Reality TV as Horror: Psychological Terror and Physical Torture

Abstract

Although rarely thought of in terms of the horror genre, reality television is indeed a form of horror. Contestants on many competition shows such as Big Brother and Survivor must endure psychological terror and often physically harrowing conditions just for a chance at the cash prize. Even in The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, in which the contestants are not competing for a cash prize but rather for love, the men and women are put through emotional turmoil. The contestants are exploited for entertainment purposes and for higher rankings of the television shows. Audiences love to watch everyday people in miserable situations. In fact, the desires and emotions the viewers experience while watching reality television mimic some of the same reactions viewers have when watching horror films. Additionally, the conventions of the horror genre are found on many mainstream competition-style reality television programs.