Television lineups have become saturated with reality shows of every flavor. There are model shows and diet shows, contest shows and plastic surgery shows.
But as the fall 2005 shows left the gates at full sprint and the ratings battle began, numbers for primetime reality TV were more than disappointing.
Four out of five Americans say they think too many reality shows are on the air, according to an AP-TV Guide poll. Only 4 percent of respondents said there were not enough.
Few people believe there’s much reality in reality TV: a total of 82 percent said the shows are either “totally made up” or “mostly distorted.”
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, NBC’s much-hyped new version of the popular reality show launched with Donald Trump, showed mediocre ratings, pulling in an average of just 7.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
“NBC has to be a bit disappointed with numbers for Martha Stewart. They probably hoped it would do a bit better,” said Bill Carroll, vice president with Katz Television Group, a programming consulting firm.
Trump’s original recipe Apprentice didn’t fare much better. The fourth-season premiere of the former ratings hog was trampled by the return of CSI, according to Nielsen.
“It seems like viewers are tired of The Apprentice. It gets a little old,” said Deanna Myers, senior analyst with Kagan Research, which focuses on the media industry.
Survivor junkies can rest easy, though; their show won’t be “voted off the island” anytime soon. According to Nielsen ratings for the past week, the show is still in primetime’s top 10 and is likely there to stay.
Critics argue that water cooler dramas are making a significant comeback. Among Nielsen primetime favorites are Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy and ABC’s new series, Invasion.
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