Love Island: A Flirtation With Surveillance

[@BroeyDeschanel]

Hello! My friend Hannah and I started a podcast :) it's called Rehash, and it's all about social media phenomenons that once took the world by storm, only to be quickly forgotten! We're releasing episodes weekly, which you can find here (and wherever you get your podcasts): anchor.fm/rehashpodcast

[@TaraMooknee]

you know how when you play sims you get your sim to have loads of affairs in front of their spouse and you cackle gleefully at the mess? That's what the Amy situation felt like...except it was real. There was even a moment where Ian Stirling (the narrator) joked about Amy's impending heartbreak and it makes you realise how okay the producers are with causing trauma for entertainment. Yikes. Amazing video btw!

[@tanishapandey400]

Wow looks like the cow is really into love island

[@BroeyDeschanel]

this! making my sims woohoo and then immediately breaking them up, truly unhinged behaviour from a 10 year old

[@ianism3]

I mean yeah, it's been clear for years now that the people who run these types of shows are like this. I remember all the way back in 2000 Survivor had an incident where someone (his name is Michael Skupin) inhaled smoke, passed out and fell into a campfire, burning himself badly. through all of this (it took about 10 seconds), the producers prevented anyone from helping him until he was able to get up and run into the water - which . funny story: that dude has since been caught running a ponzi scheme _and_ with child pornography, so he served a year in prison....

[@ThatWeirdFinn]

You do what in Sims now???? I never understood that game and the more I hear about it, the more bizarre it sounds. Heroes of Might and Magic 3 all the way 😅

[@KC-ep6sg]

@Erwin Lii Yes!! More people should watch Unreal, it's obviously dramatized but rooted in truths and based on the experiences of a real ex-producer from the Bachelor franchise. Ever since I watched Unreal I can spot producer manipulation and scripted conflicts a lot easier. The contestants don't have to be fed lines if they're manipulated, exhausted, lied to, etc, which the producers use to get the scenes they want in order to craft narratives they know will get the best views. It's sick

[@cadaverillavigne5371]

I did keep mishearing "Kavka" as "Kafka" and I was like WHAT did Franz have to say about Jersey Shore?

[@rgs8970]

As Michael Sorrentino awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic Situation...

[@rokhayas]

😂😂😂 OmGod Stop

[@isawhat8712]

Kelly kissed Jake behind Michael's back and then she metamorphosed into a giant insect.

[@lh9591]

I was really confused and just dismissed it and figured maybe Franz Kafka was more contemporary than I recalled.

[@mayap2724]

Kafka on the Shore!

[@camipco]

A really important factor in the rise of reality tv is that it evades unions. Actors and screenwriters are both unionized, and reality tv doesn't use either. This is why we saw an explosion of reality tv during the writers strike - it's union-busting. This fits perfectly with the Reagan / Thatcher era changes you discussed, and is why they can get away with treating the participants so poorly.

[@jonathaneilbeck2263]

Also there was a boom of them in the late 2000's due to the recession as well.

[@kaavi1391]

But how will participants in reality TV unionise ? They are not employees of the show. Also reality TV does not even make 5 % of the entertainment shows , so your point does not fit well.

[@allieophardt2997]

@@kaavi1391 that’s their point, that they can’t unionize

[@NothingYouHaventReadBefore]

That's actually crazy. Didn't know that!

[@Lucas_Antar]

Welp the writers did it to themselves. You can go on strike all you want but at the end of the day your boss can just call your bluff.

[@KhadijaMbowe]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Existing is exhausting...

[@madelinekouassi9884]

Felt that !

[@pussydestroyer69285]

@@thepoliticallyambidextrous678 um…..ok? Lol.

[@huckmart2017]

Yeah it gets old after a while.

[@InservioLetum]

Look up the exit hood. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. Peace be with you. N.B. Don't use bin liners ("trash bags") as they will literally float off your head and stick on the ceiling. No, lol that is literally true, but I admit, bloody hilarious in that situation. Hope this smile made your day a bit brighter. I cannot promise life has better things in store for you, but I will not judge you for wanting to return a "gift" that was forced on you without your consent.

[@samuelmcdonagh1590]

@@InservioLetum how lovely, distributing suicide advice to people who may or may not need it. suicide seems premature in my opinion.

[@brookesmith6998]

It's so funny that some of the contestants are ostracized for "not being there for the right reason" as if anyone on these shows really thinks that they are going to leave the show with a long-term partner. At this point, I'm assuming that most people participate to increase their social media following or capitalize off their 5 mins. of fame in some other way. But in the same breath, contestants like Amy who try to form a real connection are villified for being too clingy and not subscribing to the unserious nature of the show. The audience makes fun of those who try to form seemingly genuine connections while simultaneously disparaging those who just lean into the fact that none of it is real ( the scheming villains) . Like make it "reality", but not actual reality 😅

[@knowdaqueen177]

And a lot from this season are being criticized for not getting deals fast enough but they’re supposed to be there for the right reasons

[@Misstressofdons]

I bet its some sort of archaic social hangup in a similar vein to it being gauche to say you're primarily money-motivated at a job interview. I think it's ridiculous. I saw someone rejected at group interview stage because he didn't make up the inane waffle most of us did to the question "why did you apply for this shitty call centre job".

