Reviews - Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV

1.27k reviews for:

Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV

Emily Nussbaum

4.07 AVERAGE

amykfarley's review against another edition

3.75

informative medium-paced

I’ve read some of Emily Nussbaum’s work before in The New Yorker and enjoyed it, so I was excited to read this deep dive into reality tv (as a reality fiend). I really enjoyed reading about the origins of reality tv and seeing how many different concepts and shows were thrown out before something stuck. The interviews with cast and crew members and the peeks into the behind-the-scenes were fascinating and it was interesting to see how public opinion has changed over the years. I would have enjoyed more exploration of recent shows, but it was probably too much to even cover since reality tv has exploded so much in the past 10-15 years.

excitedheart's review

5.0

dark emotional funny informative reflective medium-paced

I knew I would love this book, and I did. I have been reading Emily’s writing on television for decades now and this is as good as it has ever been. Well-researched, makes deep connections through the history of reality tv, doesn’t give any character the hero edit. Fascinating stories, shocking but not surprising. Strongly recommended especially if you are a television-obsessed millennial.

Content Warnings