Reality TV Dating Shows by Angelica Cortez by gelgraphics

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REALITY TV

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By: Angelica Cortez

CONTENTS

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Origin Story

Top 5

My Ritual

Tropes & more!

The Rise of Dating Shows

Real or Fake?

Guilty Pleasure

The Future of Reality TV

Sources Front cover image courtesy of Marah Bashir on Unsplash

O R I G I N S TO RY

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My name is Angelica, some people call me gel. I love reality TV dating shows and this publication will explain why that is while also hopefully giving you a new perspective on the genre that is often referred to as “trash TV.” Throughout this publication I talk about how it all started, what my favourite shows are (and not so favourite), breaking down whether this genre is real or fake and more. I hope you enjoy!

My first memory of a reality tv dating show is MTV’s elimination type dating show called Next (2005) where a single person dates a bus full of potentials, saying “Next!” when they’re done with the date or not into it anymore. I barely remembered the show let alone the name of it and only rediscovered it through research on the origins of reality tv dating shows. This first section will focus on my origin story and how I came to love all things reality tv, specifically the ups and downs of dating and “love” based ones. I put “love” in quotations because even hopeless romantics can admit that these shows, despite its premise, isn’t always focused on the pursuit of real love. Although my first encounter with this genre was at a very young age, my love for it began a few years ago. I vaguely remember this moment in time, but I was on vine, and I came across a short video of someone commenting on this show and expressing their amusement of how dramatic one girl is.

I thought it looked interesting, so I looked in the comment section to find out it was a show called Are you the one? (The season shown in that vine was season 4). Afterwards I binge watched the seasons that were available and waited in anticipation for the new ones. MTV’s Are you the one? is a dating series where 20 single men and women try to find their “perfect match.” This match is made through a dating algorithm that creates the best pairings through an extensive interview process that compares compatibility. All contestants are not aware of their “perfect match” and go through weeks full of tests/challenges, getaway dates and parties to get to know each other in search for this match, all while living together. Every week they all chose a couple to go into the “Truth Booth” to find out if they are a perfect match. If they are, they go and spend time together away from the house for the rest of the season, only appearing in the match ceremonies. If they aren’t a match, they must begin

Are you the one? Season 1 cast. Photo courtesy of MTV/are-you-the-one.fandom.com

their search all over again and separate (which of course bonds are created, and many have a hard time moving on from their non-match). At the end of a few weeks there is a final match-up ceremony where the contestants have one last chance to couple everyone up and if correct, go home with a large cash prize (the largest in MTV history of 1 million dollars). I basically explained everything so if that captures your interest it’s worth a try. This show was the first of many that caught my attention and it got me doing the classic google search “shows like MTV’s Are you the one?” I’m not sure exactly the order of which the rest of the shows went because as many know, binge watching happens so fast with barely any time to remember what you just finished watching. I can recall watching Ex on the beach, starting with its iconic UK version and onto its less iconic but still good US version. The premise is as follows: singles go on a beach thinking it’s a fun dating show only for them to be met by

their exes (in newer seasons they don’t bother tricking them and cast members know what they’re getting into). This stirs up a lot of drama as cast members face exes they most likely had no closure with, (duh if they ended it in a healthy and mutual way and completely moved on that wouldn’t make great TV) while possibly finding new love or wanting to rekindle an old one. What’s interesting about these two shows is that they are one of many that MTV’s The Challenge casts from. MTV’s The Challenge is not a dating show but a reality tv competition show and it’s one of my all-time favorites in the realm of reality tv in general. I started watching that show because I realized some seasons had cast members from Are you the one? and Ex on the beach, a few of those who went on to be season regulars. From that point on I continued to watch every reality tv dating show that interested me and the rest is history. Background photo by Christopher Beloch on Unsplash

TO P 5 reality tv dating shows

MTV’S Are you the one?

Ex on the beach (UK and US)

Love Island (UK, US and Australia)

Temptation Island

Dating Around (US)

Top 5 photo credits (from 1st to 5th) MTV.com, OK! Magazine, Metro.co.uk, realitytea.com/Mario Perez - USA Network and Refinery29/Netflix. Background photo by Nabil Saleh on Unsplash

MTV’S Are you the one? • Interesting • Unexpected • Hopeful • Will make you think • Come back please!