[@oliviac295]

This made me realise that Molly Mae got both a social following and a long term partner out of the show. She literally won

[@kraced4392]

It's jarring when they use the "ThEy'Re nOt iN hEre for the RigHt ReAsOnS" line like bruh :|

[@ryanmaleshe5866]

Oh, the intricacies of language. That phrase seems to serve the same purpose as dog whistles(albeit every single person is in on it) or the Newspeak in 1984. Everyone knows what is meant or implied but are bound to pretend the literal text carries some straightforward meaning

[@upsetstudios1819]

TW// S.A In the show Paradise Hotel, a norwegian reality tv show with the same premise as Love Island, two female contestants attempted to r-word a male contestant, and the scene of this act was filmed, edited, approved and aired on tv as if it was nothing. A male contestant was intoxicated, and two women pulled him into a room. Through their advances the man was saying no, trying to pull away from them, but they kept trying. The girls left the man alone after some time, because he was unresponsive to their pushing. The man later tried to tell a friend about this but the friend laughed and said "he was lucky to be surrounded by b-words in heat". This was displayed in the episode as if nothing happened. Reality tv brings up some really horrifying points about surveillance, but to me it also holds up a mirror to the attitudes of our general society. This whole alpha-male narrative about how consent for men doesn't matter because they're always in the mood. How nobody stopped to think, "hey, that's crossing the line". I think we need to seriously reconsider if these shows should exist at all, if they harbour environments where shock and drama are valued over wellbeing.

[@fluorescentghost]

I kept wondering why it wasn't brought up but then remembered Paradise Hotel is a different show lol

[@spicysl]

Love Island South Africa that aired earlier this year. Two girls were laughing and joking about raping a guy who had confessed not long before that he was a virgin.

[@katybee3891]

But that’s not attempted rape that’s sexual harassment. If they tried to rape him they wouldn’t have stopped because he was unresponsive to their advances.

[@upsetstudios1819]

@@katybee3891 It still is very serious and shouldn't be shrugged off as nothing, let alone happen in the first place. A man was kissed and touched while intoxicated and saying "no". That's disgusting

[@Misstressofdons]

Non consensual touching and kissing happens constantly on terrace house and its played off as romantic.

[@agatazietek9098]

This might just be me, but I feel like season 1 had a rather "working class" feel and aesthetic to it even though not all people in it were from working class backgrounds, and in later seasons members felt more and more like potential influencers from upper middle class background, I'm not British though so I might be just projecting my country's stereotypes to another culture. Regardless, the contestants felt "different" somehow

[@Yosoydom]

I agree. I started to notice that they were also choosing people who already had a lot of followers (or “clout”) as if that was going to make more people watch. Everyone started to look like they were picked from Instagram instead of people who applied

[@charlieg2262]

You're completely right - in the last few years, aside from influencers we've even had children of actual celebrities, including Gemma Owens this year ( daughter of a well-known footballer )

[@mmgs1148]

Literally the polish' hotel paradise ex conestant has an agency where he helps girls get to newer editions xD he made his connection in the second edition

[@Yharazayd]

how's it feel to be so smart, so right and so hot?

[@INeededThat]

what

[@mojeanesadr6933]

I second this

[@tradtrad3471]

damn asking the real questions. both of you gotta spill the secrets ^

[@Liolia22]

Yhara, we could ask you the same thing 🤍

[@karolineCPH]

Broey: "You tell me"

[@megakenzie9524]

The Japanese reality show "Terrace House" has had similar situations in the past few years. After a sad loss of life, (because of the shows lack of mental health care and protection against outside bullies), I swore off any kind of shows like this... It was a guilty pleasure for awhile. But it's gone too far now and makes me sick to my stomach.

[@chaaaargh]

wait what happened with terrace house 😭😭 used to love it because it felt like a (slightly) more chill reality show but i haven't been watching in a bit?

[@ohlove0]

@@chaaaargh last year one of the contestants took her life because of hate comments

[@ohlove0]

@@chaaaargh last year season was disappointing I do not recommend to watch, there are some wholesome moments but still It was painful to watch

[@petalchild]

@@chaaaargh Hana Kimura 😔

[@ericasumrall]

Hana 💔

[@LostLifetimes]

Idk why but when I heard “caused suicide” I immediately felt awful but only expected it to be one….learning it was THREE was an absolute gut punch holy shit

[@ajknight8640]

I’m only 7 mins in so apologies if this is mentioned - but one of those suicides was following the woman being arrested & charged for domestic abuse. I believe the other two are directly attributed to their experiences on the show. Of course even 1 suicide is too many, but just for context

[@Bringon-dw8dx]

Caroline’s was to do with her domestic abuse charge- not the show

[@arthurfleck8777]

@@ajknight8640 One of the people who killed themselves did so because of their Grandma dying and the other had mental illnesses.

[@seatheparade]

Exactly, that made my heart sink ):

[@Wonderkid44]

Those had nothing to do with love island.

[@imani0nline]

It’s interesting that as we progress further the idea of being watched becomes more of the norm, performing for the public whether on reality tv or on social media has become the expectation. Every move you make is to be watched and scrutinized so you must act accordingly. Big brother vibes 👀

[@transparentsoulspul5507]

Woman wtf are you so smart? But also is true it seems like the younger generations including myself (gen z) aspired to be famous, wich is not something new at all, but what is new is the fact you are a click away of fame or (infame) but the difference doesn't matter to most people chasing clout in social media!

[@penelopeclaire539]

I found it so unbelievably sad when I realized that most of us are probably going to work our whole lives away to please an algorithm instead of having an algorithm that works to please us as the scientific contributors to the creation of the internet seemed to intend. The modern computer is a premature marvel in human technology. As much good as a computer can do, it seems like the most it's used for right now is mirroring society's shitty priorities on the hopes that we'll fix them.

