That's never more true than this upcoming fall, when five new reality shows premiere in September with enough gusto that network executives think this generation of shows will be competitive against the best scripted series the season has to offer.
Here's a look at the new reality/competition fare from major broadcasters that will grace our TV screens this fall.
America's Toughest Jobs
Premiered: Aug. 25, Mondays, 8 p.m., KSL Channel 5
Thirteen people with comfortable jobs compete as they perform some of the country's toughest work, from working on oil rigs and fishing boats to fetching lattes for network executives. The winner gets the yearly salaries of some of those jobs.
Hole in the Wall
Premieres: Sept. 11, Thursdays, 7 p.m., KSTU Channel 13, (Preview Sept. 7).
The crazy Japanese game show invades the U.S. again. This time, it's a remake in which contestants - two teams of three - contort their bodies into different poses to squeeze through weirdly-shaped holes before being swept into a pool below.
In Harm's Way
Premieres: Sept. 21, Sundays, 6 p.m., KUCW Channel 30.
Unlike the NBC competition series, "America's Toughest Jobs," this one-hour reality series just profiles workers and some of America's toughest jobs, such as bull-riding, coast-guard rescuing, war photography and latte-fetching assistants to network executives.
Opportunity Knocks
Premieres: Sept. 23, Tuesdays, 7 p.m., KTVX Channel 4.
From executive producer Ashton Kutcher ("Punk'd") comes this game show in which the host (J.D. Roth) surprises a family, builds a set in their front yard, and invites the neighborhood over for a one-night quiz show for money and prizes. Hope the families win at least a vacuum cleaner to clean up the mess afterwards.
Stylista
Premieres: Oct. 22, Wednesdays, 8 p.m., KUCW Channel 30.
The networks calls this "The Devil Wears Prada" made over into a reality show. Eleven fashion assistants work for Elle magazine's fashion news editor, Anne Slowey, a demanding boss who will work the contestants to the bone - or until they look like one of those heroin-chic, ultra-thin models, whichever comes first.