Ex on the beach • Dramatic • Messy • Fights • Cheesy • Exes but not really

Love Island • “Can I pull you for

Temptation Island • Chaotic • Intense • Trust issues • Shocking • Emotional

• • • •

a chat?” Long Predictable “The Ick” “My type on paper”

Dating Around (US) • Organic • Wholesome • Real • Cute • Needs more seasons!

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FBOY Island, Indian Matchmaking, Love is Blind (US and Japan), Love on the Spectrum, Single’s Inferno, True Love or True Lies and The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On

M Y R I T UA L

There’s a special kind of comfort and familiarity that comes with watching a movie every weekend while snacking on your favourite popcorn, watching sports with your family at the same restaurant every month or ordering the same pizza for your 40th time re-watching the office. I made those up, but I find that we all have some sort of ritual when it comes to our favourite activities. My reality tv routine goes something like this; I usually

binge watch these shows whenever I have free time, it’s my chance to unwind and relax after a long hard week or when I’m bored. I either binge watch the show or watch it in real time. Although it’s annoying waiting for a new episode every week as opposed to watching multiple over the course of a few days or weeks, it does feel satisfying when you finally get to the day the show airs and you order food or get snacks and

can watch it and experience it live with other people around the world. Depending on the show, like Are you the one? and Ex on the beach US I would live tweet and/or see other people’s tweets about the show to see their reactions and thoughts. Whether I watch it in real time or not, I always try to avoid spoilers as I like to keep the suspense/ element of surprise g o i n g throughout t h e seasons. One of the best parts is not knowing who everyone’s perfect match is and not knowing if they stay together after the show. Which brings me to my next point, after finishing a show I look up the cast Instagram’s to see who’s still together and in general to see who’s the most liked or popular after the show, what they’re up to now, etc. 9 times out of 10 the couples or people who connected on the show aren’t together anymore and are usually single, surprisingly dating someone unexpected from the same show or even dating someone from a different season of the same show. It hits hard sometimes when you realize the couple you were rooting for the whole season broke up because of *insert dramatic

reason here.* It seems extra as I type that out but part of the charm of these shows is the slight attachment you get with the cast members and their love life lol. The mini pang of disappointment when you realize (shocker) a relationship built on a superficial drama filled reality tv show is not meant to last forever. Even I can admit the shows are ridiculous at times. I also browse the shows subreddits. For bigger reality tv dating series with multiple seasons and both a UK and US audience, like Love Island and Ex on the beach, there are always new posts about current and past cast members. Sometimes the tea spilled in these subreddits are just as entertaining as the shows itself. I go on reddit for other subreddits but it’s always interesting seeing posts from reality tv shows as there is always new drama or news that shows up. To me, there is something uniquely special about these shows that overtime brings me a sense of comfort. As predictable as some scenarios in these shows can be, the overall storyline of a specific season can go any which way. After all the social media checks, I’m now officially done with the show and go on to talk someone’s ear off about all that has transpired. The last step in the ritual is to look for a new show to watch!

Background photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

After watching many seasons of different reality tv dating shows I’ve come to notice the many tropes that come with it. You don’t have to be a seasoned reality tv dating show binge watcher to pick up on it. I bet just one episode could be enough to pinpoint the common cast tropes. Producers want a good show whether it is scripted or not and with reality tv, they can’t always predict how things will turn out. They can, however, cast interesting contestants that they can bet will bring some sort of drama or heartbreak. We have the classic “player” the one who is not shy about bragging on and on about how many people they’ve slept with and how many people

are attracted to them because of their amazingly good looks. The hopeless romantic, the one who comes on the show to genuinely find love. This can end happily with them finding love, or the usual, where they fall in love too quickly, get heartbroken and leave single. The “wallpaper” contestant who sits there and does nothing, doesn’t contribute to the drama, mostly spectates and is most likely there for the free vacation. The “pot-stirrer” the one who knowingly creates and stirs up drama. This one is often not there for love but does have a fair amount of screen time and brings entertainment. What tropes do you notice?

R E A L I T Y T V DAT I N G S H O W

S TA R T E R K I T

Tropical setting

Lots of tears

Fancy drinks

Dramatic & cheesy music

C R E AT E !

Come up with your own reality tv dating show concept (whether or not it may already exist) just for fun. You can make it as basic or as elaborate as you want.

Background photos by Dan-Cristian Păduret on Unsplash (Multicolour background photo) and Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash (Hand with remote).