[@currybread5298]

Yupp

[@danielseaburg9763]

> you must act accordingly. Or just not have a tiktok/instagram account?

[@aaljustaal1890]

@@danielseaburg9763 You think this would be the solution, but people record and post videos of strangers all the time.

[@laurabeaty915]

i wrote a 40 pg paper on love island and surveillance in college i’m so pumped to watch this

[@notmyhairyarmpits]

I'm curious, how long did it take to complete the paper?

[@marianikimisyri9271]

Omg I'd love to read it

[@ashleytieu6398]

I'm soooo thrilled when someone does surveillance study with television show cuz this shit sooo interesting. I wrote mine about surveillance, capitalism and batman the dark knight. This topic can be so diverse

[@MK-gm2mq]

girlie send us the doc

[@fatamy8597]

i wanna read it omg pls share

[@ionaf9]

Please remember Mike's nickname on the show was 'Muggy Mike'. People would shout at him on the street. He was treated abhorrently by the general public, who were egged on by the media and the show producers. I think about him every time I see people tweet horrible things about people on the show - even if they 'deserved' it.. there's no excuse.

[@okay618]

That term, according to Montana is something he actually enjoyed. She said it in an interview after he passed.

[@marsouinrirou]

I often find that youtubers, even those I like, talk about the same topics through the same lens (a billion videos that say the same thing about Emily in Paris or whatever the hot new topic is) - this is never an issue with your essays. You are intelligent, engaging, and always discuss topics when you have a specific angle that makes it worth it. Plus the research is immaculate. This is why you are one of the best "new" creators on this platform, along with people like CJ the X. Great video !

[@TheLily97232]

Thank you. I started to be very tired of this new commentary channels hopping on the trend and talking about the same things, at the same time, in the same manner. That started to show

[@Elle-eq4hy]

CJ the Xxxxxxx

[@shanisokay]

From watching season 3 of Love Island USA, I found this awareness of media tropes and stereotypes kept contestants from authentically feeling their feelings. Like women were not able to express their feelings of betrayal to one another because of their fear of perpetuating the stereotype of women fighting over men. They had to sanitize their reactions and play nice even in moments where it would be perfectly normal to argue. It was so interesting to see how either a) the pressure to represent your entire gender or race or both can affect your experience and b) the awareness of potential cancellation completely changed the tone of the show.

[@pebbletoidgreentip8135]

@@thepoliticallyambidextrous678 *sniff *

[@SGustafsson]

I recently quit insta/facebook/twitter and it feels like my stress-levels are down and I can focus better. Didn't even understand it was a problem for me really. That's pretty crazy how I just followed along and made my life less free, its a weird feeling now.

[@dessieangel1021]

Yeah, getting rid of social media was the best thing for me

[@whodat1917]

Let's also not forget how racist this show is - they use black women as tokens and they never bring in men who genuinely prefer BW, BW mostly get dumped soon or are potrayed as miserable, aggressive and have very little screen time. Kaz Kamwi from this LI season was THE FIRST BW in the history of LI UK that was in the finals..She (and her boyfriend from LI, Tyler) were not called to sit on the sofa where all other finalists sit but Kaz was called to sit on the sofa as one of LI guy's exes...

[@kimberleywilliams7802]

They have an obsession with BW misery

[@sarah2172]

so true! They dont even try to hide it - literally over 90% of the dudes this season said they like blonde hair blue eyes LOL

[@chloecat9095]

That’s why I don’t watch

[@kaavi1391]

How does one know what race of people one prefers? Also it's true that black women, on average, rank the least in preferences by men according to online dating apps.

[@kimberleywilliams7802]

@@kaavi1391 "usually I date girls with blonde hair and blue eyes" "I like girls with a tan, brown hair, grey eyes" "I love a toned bod, blonde hair and blue eyes" "I like girls with smooth dark skin" Idk you tell me dude.

[@Azulagirlboss]

Reality shows like this, other dating shows and others like Bigg Brother were designed around exploitation and humiliation. As long as the viewers are hating/loving the participants, the ratings remain high. So studios script & edit the shows to have a clear cut "good" person and a villian dynamic.

[@mahrinui18]

Someone named Kavka studying reality TV seems like nominative determinism.

[@norak8080]

i distinctly remember the audience's unreasonably negative reaction to amy. she never did anything bad-intentioned, it was more like people despised her for finding her voice and face annoying. that was so cruel. i was being yelled at for stating that i found her okay lol. the show is on for so long and so frequently, that we completely immerse ourselves in the entertainment experience and forget that almost no-one deserves a treatment like amy's, even if their behavour is not right at times. the punishment almost never fits the crime.

[@lolablake9196]

She and amber were the only two that I followed on Instagram. Amy often posts and now for a while it has seems that she found her guy ❤️

[@jayrampant]

It really is astounding that this show has been allowed to continue after three suicides. Caroline Flack's tragic story was more to do with the vicious, hateful tabloids than the show itself, but still.. two former contestants (is that's the correct term for them?!) having taken their own lives would be enough to end any other show!

[@jayrampant]

Participants is probably more apt term than contestants

[@ben-mn8dp]

cos its a banging show lool

[@shrisiva4016]

No Caroline's death was due to her facing a prison sentence for domestic abuse, the media just reported it normally like they usually do for public figures facing crimes

[@bellaatfield2062]

@@shrisiva4016 Yeah its interesting how the causes of her death were rewritten. She was facing huge amounts of public backlash after violently assaulting her boyfriend, and many were calling for her to be imprisoned. While Love Island is what made her famous, its not necessarily the cause of her suicide.

