Reality TV

Not just another fishing show, Ice Men is part documentary, part reality TV series, and part educational experience. It follows four teams competing on the American professional ice fishing circuit. Ice fishing isn't a sport I knew a lot about, but host/producer/director Mike McNett’s passion for his subject is infectious.

With so many contrived reality TV shows flooding television, it's refreshing to see Internet Killed Television, a reality series that gets back to basics. Engaged couple Charles Trippy and Alli Speed gets behind and in front of the cameras in this series, which charts their journeys around the world and to the altar.

Thanks to the internet, anyone can be a star. While most of us are happy to live anonymously, others like Anna Saccone and Jonathan Joly prefer to put their lives out there. The Irish couple and their cute puppies are thankfully less annoying than the average reality TV stars, which is no doubt key to their online success.

American Idol is a true pop culture phenomenon, generating more money for its network than any other and encouraging more Americans to vote for its fledgling stars than their president. This Week In American Idol weighs in on the current season of the reality TV series, with special guests and frank commentary.

If you thought the streets of America's major cities were mean, you ain't seen nothing yet. Campus PD reminds us of the dangers brewing in our universities, by following the police sent to enforce law and order. It's like COPS with kids, although the activities covered in this reality TV series aren't child's play.

The Brits give us their take on Dancing with the Stars with the long-running reality TV series, Strictly Come Dancing. These formulaic live-to-air programs have a tendency to drag, but the Strictly Come Dancing YouTube channel gets rid of the filler, leaving you with those sometimes terrible, sometimes breathtaking performances.

The X Factor YouTube channel gets rid of the filler and gives fans what they want to see; the performances of the next crop of talented Brits and a host of celebrity guests. It's just a shame the channel hasn't exploited the reality TV series' vast back catalogue. It has clips from a couple of seasons, but I'd love to see some bits from those early eps.

Picking up where Big Brother left off comes ControlTV, the reality TV brainchild of Seth Green. There are no evictions, or housemates; just one brave twenty-something handing his free will over to a voyeuristic internet public. They dress him, plan his day, and inspire every twist and turn that the action takes. Episodes are posted most days, but with ControlTV streaming live 24/7 you can get your fix any time you like.

A job working as a video tester at Sony PlayStation must be every game enthusiasts dream. You might never get to live it, but you can live vicariously through someone who will by watching the reality series The Tester. Now in its second season, this program is available for early download through the PlayStation 3 before it hits the world wide web.

It seems the internet is the new dumping ground for reality TV concepts. One that embraces its playing field is The Tastemaster, a series which sees folks who've made their names online competing in a series of social challenges. The emphasis on net personalities should please internet addicts, but this is still pretty standard fare. Contestants are eliminated each week until the series finale airs on October 21.