To say if you don't like reality TV you don't GET it

[MissBax]

Obviously lighthearted, and just for the record - I used to think things like TOWIE / Love Island / MIC etc were utter drivel and would have been disgusted by them.

However, I have realised that I was always going at them from the wrong angle. Now, I don't love them despite the trashiness, I love them because of the trashiness.

Once I let go of my snobby pants I was able to fully get stuck in and now think they are actually genius television. It is people watching in its absolute glory!

Can you tell I'm ecstatic that Love Island is back?? 😂

I’m not a snob at all (I’ll happily talk about my love of cheesy pop music like Steps, Girls Aloud and Britney), but I’m not into in any of these shows. I used to watch Big Brother in the early days, but I’m just not interested nowadays. I think having grown up in the days of reality TV, I’ve just had my fill of it. Give me some Bad Girls repeats for some good trashy TV

@ReadytoTalk i think they've done that deliberately this time. In previous seasons, the males have been quite 'laddy' alpha male types and had quite arrogant attitudes towards women and relationships. I think this time, they've gone for some men who seem a bit more sensitive and actually a bit insecure at times. There will be different people coming in as it goes along to mess with the dynamic.

I think you may be right about trashiness being part or all of the appeal. TV where you don't have to engage much of your brain.

Same applies to Top Gear and Mrs Browns Boys, for example. Both of which I avoid as well.

Honestly, though, I don't want to 'get to know' a bunch of ransoms and follow their lives. I'm just not interested in them. I have friends, I'm interested in my friends. Strangers? Not so much.

@HushabyeMountainGoat

Weird because the only one i got any kind of a sensitive vibe from was the doctor. But maybe that was his desperation bursting out. They all seemed pretty full of themselves to be honest so id hate to see what last year's lot were like. I don't think the sort of person that puts pictures of themselves in their pants on Instagram would typically be particularly insecure and that's what most of those guys had as the background pictures while they told us earnestly what they look for in a girl and what they're like in bed.

Bleurgh. That's an hour of my life ill never get back.

@ginger1982

I've always liked things like Kardashians etc but I draw the line at Love Island

PMSL at someone watching the dreadful and vacuous Kardashians - but turning their nose up at Love Island!

@londonrach

I don't get it then. It just seems a nasty way of taking advantage of vulnerable people

Oh do give over. These people who go on reality tv are desperate for fame, and do anything they can to get it. 'Vulnerable' they most certainly are NOT.

Re the OP, I like a few reality tv programmes, but not all. Don't like the Kardashians or TOWIE or Geordie Shore or Made in Chelsea, but don't mind BGT, I'm a celeb, and a bit of X factor. Only watched Love Island for the first time last year, and it's OK. Big brother is OK, but not as good as it was on Channel 4. I prefer the celeb one.

DD gushes about LI. I don't get it. Don't mind her watching, though.

I do like reality tv about 'real' people in genuine situations. Can't Pay take it Way or Interceptors, even "What Not to Wear" & Secret Eaters, Secret Life of 4 yr olds -- all fine.

Bunch of pretty (usually young & very extrovert) people very carefully chosen & placed in a contrived artificial situation? Meh.

@readytotalk no i think the opening videos are very caricatured. They all come across very confident in the videos and on social media but actually when that Alex(?) came in they felt quite threatened. In other series’ they’d be quite aggressive and trying to belittle him in front of the women. They didn’t do that this time. There was the one who had the too-white teeth, and the guy who had had his ears pinned back too. Ayal was the one who to me seemed the most self assured.

I 'get' it.
I think they are exploitative and that celebrating people for doing nothing sends a message it's worth shagging your way to celebrity.

I get it, I just don't like it. It's not entertaining to me, just annoying.

I watch things loads of people don't like or get, but I don't care, we all have our personal tastes.

It's not "reality" though. People are told to behave in certain ways and everything is edited to tell a story that's been decided in advance by the producers.
Don't understand how people can say it's relaxing, I watched BB once and found myself getting annoyed at how unconvincing and scripted it was.

Reality tv should really mean Ambulance, 24 Hours in Police Custody, 24 Hours in A&E, Hospital etc etc.

Love Island and the like should just be bracketed under Entertainment.

I enjoy First Dates, will that do?

I get it, but I still think it's absolute drivel. Scripted crap.

There are plenty of undemanding yet quality comedies and films out there to watch instead.

I used to love B.B. I remember the first ever B.B. and it was incredible. I’ve alsways loved people watching and studying the dynamics of a group, so reality TV is often fascinating to me. I’ve come to love LI because the ever shifting group dynamics make it gripping.

It’s generally filled with people who aren’t very educated and have a very different upbringing to me, but that doesn’t stop the, being human and having the same reaction to events that I would (sort of. I wouldn’t ever react to an event by having sex on tv)

I'm with Notonthestairs (what not on the stairs?!).

Reality tv isn't all 'trashy'. The LI, BB, TOWIE shows aren't really reality - there should be a different genre name for them.

Reality tv isn't all 'trashy'. The LI, BB, TOWIE shows aren't really reality - there should be a different genre name for them.

I think they call them 'scripted reality shows' on the awards don't they?

Nooooooooo

And , there's nothing to get ffs

I’d rather poke my eyes out with a spoon than watch anything labelled ‘reality tv’
Utter utter drivel

I have friends, I'm interested in my friends. Strangers? Not so much.

Couldn't have put it better!

I agree OP. I love reality tv. Its so funny. Real people are way funnier than written, contrived "comedy". Really though, what do laugh more at in your RL? Your real friends and family or created comedy. I realise that scenes in these series are set up but the way they respond and interact with each other are where the laughs are. James Lock on TOWIE is so sharp and witty as are Spencer Matthews and Jamie Laing from MIC. Give me genuine witty banter between mates any time.

The Amazon show unReal is a series all about this exact thing. I love that but wih a morbid fascination.

unreal is fantastically funny :)

I don't get it :)

These people are exploited their lives are forever captured for all to see and they will never untangle themselves

How many have actually gone on to find fame and fortune? Very very few.

It's cheap TV.

The producers must be making a fortune frontbencher hear sado's

*from these sado's