Is this the end of reality TV?

After dominating television screens for decades, has reality TV gone into decline?

Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast member Taylor Frankie Paul has been a controversial figure for some time now, but the latest allegations surrounding the star – and the subsequent cancellation of her season of The Bachelorette – have caused viewers to ask: how far is too far for reality TV? With ratings on the decline and networks desperate to keep audiences coming back, reality TV has taken some drastic turns to remain relevant.

To get into all this Rebecca Jennings, features writer for New York Magazine, joins the show to unpack the drama surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul and the state of reality TV at large.

(0:00) Who’s being exploited more on reality TV?
(03:36) Unpacking Taylor Frankie Paul’s controversial reality TV journey
(09:27) ABC’s risky bet on Taylor Frankie Paul as ‘The Bachelorette’
(18:29) Navigating the line between ‘messy’ and ‘dark’ on reality TV
(21:25) How reality TV fandom has changed
(25:37) Finding unexpected value in reality TV drama
(29:23) The need for better vetting and ethics in reality TV casting
(33:33) Official statements from Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen

Want more about reality TV? Check out these IBAM episodes:
Our love lives have gone full Love Island.
Dating skills vs. dating gimmicks in ‘Love on the Spectrum’

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