I’ve been a 90 Day Fiancé fan for many years now. Perhaps it is because I’ve always been nosey and interested in the dramatic life of others, but the TLC reality series never fails to shock me at how far people are willing to go for a little bit of fame. Now that I have a fiancé to enjoy the series with me it has oddly become much more entertaining as we discuss the reactions and situations these “couples” go through. And while you and I know that 90% of reality shows are scripted or staged, it doesn’t stop the believability that part of the content that we’re watching has some truth to it.
Now if you aren’t into trashy reality shows like I am and have no idea what 90 Day Fiancé is let me introduce you to this rabbit hole of toxic relationships that either make you reevaluate your own relationship, appreciate your partner, or be grateful that you’re happily single. Continue reading →
If you’re a Big Brother fan like myself you know how chaotic, entertaining, insane or even “Jankie” this season has been. I don’t remember the last time I’ve been this invested in a season. I’m glued to my TV every Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday night. From the very first episode where they had a competition where two houseguests got their games upgraded and two got downgraded, the houseguests who got upgraded would win a secret power. As for the houseguests who got downgraded were not allowed to compete in the Head of Household competition or Veto competition but could still be nominated. I was hooked and I had high expectations. Boy oh boy did this season exceed those expectations. This season is the 26th season of the reality show but is it the best ever? We have a lot to discuss.
From the first episode (not including the two-night move-in premiere) where you got one of the funniest/most awkward moments I’ve seen when Tucker was introducing himself to everyone and Lisa got up and interrupted and said: “ We got a competition here because I’m a chef too”. Later on, we got our first interaction between Matt and Angela where Angela made what seemed like a snarky comment about how the girls were going to be all over Matt which Matt took as a threat and got his guards up about Angela. To cap off the first episode Angela won Head of Household.
Usually, the first Head of Household plays it safe doesn’t want to rock the boat too much and is typically pretty chill. But this season isn’t like any other season, Angela has a massive fight with Matt in front of the entire house where she refers to Matt as “crazy eyes” and calls him a brat. She also accused Matt of threatening her and said “You can’t be pretty on the outside when you’re ugly on the in”. Making this one of the craziest fights in Big Brother history in just WEEK ONE!
One thing, in my opinion, that is a must when you want to throw a season in the best-of-all-time department is that it has to have a great pre-jury phase. Some of the consensus greatest Big Brother seasons ( Big Brother 7,10,16,20) all had amazing pre-jury phases. Which helped to make those seasons entertaining all the way through. This season’s pre-jury phase might have topped those and I don’t think it’s close.
The big twist of the season was that the Head of Household nominates three houseguests for eviction opposed to only nominating two. The crazier part was right before the eviction the three nominees would compete live in the A.I. Arena and the winner would come off the block. One interesting part is that the houseguests weren’t allowed to watch so they would find out the result after the competition when Julie Chen would announce it to everyone. So the house only had a few minutes to strategize and decide who to vote out.
The thing that made the pre-jury so boring was that everyone would always vote with the house, no one thought for themselves, and the house would have a unanimous target and no one would try to take out a big target. With the A.I. Arena in play this season you would think that would scare the Head of Household even more to put up a big competitive threat. Well, you thought wrong. In the first week, Angela nominated Kimo, Kenny and Lisa for eviction. Lisa won the veto and she put up Matt on the block. This didn’t come as much of a surprise after her blowup with him, but Matt was one of the strongest competitors in the house and he still had a chance to earn safety. But he fell short as Kimo had a clutch performance in the A.I. Arena and Matt was evicted on a vote of 8-3 making him one of the most memorable first evictees of all time.
Another thing that pretty much always happens in a season of Big Brother, is that a majority alliance always forms of about 4-6 people and they steamroll to the end and control every move that happens in the game. We thought that was going to happen again this year. Chelsie, Cam, Cedric, Quinn, and Brooklyn formed an alliance called the “Pentagon”. Chelsie and Cedric won Head of Household in back-to-back weeks and had full control. In week four Angela won Head of Household but Quinn won an upgrade in the first week of the season and with his power, he was able to hijack Angela’s Head of Household. You’re probably thinking well that’s boring, the Pentagon is in control again. You would be incorrect Quinn nominates, Makensey, Tucker and Cedric. Who for some reason volunteered to go on the block. Which in Big Brother is a big no-no. It would be like if you left your wallet unattended in the mall. You’re just asking for something to go wrong.
