Page 219 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media
P. 219

CHAPTER 8

                  Figure 8.1  The Bachelorette
















































                  Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter in The Bachelorette. Reality shows have borrowed themes,
                  characters, and structure from the soap opera. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty)

                    As in soap operas, the melodrama surrounding a reality series can
                  be dragged out interminably. For instance, during the finale of the 2003
                  season of The Bachelorette, Trista Rehn selected a mate from the pool
                  of eligible men. But before viewers could see her final choice, they were
                  subjected to a review of the season, including slow-motion ruminations
                  about how difficult it was to make a choice, with flashbacks of the suitors

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