THE RISE OF REALITY TV DAT I N G S H OW S Netflix reality tv shows on tv. Photo by Gorodenkoff on depositphotos.com

If you have noticed over the course of quarantine/in the past year or two, Netflix has come out with many new reality tv shows, specifically dating and love related ones. Shows like Too Hot to Handle US, Love is Blind US, Love is Blind Brazil, Love is Blind Japan, Sexy Beasts, Single’s Inferno, Indian Matchmaking, Love Never Lies, Love on the Spectrum and more. Judging by this list and not accounting for the reality tv dating shows NOT on Netflix, you can assume I’ve been binge watching quite a bit of content in the past year or so. But don’t ask me any specific questions because I’m not sure I can accurately answer. I’m no expert, just an amateur but avid reality tv watcher who definitely does not remember every contestant’s name and occupation. The recent rise

of this genre on Netflix and other channels and streaming platforms arguably leads to a saturation of poorly made/ executed shows. I’m not too picky when it comes to my reality tv dating shows but I do notice that the more shows come out, the more risk there is of companies releasing rushed, not well-thought-out shows. I realize some of the new reality tv dating shows don’t have that satisfying finish and overall layout, leaving me feeling disappointed and almost in the shoes of those who believe this genre is “trash.” For example, Too Hot to Handle is a show where singles are tricked into believing that they’re on an exciting new dating show where they all get to mingle and have fun, only to realize they are on a show that restricts

any type of physical sexual contact like kissing, personal gratification, sex, you get the point. They begin with a cash prize of $100,000 but every rule break deducts a certain amount of funds from the prize (with chances of redemption of course). The show purposefully casts “horny singles” who are superficial in some sort of aspect and usually only focus on physical attraction and hookups in their dating life. This makes the show, its tests, dates and retreats a learning experience and hard journey for the contestants (no pun intended). I liked this show but at the end I felt like nothing significant happened and was left with the feeling of “okay what did I just watch.” Overall, I felt the drama was a bit stale, it was

the same scenario consisting of the one couple who keeps breaking the rules against the few people who wanted to save the money. The show felt a bit rushed with contestants leaving early and new ones coming with barely any chance of making a huge mark, leading to the ending feeling like not many changes or relationship developments were made. I liked the overall concept, but I think it would benefit from a more diverse cast with more episodes for the contestants to develop in their journey more. Another show that felt was a bit poorly made was Sexy Beasts. The show features short episodes of singles that prefer looks over personality who are transformed into different animals and creatures or “sexy beasts” through prosthetic

Dating Around cast. Image/Collage courtesy of Netflix/Ringer illustration Background image courtesy of freestocks on Unsplash

makeup. The singles must date each other with this makeup on in order to find someone they connect with regardless of how they look. After the main dater makes their decision, all face prosthetics are removed, and they realize if they are happy with their decision or not. Again, a cool concept but it felt rushed and a bit too cringey. I thought the reveals at the end didn’t have a shocking effect because every contestant was “conventionally attractive”

in some way. The show would have a greater impact if they had the main dater (known for dating for looks/being superficial) date people that weren’t their normal “type” or those not considered to be “conventionally attractive.” That would emphasize the idea more of choosing someone to date based on their personality and not how they look. It was also a bit obvious at times what a person looked like under prosthetic makeup, defeating the purpose of the whole show.

Q U E S T I O N S TO

think about Do you think the growing popularity of reality tv dating shows has led to poorly made/executed shows? Has this saturation happened to your favourite tv show or movie genre? If so, how does this affect your viewing practices?

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

Image/Collage courtesy of DIGITALSPY/AHITV and background photo by Dan-Cristian Păduret on Unsplash

R E A L O R FA K E ?

Reality tv dating shows can be so dramatic, filled with love, fights, breakups and makeups, so much so that people question whether these shows are real or fake. Prosise and Johnson believe that reality tv “blurs the line between news and entertainment ... fact and fiction” (Prosise and Johnson 73/Gee, 2015). There are dating shows that do appear real but are scripted and planned out. The ones I discuss throughout

using events, challenges, prizes, etc. This layer of complexity makes it so that it is hard to decide what to question and what to trust. Throughout my research on this topic one scholarly research article really stood out to me. It is called Paradox and the Consumption of Authenticity through Reality Television by Randall L. Rose and Stacy L. Wood. They studied different perspectives and argued that reality tv viewers construct authenticity through a

