Scandoval
Howdy!
There are two main components to a successful reality television show. There needs to be relatable scenarios that the characters interact with that ground them in reality and allow the viewers to sympathize and empathize with the characters. There also needs to be unrelatable scenarios that encourage voyeurism and escapism among the viewership. And the best reality shows find the perfect balance between the relatable and the unrelatable.
I only started watching reality television shows as a way to spend quality time with my wife but now I feel like I enjoy them more than she does. I find them fascinating because I like watching “normal” humans interacting with these relatable and unrelatable scenarios. This is the closest thing I will ever experience to conducting psychological research on how people react to various forms of stimuli. The research benefits are why I find them so unique.
A current show that I’m watching is The Real Housewives of Potomac. These Virginia women find themselves in some of the most amazing situations and I find myself not being able to look away. For example, Robyn found herself going through a divorce while still co-parenting with her now ex-husband Juan. They end up in a situation where they are drawn together closer as a result of the divorce. Then, they go through the relatable issue of finding a way to stick together for the kids while also navigating the new reality they find themselves in.
However, in true reality show fashion, they come across the very unrelatable scenario of navigating a scandal at Juan’s profession that has very real legal implications for both of them. Juan, now engaged to Robyn, is the head coach of Coppin State University, and one of his assistant coaches is alleged to have Catfished one of the Coppin State players and coerced them into sending him nude photos for blackmail. This brings about genuine financial strife and opportunities to get creative to keep the family afloat that frankly should be unrealistic to the viewers at home but expertly ride the line between relatable and unrelatable.
Contrast that with Robyn’s Potomac castmate Ashley who finds herself dealing with a contentious divorce from her ex-husband Michael and trying to survive after signing an ironclad prenuptial agreement. Ashley is trying to date in her new normal as a single mother while also struggling to maintain the lifestyle she had become accustomed to during her marriage. This culminates with Ashley and her ex-husband purchasing a house together, which frankly is an unrelatable masterpiece and shows how excellent the Real Housewives producers can be under the right circumstances.
I think the issue that most reality television shows face is that they lean too far into either the relatable or the unrelatable. The idea of coworkers working, living, and partying together despite obvious animosity between them all is unrealistic to a lot of viewers, and it’s why shows such as The Real World no longer exist in their original format. There’s not enough of a realistic backbone to make viewers care about their trivial problems each week. Full disclosure: I auditioned for The Real World in 2011 when their casting crews came to Atlanta restaurant Loca Luna. I obviously wasn’t cast in the show, but I digress.
The same can be said for shows that lean too far in the opposite direction. I feel like this happens a lot on shows that specialize in following people that work normal jobs, such as police officers or healthcare professionals. There are only so many scenarios that you can create in a show centered around veterinarians taking care of animals like Critter Fixers without only focusing on the stresses of the job. The downfall of the show can be the forcing of unrelatable scenarios that don’t make sense in the flow and pacing of the show, or scenarios that break the fourth wall and remind the viewer that they are indeed watching a television show. I think The Incredible Dr. Pol does a great job of straddling that line.
Because the shows have to be grounded in some type of reality, you end up with the same show’s premise being used repeatedly. For every Million Dollar Listing, there’s a Selling the Hamptons. For every Fixer Upper or Good Bones, there’s a Rock the Block or Lil Jon Wants to Do What?. And there are only so many times I want to watch a show about athletes overcoming adversity. Last Chance U and the Formula 1 show are perfect. Do I really need QB1 or Full Swing?
With how cheaply these shows are made, I don’t expect the conveyor belt to stop anytime soon. It simply requires more effort to sift through numerous knockoffs before landing on a new gem such as Love After Lockup. That show has a great balance of relatable and unrelatable scenarios, and it’s one of my current favorites. I strongly encourage everyone to give reality television another chance if they’ve given up on it, even if it’s only for research purposes. There’s enough variety out there for everyone to find something that they enjoy.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have old episodes of Vanderpump Rules to watch.