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.

Subscribe now to join me every week for my reporting, recommendations, ridiculousness, Real World references, and alliteration you won't find anywhere else.

Why is Bravo trying to make Big Brother 15’s Aaryn Williams—who's best known for her racist, homophobic, and other vile comments on the CBS show—a star? She's returning to TV on Bravo's Small Town Trouble: Texas.

In this episode of Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV, I ask why Bravo would cast someone with her history, and explore what we should do when networks platform people like her.

Annotating Andy: BB15's Aaryn on Bravo

• Bravo said, ‘Hold my racism!’—and cast BB15’s Aaryn. No, thanks.
• Big Brother - Aaryn's Eviction Interview
• Did Bravo really need to dig up this reality TV corpse? No!

Recommendations

• The Golden Life (E!)
• The Mob (Hulu)
• The Diplomat (Netflix)

Life Advice from Reality TV

• Parker Posey on The Mob

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

NBC's The Traitors: New Blood has been a baffling mess, and I think there's one thing to blame more than anything else: episodes that are much shorter than the ones on Peacock. Yep, I'm blaming the editing!

Except: The Edit!

• My Traitors: New Blood recaps

Recommendations

• The Real Housewives of New York City, Bravo
• SNL UK: "Great Big Crab Man"
• Ponder Club

Life Advice from Reality TV

• Kristin on Survivor 51 episode 4

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Photo of Alan Cumming by Euan Cherry/NBC
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

This week, into the Great British Baking Show tent we go to discuss its Audience Choice week. How does it fit in to the pattern of reality TV shows—from American Idol to Survivor 50—blaming viewers for what are ultimately producers' decisions?

Analyzing the Analysis

• Survivor 50: What choices were in the Hands of the Fans?
• Bake-Off series 17's Audience Choice Week recap
• Great British Bake Off's time calls are fake

Recommendations:

• Sticky Bun Boys
• Sweet Deceit, Food Network

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean season 11 is over, and I break down what made this season great—and horrifying. Nathan vs. Joe, Aesha's growth, and Chef Joy's joy, and how much the production has to do with all of it.

Review Review: Below Deck Med season 11

• Below Deck’s semen-stained sheet is gross. Is it hazardous?
• Nathan convicted of horrific domestic violence, now wanted in Australia and Ireland
• My Below Deck Med season 11 recaps

For help:

• In the U.S.A., call 1-800-799-SAFE or text START to 88788
• In Australia, call 1800 737 732
• For other countries, visit the No More directory of global helplines for domestic and sexual violence

Recommendations:

• The Great British Baking Show, Netflix collection 14
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4
• "Level-Five Transporter Accident" behind-the-scenes photos

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

The Amazing Race has an iconic, simple format. But the reality is that, during season one, many of the decisions were made while filming was underway—or after it was over.

Behind the Scenes

• Amazing Race behind the scenes: an oral history of CBS’s first race around the world

Recommendations

• The Amazing Race season 39's premiere, CBS
• The Swan: Behind the Mirror, Hulu

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

It's a new season of Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV, and today I'm looking at my expectation versus reality of Survivor 51’s premiere, and Wonka's The Golden Ticket.

I Was Wrong: Wonka's The Golden Ticket and Survivor 51

• What in the chocolate river is AI slop doing in Netflix’s Wonka competition?
• My Wonka's The Golden Ticket review
• Survivor 50 finale's preview of season 51https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2026/05/survivor-50-episode-13-recap-finale-winner/https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2026/05/survivor-50-episode-13-recap-finale-winner/
• Survivor 51 premiere recap: old is new again!

Recommendations

• The Floor, Fox (behind the scenes)
• Cocktail Wars, E!
• Drink Masters, Netflix

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.
• Survivor photo by Robert Voets/CBS

Life Advice from Reality TV

• Aesha on Below Deck Mediterranean season 11 episode 10

In this quick episode: An update on the premiere of Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV season 6, which is coming the morning after Survivor 51’s premiere.

Also, a recommendation: Nation's Dumbest on Fox

In this special episode: My husband Nick and I chat about our wedding, some highs and lows, with Emily Post's great-great grandchild, Lizzie Post, in this excerpt from the podcast Emily Post Wedding Stories.

Listen to the full episode here, and also check out Emily Post Wedding Stories and Awesome Etiquette—and our great photographers, Live Happy Studio.

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

After this week’s Big Brother 28 elimination, I’m revisiting an interview I did with Big Brother producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan about the show’s format. Has anything changed in 12 years? What still needs to change?

