Fans of Fantasia Barrino's reality show "Fantasia For Real" won't have long before they learn if the series will live up to its name.

The second season of the VH1 show premieres September 19, after the singer's overdose following allegations about her relationship with a married man.

The incident raises the issue of how reality shows handle the troubles and tragedies of its stars before an audience expecting an insider's view of the subjects' lives.

"In a word, you handle it carefully," said Stephen Reverand, senior vice president of development and production, East Coast, for the Discovery Channel, which grappled with how to portray the death of "Deadliest Catch" star Capt. Phil Harris this year. "You handle it carefully and sensitively."

For many viewers, "reality television" has become a complete misnomer.

But real life often does intrude on those series, as in the case of Barrino's medical and romantic troubles, the recent arrest of MTV's "Jersey Shore" star Snooki and the divorce of Jon and Kate Gosselin, which halted their very successful reality show.

As long as there has been reality TV, there appears to have been unexpected drama that becomes part of the story line.

MTV's "Real World" has countless examples, including then-Tami Roman's decision to undergo an abortion on "The Real World: Los Angeles" in 1993; the late Pedro Zamora's living with AIDS on "The Real World: San Francisco" the following year; and Ruthie Alcaide's struggle with alcohol on "The Real World: Hawaii" in 1999.

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