[@Wonderkid44]

Mate stfu, where has personal responsibility gone? No one can take responsibility for any situation they put themselves in anymore. Its amazing the army hasn’t been stopped after how many soldiers kill themselves.

[@emilybarton3515]

This whole video reminds me of Atwood saying "You are your own voyeur." How the male gaze itself has been steadily perfecting the panopticon to make women constantly see themselves through the eyes of men. Constantly watched.

[@imomimotv]

one of the contestants from Love Island s3's name is Olivia Attwood and for a brief moment I thought, "well that's unusually profound for Olivia", before remembering Margaret exists lol

[@muveemania]

i was thinking this exact same thing. us self regulating ourselves through the ever present male gaze.

[@harrypike5140]

It's not a gender-specific phenomenon. It's just celebrity-culture and materialism / consumerism in general which facilitates this hyper-fixation with physical perfection, and conformation to a specific type of appearance archetype (the contestants generally look like different coloured moulds of the same person). I say this because there is equally as much emphasis on how the male contestants look as the female contestants. You will never, ever EVER see a short man, bald man, slightly older looking man, or non-pretty boy man on these shows. And their bodies are unequivocally required to be muscular and well-built. You'll never see a man with a 'regular' looking body on here, let alone a man with a bit of meat / fat on him. What are such men seeing themselves through the eyes of? The women who desire them to look such a way? The show and its conception of what men 'should look like' (which women indeed enforce)? Their own idea of male beauty? It's multi-faceted, but let's not pretend like this is some nefarious plot by 'Le Male Gaze' to make women conform to a certain beauty ideal...because the men are equally affected, and required to conform to, a comparable beauty ideal. Which also affects young men's perceptions of their identity and self-image in exactly the same way as it does young women. In some ways worse, as there's no makeup, push-up bra, hair-extension or botox you can get for your height if you aren't born 6ft tall.

[@rebeccaaa9994]

Love island is low- key like squid game constantly being watched and manipulated. Mad

[@en2336]

​@@harrypike5140 We get it, you don't know what the female gaze is. Why don't you do some research into that and come back here. Men are more physically shallow than women and women are judged by society on their looks unlike men who can redeem themselves through status and power. It IS gendered, and being an ugly women is in FACT worse than being an ugly man

[@anushka-wb6zw]

Can't believe I'm watching this for free

[@PrincessPowerUp]

This is 100% working from home life. Employees lose the ability to connect, so we connect on other platforms, but we still have to appear scrubbed, but we also have no opportunity to be ourselves anywhere, and the paranoia that he webcam is on, and the breakdown/ non-existent/newly-an-encampment of public spaces. Its a mind fnck

[@cyber963]

Excellent comment! Home is supposed to be a private space but working from home has made it another space for surveillance.Even after switching off the laptop, the surveillance is still there

[@Staticjokes]

Another brilliant video. Hearing suicides directly related to love island is heartbearking, no one should have to go through toxic levels of fake beauty.

[@BroeyDeschanel]

This truly is “we live in a society: the video”. Anyhoo, just a few things I wanted to note/correct: 1. I realized after I had already exported that the nuerodivergent community prefers the term “is autistic” over “has autism" - just wanted to apologize for that! 2. Faye and Teddy came in third place, not fourth. 3. Any derogatory comments about Sophie, Mike, or Caroline will be removed without exception.

[@hitas3799]

I would like to preface this by saying that the tabloids in the UK are absolutally aweful. And there needs to be more rules about privacy to hold them to account. I think saying "an incident in her personal life" instead of "abused her partner and was arrested for it" is a bit disingenuous. I don't believe that this sort of wordplay would be used for a man doing a similar thing (though I'm open to being wrong on that front). I don't believe I broke the rules as this is a criticism of your presentation, not of the person I'm refering to.

[@arthurkassabian2528]

Once again, great video essay. May I ask a question; I have never watched this series, but have seen bits and pieces of other reality tv shows, and am wondering how one is able to definitively make a proper assessment on the contestant's self censorship (which you excellently and comprehensively illustrated) in this and show if it is heavily edited by the producers to portray the characters in whatever way they see fit. Is it not possible that the contestants in later series behave in the same way as those in the former but due to the controversy and public backlash of such behaviour the producers simply don't depict it when aired?

[@sarahrachel5046]

Yep lol lol I’m not

[@katherinealvarez9216]

This is the first video I saw of yours. I wasn’t notified of the last two and I might’ve missed this one had I not checked my subscriptions. I don’t know what happened.

[@BroeyDeschanel]

@@hitas3799 I understand and I definitely considered that when writing. My reasoning for not including this information was that this is a more complicated situation than other celebrity domestic abuse cases. Caroline is no longer here and can therefore no longer speak for herself, her partner was adamant about not pressing charges against her and has spoken out against the onslaught of tabloid abuse, and the incident is so closely tied to her suicide that I just felt it was not my place at all to exacerbate it after her death. I acknowledge the double standard, but I think people feel that the tabloids more than held Caroline to account, so I felt it was not needed in this video.

[@serenabaney997]

This season left my husband and I so on edge. When Faye had that meltdown it was seriously so upsetting/disturbing.

[@user-zv1wu7mm9d]

I felt so bad for Teddy.