this publication, however, are not scripted. The producers have a say in who gets cast, who stays on the show and who goes, and can give contestants cues on what to talk about in certain moments, but it isn’t scripted. The editing also plays a huge role in the narrative of each episode and how the season plays out which can be considered along the lines of it being “fake,” but I don’t think those factors take away from the shows. Although they aren’t scripted the question remains how authentic or close to reality are these shows? Any genre of reality tv is not entirely “real” as it always has the influence of the producers, casting directors, and editors along with the setup of interesting scenarios/problems,

variety of paradoxical elements. It reaffirmed to me that what is considered “real” is contingent on each viewer’s individual experiences and perceptions of the show. “Thus, within the apparent obsession with authenticity lies a postmodern paradox. Although authenticity is desired and earnestly promoted, consumers of reality television revel in the ironic mixture of the factitious and the spontaneous” (Rose, 2005), part of the enjoyment of these shows is letting go of any expectations and reveling in the mix of what’s “real” and what’s edited. The reality of these reality tv shows is that they involve real people in real scenarios, many of which the contestants are not prepared for or don’t expect. This means

it can either naturally result in an amazingly entertaining and drama filled show that doesn’t require heavy narrative editing, or it can result in a bland and boring season that only has its drama in edited moments. I feel some shows and seasons have more editing done than others so that the ratings don’t drop, and the producers ensure they are still putting out a show worth watching. That’s why casting decisions are so important as they set the stage for how the whole season will play out. You can cast the most entertaining and “pot-stirring” people but that won’t necessarily result in a good show. You need the perfect balance of different personalities as the goal for most shows is to genuinely find love. Casting is very important but is not done well all the time. There are instances (especially now with the rise of social media influencers) where people go on the show for fame and money and not love, “Because the tools for self-publicity are more or less within reach reality TV occupies this middle space between the professional machinery of celebrity production, but then also the Internet and social media and other spaces for narrating the self” (Grindstaff, 2012). This isn’t the biggest problem, as those who come on these shows for fame can fall in love, but

the problem in my opinion is those who come on the show with a partner already, “breaking up” with them before the show and then “getting back together” once the show is over, as well as those who are overly concerned about their potential fame that they overly edit themselves and create ingenuine connections for screen time. Is it REAL or FAKE? The ones I mention are real or should I say not scripted, but it is important to

acknowledge that a lot happens that is not included in the final edit and we as viewers are only shown the narratives they want us to see “Audiences find the settings and situations of reality television programming novel enough to be stimulating yet familiar enough to permit an imaginary participation in them by the viewer” (Rose, 2005).

Background photo by Fran Jacquier on Unsplash

G U I LT Y P L E A S U R E Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

What is a guilty pleasure? The first definition to pop up on google is “something, such as a movie, television program, or piece of music, that one enjoys despite feeling that it is not generally held in high regard.” On urban dictionary the definition is “When you enjoy a type of music or particular program, but you are too ashamed to admit you listen to it/watch it to your friends and family.” We all have that one thing (or more) that we consider our guilty pleasure, whether it be a cheesy rom com, Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 album, cereal with orange juice or in my case “trashy” reality tv. For a long time, I would consider reality tv specifically dating shows to be

my guilty pleasure as I didn’t know many people in my life (other than those online) that watched them. When I bring it up to people, it would usually illicit reactions of confusion and/or judgement. I would encounter the occasional “those shows are complete trash,” “I just don’t get it” or “no I don’t watch those” followed by a face of disgust. Eventually as I watched more shows and established in my head this mini obsession, I stopped caring about what other people thought of it and would rant and talk about it whenever I had the chance to. My oldest sister watched reality shows like Big Brother and eventually went on to watch more datingbased reality shows. We always

have a fun time discussing our overall thoughts of a particular season or show, ranting about how trash the men are or how overlooked a certain person was. If you own a Netflix account, you probably know that in the recent years especially with quarantine, there has been a rise in reality tv shows. It has been the ultimate binge worthy genre of show that brings a sense of fun and easy entertainment to one’s life stuck at home that COVID brought. Reality tv shows have dominated as the sub-genres seem endless. There are cooking competitions, home makeovers, the many dramatic TLC shows, the Teen moms, etc. But focusing back on Netflix, there has been a rise in reality tv dating shows as this type of show became increasingly popular during COVID. Wait... does that mean the only reason why my favourite genre is more popular and widely talked about on social media is because people were stuck at home going crazy which led them to ultimately giving these shows a try? I love that it’s become a popular genre again because that means more new shows will come out and there will be more people to discuss the post season drama with! If you’ve been watching this genre during Netflix’s obsession with it, then you might be wondering why I even consider it a guilty pleasure anymore. The rise of these dating shows on Netflix with Love is Blind, Too Hot to Handle, Indian Matchmaking,

Single’s Inferno, and more recently, The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On has been an exciting time for me and fellow reality tv dating show fans. With that, even as popular and growing as this genre is, it could still be considered a guilty pleasure. Just as the phrase “guilty pleasure” has it’s fun and lighthearted connotations, it also has the unnecessary judgmental side of it, that to put it simply, makes people feel bad for enjoying things outside of the mainstream. One shouldn’t go so far as to feel bad for liking what they like. If you like pickles and peanut butter sandwiches or want to binge watch Love Island UK in one week (they have a lottttt of episodes) then that’s okay! As long as you aren’t hurting anyone or yourself, do what makes you happy and don’t let people’s judgments stop you. It’s hard to give a quick and easy answer as to whether I consider reality tv dating shows a guilty pleasure. I do not consider my enjoyment of this genre of reality tv show a “guilty pleasure”, but I do consider certain reality tv dating shows a guilty pleasure. Not because of reasons previously mentioned but because there is a level of guilt when it comes to watching shows that lack BIPOC representation. Not only that, but when these shows do include BIPOC, they are often overlooked or excluded because they don’t fit the westernized beauty standards. I will expand upon this on the next page.

Background image courtesy of JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

THE FUTURE O F R E A L I T Y T V DAT I N G S H OW S A N D T H E L AC K O F D I V E R S I T Y

Over the years I’ve been watching reality tv in general, I’ve noticed the lack of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of colour) and LGBTQ2S+ representation. This is a problem that exists all throughout the entertainment industry with the heteronormative and westernized perspectives that dominate. There have been improvements in the last couple of years, but I feel that now more than ever there is no excuse for shows not to represent these underrepresented and often misrepresented communities. In reality tv dating shows, some have attempted to be more inclusive and diverse, but it has often come across as performative or a form of tokenism. Much more can be done about not only including more racial and ethnic minorities but in representing people of all different body types, gender identities and sexualities.

atching reality tv dating shows has become both an escape from real life but also a reminder of the reality of dating as a person of colour. I will be quoting a few articles that expand upon the lack of diversity, fetishization and racist microaggressions that exist in reality tv; articles from Refinery29, BBC, the Daily Mail, Cosmopolitan and more as I haven’t found many scholarly articles on this topic. Up to this point I’ve praised reality tv dating shows for the entertainment and comfort they give, but with that it also brings a sense of bitterness and sadness as the lack of

BIPOC representation is always on my mind when watching these shows. Reality tv is enjoyable as it depicts “ordinary” people (non-celebrities) in a somewhat authentic state and places them in entertaining scenarios that evoke emotions and drama. As enjoyable as it is and as detached from reality as it can be, with singles on a tropical island living in a large villa, it reflects experiences and issues present in real life. Being a woman of colour it has always been unsettling seeing no one that really looks like me on screen. Asian women and men when casted, are often picked last, become a side character or the token Asian

cast member left out of most episodes. The dating scene on reality tv dating shows is not so far removed from the dating scene in real life. The focus is on heteronormativity and western beauty standards, leading to the fetishization and exclusion of BIPOC cast members. It is hard to ignore, especially from the perspective of BIPOC viewers, the fact that the dating scene in reality tv dating shows is predominantly white, constantly excluding and overlooking women of colour. As a lover of reality tv it becomes increasingly discouraging and hurtful to see that in yet another season or show, I’m not represented and when I am, it portrays people who look like me as unwanted and undesirable. Love Island UK highlights this racism in dating as the few Black contestants cast were always picked last at every beginning coupling ceremony for the past 6 seasons. It has been a common occurrence that most men coming into the love island villa prefer women with blonde hair and blue eyes, which usually implies a preference for no

women of colour, furthering the ideal in media that whiteness and one’s proximity to whiteness is a determining factor to what is deemed desirable. Networks prioritize ratings over everything else and according to a former reality TV producer and the multiple articles I’ve read, casting people of colour and having them actually find love isn’t marketable to mainstream audiences. A source (former reality TV producer) from Daily Mail Australia said “I think systematic racism in this country extends to our TV screens. It’s kind of f**ked to think that the majority of audiences are fine watching BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) contestants perform for them, but not fall in love” (Daily Mail Australia, 2020). Many reality tv dating shows cast BIPOC performatively and as I witnessed, they barely get any screen time/are edited out, are placed in dating scenarios where a majority of the cast have a clear preference for white males and females, and nothing is done

