Audience & Reality TV

This week in class we talked about audience-oriented critique.  We discussed serial narratives, better known as soap operas, and how they are set to be a continuous story line.  One aspect we talked about was how soap operas are set up to make the audience feel like they are involved in the story line.  Yet, there are not as many soap operas today as there used to be because many people do not have time to watch during the day.  However, we still often see the cast trying to get the audience involved in reality television programs.  Shows like Jersey Shore and The Kardashians have their little asides for each character discussing their thoughts.  This gives the audiences a better understanding of why people in the cast do or say certain things.  With the person looking and talking into the camera, it feels as if they are having a conversation with the viewer.  On Jersey Shore when the cast is shown out at a club, tanning, or doing whatever and then one of them has a conversation with the audience explaining what they were doing, this can make the audience feel as if they are involved.  Similar to soap operas, making the audience feel involved, can help bring popularity to certain shows.