The Compare/Contrast Essay

English 2 (ESP 0205) Research Paper

Xavier Ooi Win Yang (0307620)

Almost everyone heard of a genre called reality show. The word genre means the type, group or sort of a particular act or content (Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books,

14 Aug. 2003). Most of the reality shows now are being broadcast live or filmed then played
at interval sessions on a particular programme. Basically, reality show is a melodramatic also known as humourous situations. Most of the time, contestants will receive prize as a award for winner(s), losers will be eliminated from the challenge without a single cent. The first reality show was in 1971 about an average American family. This genre exploded as a phenomenon around year 1999 to year 2000 with the success of Big Brother as the first television series. The Amazing race and Fear Factor would be the best reality shows Ive ever seen on television. I would take this apportunity to write about these shows as my lecturer allowed us to choose any reality shows that we like. These shows were my all-time television series that I look forward each episode. By that, I will info the few main points of these shows into paragraphs. One of the best reality show that Ive seen since young is The Amazing Race. This reality show series was always being played or broadcasted when I switched the television on. The Amazing Race is an eight time Emmy Award winning reality series hosted by Phil Keoghan. Firstly, I would like to talk about the number of teams in a particular race event. 11 teams which consist of two members, against each other on a trek around the world approximately 25 days. Participants can consists of elderly aged to teenage. Secondly, each team must complete a series of challenges, some mental and some physically at every destination. Only when the contestants completed the their tasks, they will earn a card which allows them to the next location where the challenge will be. This step will be done gradually until the last checkpoint. Contestants will face

challenge where at times they get to the wrong area or doing the wrong thing. For instance, contestants would have to work as a part-timer in order to earn some money to travel to a certain destination. When it comes to a single participant of the member to do the work, team members will argue among each other, but when they successfully complete the last checkpoint, it will be one of the bonding times where they will be so happy and satisfied among themselves. Lastly, teams who are the furtherst behind (last) will gradually be eliminated as the contestants progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning one million USD. Another reality television show that I favour is the Fear Factor show. Fear factor was nominated as the Peoples Choice Award in 2005 for Favourite Reality Show Competition and also as the Best TV Show in the year 2004 and 2005. Fear Factor was another show that many people talk about where it was too disgusting for them to watch at certain point of the movie. But for me, it was part of the challenge if one is participating in it. Joe Rogan, host of the high-stakes challenge game riveting every episodes of Fear Factor was one of the best host. Firstly, Fear Factor will include four teams of two competing against each other. Participants will be nominated across the country which consists of spouses, family members, co workers and friends. Secondly, each and every participant must decide if they have the determination to face their most primal fears as they will be facing many challenges hat they might not even ever imagined. Contestants must be able to take up the challenge where at times the organisers might include notorious physical stunts to test the limit of the contestants. For instance, there will be one challenge where contestants will have to swallow weired, dirty, scary and at times even harmful insects or animals. This challenge will test their mental resolve in order to face the everpopular gross stunts. At most of the times, this will be the worst part of the challenge for ladies as they approach these things. Next, when contestants completes their tasks, they will move

forward a step. If fear ever stops them from completing a stunt, or they fail to complete the mission, they will be eliminated immediately. Lastly, the team that successfully complete and win the final challenge takes home a fifty thousand prize. As a conclusion, reality television show is very interesting and many things are not aspected. I would say that of all the television programmes, reality genre will be the most htat I favour than the rest. The reason for it is that I like non-acting shows or just talking shows, but challenging barriers that we all human can do but to face the fear of it. But in the end, experience counts.