Why do people favour both Reality shows and Variety shows? (Opinion)

April 27th, 2026

Reality shows and game theory:

Many people have watched or heard of famous reality shows such as Survivor, Love Island, and even Shark Tank. People may be attracted to these shows due to different reasons, perhaps they are simply enthralled in their competitive atmosphere, the spice of betrayal and alliance, success or failure. Or perhaps, they all hope that they can partake in those shows and have a shot at the final grand prize.

The factors that may have intrigued you are exactly the ones they profit from. However, another type of show, which runs on a completely different mechanism, exists as well; they are called variety shows, “The Running Man” or “The Graham Norton Show”. These shows concentrate on more casual, humorous games and favour a chill life atmosphere instead of an intense atmosphere (in this specific instance, the variety shows we are talking about are light-game, hangout vibe shows that are mainly made in Korea or Asia). 

At first, it seems very odd that both of these types of shows are famous and popular amongst audiences since their rationales are so different; so let’s examine why both categories are widely accepted and popular…

For the first category, which exemplifies shows such as Survivor, The Amazing Race, Love Island, audiences watch it not because of who is filmed in the show (since a lot of times they are also everyday citizens), but they are intrigued because of the “ what happened”. When watching shows, such as The Mechanism, people are actually attracted to is what is called the: Game theory. These are built of concepts such as rationality, which is one’s ultimate mindset to always maximize their wins, leading to tactical alliances or, simply, the roads they are willing to take just to win. Thanks to game theory, audiences are able to see the formation of rivalries, complications of human decision-making, and the desperation to succeed in the shows mentioned above. These are the few components that actually make these shows desirable: the triggering of dopamine, excitement, and incentives along the way. 

In the second category, the variety shows often revolve around the travelling of celebrities or famous individuals, more like a filmed hangout with numerous games along the way. People see this for a totally opposite reason, not because they want to see the rivalry between the stars, but moreover, just simply because they want to watch their favourite celebrity on screen. Those shows often feature palatable foods, fun events, it fabricates a sense of utopia and friendliness; as if you are watching others live your dream life. 

Yet, people are still willing to watch these shows even though they are on the complete opposite end and have little to no surprise involved; it heavily hinges on the celebrity’s fame, and this is why this style is uncommon in shows featuring nameless, normal individuals. 

In conclusion, perhaps these shows are a reflection of how there was never a singular way of how entertainment should work; people don’t only favour rivalry, nor do they only favour an idealistic lifestyle featured on television. Multiple styles may co-exist at the same time, and people like them all. This offers further inspiration into how entertainment can differ in the future as the needs of the current society also evolve.