Plus: recommendations for two shows and one podcast episode, and stick around to the end for life advice from reality TV, once again from Mister Rogers.

Great Tape: an interview with Big Brother’s producers

• Is BB28’s Jason vs. Kamu just game? Or a shame?
• BB28’s players unanimously vote for ‘a boring, boring season’
• Will Big Brother ever get out of its rut?
• Why this was Big Brother’s best cast in years

Recommendations

• Restaurant Impossible: Last Call, Food Network
• Nation's Dumbest, Fox
• "The Mel Robbins Griftpocalypse (with Princess Weekes + Kat Tenbarge)" on A Bit Fruity with Matt Bernstein

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.
• Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan portraits by Sonja Flemming/CBS

Life Advice from Reality TV

• Everyone has lots of ways of feeling, Mister Rogers Neighborhood

Two words in a reality TV star's contract can change their post-show life—but also may not be that big of a deal? A dive into exclusivity clauses.

Plus: news I broke about Love is Blind, recommendations, and life advice from Canada's Drag Race.

Unscripted Updates, where I discuss something from the news

• The Love is Blind assault lawsuit was settled—days after a judge ordered these disclosures
• Read the Love is Blind cast contract—and production's employee handbook

Industry Insight, where I look at the business behind reality TV

• Love Islanders on DWTS? Maybe! Don’t believe the bad reporting

Recommendations

• Drag Race Canada, WOW Presents Plus
• Great British Bake-Off baker Henry Bird's video
• The Wainwright Prize 2026 longlist: 68 books!

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

In this very special episode: A Project Runway 22 episode 2 recap and review, with a special guest star! Plus: news about The Challenge and a reality TV couple, plus recommendations for two shows that are polar opposites.

Unscripted Updates

• The Challenge: Cutthroat is on Paramount+, not MTV, starting Aug. 5
• Matt Rogers and ‘Below Deck’ Star Fraser Olender Break Up

A Couple of Recappers

• My Project Runway season 22 episode 1 review
• My Project Runway season 22 episode 2 recap

Recommendations

• Sam Neill's The Pacific: In the Wake of Captain Cook
• Nation's Dumbest, Fox

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

This week: A dramatic reading of my very first reality TV recap—to celebrate reality blurred’s 26th birthday today!

Also: recommendations, and, at the very end, life advice from a Survivor 50 player who’s on Big Brother 28!

Intro:

• Join me July 8 at 8 p.m. ET for a special AMA on Bluesky and/or Surf!
• BB28’s cast: Salina EsTitties, Rick Devens, Dee Valladares
• Big Brother Watchtower on Surf Social

Why and How I Wrote That: The Real World Hawaii

• My Real World Hawaii premiere recap
• All my Student.com recaps and writing

Recommendations

• RuPaul's Drag Race season 11 episode 9
• Guess the World

Tip Tips: real recommendations + affiliate links!

• Open an Ally bank account
• Hilton Honors
• Marriott Bonvoy

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.
• Oʻahu and Diamond Head photo by Cosmin Serban/Unsplash

Love Island and Big Brother have a history of casting hot dummies who sometimes turn out to be people who behave badly and maybe shouldn’t be on TV. How do they find them? How does casting work? We'll dive into two parts of the process.

Also: recommendations, including for some podcasts, and stick around to the end for life advice from reality TV, this time from The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.

Unscripted Updates

• In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood by Collin Gosselin

• Kate Gosselin speaks out on estranged son Collin after scathing post

• Another Love Islander disappears for using racial slurs

• Alannah's bad apology

• Comcast spinning off NBCUniversal and Comcast

• Versant cable networks

Behind the Scenes

• Love Island USA application
• Big Brother finals casting process: how it works, rules finalists must follow
• Ian and Dan discuss Sucks, Jokers strategy, how Big Brother finals casting hasn’t changed in years
• Big Brother contract: the legal agreement houseguests sign

Recommendations

• Nick and Ion Emily Post Wedding Stories with Lizzie Post. Listen here!
• 15 great podcasts from the other AIR New Voices AMPLIFY podcasters and creators
• The Real Housewives of Rhode Island (Peacock)

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

On this week’s episode: Before Casa Amor, Love Island USA’s hottest couple were two guys! Is this finally queering up a hetero show, or just queerbaiting? And how can we tell?

Plus: reality TV news you have missed and recommendations for some great social media videos you shouldn't. And stick around to the end for life advice from reality TV, this time from drag queen Delta Work.

