Reality Check

One of the biggest misnomers in the world is "Reality TV." There is obviously entertainment value because these shows continue to get high ratings. However, most people watching should and probably do know very little "reality" actually applies in most cases. While shows like "Jersey Shore" probably has entertainment value, it does not reflect reality in any sense of the word...and has done very little except make some people from New Jersey embarrassed to admit it.

Another in a long list of "reality" shows is "The Bachelor/Bachelorette." Shockingly, another couple's fairly tale romance born from this, anything but, "reality show" has ended with season six's Ali Fedotowsky calling it quits with Roberto Martinez after an 18 month engagement.

Roberto certainly "manned up" and got Ali this really nice engagement ring.

Of course this is why the James Levinson Jewelry blog brings this former couple up (although James Levinson himeslf will readily admit to catching more than a few episodes of this show over its eight year run).

So Ali will likely give back the three carat, $50,000 Asscher Cut dimaond. Too bad, but still a nice ring!

Upon hearing about the breakup we got to thinking. We know the whole concept of the show does not reflect anything resembling a normal courtship between a couple. In reality, a gourmet dinner cooked by a private chef, followed by a moonlit walk down the beach is certainly not the norm for a FIRST DATE. 

However, digging a little deeper, have any of these pairings actually lasted beyond the show for any great length of time? We did some research so we can share the actual reality of the situation.

If you count "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" as one entity, there have a been a total of 22 seasons. Of those 22 seasons, according to our friend Wikipedia and other sources, only ONE couple is still together and married! The one is Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter from season one (pictured below).

With a 4.5% succeess rate over a pretty adequate sample size, what brings millions of viewers back to this show year after year? If you knew the outcome of a movie before it began, would you sit through and watch all of it in hopes that you were wrong this one time?? Or would you just watch because there may be attractive people, who may or may not sleep with one another on their weekend getaway to a fancy resort on private island? Is it as simple as some Americans will watch anything on television?

This show has the most predicable ending on television. At least you really don't know what will happen on the Jersey Shore. So, we need your help:

What is the hook here? If you are tuning in, what brings you back? If you don't watch, what do you think people get out of watching this non-reality, reality show already knowing the eventual outcome??