The Big Bang of Reality TV

When PBS documentary series An American Family aired in 1973, actress Diane Lane was only 8 years old, too young to understand the seismic shift that the show caused in the nation's psyche. Now, at 46, Lane recognizes that the show held up a mirror to viewers' own imperfections. "It was a huge awakening for all of us," says the actress, now playing the mother of the first family that got burned for being itself on television. You can go here to read more about An American Family and today's reality TV. And while I may be somewhat dating myself here, I remember An American Family and, like millions of other Americans, was at least somewhat captivated and intrigued by a family that would allow cameras to film the everyday occurences of their lives. I wondered why a family would allow such an invasion into their private lives and the sanctity of their home. Yet, I suspect the show served a purpose and, as one review said challenged us all - young or old - "to think seriously about family, marital relations, sexuality, affluence and the American dream." And while it let us almost voyeuristically peek in on the lives of the Loud family, it also gave us each a little insight into our own. But, the Louds fell victim to reality TV, just as so many of today's reality stars have - perhaps proving once again that the more things change, the more they remain the same.