Watch Reality Show

Reality Show is a satirical and surrealist comedy series that premiered on Showtime on April 5, 2012. Created by Adam Rifkin, the show is a multimedia extravaganza that makes fun of reality TV, pop culture, and contemporary society using a mix of found footage, animation, and live-action sequences.

The show is set in a fictional TV network called "The Reality Channel" and follows the daily operations of the network's executive producers, writers, and hosts as they create and produce various reality shows. The main characters are a bevy of washed-up celebrities, has-been actors, and aspiring contestants who are desperate for fame and fortune.

The show within the show is called “Mirror, Mirror,” a reality competition series where contestants live in a house and try to be the last one standing. The twist is that the contestants are all unaware they are being watched by cameras 24/7, and that the game is all about compliance, not competence.

Throughout the series, we see the lives of the people who make this show possible. Adam Rifkin himself stars as a producer, Chico as the on-air mentor, and Kaitlin Doubleday as the ingenue who was cast as the “pretty face.”

Along the way, the show satirizes the various absurdities of the reality TV genre, including the shallow characters, the forced drama and conflicts, the staged situations, and the lack of authenticity. The show also lampoons other media phenomena such as viral videos, infomercials, and web series.

Reality Show frequently makes use of meta-commentary, breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly. The characters speak directly to the camera, making confessional interviews in which they reveal their hopes, fears, and insecurities. They also interact with the show's creators, writers, and editors, discussing the creative process and the challenges of producing a successful TV show.

The show incorporates various visual techniques, including split screens, fast-paced editing, and animation, creating a dizzying and chaotic aesthetic that matches the frantic energy of the world it depicts. The show's soundtrack features a diverse mix of contemporary and old-school pop hits, as well as original songs by comedic performer Michael Des Barres.

One of the show's main themes is the nature of reality itself. As the show progresses, we start to see the cracks in the artificial world that is being created. The lines between what is real and what is staged start to blur, and the characters begin to question their own motivations and identities. The show's finale takes this idea to a surreal and mind-bending conclusion, providing an unexpected and thought-provoking twist.

Overall, Reality Show is a clever, quirky, and subversive comedy series that offers a fresh perspective on the world of reality TV. If you're a fan of shows like The Office or Arrested Development, or if you appreciate smart, satirical humor, then Reality Show is definitely worth checking out.