Background image courtesy of Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Are you the one made history with the first ever queer/sexually fluid cast (season 8). Photo courtesy of MTV

when they are being fetishized or have microaggressions said/ done to them. Although this isn’t true for every reality tv dating show I watch, it’s still important to discuss. M OV I N G F O R WA R D One way to combat these issues is to cast more BIPOC contestants, but it doesn’t stop there. These issues go deeper than who is being cast, it goes back to who is making these casting decisions, who is allowing blatant exclusion, microaggressions and misogyny to air and continue to be present throughout the shows and who is covering up the mistakes of white contestants, leaving BIPOC contestants to fend for themselves. Those in charge need to be more aware of and take proper measures in order to remove the racist, homophobic, misogynistic, sexist and exclusionary narratives they perpetuate.

This means the companies behind these reality tv dating shows need to hold their employees accountable for learning and understanding the racism that exists in order to address these concerns and not continually ignore and enable them. This can be in the form of “ongoing training and therapy for casts and crews to ensure that physical and emotional safety for marginalized identities is achieved” (Crowd. DNA). These conversations are crucial, especially in this moment in time as anti-racism movements are gaining more recognition and media outlets are finally coming to realize the importance of properly representing BIPOC communities. These conversations, no matter how uncomfortable it may be for predominately white spaces, need to be had as it is key for addressing the racist microaggressions and tropes

that exist and is essential in creating safe spaces for BIPOC, “These tropes have the power to influence viewers’ perception of the world. They signal to marginalized communities that they don’t belong. To the nonmarginalized, these tropes are a dangerous guide to how others should be treated” (Crowd.DNA). It also means there should be increased diversity on all fronts, not only in the casting process but in who is being hired and put in charge of the creation of these shows; production/producers, social media coordinators, editors, etc. This is a change that needs to be made as evidenced by the many reality tv shows (dating or other) that use microaggressions and racial conflict for drama and entertainment value without regard to the harm it has on BIPOC communities, an article by Sadaf Ahsan from Refinery29 stated “A microcosm of the world itself, racism impacts everything from the casting process, to how episodes are edited, to who emerges victorious at the end of a season. And while the running joke may be that these shows are more scripted than not, the fact is, reality TV has always held a mirror up to the ugliest parts of our culture, where white people form alliances against their racialized counterparts and where blondehaired, blue-eyed men and women are considered the romantic ideal” (Refinery29, 2020). There have been improvements such as CBS aiming to have at

least 50% people of colour cast in their reality tv shows like Love Island and Big Brother, “But change doesn’t stop with one show, nor should it rest entirely on the tired backs of people of color. It’s a systemic issue” (Refinery29, 2020). Although I didn’t have time to cover all topics regarding the lack body diversity, of disability representation, neurodivergent representation and LGBTQ2S+ representation, this is also a huge issue in reality tv dating shows. Racialized tropes in the media are harmful and when played out in reality tv dating shows it only further perpetuates harmful stereotypes and the exclusion of people of colour. By moving towards real change in these shows through the diversity of casting and production, the end to racial conflicts as a source of entertainment and providing proper resources like training and therapy to cast and crew; even if that means dismantling reality tv dating show’s current structure in place of a more inclusive, anti-racist and safe environment then so be it.

