Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV
Step behind reality TV's scenes with me, Andy Dehnart, a TV critic, creator of reality blurred, and "the pioneer of reality TV criticism," according to the very discerning YouTuber Barfbag. I pull back the curtain on reality shows—Survivor, The Traitors, Big Brother, Couples Therapy, 24 in 24, American Ninja Warrior, and so many more—for candid conversations about how people are turned into entertainment, and what it means. Join me for reporting, recommendations, ridiculousness, Real World references, and alliteration you won't find anywhere else.
Episodes
Coach Probst may be tanking Survivor, but in this episode of Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV, I share how my love of Survivor persists, because I am like a fan of a beleaguered sports games team thing. Plus: Survivor costumes!
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On this week's show: America’s Culinary Cup and Padma Lakshmi’s dream of shaking up the cooking competition genre. Did it work? And how did it come together? I have insight from Padma and its showrunner.
I also have reality TV recommendations for you, and stick around to the very end for life advice from reality TV, this time from Padma herself.
On this week's show: More reality TV shows are showing us their scaffolding, literally and figuratively. Some examples, and a plea for more. Plus: a bunch of recommendations; an update on the next month of this podcast; and life advice from TV, once again from Mister Rogers.
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On this week's show: Once again, fans and media are piling on a person instead of the corporations and systems. Can we hold Taylor Frankie Paul accountable for her behavior but not lay the blame for the franchise's implosion at her feet? Plus: a non-Bachelorette recommendation, and life advice from reality TV from Iman.
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On today's show: Why Survivor 50 is working for me, especially compared to the past nine seasons! Plus: three recommendations for fictional films, and life advice from the Oscar-winning director of a nonfiction film.
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On today’s show: The Amazing Race took off 25 years ago this week, and I have some amazing behind-the-scenes stories for you! Also, two recommendations, and reality TV life advice from an icon.
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On today's episode: A journey through blind judging. I love blind judging but not Love is Blind, and I'm glad some viewers are no longer blind to unconscious biases on The Traitors and I wish I had a different word here than "blind."
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This week, a quick look at this wild week of competition reality TV—and what to watch during it.
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Survivor has survived for 50 seasons in no small part because it's been willing to evolve and change over the years. So what would you change about it now, if you could change just one thing?
In this episode of my podcast, I share my answer. Also: recommendations and life advice from Kristen Kish!
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On this week's show, I read from reality TV-related legal documents—including one NBCUniversal tried to keep secret—in character voices that my husband called "totally fucking bonkers" when he heard it. Plus: recommendations and life advice from TV.
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This week: Below Deck Med and Below Deck Down Under, and why producing isn’t scripting. Also: my usual recommendations, plus reality TV stars band together to show us how community and working together is the way through all of this. And stick around to the end for life advice from an iconic reality TV cast member.
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On this week's show: Two Survivor legends, two conversations for you to eavesdrop on. Plus: recommendations for free and entertaining streaming TV!
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On today’s show: Watching, noticing, and turning those things into video instead of writing. Am I helping or hurting—them and me! Also, I have three recommendations for you and self-care advice from the very first episode of Sesame Street.
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- Register for the free Stephen Fishbach Q&A
- Watch my Michael Rapaport eating vid...
The Traitors is back—and introduced a new twist that fell flat. In today's episode, I talk about what I think the show needs, and also share recommendations and some hilarious life advice from Rob Cesternino.
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What makes shows like Survivor and The Traitors better, more artistic shows? I think it's the way they fake some scenes—without affecting the game. Plus, three recommendations, and life advice from world treasure Stephen Fry.
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This week: Is it amazing to travel around the world by racing on The Amazing Race? Kinda and not really! We’ll dig into what you don’t see. Also, my travels into a new medium, recommendations, and, at the very end, some helpful words from Phil Keoghan.
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This week: a recap of recaps! What do I recap, why do I recap, and WTF even is a recap today? Plus: life advice from The Real World Hawaii—really!
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- My Real World Hawaii recaps
- My reality blurred recaps
- Table Talk
- Television Without Pity
- Best Evidence
- RHAP
Recommendations
This week: All food, all the time! I share behind-the-scenes details about The Great British Baking Show, and explore what other reality TV shows can learn from it. Then, recommendations for three shows related to food, and then stick around to the end for life advice from reality TV, this time from former Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi.
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How one producer single-handedly revived a reality TV show that was cancelled by Disney-owned NatGeo—and how that has me thinking about connecting to our audiences as creators. Plus a recommendation for the first holiday season reality TV show of the year, and life advice from TV courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa.
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In this week's episode, I share what show I'd bring back for just one season. What would you choose? Also: dishwashers, country music, and Trading Spaces.
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