Reality TV is one of the most hated genres of television, with many considering it to be brain-rotting, uninteresting and pointless. Reality television is not a well-respected genre and many critics believe that watching reality TV is not only a waste of time, but actually makes the viewer dumber. This shortsighted view of a highly popular genre fails to recognize the impact that this type of entertainment has on both the participants and the viewers.
A common anecdote of reality TV connoisseurs is that their family members will join them on the couch each week to watch the latest episode of “Love is Blind” Season 6, despite claiming that they despise reality tv. The premise of “Love is Blind” captures a group of men and women dating each other in an attempt to find the person they want to marry. The twist is: they can’t see the person they are dating until they are engaged.
The dates take place in what are called ‘pods:’ rooms that separate the couples from each other so that only their voices can be heard. Once a couple decides they want to get married, they can leave the pods and start their lives together.
Right now, everyone is talking about the show, even the people who previously claimed that reality TV shows rot your brain. People have made videos analysing the actions of the different couples on the show and are sharing their judgements of each individual’s actions. This is common practice amongst viewers of reality TV, and many people enjoy watching these reviews almost as much as the actual shows themselves.
@isaiahjaay1 LOVE IS BLIND SEASON 6 EPISODE 10-11 REVIEW #loveisblind #loveisblindnetflix #loveisblinds6 #loveisblindseason6 #meganfox #chelseaandjimmy #adandclay ##greenscreen #fyp #foryoupage #isaiahjaay #netflix ♬ A Day in My Life – Soft boy
Many of these reviews are not just critiques but rather hypotheses. Predictions are generated by the audience and supported by the evidence they source. Many people predicted that Jeramey would cheat on Laura with Sarah Ann after it was revealed that Sarah Ann sent him a direct message upon leaving the pods. What evidence was there to support this?
The first piece of evidence: Jeramey had feelings for Sarah Ann while in the pods. Jeramey did choose Laura and proposed to her while they were in the pods. However, the three were involved in a love triangle for a significant span of time before this, with Jeramey spending a lot of time talking to and dating Sarah Ann. Even during the ‘breakup,’ Jeramey spoke about how much he respected and admired Sarah Ann, and how there wasn’t really a decisive factor as to why he chose Laura.
Many viewers draw on their own personal experiences, and Jeramey’s behavior towards Laura indicates that he may not be completely confident in his decision. This was further supported by his reaction to the DM sent by Sarah Ann which stated that she was happy he found someone and if he ever changed his mind about his relationship, he should contact her. Despite being in what should have been a fully committed relationship, Jeramey chose to simply ‘like’ the comment without shutting down the romantic advances from Sarah Ann. This would leave him enough room to backtrack and pursue a relationship with Sarah Annr again once he felt it was possible.
Although this doesn’t seem like a big deal, many fans related it to their experience with cheating partners, claiming that it is the little things that should be the biggest hints.
Once Episode 9 was released and it was revealed that Jeramey and Sarah Ann had met up at a bar and ‘talked’ until 6am, fans went into full investigation mode. Some went through Sarah Ann’s posts on social media and noticed that the background of some pictures looked incredibly similar to Jeramey’s apartment. Many also followed up on his claims that they were talking in the parking lot of the bar by traveling to the bar in question and providing photographic evidence that there was no parking lot to speak of.
The amazing detective skills of reality fans cannot be underestimated but this combined with their innate ability to read and recognise a person’s emotional state. When Laura confronted Jeramey about his alleged infidelity, fans paid close attention to his demeanor and body language throughout the exchange. His crossed legs, sunglasses and hat demonstrated his closed off attitude, as he attempted to redirect and hide the truth from his fiancée . In addition, he held a couch cushion on his lap, physically (and metaphorically) putting a barrier between himself and Laura. These hints, as well as the fact that he was glued to his phone for the majority of the exchange, signaled to viewers that he was not being completely honest.
So, in this one piece of drama, reality television fans have already demonstrated their ability to conduct a scientific analysis, develop a hypothesis that is supported by clear evidence, research additional supporting claims and reach a predicted outcome, all whilst drawing on psychological, sociological and historical viewpoints. Sounds pretty intelligent to me.
It has even become an educational tool for parents to teach their children how to aptly read and respond to social situations. Recently a video has gone viral showing a father teaching his daughter how to read the facial expressions of two other participants, Chelsea and Jimmy. He points out the difference between the expressions of the two while saying ‘I love you’ and explains Jimmy’s indifference towards his fiancee. Not only is he giving her valuable tools to assess her own romantic relationships, but he is also giving her the self-confidence to never accept someone who doesn’t value her one thousand percent.
“Love is Blind” has been able to really show how beneficial reality TV can be to individuals and how it can teach a variety of skills, both for adults and young people. With the reunion coming out soon, school is out until the next season is released. But, until then, there are five previous seasons for you to check out and continue your education, in the most effective and entertaining way possible.
You can watch all seasons of “Love is Blind” on Netflix.
