Narrated by actor
Kyle MacLachlan, the five-part cable miniseries
The Reality of Reality investigated the then-current reality show craze. Tracing the genre from its roots in such golden-age TV efforts as
Truth or Consequences and
The Gong Show, the series offered interviews with the producers of such series as
Survivor and
Fear Factor, as well as the "celebrities" who emerged from these programs. Additionally, the series slyly revealed that what passed for reality on TV was not always 100 percent authentic -- though there was seldom any outright deception. Individual episode titles included "How Real is Real?," "
Behind the Scenes," "America's Instant Idols," "Everything New Is Old," and "Outrageous Worldwide TV."
The Reality of Reality was originally telecast from September 8 through 12, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide