There's a pretty interesting phenomenon going on right now in the world of television.

It's the preponderance of the so-called "reality" shows.

Seems like every week there's a new concept being aired by one of the networks or cable.

And these are pretty popular shows.

Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" is top-rated.

Other network shows are doing pretty well, too.

Shows like "Fear Factor" and "Average Joe." And then there's the show featuring Adam, the loser on the first "Average Joe" series.

Cable reality shows also are hot these days. There's "The Osbournes," a chronicle of disfunction in the family of rock legend Ozzi Osbourne.

Cable also gives us "Newlyweds" with former "98 Degrees" member Nick Lachey and pop singer Jessica Simpson.

And then there's "'Till Death Do Us Part" with pinup model Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro, the guitarist for the alternative band Jane's Addiction.

The whole reality craze started with a show called "Survivor." There were other reality shows before it, but "Survivor" really got the ball rolling.

I think that series is up to "Survivor 9" or something by now. I know they had a "Survivor 8: Allstars" but it's kind of hard to keep up. I don't really watch.

I remember when the first "Survivor" came out, I watched only the final episode.

Afterward, there was debate in the office as to whether the outcome was predetermined and the whole thing was scripted.

I said that it was. I reasoned that the network would never allow something as critical as ratings and demographics to fall to chance.

Others said, no, the producers just let the cards fall.

I figured there would never be a way to know for sure, but I was wrong.

It didn't take long to get the answer.

You see, a few months after the show aired, one of the contestants sued the producers.

Apparently, the producers told this particular cast member that he would be one of the last remaining contestants.

But during the show, the producers decided that they'd rather have an older contestant on the show longer to attract a more mature demographic.

So they had the young guy voted off and kept the old guy on.

This made the young guy mad and he decided to sue.

That cleared up any doubt for me as to whether the show was scripted.

But scripted or not, these shows are quite popular. Viewers are drawn to them and I think I have an idea why.

I think viewers relate to the contestants or "stars" of the reality shows because they generally are people more like you and me.

And there is that thought in the back of your head that, "Hey, that really could be me. Maybe I should send in my name!"

I mean, let's face it. Everybody knows there's no chance they'd ever be on the set of "E.R" or "Friends."

That's fantasy, make-believe stuff.

But "Fear Factor?" Yeah, I could chow down a few giant hissing Madagascar cockroaches and drive a car off the back of a moving semi.

Yeah, I could do that.

And I think people tend to compare themselves to the stars of the reality shows.

"Oh, man, I would have been a lot calmer and unlocked those chains a lot quicker than that guy. Even if I was underwater."

And I think shows like "Newlyweds," "The Osbournes" or "'Till Death Do Us Part" tend to attract viewers because it's giving us a glimpse into lifestyles of the rich and famous - or of the rich and the bizarre, as the case may be.

And while some of the stuff is probably scripted or at least helped along by producers, you get the sense that the people are not acting. They're just being themselves.

I think the reality TV craze is not without consequences for old-fashioned TV.

I think the old TV shows are starting to pale in comparison. The people on those shows are just acting.

Viewers today are much too sophisticated for that. They want reality.

While I must admit I don't watch much television, I think it will be fun to see just where this whole reality craze leads the world of television. [[In-content Ad]]