In 2007, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike brought Hollywood to a standstill. Scripted television shows went dark, production schedules were thrown into chaos, and viewers were left with a massive entertainment void. Yet, amid the crisis, one genre not only survived but thrived—reality TV. Shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and The Amazing Race saw a surge in popularity, as networks scrambled to fill the content gap left by scripted series.
Fast forward to 2024, and things look different. Reality TV, once seen as an indomitable force in entertainment, seems to be struggling. Viewership is down, new formats are floundering, and long-running franchises are losing their spark. Why has a genre that thrived during the previous strike faltered this time around?