Do reality formats have an expiry date?
With MasterChef’s ratings showing fatigue, the lifespan of reality formats is in question. In a feature that was first published in Encore, Megan Reynolds asks how long shows can go on before they need to take a rest.
How long can reality TV formats last? Do they have a shelf life similar to that of the many contestants they spit out or can they keep going for years and years? The question is no doubt at the front of the minds of executives at Ten who have watched the ratings decline of their once golden goose MasterChef.
When Ten first announced the format, it was met with scepticism by those in the television industry as well as advertisers, although some were willing to embrace it including supermarket chain Coles.
Simon McDowell, Coles’ chief marketing officer, told the recent Mumbrella360 conference: “We were the first in when no-one else wanted to come and lots of other people have jumped in in the meantime. But Coles and MasterChef are kind of synonymous with each other.”
I am no expert in this field but to me it seems that Masterchef lost its gleen when MKR came on board. It is a pity really cos MC is a much more polished show than MKR-Pete Evans is ever smilling and Manu is every gloomy and speaks a different kind of English.Look at the Block I dont watch it and i dont understand why others find it so interesting.Then the same sort of show in House Rules premiers and is viewed with disdain.
Every format has a shelf-life when the production company starts treating their audience like idiots. I loved Masterchef, made a point of watching every episode. Then they started dropping in ridiculous scenarios, didn’t divulge results until after one more commercial break and there were other things that annoyed me but I haven’t watched it for a couple of years so I can’t remember. Same as The Block, Big Brother et al. Do they really think we can’t see through that rubbish? And while I’m on a rant, I loved Downtown Abbey. Until Season 2 when Ten or 9 or whatever channel it was put it on too late one Sunday night. One episode missed and I never tuned back in. It’s not rocket science people!
I was put off by this year’s marketing ploy of ‘boys versus girls’ so have only tuned in during the past few weeks. It’s still a good show, compared to many, but TEN have milked it to death. If they ran the show every other year it could continue for years – Australia is full of talented chefs, great restaurants and incredible produce – but it feels as soon as one series has finished, the next begins.
MKR took to the format like Norman Bates, cook-splaining is dead to me.
Also personally feel that by not showing an audition process this year they cheated any chance of getting invested in the outcome.
It isn’t difficult but networks just get too cute and clever abd think we dont notice.
But in the name of greed for programming and ratings success, few do it better than tv stations and their complicit production co-conspirators.
Give the audience the gift of missing you (the show).
Create something sustainable, planned and well thought out i.e. a strategy.
But no flogging the hell out of a program and getting ever more cynical with trickery and flagrant conflict ‘creation’, blatant and repetitive promo hype, ever more shameless extentions, never ending cliff hangers (cutting to ads) and producer brain fart beat ups unsurprisingly turns audiences off the product.
Show draws consistent ratings and is an established brand. Channel 10 would be starting fresh again if thy had to put on another Australian show during its times slot.
Channel 10 have nothing to replace it with …. they struggle at the best of times, so they will not give this old lame duck up soon
Seems like a one horse race to me. Seven and ten have list the plot. Seven shd bring back their ratings juggernaut XFactor back quick smart.
MC where is the food, the skill, stop running about and get back to quality. We are a sophisticated viewing audience who used to love your show. I am bored, especially with the running – its no wonder that the more honest Great Australian Bake off killed you in the ratings last night.
Malcontent I don’t agree with you. It is the same format with MKR and the block etc but they succeed . The race against the clock the arguments it is all the same . I still like MasterChef.
MasterChef is slipping because the big appeal for the show was people who maybe could cook but with all the reality show cooking learning going on, there is an expectation from the audience now that they should all already be able to cook and so who really cares anymore. PLUS the show started doing rivalry stuff like battle of the sexes and showing people being annoyed by other people – totally against the other big reason people tuned in.