What happens when the casual experience of dating complete strangers is paid for by television network executives and broadcast for the whole nation to see? According to ratings, really good T.V.
Reality television has grown tremendously in the last three years. Each of the top four television stations carries some sort of reality show from “Survivor” to “The Mole.” Reality shows have pushed forward with dating shows where some even offer a possible marriage proposal. Back in the day dating shows went as far as the “Love Connection” and the “Dating Game.” Now you can turn to most any channel and find a variety of dating shows.
“Dating is suppose to be a casual experience without any expectations,” geosciences student Dustin Maddox said. “These types of dating stories have a lot of reality, but it is hyped up for television.”
Part of the hype is added when the shows are more about competition than a date. MTV offers “Dismissed,” where two people fight over one date that will dismiss one of them at the end of the show. Another MTV dating extravaganza is “Taildaters.” This particular one places two people on a blind date where they get paged by mystery on-lookers giving them advice throughout their date. In the end they find out the on-lookers were friends, family or exes.
The reality dating competitions offer a load of laughs and “oh no’s.” “Blind Date” now offers a bloopers special on DVD and video. The footage mostly contains nudity and make-out scenes that where too hot for television. Other footage contains arguments, fights and clumsy falls that did not make to the tube. Maddox says he believes most people go on these programs for a fun, free date. After all, they do not have to pay for the dates and our society is full of people looking for their five minutes of fame.
TLC offers a friendlier dating show with “A Dating Story.” Executive producer Chris Rantamaki said on www.TLC.com that 76 percent of “A Dating Story” dates ended with the daters making plans to see each other again. One couple is now engaged and plans to marry later in the year.
“Matchmaking is a tough job when you’re trying your best to make a successful match,” Rantamaki said. “Since we really hope things go well and we hope our daters continue to see each other after the show, a lot of effort is put into making sure they share common interests.”
“A Dating Story” may be the nicer dating show, but Roger Catlin of the Hartford Courant lists the 3-year-old “Blind Date” as the most watched romance reality program with Gross Average Audience figures of 1.9 million. Though the number seems high it is down five percent from last year and he lists a 36 percent raise for “Elimidate.” Michael H. Darnell, vice president for alternative programming at Fox, says on the Fox Web site that the week to week dating shows build up to a big finale which has helped with the success of “Joe Millionaire.”
Fox appears to be known for its trash TV. Their recent adventure on reality dating lies in the hands of “Joe Millionaire;” pun intended. The jist of this is one is exactly like ABC’s “The Bachelor.” About 20 or so women date one guy and hope for a rose or necklace to move on the next round. Each of them hopes that he will pop the big question to them in the final episode. Though “Joe” is like “The Bachelor,” the big difference is that the women are lied to and believe the guy is worth a lot of money when in reality he only makes $19 thousand a year.
“These are my favorite types of dating shows,” MSU communication student Nicki Sullivan said. “I think it is sad they lied to these women, but they shouldn’t expect to find true love this way.”
While most of the dating reality shows are geared toward blind dates, those that lead to the question of marriage seem to have a steady group of followers. A few years back after the flop of the first “Bachelor,” Fox added “Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire” to their line-up. Did Darva Conger actually believe she would live happily ever after with some rich guy she met on a television show? Whatever her thoughts were, she added a few more minutes of fame when she appeared on “Celebrity Boxing.”
Of the wedding hopeful dating shows the most popular appears to be “The Bachelor.” Viewers were shocked at the end of the first one when Trista Rehn was not chosen in the end. ABC decided to do a spin-off called “The Bachelorette,” starring Rehn. In her diary on the shows Web site she says she thought one guy would stand out as the one, but is undoubtedly torn between two of them. Aaron Buerge seemed to have the same problem on the second season of “The Bachelor.” On the last episode about 26 million viewers watched as he spilled his heart out to Helene Eksterowicz and proposed.
Sullivan says she like many others wonder why these beautiful, successful people go such lengths to find love. Obviously looks and money do not always equal to happiness. Some may think it is all a hoax, but most viewers like Sullivan believe the experience is real for the shows looking for a spouse.
“I can’t expect anybody out there to understand where I am coming from because there is no way they possibly could unless they were in my shoes, literally,” Buerge says in his diary on “The Bachelor” Web site. He continues to say that he and Eksterowicz feel like they have been together a lot longer than six weeks and if anyone can make it work it is the two of them.
Despite what he says many rumors have been circling that the two have separated. Everyone will know the truth this Thursday, Feb. 20, on ABC. “The Bachelor: Aaron and Helene Tell All” will feature the true story from Eksterowicz’ point-of-view and unveil the truth behind the “Bachelorette’ with Rehn and the man she chose to be her husband.
“I will definitely be watching the ‘Tell All.’ I am curious to see what really happened during the process of the show and see if it has really worked out,” Sullivan adds.
No matter how intense reality shows get, especially competition dating shows, “marry me” programs and whatever else networks throw at us, someone will definitely be watching. Heck, a relative or friend may be on one. Sullivan says she would never be on a “Bachelor”-type show, but maybe something like “Dismissed” for fun where she could do the dismissing.
“I would be on ‘Elimidate’ to see what it is really like,” Maddox adds. “I watch this show everyday and the dates are always cool. I would definitely not have any expectations except to have fun.”