With the introduction of ABC’s “The Bachelor” in 2002, a new breed of reality television was ushered into modern American culture: the reality dating show.
After this show premiered, the floodgates opened to reveal scads of new programming, including most notably NBC’s “Average Joe” and Fox’s “Joe Millionaire.”
One of the most dramatic and potentially life-changing reality dating shows was Fox’s “Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?” in 2000, in which the finale culminated with a wedding in front of 22 million American people.
But this marriage did not even last to the honeymoon. The couple reportedly stayed in separate cabins at their Barbados resort, according to BBC News.
And so begins a trend in American television — the hoax of the reality dating show.
Because of their inability to create lasting couplings, most of the general public does not trust the legitimacy of these shows anymore.
“It just seems like, the more shows that come out with these ‘finding true love’ themes, the less believable they get,” said Kathryn Johnson, a freshman in radio, television and film. “It’s gotten to the point that I don’t even enjoy watching them anymore.”
Everyone thought Alex Michel, the original “Bachelor,” had found true love in and married Amanda Marsh, when in truth they ended their relationship a few months after filming ended.
“Most, if not all, the bachelors stayed with their final picks,” said Mark Zekoff, an undeclared freshman.
In fact, only one of the 12 bachelors is still with his final pick — the professional bass fisherman of the sixth season must have truly found his soul mate.
Networks such as VH1 and MTV have served up shows that put the nail in the coffin of legitimacy for these reality dating shows.
On VH1, shows like “Flavor of Love” (in which Flavor Flav finds “true love” an astounding three seasons in a row!) and “Rock of Love” have been the basis for the network’s “Celebreality” line of programming — a major cornerstone of their lineup.
MTV has gone through an abundance of shallow dating shows as well, the most notable including “Room Raiders,” “Next” and “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila.”
Absolutely none of these shows have reported any legitimate relationships, which gives the whole brand of reality dating shows a futile edge.
Tila Tequila, the bisexual Internet celebrity and star of “A Shot at Love,” explained to Extra why her winning relationship did not work out: “We couldn’t see each other for two months after (the finale), and we only talked on the phone. Just naturally, people kind of move on with their lives.”
“I absolutely do not trust all of these new reality love shows,” said Meghan Massey, an undeclared freshman. “They all end up with the same outcome: some hair flying and some hearts broken.”
But do not lose faith, contestants of reality dating shows.
In the 2003 season of ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” Trista Rehn picked Ryan Sutter as her best mate. They are still together and married with one child and another on the way.
True love really does conquer all sometimes — despite low ratings and cancellations.
