How Did We Miss This One?
? Usually a variant on the Tomato in the Mirror
, where it turns out that the lead character is in fact the main character on a reality TV show - how much of their life is controlled varies (in some cases, every little detail of their life is controlled by the network, while others basically let the main character do whatever they want). It can be a twist ending, or it can be established right at the start of the show.
- The Truman Show - the Trope Namer, and one of the few to fully consider the massive levels of subterfuge needed to make this work.
- Year Of The Sex Olympics - after "The Sex Olympics" get disappointing ratings, a family is taken to a remote Scottish island and then murdered in "The Live Life Show!".
- The Simpsons - Homer's murder trial in "The Frying Game" turns out to be an elaborate reality TV hoax, which is only revealed when the switch is pulled on the electric chair.
- Nebulous, where it turns out that they have spent the past 6 years trapped in a time loop, which is actually the weekend omnibus of an alien reality TV series.