Selling the OC and the lack of influence
I just finished watching season 2 of Selling the OC and well, let’s talk.
I’m not obsessed with reality TV; however, I do like watching the odd show here and there, but it has to be gripping. The Kardashians, Selling Sunset, Love is Blind, And Just Like That, and Selling the OC are my favorites. Did I say I’m not obsessed? Maybe a little, but only the good stuff.
I fully understand that anyone who is on this show is there for various reasons: they earn a salary either per season or per episode, they earn commission for each property sale, and lastly, they earn fame. I would assume that the majority of reality stars are in it for the fame and everything else is just a bonus. However, I may be wrong, but again, it’s just an assumption as there are many other ways to earn a living.
I don’t have anything against anyone wanting fame, because if that’s what you want in life, then go for it, and good you. However, fame comes with a price, and usually it’s the opinion of millions online scrutinizing your every move on a show. I kind of feel sorry for anyone who gets a bad wrap from reality TV because no one deserves to be bullied and, on top of that, by people who don’t truly know you. However, sometimes when I watch the actions of some reality TV stars, I end up with my hands on my face, watching in disbelief, thinking, no, don’t do it!
I understand that the flipside of this is that they are responsible for their actions, and they are well aware that there are cameras pointing at them from every direction, so they must have known that there would be some repercussions from their actions. Sometimes I question my own sympathy because they are responsible for their own actions; however, I very quickly tell myself that there’s a lot of clever editing involved, and real conversations and circumstances can be very easily misconstrued with editing.
Ultimately, it’s entertainment, and each cast member needs to be entertaining in order to make it through to the next season. I’ve heard of cast members from different reality TV shows being dumped because they just weren’t that entertaining, so you really need to be thick-skinned and passionate about the fame game.
I think what really saddened me about season two of Selling the OC was the level of bitchiness and clear divide between the women. Clearly, Alex and Polly are on one side, and the rest are kind of dabbling on the other side. I think it’s fair to say that from season one, it was pretty obvious that there was some kind of chemistry between Alex and Tyler. I can’t be the only one who saw this, so help me out in the comments below. I’d love to know your thoughts. I mean, realistically, who are we as viewers to say who should be together and who shouldn't?
When I first started watching season one, I got it all wrong. It was initially portrayed by a certain cast member that some of the girls were not nice, and it’s crazy how that can plant a seed in your head. Over several episodes, I soon realized that that actually wasn’t the case, and those very girls were being painted in a certain light that wasn’t a true representation of how they were coming off on camera. It just goes to show that you should give everyone a fair chance before judging people based on other people's assumptions.
I didn’t really have a favorite in season one, although I did have several people I felt sorry for because of the bullying. In season two, I would have to say my favorite is Brandi. She still went ahead with season two even though her mother had just passed away, and I applaud her for continuing the show, which ultimately will hopefully help her in the end. You can clearly see in season two that she’s very emotional and struggles with some of the confrontations. I really do hope she continues into season three because she’s refreshingly honest and deals with the divide in a mature and classy manner.
Spoiler alert: Alex and Tyler kiss in the last episode of season two. It was inevitable, and I think we all saw it coming, but I’m eager to know whether it will actually last between the two. As much as I didn’t want them to get together in season one (mainly because Tyler was married and I really didn’t want to see a relationship fail because of another woman), when he is finally divorced, I hope it does work for the long run, just because I hope it wasn’t all for nothing.
There seems to be major tension between Polly and Jarvis, which you can see spiraling since season one. I don’t know who’s in the right and who’s in the wrong because you never really know when it's a TV show; however, there is still a decent way to handle things, especially in front of people. What I don’t seem to understand is how a bunch of grown women start arguing with one another based on hearsay. It’s literally a case of so-and-so telling me this because so-and-so told them this, and they just go round and round in circles. I mean, is it really worth outing someone in front of a group of people about something that you’re not even 100% sure of? It baffles me that some people have the audacity to speak about things that they know nothing about.
As much as this is just a reality TV show, I think it really does teach you a lot about how people can be and how not to be. If you’ve watched this show, I would love to know your thoughts, as this is a lot more lighthearted than my usual Sunday article. I hope it’s a little thought-provoking on how women should be with one another: supportive and saving each other a little dignity while you're all trying to make it to the top.
Are reality shows really real though? How much of it is actually produced and scripted? We've heard it in Love is Blind reunions and post-show interviews, how people have been forced to stay in a relationship for entertainment value.
The other thing that really annoys me about these shows is how it sets women back decades! Dubai Bling left me flabbergasted! I couldn't believe the lack of support between women and the judgement of women based on how much money they make, what their bodies look like, their appearance, etc. Are these people really willing to sell a piece of their soul for fame???