You see Quinn also spilled the beans about the Pentagon to Kimo and Tkor two people who were unaware of this alliance Quinn was in. Tucker won the Veto, and Makensey won the A.I. Arena in one of the closest finishes in a Big Brother competition ever and Cedric along with the rest of the Pentagon was blindsided in a vote of 6-3.
There’s nothing better than seeing a blindside happen in live action. I do feel bad for Cedric however he was one of the most loved houseguests inside and out of the house. But Cmon man you can’t volunteer to go on the block. In my opinion, one of the best parts of this season is the fact that there have been zero unanimous votes. In previous seasons on Thursday night all the houseguests would go in the diary room complement Julie’s (Chen) outfit and all vote for the same person to be evicted. That hasn’t happened a single time this season and it leaves me on the edge of my seat seeing who’s going to be evicted. Another unbelievable stat is that the Power of Veto has been used for a record-setting ten times! The Head of Households nominees have not stayed the same all season which has forced the Head of Household to make a replacement nominee at the Veto ceremony.
Finally, a great season of Big Brother is nothing without the houseguests. Every year the houseguests bring their own spice to the table and this year have they ever.
Let’s start with Quinn, the superfan of the season. Quinn won one of two upgrades in the first week and won two Head of Households. Quinn was making alliances left and right with every person in the house. It eventually caught up with him and he was voted out and was the first member of the jury. The thing that made Quinn a prominent member of this season was his diary room sessions. Every time she spoke in the diary room I had to turn my TV volume down by at least 10. This dude was screaming at the top of his lungs every time but boy was he entertaining.
Tucker the competition beast of the season, won six competitions including two A.I. arenas. This dude was creating chaos everywhere and as a view to say it was entertaining to watch would be an understatement. The craziest thing Tucker did was in week three volunteer to be on the block during Cedric’s Head of Household win the Veto and not use it on himself. This was the sixth time ever this has happened he used it on Anglea instead which caused Cedric to nominate Makensey instead and she won the upgrade in week one. She won a power called “Americas Veto” and was able to take herself off the block and America voted on Quinn as the replacement nominee. This led to one of the craziest Veto meetings ever.
Finally, Anglea where do I begin from her blowup with Matt to mocking Lisa in week two. Her endless paranoia Anglea has been the talking point of this season. People have talked about Angela being voted out since week two and she was been on the block seven times but has somehow had the Veto used on her three times! That is a Big Brother record. Anglea is so entertaining it seems too good to be true. Or is it? Anglea’s antics have been so wild this season it’s led some people to believe she is a production plant.
With all the craziness that has transpired this season its hard to believe we still haven’t had the double eviction yet. That’s happening this Thursday, I can only guess what’s going to happen but like Big Brothers motto I’m just going to have to expect the unexpected.
Reality television over the years has become a cultural phenomenon, it captivates audiences all over the world through its diverse range of shows. From talent competitions to fashion and lifestyle programs, reality TV delivers a unique type of entertainment that combines unscripted content with drama and heightened excitement. Today I will be breaking down some of my favourite scandals and reality TV moments that have appealed to these types of programs all worth the watch.
Vanderpump Rules Drama: Scandoval of 2023
I had not watched an episode of Vanderpump Rules a day in my life and maybe neither have you. However, because my generation is actively on the internet “Scandoval” absolutely took over my entire social media and not by my own will. I still have not watched an episode of this show today yet I know the lore of this major scandal and so will you because I had to. The drama which unfolded in 2023 centres on Tom Sandoval’s affair with his co-star Raquel (Rachel) Leviss, which ultimately ended his nine-year relationship with co-star Ariana Madix.
The affair began in August 2022 and was initially characterized by both Sandoval and Leviss as a one-night stand. Furthermore, it later became clear that their relationship had continued and grown during a wedding in Mexico, which Sandoval attended with Leviss all while still in a relationship with Madix. This information then became public during the show’s tenth season, leading to a huge confrontation that went viral.
A significant moment in the scandal which I saw everywhere was when Madix discovered the affair and confronted Sandoval, this was an emotional climax that was featured in the season finale. Ariana Madix’s heartbreak was built by the betrayal not only from her long-time dog of a partner but also from a close friend, which highlighted the personal and emotional toll that betrayals can take. Sandoval’s continuous dismissal of his actions further painted him as insensitive and self-centered and grew huge sympathy from audiences towards Madix.
