Tag: Reality Television

‘Catfish,’ the TV Show That Predicted America’s Disorienting Digital Future

Since its first episode aired in 2012, “Catfish: The TV Show” has held up a mirror to our online lives, reflecting how we present ourselves and make sense of love, lust, trust, companionship and loneliness in an increasingly digital world. Each episode unfolds like a detective show, with the host Nev Schulman summoned to untangle […]

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How a Reality TV Show Turned the U.F.C. From Pariah to Juggernaut

Twenty years ago, the Ultimate Fighting Championship was on life support. Broadcasters scoffed at the idea of televising half-naked men pummeling each other inside a caged octagon, engaged in a sport where broken bones and dislodged teeth were common. Venues closed their doors and advertisers their wallets. The extreme violence meant there was no way […]

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