Heroic myths in popular culture: reality TV, storytelling and politics

The rise of unscripted formats in the reality genre in the late 1990s marks the turning point at which television stepped up the development of its own storytelling techniques and methods. These shows contribute to a distinct discourse by providing a space for the medium to develop its own genres that cannot exist outside itself, separate to those of other creative industries such as literature and cinema. This article demonstrates how factual entertainment producers have moved on from the classic documentary posture of accessing a situation to creating one in order to fully control the narrative arc. Talent competitions go one step further by employing story arcs to create a heroic journey of transformation for ordinary people. These myths reflect the values of late-stage capitalism. In stark contrast to the heroes of world religions, the heroes of reality TV are not obliged to help others, nor act as redeemer or savior. Each is self-serving in seeking a better place in the world rather than aiming to make the world a better place. This article concludes with a reflection on the role of heroic myths in contemporary societies using The Apprentice as a case study.