Grab your snacks and comfy clothes, turn on the TV, and press play.
Put down your popcorn and look in the mirror — frumpy, stained outfit and all.
Now, turn off the TV. And maybe contemplate your whole existence.
Why are we so obsessed with these constructed, “picture perfect” relationships on TV?
This is the reality of reality dating TV from a viewer’s perspective — ruining body image and dating norms.
I hope I’m not the first to tell you, but if I am: No one looks like that, and no relationship functions that way.
Admittedly, I often fall victim to this form of entertainment. Although I want to hate it, I’m consumed by spoilers, constantly waiting for the next episode, and even checking fan pages for the latest drama.
I can’t help it. I’m obsessed!
What’s so unrealistic about these reality dating shows is that every contestant has a perfectly chiseled and proportionately toned figure. Normalizing these idealized bodies makes it seem like you’re not dating material unless you look like them.
In today’s day and age, body image and media go hand in hand. Whether that be reinforced through TV, social media, or Google searches, the impacts are widely felt. UK’s Cosmetic Surgery Solicitors conducted a study on the link between “Love Island UK” and Google search trends in 2021. From 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., hours after the airing of an episode, there were increased Google searches relating to lip filler, botox, breast augmentation, and liposuction.
Google searches aren’t the only symptom of the show’s impact on body image. UK’s Cosmetic Surgery Solicitors also found that fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, said “Love Island UK” reminded them that they need cosmetic surgery or services.
Adolescents also seem to be more self-conscious of their body images. According to The National Library of Medicine, “adolescent boys and girls who reported spending more time watching television programs featuring attractive actors and actresses demonstrated an increased desire to be thin, purportedly due to an increased level of social comparison to attractive media icons.”
I hate to admit it, but if I said this season of “Love Island” or last season of “Too Hot To Handle” didn’t create any type of discomfort with my own body or the way I look, I’d be lying. The contestants are miraculously free of pimples, love handles, and small butts.
Maybe that’s why I, and so many others, are obsessed with this content.
The pervasiveness of reality dating shows set on beaches featuring contestants in swimsuits 95 percent of the time is preying on our desire to be as unrelatable as possible.
Not only do these shows awaken my body dysmorphia, but they also create unrealistic dating standards.
Although I’m in a six-year, committed — and happy, might I add — relationship, I still find myself comparing the televised relationships to my own.
I know in the back of my mind these shows aren’t real, and most of the relationships end after production. In fact, only 10 percent of “Love Island” couples have stayed together and a shocking 0.79 percent of couples from “The Bachelor” have made it.
Despite all of this information, I can’t seem to shake my obsession with reality TV. Our society is so immersed in the world of reality dating TV that it’s hard to differentiate between what is real and what is fake.
So, can we really be blamed for holding ourselves to the standards perpetuated by this media?
It’s important to keep in mind that the contestants on these shows face no adversity as couples. They’re trapped in a love-blind vortex where “challenges” are created for them that often have little to do with real hurdles faced by real couples.
In truth, these contestants are living in a gorgeous place where they can drink, hang out with new people, and virtually do whatever they want — all at zero cost. Grand romantic gestures aren’t all that grand or romantic when you realize the couples didn’t pay for or plan anything themselves. Real couples work, have responsibilities, and make compromises that require more thought than, “should I wear the yellow or the green swimsuit today?”
The senselessness and impracticality doesn’t stop with the viewers — it impacts the contestants, too. With an accelerated timeline and extreme objectification of their bodies, contestants are robbed of ever finding a genuine connection, leaving them with lasting mental health issues and dating problems.
According to Psychology Today, “two contestants from the show ‘Love is Blind’ report damage to their mental health from appearing on the show.”
“Love is Blind” only allows contestants 10 days to form a connection without ever seeing each other. After the show, they live together and get married – that is, if they stay together.
“Love is Blind” is also under scrutiny for claims that producers forced contestants to drink excessive amounts of alcohol on an empty stomach, causing them to make irrational decisions. This alone can cause emotional turmoil and trauma for contestants.
While it’s hard to not become obsessed with reality TV, the evidence is clear: When we continue to support and buy into these false standards, everyone loses — except the producers, of course. If reality TV is going to continue to be an integral part of pop culture, then these productions need a reality check.