[@jeremyud]

Every reality show I've followed tends to be their best at around season 2/season 3. After that the authenticity goes out the window.

[@indiefairy09]

FACTS! I binged 5 seasons of Vanderpump Rules but stopped midway s5. S1 was PEAK reality tv trash up there with S1 and S2 of Jersey Shore. Around S4, they all had become rich and moved out their shitty apartments and only worked at the restaurant for the show. Plus the drama made no sense. There was SO MUCH betrayal but they would just get over it and become friends again in ways that didnt make sense because they wanted to keep the show going etc. In the earlier seasons, the fights and drama felt "real" bc they werent "famous" yet so they gave no fucks about calling each other out and having feuds and real reactions to the drama etc. All reality shows should stop after s3 tbh. It is no longer fun to watch. You become highly aware of how fake everyone is being just so they can keep the show going for a check especially if it is a consistent cast every season. The same happened with Jersey Shore. I love TRASH reality tv and I have to turn my brain off around the exploitation but then it becomes too obvious the more seasons like this video points out.

[@danhumphrey8357]

Love Island uk season 1.

[@agatazietek9098]

@@danhumphrey8357 right, I feel like season 1 was more authentic, while on season 2 the creators are trying to stage more drama

[@OOOO0OOOO0001___]

A prime example of this is the reality tv show named The bad girls club was a good show from season 1-3 but season 4 was when things took a sour turn. That show was sued for treating the women like shit and their controversies get the whole show cancelled in 2017...season 17. Also around the end of season 5, they were losing a lot of money too on top of that. Who remembers season 14 when the girls got their stuff destroyed and it was later revealed that the other girls who stayed in the house pissed on their CLOTHES which caused them to get rashes and sent to the hospital 🤢 Or season 5..Season 5 was arguably the worse season of them all because the contestants ended up getting banned from oxygen

[@pickletickle8300]

“and now we are always self regulating. we are always working” I’m envious of people who can truly just enjoy social media without it feeling like a taxing job

[@LennethValkyrie]

I remember the case of Hana Kimura, a participant of a Japanese Reality Show called Terrace House. This show was quite well-known and appreciated by fans, because it was so calm, and slow paced; the complete opposite of what we're used to. Sadly, Hana also felt pressured and was a victim of cyber bullying regarding her behavior during the show. Behavior that was asked of her by the production. She committed suicide before the season ended. Her mom is still fighting for the responsible people to pay for all of her and Hana's pain. It's a really sad story.

[@Schemilix]

Ugh. It's just awful. That this show still airs after three people died in ways related to it, in terrible anguish and pain, makes me feel so hopeless. There's no accountability for the people at the top.

[@dennisbrock8856]

In regards to morality, I think the best look into the way how the panopticon and reality television intersect is with What Would You Do? For those who don't know, the show would have actors play out a scene e.g. a family rejecting their gay son, kids asking for alcohol, an abusive boyfriend, etc. and watch as people either interact or ignore them. Because the show took place in the real world and not a closed set, it really sought out to regulate human behavior on a real scale. They wanted for us to take a moral stance and help, and whenever someone didn't they would get shamed slightly for their actions. While the show was fun, I still wonder if the surveillance idea was a net good for society. That being said, can power and surveillance be used to make us better people? Can a TV show make us take moral action instead of being a bystander?

[@mikaylamcfadden7866]

yeah i remember i used to watch that when i was sick from school since it was always on. Disturbing to think about now especially how people were "vilified" for not getting involved. In reality we don't know what they had going on or their own experiences. It also encouraged people to take time out of their day for a stunt that would be emotionally taxes. Just doesn't sit well with me

[@samer17579]

I would have like it if you had gone deeper into the compulsory heteronormativity and how that intersects with moderated/surveilled sexuality. Absolutely a missed opportunity to delve into this as a case study of how media propagates/enforces/constructs the notion of accepted sexuality and gender. Perhaps a subject that can be explored later on.

[@shewithwings]

i feel like that would be an exploration of dating shows in general, i think the bachelor exemplifies this a lot more

[@emmy8526]

Also just body types. These cast members look about as diverse as Playmobil figurines.

[@kimberleywilliams7802]

I'm pretty sure Tara Moonkee went into that, you should check out her video.

[@ikaros4203]

its a prettttty obvious thing

[@afternoonsunjeans9180]

YES THIS

[@ksendx]

These analyses are terrifying yet I cant stop watching.

[@rosejanie10]

There are so many couples who are “still together” from Love Island 2020 and I have a theory that they now stay together because it gets them more sponsorships and deals if they do it together. Almost every couple only posts photos with their significant other on social media when a sponsorship is involved. Just a theory.

[@LegendsP137]

As much we all love/shit on show like Big Brother and Love Island. This vid really did open my eyes to how damaging the genre can still be to cast members after the show is a rap. This is coming from huge long time fan of Big Brother a show that I find to my comfort food. Though even as a super fan of the I can say that the game can be just as damaging. Season 9 and 15 of Big Brother (U.S) are filled with controversial moment after controversial. Most notable in 15 were POC and Queer housemates were harassed with racist and homophobic slurs for months. With out anyone on the production staff stepping in to stop it.

[@shinytox]

not broey giving us the iconic "pooja what is this behaviour" moment 😭

[@myettechase]

I’ve never seen a second of this show but this is absolutely fascinating.

