Bravo's Reality T.V. For Adults

Bravo Network leads the way with reality television shows that appeal to adults and people who have a hidden creative genius inside. Bravo has a formula that has worked well for its reality television shows. Rather than turning to romantic contests, trapping strangers in a house together, or sending contestants out to an exotic and primitive island, Bravo uses the arts as the basis for competitions. Creativity is rewarded on Bravo.

Bravo's formula for success in reality television uses a standard system of creative challenges, weekly rewards, and a vote off each episode. A standard panel of expert judges is selected, along with the key spokesperson and host. The judges on Bravo's reality television shows are sometimes as interesting as the contestants. Though none are as verbally bold as Simon Cowell on American Idol, Bravo judges to not shy away from honestly brutal criticism at times. And, yes, there is always the kinder judge, who tends soften the blow. If you haven't tuned in to one of Bravo's reality television shows, join the 76 million homes that have access to the Bravo Network television shows.

Project Runway

Project Runway is the show that began it all for Bravo Network. The award winning success of Project Runway has led to anticipation of the next season of this wildly popular reality show about clothing designers. Heidi Klum, of modeling fame, hosts the show, with contestant consoler, Tim Gunn assisting. Contestants on Project Runway get to let their creativity shine as they take part in unique and challenging weekly assignments. A panel of top designers in the field vote on the best and the worst designs, sometimes asking contestants for feedback about what their intention was with particular designs.

The most refreshing thing about Project Runway is that, aside from interesting contestant personalities and occasional conflict, the contestants for Project Runway seem to be genuinely talented. This brings a sense of integrity to the show and distinguishes it from other reality shows that often choose contestants based solely on appearance or intensity of personaluty flaws.

Project Runway is a top rated reality television show for a good reason, and it has earned a reputation for being an addictive show for adults who have an interest in fashion or an appreciation for creative designers.

Top Chef

Bravo entered the world of creative cooking with the hit show, Top Chef. Each week viewers get to watch chefs from across the country compete in different cooking challenges in the kitchen. The variety of different challenges keeps the show fresh and interesting each week.

Part of the show's appeal is watching how the contestant chefs create unique gourmet dishes each week. Top Chef gives new meaning to the saying, "too many cooks in the kitchen," and part of the entertainment in the show involves watching how personalities clash or repel when there are team competitions and challenges. Sometimes the teamwork part of the challenge is more difficult for certain contestants than the cooking challenge itself.

Top Chef is the perfect show for adults who enjoy other cooking shows, and for those who have an interest in seeing what goes on behind the kitchen doors.

Top Design

One of the newer reality television shows on Bravo just finished its first successful season. Top Design was one of the msot challenging of all the Bravo shows in the creative arts competitions. Contestants on Top Design are interior designers, who are given weekly interior design challenges that have very restictive time limits and budgets.

The show has a set group of judges (Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wierstler, and Margaret Russell), and a kindhearted consoler and encourager, Todd Oldham. Guest judges appear regularly to assist with the weekly contest winner and loser selection. The judges on Top Design make a good team, often balancing each other's opinions and critiques of contestants' work.

This popular Bravo reality show crowned Matt Lorenz, 33, of Chicago as the first "Top Designer." Fans of Top Design are already looking forward to the next season.

Shear Genius

The newest reality television show on Bravo Network is Shear Design, hosted by the Jaclyn Smith, former Charlie's Angel and queen of the K-Mart Jacklyn Smith line of clothing. Like other Bravo reality television shows, Shear Genius focuses on creative competition. This time, the contestants are hair dressers, salon stylists, or cosmetology's creme of the crop, whatever the current correct title may be. Naturally, boring hair dressers would not be very entertaining, so like other Bravo reality shows, the contestants range from highly opinionated and egocentric to introverted and easily bruised.

The object of Shear Genius is to survive all the weekly challenges without being voted off. Salon challenges determine who is in the top three and bottom three, with one of the top three given the weekly title of "Shear Genius." The winner gets a prize for the week, and the loser of the bottom three contestants is told that it was, "their last cut." Jaclyn Smith's hairstyle is perfectly styled on Shear Genius, and she makes a convincing judge. Guest judges star on the show each week, as well as another regular hair stylist judge.

Shear Genius should follow the path of Bravo's other reality television success stories, if viewers continue to tune in each week to the new dramas of life in the salon.