Written by Hailey

In recent years, the number of views on reality TV has spiked. New shows are released every year, most commonly new romance reality shows. Shows like ‘Too Hot To Handle’, ‘The Bachelor/ette’, ‘Love is Blind’, and ‘Love Island’ is most commonly known. Most of these shows have varying editions based on country and location. Many of these shows revolve around love, but on what conditions? How real can love be that’s completely entertaining for an entire series?

What is real and what is scripted? 

Reality shows are commonly seen as a hit or miss in today’s time. In 2024, one of the most popular Reality Romance shows, Love Island, gained much attention through the drama. After the show’s finale, it came out that most of the show was scripted. However, some people could pretend to be astonished, most expected this. When analyzing most of the reality romance shows, almost all compel competitors to choose between love and money.

Many directors and producers working with these shows script most of what is aired to add drama. By adding pre-meditated interactions between characters, the producers expect an increase in revenue. The reality TV business is very predictable, which makes genuine shows less trustworthy for people wanting to see true love. 

━━━━━

In 2020, a new type of reality romance show aired, which obtained astounding attraction due to its new approach to love. ‘Love is Blind’ was conceived through a scientific theory that two people can fall in love without seeing each other. In the show, everyone met each other through a thin wall, which blocked their view. This was interesting for viewers, as other shows relied highly on the looks of the cast. The first season of this show had tremendous success, with half of the couples still married today.

The entirety of this show was based on finding love not based on looks, but the show still faced some criticism. Many people complained that the cast was still attractive, almost taking away the worries of not seeing each other. After the first season, the newer cast was described as more ‘normal-looking’, but the extra effort in casting dulled the effort in the entirety of the show. 

While advertising this magazine, we decided to get student takes on romance reality shows. The two shows used for voting were ‘Love Island’ and ‘Love is Blind’. The results were mostly split between three answers. Some students knew nothing about either show, with some knowing of one show or the other but never of watching them.

Others had watched ‘Love Island’, very in-depth with the show and not knowing much or anything about ‘Love is Blind’. Then some students learned much of both shows, by watching both regularly. One surprising factor is that though many students voted in favor of each show, rarely any students answered only knowing of ‘Love is Blind’. In the final vote count, more people favored ‘Love Island’. 

━━━━━

At the end of the day, there are plenty of reality romance shows in today’s time. Each show has its characteristics and factors the cast must experience. Some shows focus solely on finding love, while others compel the cast to choose between love or a reward. Regardless of how love is portrayed, or the screenplay of the show, it shows that people will watch it.

So, is the love real? In all honesty, it doesn’t matter. Shows like these are essentially a social tool for people to make money. The love part is simply a bonus that some get lucky enough to receive.