The X Factor and Reality Television: Beyond Good and Evil

Reality television gets a raw deal. Despite huge popularity and lasting cultural impact, shows such as The X Factor, a British music competition that started screening in 2004, are seen by many as a cultural nadir. But I argue in this article that, whilst reading reality television as an index of an increasingly superficial, market-based culture makes a great deal of sense, it doesn’t tell the whole story. Using the particular music-based dramas of The X Factor as case study, I explore ways in which both this show and populist reality television in general might be seen to embody both the predicaments and potential pressure points of contemporary neoliberal culture.