Unscripted updates

• Top Chef 24 is delayed; 3 Top Chef Carolinas scheduling mysteries, solved
• Project Runway’s new judge: Tyra Banks 💀
• The Traitors fired Fergus
• James Wallington on The Floor's finale
• Get my newsletter!

Analyzing the analysis

• Why Bryce and Zach, and their girth check, are giving Love Island USA fans a semi
• Peacock's "The bromance is real"
• Gerald's comments

Recommendations

• Boman Martinez-Reid’s Love Island parodies: one, two, three
• The hidden mics of The Price Is Right
• Widow's Bay (Parks & Recreation Opening Titles)

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

Life advice from reality TV

• $150 to appear on Network Television?! | GO OFF DELTA! #193
• "Very Delta" Episode #193 (w/ Charles Galin King)

On this week's show: We’ve rolled into a new season of Below Deck Med, one I was dreading, but it’s actually refreshing—for the franchise and reality TV.

Plus: What Love Island USA and Survivor have in common, recommendations, and life advice from reality TV, this time from Captain Sandy.

I Was Wrong: Below Deck Med season 11 edition

• Guess what's back after Below Deck Down Under?
• Below Deck Med season 10 ended with a threat
• Below Deck Med recap: Joe and Kizzi’s cruelty, Nathan’s diatribe

Curtain Pull

• Love Island USA’s kissing is even sloppier and slurpier than usual. Yuck!
• Survivor used Love Island’s villa

Recommendations

• Outlast (Netflix)

• Why Netflix’s Outlast ends with a race, and other questions, answered

• Stephen Fishbach's book: Escape!

• My interview with Stephen

• The 10 reality shows nominated for 2026 TCA Awards

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

On this week’s episode: Top Chef Carolinas is over, and no spoilers here as I look at the season and the franchise to ask: is Top Chef deserving of the title of top culinary reality show? Plus: two Kristen Kish related recommendations, and stick around to the end for life advice from reality TV, also from Top Chef host Kristen Kish!

Curtain Pull

• Top Chef doesn't want you to see this 'sensitive information'
• Charlotte paid $1.2 million for Top Chef. Did they get their money's worth?

Review Review

• Top Chef Carolinas finale recap: toast the winner
• Dear Top Chef: an open letter to a show adrift
• Top Chef spoiled/solved the Restaurant Wars/Last Chance Kitchen mystery
• Kristen Kish is the best part of Top Chef Wisconsin
• How America's Culinary Cup was cooked to be paired with Survivor

Recommendations

• The Dish with Kish
• Fast Foodies (stream free on truTV)
• Memoir and other true queer stories for Pride Month

• Accidentally on Purpose by Kristen Kish

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

26 years ago, just one week after Survivor premiered, I was live on TV, competing for an audience’s vote, and it was broadcast thanks to C-SPAN. Here’s the story—and video!

Plus: hilarious recommendations and stick around to the end for life advice from Tiffany Pollard.

Curtain Pull

• Reality TV contracts

Story Time:

• Great American Think-Off
• C-SPAN
• C-SPAN broadcast: "Is Democracy Fair?" (watch below)
• Andy Dehnart on C-SPAN
• recent Think-Off debates on YouTube

Recommendations

• Bad Lip Reading - The House of Representatives

• Nancy Pelosi and George Santos

• House of Villains (Peacock)

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

In this episode of Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV, I dive into the production of Showtime’s Couples Therapy, from the set design to b-roll to editing choices, all of which create an authentic experience, not fake drama.

Curtain Pull: How Couples Therapy hides its cameras

• From Vulture: Couples Therapy Built the World’s Most Convincing Reality-TV Set
• Inside the Big Brother house

Behind the Scenes: How Couples Therapy is produced

• How Couples Therapy’s directors work to create empathy, not villainy
• My reviews: season one and season two
• The Truman Show

Recommendations

• The Chris Gethard Show season 2, episode 9

• then read Liz Shannon Miller's behind-the-scenes interview

• TOC: All-Star Christmas
• Tickets from On Camera Audiences

Life Advice from Reality TV

• Dr. Orna’s guide to active listening

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.

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!

Mentioned

• Survivor clothing rules: How clothing players can bring is chosen for them
• Variety's Untold Tales of ‘Survivor’
• Jeff Probst's quote
• Watching Survivor with friends: a reflection on a social game

Recommendations

• Survivor Borneo (Paramount+)
• Million Dollar Secret (Netflix)

Credits

• Made from Humans: How Reality Becomes TV is copyright 2026 by Reality Blurred LLC.
• Find me at realityblurred.com or https://www.andydehnart.com/
• Our theme song is “Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under the Creative Commons by Attribution 4.0 License.