Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV

3.5 stars. Emily Nussbaum does not subscribe to the critical consensus that the ascent of American Reality TV is a sign of the cultural apocalypse. She believes that the genre has its merits and that the people who create, produce, and write the shows have unique skills that are insufficiently appreciated. Her overview of some the most notable examples, from Candid Camera to The Apprentice, is well-written and informative, but I wish it featured more of a through-line of how the genre's evolution over 65+ years has reflected changes in American culture. To be fair, Nussbaum does offer some of that analysis, but I expected a higher level of commentary from a New Yorker regular and Pulitzer Prize winner.

Warning: the book's last chapter is all about DT45. I'm writing this in late June 2024 and it seems highly probable that the November election will put him back in the White House, God help us all. As a result, the final 25 pages are probably more alarming than Nussbaum intended.