The scandal was given the “Scandoval” andit also made the internet shine a bigger light on the cast but more towards Ariana Madix. Friends and co-stars took sides with many supporting Madix and expressed disdain for Sandoval and Leviss’s actions. And being a watcher of this was incredibly entertaining.
Ultimately, this scandal continues with the show’s last season going on and drama is still unfolding. What I live for most about this is how successful Ariana Madix has become after this. She’s thriving in a wonderful relationship, she has been and succeeded on Dancing With the Stars as the runner-up, starred in Broadway’s Chicago as the lead, and is currently in lineups for hosting Love Island USA. Don’t you just love it when the girls win cause I know I do. Overall, this was one of the craziest plotlines in reality shows I have ever seen, and the phenomenon that surrounded it I had never seen anything like it.The amount of attention it stirred up was insaneandit showed off the power of reality TV.
Kardashians: Dolce Vita Lifestyle (Kim vs Kourtney)
This drama had my sister and I howling because of how I guess you could say “first world problems” this drama was, but my gosh it was so extremely entertaining it was to watch unfold. But here’s the breakdown. Regarding Kourtney’s wedding to Blink 182’s drummer Travis Barker, the fashion used and a major contributor to the wedding was Dolce and Gabbana (D&G) this was the focal point of the tension that was highlighted in the show. The conflict began when Kourtney accused Kim of exploiting her wedding for a business venture shortly after the wedding.
Kourtney’s extravagant Italian wedding to Travis in May of 2022, in Portofino, Italy was ultimately coordinated with D&G, featuring custom bridal outfits and vintage themes. The wedding itself was immensely significant for the brand because it showcased archival designs. However, just four months later Kim collaborated with D&G for a special fashion collection leading Kourtney to create this narrative that her sister had not only overshadowed her wedding but also capitalized on its theme and style she had cured up for her special day. Even though people have been doing these styles of weddings for forever now.
Moreover, Kourtney expressed that she felt betrayed and hurt by Kim’s doings, interpreting them as a sign of greed and selfishness. She believed that Kim prioritized the business opportunity of their relationship and failed to consider how it would impact her. This drama escalated when their mother, Kris Jenner, encouraged the rest of the family to promote Kim’s collection which further alienated Kourtney and twisted the knife in the situation.
However, through Kim’s eyes, she defended her decision by pointing out the double standards, noting that Kourtney did not object to the other family members’ ventures with D&G. Kim also brought up the fact that both sisters had shared similar wedding elements in the past including location and even the wedding performer the great Andrea Bocelli which just made Kourtney’s accusations seem irrelevant. Despite Kim’s attempts to justify her decisions she ultimately acknowledges the pain and trouble she had caused and apologizes with wishes to mend their relationship. Because who wants to fight with their sister forever?
This drama reached its peak during the show’s third season and trickled into the fourth as they revisited the past events and comments that were made before the new season aired. However, they squashed the beef and moved on swimmingly as they always do. And the new season is coming out quite soon with Kim and Khloe looking like they have been budding heads.
The world of reality TV’s enduring fixation truly lies in its ability to blend real-life drama with the spectacle of unscripted entertainment. The gravitation towards these shows often comes from their capacity to produce authentic human emotion and conflict in the most entertaining way possible. This analysis of these two scandals from “Vanderpump Rules” and “The Kardashians” highlights its genre’s appeal.
The “Scandoval affair illustrated how deeply personal betrayals can capture an audience. Tom Sandoval cheating with Raquel Leviss and its ultimate ending provided an exciting storyline that pulled in viewers who may have never even seen the show. I mean I wonder how the people who regularly watched it felt. The emotional weight of Ariana Madix’s response to the scandalpaired with the public’s immediate support for her, underlines the show’s ability to produce strong viewer empathy and engagement. The scandal also demonstrated the strength of reality TV to transform a personal conflict into a public showcase which then extended the drama beyond its capacity.
Similar to the fight between Kim and Kourtney over D&G collaboration highlighted the dynamics between family and siblings through business ventures. Kourtney’s feeling of betrayal by Kim, whom she accused of putting money over memories, revealed the complexities of combining personal and professional lives towards the public eye. This drama not only provided intriguing television but also started conversations about loyalty, commercialization, and sisterhood.
In essence, reality TV and its appeal lies in its ability to present relatable yet dramatized versions of real-life situations. The genre lives and thrives on the authenticity of its “characters” emotions and the unpredictable nature of their doings that offer viewers an enticing blend of reality and entertainment. Through all of that this is why the genre remains to thrivea continues to be a force in pop culture.