Here it is. The episode you all have been waiting for… The episode where Christina and Em leave the comfort of their reality TV dating show coverage and embark into the unchartered territory that is SURVIVAL SHOWS aka ALONE SEASON 11. This episode of the pod features a competitive draft where Christina and Em both choose 4 of the remaining 8 players to be on their team for the rest of the season. Things get heated. We are both competitive AF. Who will take the crown?!?!?!?! Anyway, if Alone isn’t your thing, don’t fret! We spend the first half of the episode doing deep dives of Love Island USA and America’s Sweethearts: DCC… there was much to discuss! You know we can’t help ourselves!

Episode Timestamps & Spoiler Warnings:

• 00:00-45:26 Homeroom: Report Card, Pop Quiz [spoilers: America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders; Love Island USA Season 6; I Kissed a Boy; Race to Survive New Zealand; Perfect Match 2; Below Deck Med Season 9]
• 45:26-1:05:50 Seminar: Alone Season 11, Ep. 1-3 [spoilers]

Episode Bibliography:

• The Call of the Wild paper that Em reads from
• Christina’s queer Love Island romance book rec

Follow us on Instagram @realitytvphdpod.

Interested in being a guest lecturer? Have thoughts or feedback? Send us an email at realitytvphdpod@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers alone and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of their employers, any entities they may represent, or anyone else. Although the speakers endeavor to be accurate, not all of the facts may be correct. The speakers make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information discussed. This podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only, and not meant to provide any advice, legal or otherwise. It is created with much respect to all of the folks involved in reality TV who contribute to the beloved medium.

Episode Description: SOMETHING IS IN THE WATER BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING ACROSS THESE SHOWS? We need to talk about Harry. We need to talk about Rob. And guess what?????? WE DO. That’s honestly all we’re going to say. Tune in :)

Episode Timestamps & Spoiler Warnings:

• 0:00-24:47 Home Room: Report Card, Pop Quiz, Show & Tell [spoilers: Race to Survive: New Zealand; Below Deck Med Season 9; Perfect Match Season 2; Love Island UK Season 11; Love Island US Season 6]
• 24:47-1:02:27 Seminar: Love Island US, Eps. 1-10 [spoilers]

Episode Bibliography:

• Interview with Dominique re: Perfect Match
• Everything is Bravo article on how Bravo became template for daily life

Follow us on Instagram @realitytvphdpod.

Interested in being a guest lecturer? Have thoughts or feedback? Send us an email at realitytvphdpod@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers alone and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of their employers, any entities they may represent, or anyone else. Although the speakers endeavor to be accurate, not all of the facts may be correct. The speakers make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information discussed. This podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only, and not meant to provide any advice, legal or otherwise. It is created with much respect to all of the folks involved in reality TV who contribute to the beloved medium.

WARNING: Very long, meandering conversation at the top of this episode that has nothing to do with Reality TV. That’s just what we needed, OK?! Once we get that out of our system, we dive in. For this first time in history, Christina gives one of Em’s favorite shows an A, which is huge, IMO. Em gives details on a most recent challenge in The Challenge: All Stars, which involves electrocuting contestants, which tracks. Then we talk about the first episode drop of Perfect Match and do a very humane thing where we put the contestants in tiers. Next week, we’ll be comparing LI UK to LI USA… pretty exciting stuff!

Episode Timestamps & Spoiler Warnings:

• 0:00-38:02 Report Card [spoilers: Race to Survive: New Zealand; Love Island USA Season 6; The Challenge All Star: Season 4; Love Island UK Season 11]
• [content warning: discussion of phlebotomy and blood between 2-9 minutes]
• 38:02 Seminar: Perfect Match Season 2, Episodes 1-6 [spoilers]

Episode Bibliography:

• HOT TO GO
• Summer Qamp on Peacock
• Fear Street trilogy on Netflix
• Totally Killer on Prime
• Black Twitter: a People’s History on Hulu
• Julia Turshen’s substack on making cooking more physically accessible
• Anne Helen Peterson’s podcast on Sephora teens

Follow us on Instagram @realitytvphdpod.

Interested in being a guest lecturer? Have thoughts or feedback? Send us an email at realitytvphdpod@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers alone and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of their employers, any entities they may represent, or anyone else. Although the speakers endeavor to be accurate, not all of the facts may be correct. The speakers make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information discussed. This podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only, and not meant to provide any advice, legal or otherwise. It is created with much respect to all of the folks involved in reality TV who contribute to the beloved medium.

Seminar was Race to Survive NZ, but in reality this ep is a bunch of mini episodes. We talk F Girl Island—I mean Lovers and Liars—and how that (almost) ends. We talk Love Has Won, and we will never talk about it again. We talk Love Island UK, which should be at the top of your to-watch list. We close with Race to Survive, where we dissect all the pairs of racers, who the favorites are to win, and who the favorites are in our hearts. Awwwwww. Enjoy!

Episode Timestamps & Spoiler Warnings:

• 0:00-33:16 Report Card [spoilers: Lovers & Liars Season 1; The Valley Season 1; Love Island UK Season 11; Below Deck Med Season 9; Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God; Escaping Twin Flames; Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult Baby Reindeer][content warning at 20-27 minutes for discussion of cults and related abuse]

• 33:16-1:06:35 Seminar: Race to Survive Alaska Ep. 1-3 [spoilers]

Episode Bibliography:

• The lesbian smokejumper romance that Christina read
• Summer Qamp on Peacock

Follow us on Instagram @realitytvphdpod.

