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What was the first, ever 'Reality' show?


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Old 12-08-2016, 14:32
doormouse
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Was it Big Brother?
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:33
Rhumbatugger
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There was a programme called 'The Family' in the seventies I think, where we followed a greengrocer and his extended family through their dramas.

I think that might have been the first identifiable 'reality' show. But I'm by no means sure.
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:34
dirtyrat
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The Flintstones
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:37
Drew_Hatch
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The Real World?
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:37
gjc
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According to Wikipedia "Reality TV" goes back as far as the 40s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realit....E2.80.931950s
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:38
2la
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Airport
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:38
Wainy84
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There was a programme called 'The Family' in the seventies I think, where we followed a greengrocer and his extended family through their dramas.

I think that might have been the first identifiable 'reality' show. But I'm by no means sure.
Watched that a few weeks back.
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:38
Rhumbatugger
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Seven up?
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:38
Leathertrouser2
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It was indeed "The Family" at least by official standards it was the first ever reality programme. Following a normal family round 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so "Big Brother" just not so big even though for its time it was considered (and still is by some & I can understand why) ground-breaking and the viewing figures CH5 could only dream of.
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:39
Rhumbatugger
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Watched that a few weeks back.
where on earth was it on Wainy?
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:40
Wainy84
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where on earth was it on Wainy?
Good old youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZArtrC5rpVs
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:40
Rhumbatugger
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It was indeed "The Family" at least by official standards it was the first ever reality programme. Following a normal family round 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so "Big Brother" just not so big even though for its time it was considered (and still is by some & I can understand why) ground-breaking and the viewing figures CH5 could only dream of.
Thanks Leathertrouser
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:40
Venetian
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There was a programme called 'The Family' in the seventies I think, where we followed a greengrocer and his extended family through their dramas.

I think that might have been the first identifiable 'reality' show. But I'm by no means sure.
That's the one I would have said. Set in Reading in think?
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:41
doormouse
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There was a programme called 'The Family' in the seventies I think, where we followed a greengrocer and his extended family through their dramas.

I think that might have been the first identifiable 'reality' show. But I'm by no means sure.
Oh, thanks! That sounds interesting.
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:42
doormouse
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It was indeed "The Family" at least by official standards it was the first ever reality programme. Following a normal family round 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so "Big Brother" just not so big even though for its time it was considered (and still is by some & I can understand why) ground-breaking and the viewing figures CH5 could only dream of.
Great stuff! I'm going to look for that.
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:42
Rhumbatugger
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That's the one I would have said. Set in Reading in think?
Yes.

It made odd 'celebs' of a few of them - well in the sense that people were interested in what had happened to them, and people knew who they were.
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:42
Venetian
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It was indeed "The Family" at least by official standards it was the first ever reality programme. Following a normal family round 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so "Big Brother" just not so big even though for its time it was considered (and still is by some & I can understand why) ground-breaking and the viewing figures CH5 could only dream of.
For sure, but there were only three or four TV channels at that time. Christmas specials, like Morecambe and Wise, got about 25 millions viewers on Christmas Day [most of them drunk or asleep by then admittedly].
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:46
Leathertrouser2
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Just to add a few more confused heads, I do believe the BBC did a follow up series.
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:46
doormouse
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For sure, but there were only three or four TV channels at that time. Christmas specials, like Morecambe and Wise, got about 25 millions viewers on Christmas Day [most of them drunk or asleep by then admittedly].


The good old days.
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:47
Wainy84
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Just to add a few more confused heads, I do believe the BBC did a follow up series.
Here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4COeBQn6BY
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:49
doormouse
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:49
Steve9214
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Big Brother was probably the first with the "Live coverage" concept, but as that quickly fell by the wayside, if you just look at a genre of pre-shot edited documentary style program

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_American_Family
1971 an American Family was filmed over several months

In the UK a version was made in 1974 following the Wilkins Family from Reading
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fa...1974_TV_series)

Although it could be argued that Seven-UP could be the earliest example of this - although the participants did not interact with each other until much later episodes in the series

In 1978 some strangers were put together in a recreation of an Iron age settlement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living...ast_(TV_series)

Wiki article on the genre, covering many countries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_television

Therefore in the UK, I would say the first example of putting strangers together in one enclosed location, and filming them, was 1978 "Living in the past"
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:51
doormouse
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Big Brother was probably the first with the "Live coverage" concept, but as that quickly fell by the wayside, if you just look at a genre of pre-shot edited documentary style program

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_American_Family
1971 an American Family was filmed over several months

In the UK a version was made in 1974 following the Wilkins Family from Reading
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fa...1974_TV_series)

Although it could be argued that Seven-UP could be the earliest example of this - although the participants did not interact with each other until much later episodes in the series

In 1978 some strangers were put together in a recreation of an Iron age settlement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living...ast_(TV_series)

Wiki article on the genre, covering many countries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_television

Therefore in the UK, I would say the first example of putting strangers together in one enclosed location, and filming them, was 1978 "Living in the past"
Wow, excellent stuff! I'll save this to my favourites. Looks very interesting. Thanks Steve!
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Old 12-08-2016, 14:55
digiqueen
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There was a programme called 'The Family' in the seventies I think, where we followed a greengrocer and his extended family through their dramas.

I think that might have been the first identifiable 'reality' show. But I'm by no means sure.
I remember 'The Family'. Think it was classed as the first 'Fly on the Wall' documentary.
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Old 12-08-2016, 15:24
starry
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Competitive reality is a subgenre really, and that probably started in the 90s as a new type of gameshow.
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