[@ShirleyTimple]

Same

[@lolablake9196]

I’ve tried watching some of the seasons but always ended up losing interest half way and think there’s better stuff to watch

[@amberkay2]

This is so much more than a review of love island. It's a social commentary. You're so on point. Social media never sat right with me for this very reason and that is why I choose not to participate (youtube being the exception for viewing only). Still, even my presence is monitored through what I consume and is documented. Never been okay, never will be. Fascinating video. Thank you!

[@DFDFusion1]

Regarding the "Love Island" suicides, I think there may be a relationship between people who tend to apply for reality TV shows and a superficial lifestyle that leads to depression/suicide - especially considering celebrity suicide rates are already so high.

[@Ferdiahayes]

I miss the chaotic mess that was 2000's reality TV, but also feel bad in retrospect for the trauma these normal people faced after the shows aired. Great analysis and loved all those old reality clips you picked.

[@JaJaHerSelF]

This is the first video I've watched of yours and I just needed to pause and say that you're insanely eloquent and manage to express your thoughts in a way that is easy to follow and very enjoyable to listen to. I'm actually baffled at the quality of this video in every aspect (the whole structure of it, the research, the well-timed editing, your flawless narration) Also I've never watched Love Island and now I finally get the hype around it. Needless to say: subbed.

[@GPerla26]

I have never watched Love Island and don't really watch reality television at all, but this video has me hooked from start to finish

[@shivangirohilla9619]

This is an amazingly well done and very thoughtful analysis. I loved how you took a form of media deemed low-brow (though I have an issue with calling any media low-brow) and used it to analyze the world around us. The points you brought up are something that I can see happening in the future or I see happening right now. As I come into maturity in the age of the internet and see the blase attitude my peers and I have to the surveillance we are subjected to, does make me curious to how the world in the future would look like. I would also like to bring up the point that this type of monitoring has always existed, while not at the scale we see now. Minorities especially tend to be hyper-aware of their public persona and role in the world as it is a necessary survival skill, which is only heightened in the Age of the Internet.

[@Foul687]

So nice to see a video expressing what I’ve felt and have been trying to express to my friends! They just don’t make reality tv like they use to, and it is 100% because nowadays people are extremely aware of being watched and perceived and how it can follow them negative after the show.

[@elleliteracy]

peak youtube content is merging Foucauldian theory with trash tv (I love love island don't @me)

[@moeezS]

This was a fantastic video essay, and gave me a new perspective on seeing these reality shows through Foucault's panopticon and Gilles Deleuze's society of control. If blandness is required for good well-being and to avoid mental health breakdowns, so be it. If we see the contestants as workers who deserve wages for cultivating marketable identities that are as entertaining as any other entertainer, I agree with that.

[@ltlbuddha]

I find it difficult to accept that anyone can truly forget they are being surveilled in the context of a television show. However, in our surveillance society, it becomes the norm to an extent that even as people acknowledge it, they seem to ignore it as well. Whether there is a purpose to it or not, I cannot see this as a good thing.

[@Sonic_emperor]

There’s a Black Mirror episode, Series 1 Episode 2 called “15 Million Merits” - which exploded very similar topics and focal points. It’s scarily similar in some ways.

[@fairy7216]

I also think something really interesting as a big part of the change from love island being a vacation with friends too, a job, is the change in the villa. If you take a look at the villa from season 2 (my personal favourite season), it just has the feeling of being a big fancy house for people to hang out in, the bedroom was more closed in and "homely??" and the entire layout of the inside and outsides felt more like a vacation home with nessacery adjustments for filming. The outside area of the villa was open and only had two main hangout spaces really (the spa/smoking area) and the grass by the kitchen. The daybeds and the other smaller areas were all easily accessible from those two areas and it was all connected. if you look at It compared to the new villa, the new villa is just so clean and "telizvisonised??" the beds all being in lines instead of being in a room really makes it feel like a necssecaty space instead of a hang out space and the gardens being separated and cut off more with wire just makes it all feel like a workspace, and honestly it doesn't look like a nice chill place to be. idk, just one big change i noticed and didn't enjoy all that much

[@itsmekatewhite]

Haha I snorted when you mentioned lil Jeremy Bentham's shrivelled-up embalmed body because I was studying right next to him yesterday, such a helpful study buddy. And yes, Foucault is in fact Daddy.

[@kwarra-an]

His head is such a travesty

[@aaronjackson117]

the surveillance, the media's critique of the contestants, and the incidents that occur as the result of this all feel like a giant mirror being held up to our daily lives. the feeling of constantly being watched by societal norms is personified in these shows as a camera. the way viewers hold out for moments of joy and love, despite the twisted nature of the show they are watching, feels endlessly akin to the ways in which we strive to find peace and happiness under the stress of capitalism, or via the use of dating apps. for me, the cash prize discussion is the epitome of this. i was always taught growing up about how taboo discussions of money are, when under capitalism i was simultaneously constantly taught that making money was going to eventually be one of the sole goals of my life. i mean wow, to have that represented by the nature of reality TV in its judgement of contestants who are "in it for the money" is an eerily accurate reflection on contemporary society. it's like the audience of this show acts as both the cameras and the forces that drive the contestant's decisions, all while being much like the contestants themselves.

[@Mia-zx7nn]

Your content just keeps getting better and better. One of my favourite KZbinrs - always excited when you post.

[@loving_the_unknown]

Loving the whole styling of this video. Hair and make up = fire!

[@Laublack]

The inclusion of "Pooja what is this behaviour" is just so iconic. Fantastic video as always!

