It is not difficult to dislike reality TV. There is little to stimulate one's intellectual faculties and certainly nothing of any far-reaching importance. Yet here they are and, judging by their phenomenal popularity, surely here to stay.

An estimated 19.2 million people, Britain's biggest TV audience in five years, tuned in to the final of Britain's Got Talent to watch Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle denied victory by street dancers Diversity, while Kris Allen's earlier victory in American Idol was watched by 29 million viewers and drew 100 million votes.

Original reality TV programs, including Candid Camera, survived on non-competitive entertainment value without the need for weekly losers and survivors. The 21st century wave of reality TV programs, however, could easily be called Elimination TV, since the main weekly hook in Idol, Survivor, The Apprentice and Big Brother, is seeing who gets voted out. This fundamental change in the genre has been a ratings winner, for sure, especially in the United States.