Interested in being a guest lecturer? Have thoughts or feedback? Send us an email at realitytvphdpod@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers alone and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of their employers, any entities they may represent, or anyone else. Although the speakers endeavor to be accurate, not all of the facts may be correct. The speakers make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information discussed. This podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only, and not meant to provide any advice, legal or otherwise. It is created with much respect to all of the folks involved in reality TV who contribute to the beloved medium.

Welcome back to our (arbitrarily named) Season 4 of the pod! We missed you all! In this ep, we recap all the shows… no really, all of them: Deal or No Deal Island Season 1; The Circle Season 6; Lovers & Liars Season 1; Summer House Season 8; The Valley Season 1; Top Chef Season 21; The Bachelor Season 28; The Golden Bachelor Season 1; The Challenge All Stars Season 4; Farmer Wants a Wife Season 2; Vanderpump Rules Season 11; Race to Survive: New Zealand; The Amazing Race Season 36. We told you-–ALL OF THEM! We also talk about the musical, Cats. Happy Summer Schooling! xoxo

• Episode Bibliography:
• Lovers & Liars available to stream on CW
• Good podcast episode with Sam Sanders about the contract process for Love is Blind
• 166 word contract (first reality tv contract in 1971)
• Katie Heaney’s article about Something About Her
• Christina’s docuseries rec: Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God
• New Yorker article: Is Love is Blind a Toxic Workplace
• Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum
  

Spoiler Warnings:

• Discussed in the following order: Deal or No Deal Island Season 1; The Circle Season 6; Lovers & Liars Season 1; Summer House Season 8; The Valley Season 1; Top Chef Season 21; The Bachelor Season 28; The Golden Bachelor Season 1; The Challenge All Stars Season 4; Farmer Wants a Wife Season 2; Vanderpump Rules Season 11; Race to Survive: New Zealand; The Amazing Race Season 36

Follow us on Instagram @realitytvphdpod.

Interested in being a guest lecturer? Have thoughts or feedback? Send us an email at realitytvphdpod@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers alone and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of their employers, any entities they may represent, or anyone else. Although the speakers endeavor to be accurate, not all of the facts may be correct. The speakers make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information discussed. This podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only, and not meant to provide any advice, legal or otherwise. It is created with much respect to all of the folks involved in reality TV who contribute to the beloved medium.

Don't worry -- we didn't leave you! We are just taking a very short pause. See you in June :)

Yes, we are releasing this a week after we recorded it… but you know what? There actually wasn’t much to talk about in the reality TV space this past week, so we aren’t sorry. Also, we had to recover from our vulnerable stories we share at the end of this episode *shudders* before posting it. We hope you can relate!!! Anyway, tune in to hear our final thoughts on LIB Season 6, and some other stuff!

Episode 7 Description:

• 0:00-33:34:00 Home Room: Report Card, Pop Quiz [spoilers: Below Deck Season 11; Survivor Season 46; Survivor Australia Season 11; The Bachelor Season 28; Vanderpump Rules Season 11]
• 33:34:00-1:19:04 Seminar: Love is Blind Season 6 Finale and Reunion [spoilers]
• 1:19:04-1:20:27 Quote of the Week [spoilers: The Bachelor Season 28]

Episode Bibliography:

• Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste
• Matthew Koma’s Instagram stories saved here

Episode Timestamps & Spoiler Warnings:

Follow us on Instagram @realitytvphdpod.

Interested in being a guest lecturer? Have thoughts or feedback? Send us an email at realitytvphdpod@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers alone and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of their employers, any entities they may represent, or anyone else. Although the speakers endeavor to be accurate, not all of the facts may be correct. The speakers make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information discussed. This podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only, and not meant to provide any advice, legal or otherwise. It is created with much respect to all of the folks involved in reality TV who contribute to the beloved medium.

Here we were, thinking we’d not have much more to say about LIB, and yet… how wrong we were! We unpack each couple and get into allllllll the drama. And also, Em asks Christina a vulnerable question regarding Sarah Ann’s decision to send JerAmey a DM. You won’t BELIEVE what Christina says! We also discuss Survivor Season 46 premiere, Couple to Throuple, and a whole lot more. Most importantly (no joke), we also have a truly wild revelation about Beauty and the Beast. In real time. Join us.

Episode Timestamps & Spoiler Warnings:

• 0:00-39:00 Homeroom: Report Card, Show & Tell, Pop Quiz [spoilers: Survivor Season 46; The Bachelor Season 28; Couple to Throuple Season 1; Love is Blind Season 6; Vanderpump Rules Season 11; The Traitors Season 2]
• 39:00-1:24:08 Seminar: Love is Blind Season 6, Episodes [spoilers; 1:18:00-1:21:00 spoiler around Perfect Match contestants]
• 1:24:08-1:25:12 Final Bell: Quote of the Week [spoilers: Vanderpump Rules Season 11]

Episode Bibliography:

• Guide from IllumiNative on “Change the Story” which includes information on impact of Native stereotypes and racist mascots
• Variety article on Rachel's lawsuit
• Bravo Docket podcast
• NYT article on Sandoval
• Just a Beauty & the Beast image search
• Couple from The Circle

Episode Timestamps & Spoiler Warnings:

Follow us on Instagram @realitytvphdpod.

Interested in being a guest lecturer? Have thoughts or feedback? Send us an email at realitytvphdpod@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers alone and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of their employers, any entities they may represent, or anyone else. Although the speakers endeavor to be accurate, not all of the facts may be correct. The speakers make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information discussed. This podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only, and not meant to provide any advice, legal or otherwise. It is created with much respect to all of the folks involved in reality TV who contribute to the beloved medium.