Reality TV Dating and Why It Never Works

Photo Courtesy to E! Online

We opened our Instagrams to Katie Thurston’s and Blake Moyne’s breakup post. For a second we were like OMG. Then we realized that we had predicted they would last two months, and against all odds, they lasted three. So maybe we should be proud of them? 

The ex-couple is just another disappointing example of why The Bachelor franchise neeeeever works. Aside from the once-in-a-while soulmate romance, the show does not have a good track record. Neither do similar shows, like Love Island, Love is Blind, or Too Hot to Handle. But does this make us any less willing to watch them? Absolutely not. 

These shows are totally unrealistic. It is impossible to meet someone and become engaged in the two months of filming, especially The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. The contestants hang out maybe eight times before getting engaged, and most of the interactions are in a group setting. Seriously, this is the stuff of Disney fairytales. And the lead for the season always acts so excited in the promo to “finally find love,” and then they don’t. Like, did they really think this was going to end happily ever after? The audience is just as guilty, too. We always feel so hopeful for them, then disappointed when the three remaining contestants suck or when every single male lead has no personality.

In another show, MTV’s Are You The One?, the producers throw 20 people on an island and tell them their “perfect match” is there waiting for them. The contestants have to figure out who is who’s soulmate in order to gain a hefty cash prize. Entertaining as fuck to watch, but what is the bullshit science behind that???? Half the time, if they really like someone, the show is like NAHHHHHH you two are not destined to be together tough luck. 

Too Hot to Handle, Love Island, Are You the One?...ALL of these shows are just full of people who want to be famous and have no talent to get them there. To be on this type of reality TV show, you have to be more of an attention seeker than the average person. We do fall in love with some of the contestants but then quickly move onto the next contestant when they inevitably break “the girl code” and flirt with their bff’s crush. We can never completely tell if the producers make them do this, or if they are just shitty friends. 

All of the shows’ concepts are wack as fuck. Messing with someone’s romantic life and emotions just so that we can all sit on our couches, pour some wine, and find some relaxation in our lives for two hours. But where would we be without them? Katie and Blake, we are so sorry, but thanks for providing entertainment for two hours every Monday. You are real ones.