I love reality TV.
This may be embarrassing to admit, but I can and have spent multiple hours in front of my television watching grown women cuss each other out and fight over a rose, and I enjoy every minute of it. Whether I mentally sort it into the “guilty pleasure” category of my hobbies or outwardly discuss it with my friends, my enjoyment of it doesn’t change.
Tonight, I eagerly awaited the finale of this season of The Bachelor and physically jumped up and down and exclaimed in excitement when he chose the girl I had adored all season. I am now frantically googling who the next Bachelorette will be because I didn’t get to finish the episode and mark the first release date of the season on my calendar.
Although most people think these shows are stupid, cringy, and a waste of time, I find them to be the perfect show to watch, and here is why you should too.
First off, there’s no direct storyline from episode to episode, and you don’t have to worry about missing a major plot point and rewatching to understand. When the episodes air and I’m available to watch them live, the commercial breaks remind me to get up and away from my often horizontal position on my couch. Even when I don’t watch them live, I can get up without pausing; it comes back ten minutes later, and they’ll still be arguing about the same thing.
Even if you don’t find them the most entertaining or there are lulls in the incessant drama (which often seems impossible), it leads to a perfect opportunity to multitask or get some work done. When I watch reality TV, I often feel unproductive, and, occasionally, bored. I personally enjoy having some background noise when I work because, without it, I’m too easily distracted by the smaller sounds and interruptions I would otherwise hear. Reality TV is the perfect blend of dramatic music, arguing, speaking, and long pauses that allow me to understand the plot and main points while getting stuff done at the same time.
One of the most important reasons for watching reality TV, and one of my favorite, is the effect it has on my life. Not in some deep, profound way that inspires me to go out and change the world, but in a way that reminds me that my personal issues are still important. If you’ve ever felt overdramatic for crying over a failed math test, then believe me, you’ll feel less ridiculous when you see what the people on these shows have to complain about and just how little it takes for them to break down in tears.
Last but not least, it is just for enjoyment. Although I would never consider a reality TV show as my favorite show, I always look at it as one of my favorite genres of shows. Compared to the sitcoms I often rewatch a few too many times and the laugh tracks I have begun to predict, these shows are refreshing to watch. The seasons never stop coming, and people never get less emotional. And somehow, each new season is apparently the new “most dramatic season ever.” Although it’s called reality TV, I love it because of how unrealistic it is and how absurd so many of these concepts and ideas are. It’s so easy to escape to a realm outside my own stress when I’m watching someone on The Circle cry over a thumbs-up emoji they received from a stranger they’ve never met.
I will always enjoy the classic comedies, dramas, and cartoons that I adore, but sometimes, reality TV is the perfect break that we all need. So, the next time you’re scrolling through Netflix and trying to find something new to watch, simply click on the most absurd title under the reality TV category and enjoy.
