Since March, I have lived many different lives. My favorite so far has been that of a millionaire housewife in Beverly Hills. All the petty drama, cheating scandals, lavish cocktail parties, private jet trips—I was endlessly entertained. Watching these women live their lives, navigate this alien reality so casually, transported me. I clicked play on an episode and suddenly there was no more pandemic, the world was simple again; all I had to worry about was if Camille's long-distance marriage would survive until the Tony Awards (it didn't). I watched the first two seasons of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills twice, (the second time when I convinced my mom it was an excellent psychological and anthropological research opportunity) and I could feel my pulse rising with every screaming match that erupted over a minor misunderstanding. What is it about watching people live their lives that's so fascinating? There's no plot, no prize at the end, simply a camera following these women around and (most likely) producers nudging them towards the most interesting situations. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a good family drama a la Big Little Lies, or a witty sitcom, but for some reason nothing hooks me quite like reality television.
Maybe it's just me. I'm so curious I would probably watch a 24-hour live stream of anyone's life, just to see how it goes, how different it is from mine. Or maybe reality shows really are the ultimate human experience, the ultimate anthropological research opportunity. How else can we see someone's true colors? Are they even themselves if they know they're being filmed? How easily do people fall into characters producers sneakily build for them? Sometimes I wonder what it would
reality tv
by manuela a.
be like to be on the other side of the screen. What role would I take on if my life was a reality show? Or maybe I'm just living a Life Of Truman scenario—in which case, great job giving me that movie, it both increased my suspicions and lowered them.
I understand the appeal of competition shows slightly more: it's an opportunity for people to show off their skills, gain recognition for their work, and it creates intrigue both within the participants and the audience. It's sports for those of us who can't stand the sight of a ball. But what about when they make dating a competition? When does the line blur between entertaining and degrading? Take The Bachelor, for example, how must it feel for those women to compete against each other for the "love" of the most vanilla guy in national TV? 25 women, every single one of them more interesting than this one guy, fighting for group dates to go cliff jumping? I can't really say anything about this show because I do watch it avidly, but the angry feminist living in my brain can't help but feel there is something wrong.
One thing I sometimes fail to consider, however, is how being on these shows is these women's choice, and isn't that what feminism is all about, the power of choice? They had the ability to choose to go on TV and compete for love and they took it. Go them! That's why I keep watching. But really, they can still be degraded even if they choose to be there; the moment they sign the contracts everything is up to the producers. When someone is forcibly kissed inside the Love Island villa, or too drunk to consent in the beautiful set of Bachelor in Paradise, when should producers step in? Should these scenes even be aired? Reality television is all about exaggerating life to create the most entertaining situations. Most times, entertainment can translate directly into controversy. After all, isn't that the most effective way to secure ratings?
Producers push contestants to the edge. When there's enough pressure for intrigue, some is bound to arise, quenching our thirst for unnecessary drama while we turn a blind eye to the people involved and their feelings. There's just so much wrong with reality TV, but more and more shows keep coming out and with every release comes a new headline. Positive or negative, any publicity is good publicity. The shows keep being made because they're basically money machines, and people keep participating because they know it's a highway to fame, but at what cost?
Reality shows are my guilty pleasure, the thing I watch when I'm feeling down, or want to forget about the world. I love them almost as much as I hate them. I feel this moral obligation to advocate against them but there's always something stopping me. Who knew such shallow shows could pose such deep questions?