Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Bachelor, and Big Brother are all popular reality TV shows seen by millions each episode, but shows like these aren’t realistic.

“I think reality TV has become a reflection of our society,” Tom Skobel, drama teacher, said. “I think we want to see what we think is real and believe it’s real when in reality is isn’t.”

Reality TV has been engraved into our society. It has set expectations now that are nearly impossible to achieve, but we can’t go back, Skobel said. People in these shows try so hard to reach these expectations and would almost do anything to become famous.

“I believe that when people are put into the spotlight and have that opportunity for fame, they sometimes change how they really are. [They Change] into a different personality that they think will help them become more liked or popular,” Danielle Vezensky, sophomore and a regular reality TV watcher, said.

Almost every dramatic situation in reality TV is not something an ordinary person will find themselves in. Reality TV can’t have any dull moments for risk of losing viewers, so in order to keep the show consistently interesting, it can’t all be truly reality. There would not be as many plot twists and exciting turn of events if the shows were not crafted to fit the audience.

“I think [reality TV] is a whole new art form now because in reality TV, you’re acting, but you’re not,” Skobel said. “You’re trying to be a whole new version of yourself, like in theatre. We’re all versions of ourselves, but it’s the version of yourself in front of a camera.”