By Adriana Rangel
Reality TV has always been a popular part of pop culture, and it has many different genres in itself as well.
From shows following interesting characters to shows designed to help people find love, there’s something for everyone.
There’s also the very popular sub-genre of game shows such as “Big Brother” and “Survivor”. Students who are big fans of such shows might be interested in taking the new Reality TV Game Shows course in the fall.
GSD 295 will be taught by Dr. Cathlena Martin, the associate professor of Game Studies and Design at the University of Montevallo.
Martin says the inspiration behind the course was her own love of watching these kinds of shows, such as “Survivor”.
“During the pandemic that was my binge watch show, and it has amazing game design in it,” Martin said. “And then I got turned on to ‘The Genius,’ and again the lessons we can learn from game design and social interaction in them are amazing.”
The class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-3:15 p.m. in Hill House, which is right next to Harman Hall.
The course is set up in three parts. First, students will study game shows and pick apart their mechanics and how they work.
Then, they will take what they learned from other shows to design their own game show. Lastly, they will be able to play the game they have designed themselves.
The course will go over many shows such as “Survivor,” “The Genius,” “The Amazing Race,” “The Mole” and more. Martin also mentions they will discuss new coming up shows, such as “Squid Games” and “The Challenge”.
The class is open to all UM students, and there are still some seats available, if you wish to enroll for the Fall semester.
To learn more about Game Studies and Design minor, visit the UM website.
Vallo Vision News 