As a first-year university student in 2001, I leapt at the chance to bash the then-burgeoning primetime filler known as reality TV in an English essay.
"Its contents tend to neglect many aspects of reality in order to grasp an audience's attention," I wrote with disgust. "Temptation Island is nothing but a bathing-suit fashion show where hot, young people use sex appeal to draw in viewers."
Man, was I naive.
What I didn't realize at the start of the new millennium was that skankfests such as Temptation Island (where sexy singles wooed attached folks) would give way to bigger (and slightly less raunchy) matchmaker hits, such as The Bachelor - and that Survivor would still be outwitting, outlasting, outplaying and out-rating most hospital dramas nine years, and 19 seasons, later.
Yes, the '00s was the decade of the reality TV show. The novelty of instant wealth and fame doesn't look like it will be wearing off on North Americans in the foreseeable future. At least, as long as The Big Three - American Idol, Survivor and The Amazing Race - are still on the airwaves.
Since debuting in 2002, Fox's Idol has made history for its massive ratings (30 million viewers? No prob!), and for being one of few shows to sit at No. 1 for five consecutive seasons. Not only has it made stars out of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and gyrating Adam Lambert, but it has let the singers who've made it past Simon Cowell's scowl live their American dreams - and, conversely, given folks such as William Hung and Bikini Girl the 15 minutes they never deserved. Even haters tune in just to see what Simon, Randy and Paula had to say.
Then you have Survivor, a true geek magnet. The number of Internet spoiler sites, theories and pools that popped up once Richard Hatch set up camp in Borneo in 2000 likely surpassed the number of bucks he won at the end.
The Amazing Race also delivers adventure, but has succeeded where most reality shows have failed by earning respect - and 10 primetime Emmys. Those too sophisticated for scheme-y Big Brother and sappy The Bachelor can get away with watching CBS' globe-trotting Race, because its contestants don't exaggerate the drama - they live it. If you were forced to eat a live octopus in Korea, you might cry too.
For every reality-TV winner there have been twice as many disasters - don't even get me started on Fear Factor, Celebrity Duets, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, Farmer Wants a Wife or vomit-inducing The Swan.
But if reality shows have proved anything this decade, it's that big-name actors, expensive sets and a token autopsy aren't as guaranteed to attract viewers as big egos, expensive prizes and a token blond bombshell.
And this doesn't just go for America. Survivor, for instance, is still even more popular in Canada. And CTV's So You Think You Can Dance Canada boasts hotter talent than its U.S. counterpart.
If only I had known in 2000 that I would go on to devote my career to watching and writing about "bathing suit fashion shows," I would have understood why that paper didn't get an A.
TOP 10 TELEVISION: REALITY SHOWS (competitive)
1. Survivor (2000-present)
2. American Idol (2002-present)
3. The Amazing Race (2001-present)
4. Big Brother (2001-present)
5. The Apprentice/The Celebrity Apprentice (2004-present)
6. Project Runway (2004-present)
7. Dancing With the Stars (2005-present)
8. America 's Next Top Model (2003-present)
9. The Bachelor (2002-present)
10. So You Think You Can Dance Canada (2008-present)
TOP 10 TELEVISION: REALITY SHOWS (non-competitive)
1. The Hills (2006-present)
2. Jon & Kate Plus 8 (2007-09)
3. The Osbournes (2002-05)
4. Jackass (2000-02)
5. What Not to Wear (2003-present)
6. The Real Housewives of . (2006-present)
7. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2003-present)
8. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003-07)
9. Trading Spaces (2000-08)
10. The Surreal Life (2003-06)