SOURCES: *The photos used for the backgrounds were edited by me. Images (used for backgrounds): Photo by Nabil Saleh on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/a5RK_uk5Ej0 Photo by Christopher Beloch on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/P2fBIamIbQk Photo by Dan-Cristian Păduret on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/Al7oCLVJB8g Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/EOQhsfFBhRk Photo by freestocks on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/11SgH7U6TmI Photo by Dan-Cristian Păduret on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/AYHDqzNrgZk Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/PpYOQgsZDM4 Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/vDzeKnPBPLM Photo by Marah Bashir on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/qpepW0BrgzI Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/8XkNFQG_cgk Photo by Fran Jacquier on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/tmuArUNS1TI Spread Images: Temptation Island https://www.realitytea.com/2019/12/20/temptation-island-season-2-episode-recap-finalbonfire-part-2-the-reunion/ Dating Around https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/02/224483/dating-around-netflix-gurki-basrabad-date-justin-interview EOTB - OK! Magazine https://www.google.com/search?q=ex+on+the+beach+shocking+moment&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiV1bzBnfH2AhWzrXIEHZy2AhYQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=ex+on+the+beach+shocking+moment&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoHCCMQ7wMQJ1DnEFj5H2DtIGgAcAB4AIABjAGIAaoLkgEEMi4xMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=nxRGYtWJILPbytMPnO2KsAE&bih=721&biw=1536#imgrc=hEB9DSPO3bkGOM AYTO https://www.mtv.com/news/2965437/are-you-the-one-season-5-blackout/ Love island https://metro.co.uk/2021/07/26/love-island-2021-casa-amor-the-couples-broken-by-the-mostsavage-twist-14991016/ AYTO spread 1 photo https://are-you-the-one.fandom.com/wiki/Are_You_The_One%3F_1 Netflix reality tv shows on tv - Photo by Gorodenkoff on depositphotos.com Retrived from https://georgiastatesignal.com/diversity-in-dating-shows-is-not-real-diversity/ AYTO Season 8 Photo https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/07/are-you-the-one-mtvslow-messy-evolution-lgbtq-dating-shows/593272/ Love Island collage https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a861011/love-island-shocking-moments/ Dating Around Collage https://www.theringer.com/tv/2020/6/16/21292827/dating-around-season-2-exitsurvey-netflix Definitions: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Guilty%20Pleasure https://www.google.com/search?q=guilty+pleasure&oq=guilty+pleasure&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i433i512j0i512l5j46i512j0i512l2.1071j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 JSTOR Articles: Gee, Charlie. “Reality-Based Television Versus the Civil Right to Privacy: A Battle of Access.” Journal of Film and Video, vol. 67, no. 3–4, [University of Illinois Press, University Film & Video Association], 2015, pp. 79–93, https://doi.org/10.5406/jfilmvideo.67.3-4.0079. Grindstaff, Laura. “Reality TV and the Production of ‘Ordinary Celebrity’: Notes from the Field.” Berkeley Journal of Sociology, vol. 56, Regents of the University of California, 2012, pp. 22–40, http://www.jstor.org/ stable/23345258. Miller, M. H. “Bachelor Nation: Coping with the Reality TV Version of Reality.” The Baffler, no. 49, Baffler Foundation, 2020, pp. 72–86, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26866588. Rose, Randall L., et al. “Paradox and the Consumption of Authenticity through Reality Television.” Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 32, no. 2, Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 284–96, https://doi. org/10.1086/432238. Other Articles: Ahsan, Sadaf. “How Reality TV Can Confront Its Very Real Racism Problem.” Racism Reality TV: Survivor, Bachelor, Big Brother, 5 Aug. 2020, https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/08/9949984/racism-reality-tv-shows-cast. Biakolo, Kovie. “Can Reality TV Shows Help Lead the Way for Inclusivity?” BBC Worklife, BBC, 14 Jan. 2021, https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210113-can-reality-tv-shows-help-lead-the-way-for-inclusivity. Buaya, Alisha. “Ex Reality TV Producer Reveals People of Colour ‘Don’t Sell’ on Dating Shows.” Daily Mail Online, Daily Mail Australia/Associated Newspapers, 16 July 2020, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ article-8531771/Ex-reality-TV-producer-reveals-people-colour-dont-sell-dating-shows.html. CrowdDNA. “Race & Sexuality in Dating Shows.” - Crowd DNA, CrowdDNA, 9 Aug. 2021, https://www. crowddna.com/2021/08/race-sexuality-in-reality-dating-shows/. De Abreu, Luiza. “Diversity in Dating Shows Is Not Real Diversity.” The Signal, Georgia State Signal, 23 Feb. 2022, https://georgiastatesignal.com/diversity-in-dating-shows-is-not-real-diversity/. Shadijanova, Diyora. “How Love Island Has Highlighted Racism in Dating... Again.” Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan, 29 June 2021, https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/reports/a30564608/racism-love-island/.