[@PitchfordStache]

When Broey uploads you know it's gonna be a banger. 🔥

[@aashnasingh4507]

situations like faye’s are so difficult because you can’t help but feel bad obviously for teddy but remembering that the producers manipulate specific people that they know will blow up (faye, olivia s3) it just humanizes the “villains” so much

[@JD-rt8wf]

Having only read the title, I must congratulate you on having such a large and beautiful brain

[@danielsimpson9237]

This is such a great video made me instantly sub without needing to see other content.

[@zap1655]

actually cant believe how many ads she put in this video.

[@marlowemichaelson1366]

This is one of the best reality show analysis videos i have ever seen. Holy crap you are amazing

[@CosimasNiehaus]

15:20 "an incident in her personal life" you mean when it was revealed she physically abused her boyfriend? I'm not disrespecting the dead, and Caroline taking her own life was tragic, but please don't downplay the importance of what she did.

[@humanpotat0113]

They probably didn't know, the media reported it very differently.

[@paulinalopez10]

I agree, that was really weird how she brushed over that. I hope Lewis Burton all of the best.

[@ChloeTheJean]

The first season of love island I watched was season 6 and (having no idea about the debauchery of past seasons) I was pleasantly surprised that it was a reality with a bunch of touching and dramatic moments and characters I enjoyed without any of the shit I personally hate about reality tv: people get wasted, an overemphasis on televising people's sexual relationships, people being horrible to each other in an unbridled way. Yes, I did think it was kind of "boring", or rather unsensationalized, but I actually enjoyed it for that very reason and it became a comfort-watch rather than a guilt-watch.

[@miishaa]

If you haven't yet i recommend season 3, it's one of my favourites because the cast mostly genuinely seem to have a connection and 2 of the couples formed on the show are still together and have babies!

[@emmy8526]

There’s excellent reporting on the tactics and consequences behind the 'Cops' reality show on the podcast 'Running from Cops'. Even more disturbing than you’d expect.

[@kostajovanovic3711]

Not surprising

[@kasumikat]

Watching this reminded me that big brother would record the contestants live at night. I still remember being a kid and turning over the TV around midnight to see if anything was happening on the big brother surveillance

[@shewithwings]

i wonder if feeling the pressure to be The Funny One™️ is a common neurodivergent experience and if so where that pressure comes from

[@brudi_carell6070]

I'm not neurodivergent but I was socially isolated at school and from that perspective it seems like a good way to get people to like you, because people like to be entertained and so they will keep you around. It is a way to fit in.

[@sweetpeabee4983]

Yeah, that'd make sense from an adhd perspective. Positive feedback from others gives a big dopamine hit, and when someone laughs, that's super rapid positive feedback. Probably difficulties with impulse control play in there as well.

[@saskia6648]

@@brudi_carell6070 i had the same experience, playing the “clown”

[@allurajane4979]

Bc nerodivergent ppl act so outside of social norms and bc our nerodivergency doesn't fit social norms in general, we are dehumanized and so, most ppl don't take us seriously. the only way that ableist ppl want to interact with us is for their entertainment so if we are desperate to be liked, we become the entertainer

[@fern8202]

as someone who is an avid bachelor fan, i love consuming past contestants podcasts, socials, etc. because they reveal a lot of meta about the show. i can’t imagine watching it without that meta, as all the contestants are also aware of the manipulation pulled by the producers, and the manipulation they need to pull on the audience, and the lead. a former contestant on the bachelor commented that there are actually four audiences you have to impress, 1. the producers 2. the other contestants 3. the lead (the bachelor) and 4. the audience watching the show at home. comparing that with the panopticon and love islands history is super interesting also, dope video!

[@hannahsheridan956]

It would be interesting to see this kind of analysis applied to a show like RuPaul's Drag Race, which is ostensibly a competition show format but clearly operates as a reality TV show. The concept of the self regulation of the contestants I think can be seen not only through the changes in contestant's behaviours in the older vs newer seasons, but also the difference in contestant behaviour between the flagship american show and the newer spin offs (UK, Canada, Australia versions) . Plus, a bunch of the former contestants have actually talked about this issue themselves in various YT shows and podcasts, which might add something extra to the analysis. Thanks so much for the great video! Your content is always so intelligent and well researched :)

[@jadeharley7190]

Sarah Z has a video like that!

[@hannahsheridan956]

@@jadeharley7190 thanks ill check it out!!

[@danopticon]

I don’t know why I hadn’t watched this channel before, it’s quickly becoming my favorite one! And this particular episode strikes a chord with me: I read a lot of Foucault and Deleuze at school, but also, in the early ‘00s I worked on one of the U.S.A.’s lesser (but grosser) single-season reality t.v. shows, an early contender shot before the standard reality-star argot had become commonplace, and I recall how uncanny it was watching contestants during the audition phase adapt their language to fit the requirements of the budding genre. I’m probably going to binge your essays while I work on reversing a heart issue and contemplate what to do with the rest of my life, so forgive me in advance for any long-winded comments I may leave. I’m already a MUBI subscriber, so I don’t know what else I can do to make it up to you in advance.

[@novedekne]

I used to really enjoy Kitchen Nightmares until I started hearing about all of the suicides that came with it. I was young at the time and it took me awhile to reflect on the show and realize that GR was exploiting failing small businesses and that his exploitation often had dark real world consequences. Playing with peoples livelihoods is dangerous, but televising it is so much worse.

[@lil_laxho2633]

just found your channel, and i am so happy to find a woman with such beautifully articulated, intelligent, and insightful analysis of the things we experience as young people on a daily basis. i am so grateful and thank you for all your hard work!!

