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鈥淎merica鈥檚 Got Talent,鈥� one of a few reality competitions that has aired for many seasons and is based on people displaying their skills for a national audience, is set to air its eleventh season finale on Sept. 14.

The final episode will find competitors including singer Grace VanderWaal and Jon Dorenbos, who performs magic tricks, facing off to win this season.聽

鈥淭alent鈥� airs on NBC and has judges including 鈥淎merican Idol鈥� personality Simon Cowell and singer Mel B of the Spice Girls.聽

鈥淭alent鈥� is one of a few reality franchises that are currently on broadcast television and have been airing for double-digit seasons now. Its brethren include ABC鈥檚 鈥淭he Bachelor鈥� and CBS鈥檚 鈥淏ig Brother鈥� and 鈥淪urvivor.鈥�

And it鈥檚 also one of several reality shows that have been popular over the past several years that are focused on everyday Americans going on national television to show off their talent. Competitions such as the recently departed Fox show 鈥淎merican Idol,鈥� Fox鈥檚 鈥淪o You Think You Can Dance,鈥� and NBC鈥檚 hit 鈥淭he Voice鈥� are also based on this.聽

These shows are part of a long TV tradition, with the tradition going all the way back to programs such as the 1940s TV show 鈥淭he Original Amateur Hour.鈥� Later programs based on this premise also included the 1970s TV program 鈥淭he Gong Show.鈥�

Many of these shows debuted in the early 2000s, particularly in the wake of the success of 鈥淚dol,鈥� which was a smash hit. Several of these shows endured, with 鈥淚dol鈥� airing for 15 seasons and 鈥淒ance鈥� recently airing its 13th. Because 鈥淭he Voice鈥� usually airs fall and spring seasons, it鈥檚 already set to debut its 11th season later this month.聽

Why do these programs appeal to viewers? The format of 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Got Talent鈥� is one that鈥檚 succeeded in Britain as well and writes that he thinks viewers are attracted to that particular shows because with 鈥淏ritain鈥檚 Got Talent,鈥� 鈥渋t鈥檚 a throwback to the days of music hall and the have-a-go spirit that has made variety shows so timelessly appealing.鈥澛�

And writes that TV fans view the contestants on these various shows as people like them. 鈥淎 nation of screen-obsessed, text-voting fans see themselves in the strivers on these programs, and change their ways of making dinner or crooning on karaoke night because of it,鈥� Ms. Powers writes. 鈥淲hen you look in your fridge on a given weekday night, for example, has 鈥楥hopped鈥� caused you to consider combining that packet of smoked salmon with the peaches in the crisper and some Ritz crackers? I've been there.鈥