Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s with shows such as The Real World, then achieved prominence in the early 2000s with the success of the series Survivor, Idols, and Big Brother, all of which became global franchises. Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. For other uses of 'Reality Show', see Reality Show (disambiguation).
For the channel formerly known as 'Reality TV', see CBS Reality. 'Reality TV' and 'Reality Show' redirect here.
