I love reality TV…but not all reality television. I am not fond of shows filmed in swamps, on icy roads, with toddlers dressed up as dolls, shows that have 40 people vying for the “love” of one or with people who love monkeys. But other than that, I am pretty much in.
My summer television saviour every year is Big Brother, currently in its 14th season. I have been a loyal viewer since season two. What other show can you watch three nights a week? Such an amazing time killer: the drama, the game play, the “Showmances”. Awww the “showmances”; what is reality television without them?
Believe it or not, the word “showmance” is actually in the dictionary:
A showmance (sometimes show-mance), also known as show romance, is a romance that develops between two individuals in theatre or on films and television series and between reality show contestants or participants for the running period of the show.
This part of reality television fascinates me the most. I am always blown away by how a couple, who met a mere ten days ago, can so quickly be so smitten that they discuss their life-long plans. Without a doubt you will always hear the words, “I feel like I have known you forever” at some point. (Insert Carly Rae Jepsen song here.) What is it that creates such a false sense of reality for these people? I know, that sounds like a ridiculous question when I am talking about reality television. However if you’ve ever seen the dynamics of one of these showmances take place, you know what I mean. It’s like they fast forward through all the awkward dating and getting to know each other and go straight to the happily ever after.
In doing some research on the success rate of the “showmance” I found this interesting nugget of information. Wet Paint entertainment broke down the last 10 years of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, and discovered only 17 percent of couples make it that “fall in love” on the show.
After 10 years of ABC matchmaking, 16 completed seasons of The Bachelor, and seven seasons of The Bachelorette, a full four out of 23 “official” couples are still together.
I am no math whiz, but I am not loving those odds. Again some very unscientific research has led me to find, that after 14 seasons of Big Brother and countless showmances, only two couples have survived. The nauseating duo of Brendon and Rachel and the sweet love of Jeff and Jordan. Who — both in a strange reality show coincidence — went on to compete in The Amazing Race (yet another reality show I thank the TV gods for airing).
Do you have a favorite showmance? Do you love reality television as much as I do? Have you ever fallen for someone in a crazy quick amount of time? As an adult, I mean. I know at 15 we all fell instantly in love with whoever was on the cover of Teen Beat…
Dee Brun is the award-winning author of Libations of Life: A Girl’s Guide to Life One Cocktail at a Time, a cocktail chef and stylist, TV personality, home entertaining guru, writer, humorist, wife, mother of 4, TV Junkie, shoe-aholic, and borderline George Clooney stalker. Read her column, Isn’t it Deelightful, every Friday on Slice.ca.
