
NBC also premiered “For Love Or Money” on June 2. Like “The Bachelor, ” “For Love or Money” has one man choosing from a crop of eligible bachelorettes.
In a new twist, when the bachelor makes his choice, the woman he chooses must then decide if she wants him–or $1 million.
NBC will also premiere “The Restaurant,” which follows Italian-American Chef Rocco DiSpirito as he tries to fulfill his dream of owning and operating a New York eatery. Viewers even can come be a part of the reality and eat at the restaurant.
Even Donald Trump will be getting in on the action. His new series, “The Apprentice,” features 20 junior executives vying for a six-figure salary in his conglomeration.
Trump will give out assignments and fire one of the executives at the end of each episode.
“Last Comic Standing: Search for America’s Funniest Person,” premieres on NBC June 10. The show consists of professional and non-professional comedians competing to be one of ten selected to live together and compete for an exclusive talent contract with NBC.
Fox recently premiered “American Juniors,” an “American Idol” spin-off for children aged 6-13. The contestants will compete and the viewing public decides the winner.
The final five remaining will form a boy/girl band and will be given a recording contract to, as Fox says in its press release, “take the world by storm.”
CBS will premiere the fourth season of “Big Brother,” in July, which follows a group of strangers locked in a house that vote out a roommate every week.
NBC’s “Average Joe” pits a former NFL cheerleader and beauty queen in a Palm Beach Estate full of what she expects to be handsome, eligible bachelors. When she arrives she will discover all the men are average in looks, and she will be forced to choose the man she connects with the most.
A plethora of other reality shows, such as “Who Wants to Marry My Mom?” and “Date Plate” will premiere throughout the summer season.
With reality television becoming increasingly repetitive, those tired of the same old series should be pleasantly surprised.