The society in The Hunger Games trilogy is depicted as predominantly a dystopian society with a totalitarian government, with only a couple minor examples of utopian society. The country called Panam, is divided into 12 districts, each responsible for producing specific resources, most of which go to the Capitol (government headquarters). For example, District 12 produces coal, because where they are located, the land is abundant in this rock.
How do we know this? Well, a dystopian society is defined by several characteristics:

• People are oppressed, poor, starving, terrorized by the government or police (or higher sources), and lack many freedoms (speech, independence, and access to information, etc.
• Nature is not trusted and avoided
• Government controls many aspects of society: technology, religion, education, manufacturing, etc.

A totalitarian government looks like this:

• Has complete control of society by enforcing rules with horrific consequences for breaking one
• Control’s society by limiting resources
• Manipulates society through the media, information, fear, and lies
• Corrupt and secretive
• Known to use technology and inside people to keep surveillance on the public

In The Hunger Games, there are many examples of a dystopian society run by a totalitarian government, especially in book 1. The Capitol controls all the districts through the above-bulleted examples, and The Hunger Games focuses mainly on District 12. Anyone who lives outside of the Capitol lives in what’s considered poverty by today’s standards. In a coal district, you can imagine that everything must be very dirty, grey, and dreary with all the soot that lingers from the miner’s work. Furthermore, the government controls how much money (tokens) and food is available for the districts, which is never enough, and many people starve. Some (Katniss & Gale) take to the woods to hunt animals for food and trade, despite government rules against interacting with nature. The most prominent and horrific method the Capitol uses to control the districts is to hold the annual Hunger Games. The Capitol states that it is a reminder of the wars that devastated their nation, but really, the Capitol views it as entertainment. They can control the games using illusion and technology to force players to make choices that will lead them to a specific outcome based on the Capitol’s liking. Player’s deaths are brutal and objectified. Each night the Capitol lists each death from that day, devaluing life for all human beings as simple and forgettable.
The way in which the Capitol uses the people in each District can be seen relative to today’s numerable shows labeled “reality TV.” How do they compare? Those chosen to play in the games (Tributes in the novel) are portrayed as “contestants” by being given stylists and fashion designers to make them look glamorous. They televise The Hunger Games and hold interviews with the contestants. They control the storyline and edit interviews to fit the personalities that the Capitol wants to portray, such as Katniss and Peeta’s love story. Then the games and interviews are “aired” for the citizens of the Capitol’s viewing enjoyment. Those who live in the Districts are able to watch too, as their own people – friends and family members: children – are pitted against one another in the arena, and their deaths are televised in front of the entire population of Panam. This fictional dystopian reality compares to today’s society in this way:
Television reality programs are shown to foster not only direct surveillance, but also the normalization of surveillance because they make it part of the entertainment format of television and, thus, good fun” (Ericson), and this keeps the majority of the public in the United States content to do nothing to combat it.  Similarly, the Games are served up as an entertaining reality show to the Capitol, yet again highlighting the connection between their citizens and ours.” (Northeastern.edu)
These are all examples of how The Hunger Games follows the conditions of a dystopian society, and although rare, there are a couple of instances where utopian characteristics are depicted, though very few of the population actually get to partake in this version of reality.
A utopian society is seen as one that is ideal and nearly perfect, at least according to the people. People often live happy, carefree lives, with rules to protect the common good of the people, without controlling them to the same degree as a dystopian society would control them. People are free to choose their own path in life and are given opportunities that allow individuals to grow. Society also has some say in how the government is run and can live relatively private lives if they so wish.

In The Hunger Games, a few examples include the citizens of the Capitol themselves, who live more freely and openly, have access to a great deal of technology, education, food, entertainment, work, and medical care. The winners of The Hunger Games becomes a Victor and are provided with a more than modest home in their districts “Victor Village,”  money, food, and other resources to keep the winner and their family without want for the rest of their lives.
Despite these minor utopian examples, the fictional society depicted in The Hunger Games is still considered a dystopian society with a totalitarian government, controlling the people for their own enjoyment.

The Hunger Games are actually evidence that Panem is a dystopia.  A utopia is a perfect world, and a dystopia is a world gone horribly wrong.  In a dystopia, the community usually creates strict rules guarding a certain way of life.  For people in the Capitol, Panem probably does seem like a perfect world.  The other thirteen districts are miserable, however.  No one in the Capitol works; instead, residents lives off the other districts' labor and goods.  They live a life of luxury and excess.

The creation of Panem mirrors many dystopias in that it was a community that, after suffering war and hardship, decided to create a perfect world:

He lists the disasters, the droughts, the storms, the fires, the encroaching seas that swallowed up so much of the land, the brutal war for what little sustenance remained. The result was Panem, a shining Capitol ringed by thirteen districts, which brought peace and prosperity to its citizens. (Ch. 2)

The Hunger Games are like a reality show in that they area televised and allow sponsorship.  There are obstacles and prizes for the tributes.  The winners are wealthy and set for life.  Many people love watching the Hunger Games and look forward to it all year.

Where the similarities end is that no reality shows in our world encourage or require contestants to kill each other.  In the Hunger Games, all contestants have to kill the other contestants to win.  Each year the game is a little different, which is one way it reminds me of Survivor.  The contestants are not in teams formally, but often ally together in the beginning before they have to begin fighting each other. 

Like a reality show, everything in the Hunger Games is televised.  Unlike our reality shows, watching is required.

At home, we would be watching full coverage of each and every killing, but that’s thought to give an unfair advantage to the living tributes. For instance, if I got my hands on the bow and shot someone, my secret would be revealed to all. (Ch. 11) 

In the Hunger Games, home viewers can sponsor contestants by giving them money.  Katniss knows this, and plays to the cameras.  I am sure many reality show contests are similarly rigged and scripted, with the participants playing to viewers and manipulated by the game makers.