Bachelor in Paradise hits ethics detour
Abuse allegation by woman in the spinoff is par for reality TV course, which has had its share of misadventure
Modern reality television has been misbehaving since it was born. Putting aside the charmingly mild Candid Camera midcentury years, the reality TV era that began in the early 1990s with MTV’s Real World has had its share of questionable standards and tactics.
Both contestants and viewers risk taking the brunt of the genre’s baser tendencies. Bachelor in Paradise halted production on its fourth season earlier this month to investigate allegations of undisclosed wrongdoing during taping in Mexico.
Producer Warner Bros. said that its review found nothing amiss and ABC put the show back on track for a summer debut. Lawyer Martin Singer, who is representing contestant Corinne Olympios, said not so fast: He vowed a separate investigation.
It’s yet another milestone in reality’s checkered history, which remains as consistent as TV’s reliance on it even with the expanding popularity and ranks of scripted series.
While reality ratings have slipped, there is a solid fan base for so-called unscripted TV — which isn’t as freewheeling as it sounds, said Karen Tongson, a University of Southern California associate professor whose focus includes pop culture.
“American TV viewers are savvy these are set pieces, not scenarios coming from thin air,” Tongson said of reality shows in general.
“The cast members and the production team are doing what they can to create sensational plot lines to follow and to sustain their storyline and presence on TV.”
But limits are observed, said Troy DeVolld, a veteran reality producer whose credits include Basketball Wives and Dancing with the Stars.
“I’ve never seen a producer not take care of someone in a situation where there might be danger or liability,” he said.
Reality is an easy punching bag, he contends, while other TV trespasses are ignored. “No one’s ever been murdered in a non-scripted show that I’ve seen. Half the scripted shows are, ‘We found a body in a suitcase down in the river, and now we’re doing an autopsy,’ ” DeVolld said. “You don’t see that in reality TV, so I don’t understand why it’s so much more damaging.”
But put reality TV under the spotlight and offenders can be found, including the following candidates:
WHAT A CONCEPT
Temptation Island invited couples to test their fidelity by splitting up and hanging out with attractive singles on separate islands. Divorce and breakup rates haven’t been high enough, apparently.
Cheaters. People who believe their partner may be unfaithful hire a detective and get to see them humbled nationally on camera.
Chains of Love, in which players whittled down a group of prospective mates, some insulting the rejects. And yes, the lovebirds were chained together for their “dates.”
JUST DUMB
I Wanna Marry Harry, in which American women compete to woo a man who they’re told is England’s Prince Harry but is an impostor. The women are deceived, viewers are unimpressed, Britain survives.