As this season of The Bachelorette draws to a close, it is the perfect time to call into question why we love this franchise so much. Yes, it’s highly entertaining to watch girls and guys fight over someone they just met to achieve “true love.” And I can’t say that I don’t chuckle at the endless drama consisting of catfights, screaming battles, and crying scenes. But have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes? How they get those juicy clips and how the drama unfolds so picture perfect?
Sarah Gertrude Shapiro has taken it upon herself to reveal that truth through her television series UnReal. Shapiro worked on the set of The Bachelor as an assistant to a field producer and knows first hand the manipulation that goes into the show. And that is what UnReal is all about: revealing what goes on behind the cameras and showing the viewer how the show is really made.
Unreal follows life of field producer Rachel whose job is to manipulate the contestants of the show Everlasting in order to create drama and entertainment for the viewers. Just like The Bachelor, Everlasting brings a group of girls together to live in a house, isolated from the rest of the world, to fight over a male suitor. We see Rachel lie to the girls, stage fights, and much more in order to get that perfect shot. The viewer gets to experience the life of a field producer first hand, taking a front row seat for all the drama that ensues between Rachel, the other field producers, the top dogs of the entire production, Quinn and Chet, who are highly demanding and a bit insane at times, the rest of the production crew, and the cast. This is the real stuff, people-- what actually happens on the set of a show like The Bachelor. In addition to her life as a producer, the show delves deep into her personal life as well, which can sometimes be even crazier than the stuff that happens on the show. To be honest, I think there is more drama behind the scenes, but you will just have to watch UnReal to determine it for yourself!
And in my opinion, this stuff is way juicier and entertaining than what happens on The Bachelor. Season after season, we have watched the same things unfold on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and I know I’m sure ready for a change. The new angle and perspective that UnReal provides is super engaging and refreshing to see.
Although the show just ended season two, trust me, it is 100% worth watching and who doesn’t love a good little TV binge?
