As much as I say I am not a fan of reality television, I sure do watch an awful lot of it. American Idol, America’s Next Top Model, The Bachelor, Wife Swap… the list goes on and on. I watch, not because I feel compelled to enter into the every day lives of individuals across the world to see how they live, but because reality television is like a train wreck, and I can’t look away.

Why they call it “reality” TV, I’ll never know, because no matter what scenario we’re following, it isn’t realistic. How often in real life do we see chefs compete against one another for fabulous prizes? I can also guarantee you that my neighbors have never swapped wives with a couple in Tucson. I know no one who has met their future spouse on a reality game show, and there are few people I actually know who hunt for evidence of paranormal phenomenon and get paid for it.

When you think about it, most of today’s popular reality TV shows are more like game shows, where one person walks away with a big prize, and the others have nothing more than a life-altering experience to show for their efforts.

The only difference between reality TV and game shows is that most reality shows focus on talent and opportunity. Even if an American Idol or an America’s Next Top Model contestant doesn’t win the competition, if they make it far enough in the contest, a world of opportunities opens up to them.

The thing is, as viewers, most of us don’t realize that many of our favorite reality shows fall even further abreast of real life. According to a 2004 article in the “Washington Post,” many reality shows are scripted. Sometimes hosts and participants are given lines and jokes to help boost dramatic or comedic moments, but the people who write these script outlines are not called “writers.” Instead they’re called story editors.

So, why are reality TV shows so popular if we’ve known their secrets for more than six years?

On the one hand, as viewers we thrive on drama, and there’s no denying reality TV is chock full of it. On the other hand, the networks tend to push reality shows. Reality television episodes tend to cost about half of what it costs for networks to produce drama and comedy series. Not only do they pay the participants a meager pittance, when compared to what full-time actors would be paid per episode, but they also don’t have to pay writers to script episodes.

As much as I would love television networks to devote more of their resources to giving quality dramas and comedies more than half a season on the air, if they can cut corners with cheap reality shows, chances are they will.

The truth is, not all reality shows are bad. Series like Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth are somewhat more realistic, but the bulk of what’s out there is pretty unbelievable. Even Ghost Hunters has recently gone awry with their spin-off, Ghost Hunters Academy.

As viewers, what can we do? For starters, we can let the networks know what we really think of reality shows. If watching Trading Spouses makes you want to vomit, let the network know why. You’re probably not the only one who feels that way, and if enough people chime in, it could have an impact.