On Literary Depictions of Reality TV

When we watch reality TV, we can’t help but question what divides truth from fiction. Are these people really falling in love, or are they acting? Is this contestant truly deplorable, or has she just received a Villain edit? What about the conditions of reality stardom has led so many former stars to death by suicide? Reality TV won’t answer these questions itself, because its success depends on stifling doubts and fooling us into thinking that what we’re watching is the one true version of the story. As a result, as we watch, we are trapped in our wondering: on what level, if any, is this real?