[@katieeckler7543]

Girl this video is a masterpiece. You did a really good job with this

[@WingedPlatypus]

You’re one of the best video essaysists period. I love your videos, they’re fantastic

[@Emilia-p3h]

I'm not big on social media, so this hadn't occurred to me. It's genuinely and existentially mortifying

[@khazermashkes2316]

Thank you for nit only bringing up the ethical issues, but the idea of contestants as workers!

[@ajwaddanwarr3409]

It's really cool seeing your channel grow and the video section grow. I originally started watching your channel cause of your amazing analysis on parasite and since then I have learned a lot about video essays from you. My goal this year is to start my own video essay channel. So thanks for the inspiration!

[@justforjacob]

great video & love your vibe. you talk calmly, you don't abuse slang, and you're a true expositionist as you never push your own opinions. non-egotistical youtubers are like a needle in a haystack these days. keep up the good work and dont ever stop being you--you're cool as hell

[@Dendaliion]

This is an incredible video! My head hurts from the conclusion and that's a GOOD thing! I'm going to watch as many ads on this as I can because this just shouldn't be free!

[@Meena1303]

This video is exceptional and deserves much more recognition

[@Cinnamongirl4life]

the treatment of Jess in season 1 of love island was so disgusting. i felt so bad for her. i’m surprised she stayed the whole time. she def got the worst of the shaming.

[@amalali504]

I remember when Fay lost it in that argument there was an outcry about her behaviour which many saw as verbally abusive. I think the show took the viewer complaints on board and spoke to her, hence her u-turn. She seems happier now and the more natural look she has now suggest a boost in personal confidence.

[@baatile]

I recently started watching Love Island (the South African version) which prompted me to start watching the UK version too… it’s the most senseless thing I’ve ever watched, I love it 💀

[@danielvmay]

This went deeper than I thought it would and I love it

[@caro12347]

in the german version, the contestents often accuse each other of only being on the show for 'clout' and so build their social media following specificly instagram

[@jistone7851]

This was AMAZING, thank you for putting this together!!

[@analias1983]

I think it fair and important to mention that the reason Caroline Frack took her own life is because she was being prosecuted for assaulting her violence, though ofc public perception had to do with it

[@elenale3122]

Caroline Flack’s death will always haunt me - Many of us grew up with her presenting and she was so young

[@icyboi13]

This was such an interesting & informative watch about a show that I've just never been able to stomach. Thank you!

[@andreanavarrete5954]

INSANEELY WELL CRAFTED! 👏🏼👏🏼

[@antarathakur3046]

"Many would consume in the covers of night and denounce as trash by day" did NOT have to call us out like that pls😭😂

[@JadyLester]

Great video! It's insane how long reality TV has been taking to be openly treated like a job, like part of the illusion is supposed to be that everyone's on the show for the attention, or the "joy" of it.

[@klassikbrasil]

Oh how I love the way you bring the public in with the appeal of mass consumption media and slaps them in the face with thoughts on life/society. This video explains my burnout, as I feel watched all the freaking time with not being able to be successful without adhering to social media with a "perfectly censured version of myself" or even society as whole, as a neurodivergent person masking my way through life.

[@emmalukin4836]

Loving how I know most of the footage you've shown, overall this video makes me appreciate reality tv so much

[@TheDanishFOREVER]

Loved this video! I'm an anthropology student who read waaaay too much Foucalt for my master thesis. I'd love to see your take on Too Hot To Handle!

[@TheDanishFOREVER]

Or better yet The Circle! That one made me want to get a PhD! lol

[@joelle4226]

@@TheDanishFOREVER wouldn’t they have pretty much the same commentary

[@TheDanishFOREVER]

@@joelle4226 maybe! I also am just interested with the rules and premise of too hot to handle with the “promoting genuine connections” and “sex ban” aspects. Another layer of social control yah know?

[@daddishowkey]

We're in hell just released a video on too hot to handle!

[@guerillahag]

pooja what is this behaviour is a legend of our times. archeologists will look upon it and decode our cultural traits from the nuances of the way the broom breaks etc

[@hang1iderswing]

Firstly, love this video. Your insight is so good, the production value is unbelievable. I had never heard many of these stories, despite following the show for years. However, I do have one qualm which brought me to the comments. The video is very vague about Caroline Flack's suicide, which ordinarily, I think is a good thing. But I do think we should at least name that she committed suicide in the context of backlash for predatory sexual behavior. She dated a 17 year old when she was 31. No one should be hounded into committing suicide, but the context for the 3rd suicide is different from the others, and I think it's unfair and sensationalistic to obscure the details in order to suggest they're essentially the same.

[@gamer46ful]

I know very little about Love Island but this video was so interesting and well put together. You have an incredible channel and I am a new fan of your work. Very impressed of this deep dive and analysis of reality television and Love Island. A+ work here.

[@mayam9575]

I was on a college survivor show and I def felt this way. I remember thinking abt on day one that there were going to be strangers who would see me and I had to represent that character of "MayaM". Even though that wasn't always who I was. I was also aware during the show that the way it was going I was probably going to get a bit of a dumb pretty girl edit. I made a bad move and it cost me later on. It was such a weird feeling and I wish that the footage did not exist

[@SwiftRelish]

here to comment that yes, season 3 is da best. phenomenal season, all my friends and i watched that whole season together in college

[@annaselbdritt7916]

"Love Island is the true realisation of Foucault's Panopticon." CHILLS