Why do people love shows like Married at First Sight and Naked Attraction, and what keeps you watching?
Posted by Proud_Dog_974@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 55 comments
Why do people love shows like Married at First Sight and Naked Attraction, and what keeps you watching?
EyeSpy1359@reddit
The original version of MAFS was perfect - it was about people who were genuinely looking for a spouse, not fame-hungry wannabes. It was more like a documentary and there was none of the awful sensationalism and producer-engineered faux 'drama' that happens now. It's such a shame they changed it, it's so trashy and predictable now.
cosyrelaxedsetting@reddit
As someone who appreciates real, un-hyped TV, I've got to say the original MAFS was pretty boring.
EyeSpy1359@reddit
But it was quintessentially the 'real, un-hyped' TV you say you appreciate - people were picked for being genuine and (according to the science) good matches, not for being fun to watch. I enjoyed it, it was sincere and interesting.
audigex@reddit
I say a similar thing about the original Big Brother
As the first of those reality shows, it had a genuine side that was never recreated afterwards. Obviously you had to be a bit whacky to apply and the producers picked interesting people to go in, but there was a noticeable difference once it switched to fame seekers the following years and reality shows that followed skipped that entirely
It doesn’t help that the kind of people who watch these shows religiously are addicted to the drama, so things naturally end up going that way
EyeSpy1359@reddit
Yes, totally agree. And they genuinely thought no-one would be watching them so they had so little self-awareness compared to contestants now who are always 'on'. As a fan of people watching I miss the good old days!
jurwell@reddit
So much of TV has reduced in quality by replacing the “normal” participants with people hungry for fame.
Mysterious-Fortune-6@reddit
The Apprentice had some fairly normal (=boring on TV) but pretty competent people in the final one year and after that only went for the indistinguishable lines of hopeless clowns as now associate with the show
EyeSpy1359@reddit
The episode with James Max and Saira Khan selling the wolf fleece on QVC (?) will always be my favourite. So funny, and it all happened naturally without any scripted nonsense.
malin7@reddit
No one looking for a spouse goes on TV, the odds of finding the right partner are astronomically low
It was always a social experiment at best for people who did want to be on TV
EyeSpy1359@reddit
I get why you'd say this nowadays (and even in recent years). But when the original series was made, it really did comprise people who were genuinely seeking a partner. The programme was completely different to what it is now. I agree that it was a social experiment and like another commenter has said it's like how Big Brother was when it started. TV is so different now.
split-tennisball@reddit
I like Naked Attraction because it's funny to see tits and dicks on TV.
QuaintStaircase@reddit
The German version is even funnier than the UK version.
The Brits are so careful in how they word their reasons to get rid of people.
The Germans straight out say "he's fat with a small dick".
LuinAelin@reddit
The studio was just cold ok
bfsfan101@reddit
Apparently they do actually keep the studio really cold to try and prevent erections.
NoThatsNotPasta@reddit
Imma hunt for that show now 🤣😂
QuaintStaircase@reddit
it's this one
Its available to torrent, but I don't think I've ever seen it available with English subtitles. Which is a shame if you don't speak German because you're really missing out on an [unintentionally] very funny show.
Pig-E-Wig@reddit
I watch prime ministers questions for the exact same reason
glytxh@reddit
It’s fun to see REAL people on TV. Every shape and form. It’s pretty validating stuff.
Groffulon@reddit
I will never watch MAFS again… 🤮 Naked Attraction I’ll keep watching because also 🤮 lmao
InsurancePurple4630@reddit
MAFS and Love island i watch. It's trash and the psychological side to the show I enjoy. How people behave i find interesting.
I find it weird that people are critical of those who watch reality when more watch soap and other fictional shows. I watch all types of show!
Beartato4772@reddit
Now you know MAFS turns a blind eye to contestant rape will you still watch?
EatingCoooolo@reddit
I could never watch Naked Attraction. Married at first sight I only watch to see the cheaters.
Charming_Yogurt2258@reddit
I can’t stand naked attraction……pointless crap. The naked bodies don’t particularly bother me it’s the idea that you choose someone to go on a date with based on just seeing their tits,bum,dick etc.
discoveredunknown@reddit
I like MAFS. I watch it with my girlfriend, sometimes we are tired after a long day at work. We want something during the week that is pretty entertaining, doesn’t require me to think, and can easily be picked up whilst we’re on our phones, talking to each other about general stuff, or doing stuff elsewhere in the room. It’s like enhanced background noise.
We watch plenty of high class dramas and films, but man, we can’t watch that every single day. Sometimes we just need something that’s easy to digest. Same with stuff like Below Deck, A Place In The Sun etc.
I genuinely enjoyed MAFS Australia though, it’s always been pretty decent. Everytime I’ve watched the UK version it definitely seems to have a lot more rough as fuck characters. Like a rejects for Love Island landing zone. (Not looks wise - just personality and character).
-info-sec-@reddit
Because I get to see naked people (female)
Primary_Wear7434@reddit
Do you switch over when the guys have their cocks out? 😂😂😂
spannerintworks@reddit
I will not watch reality tv. Or, at least I will not watch reality tv which deals with such intimate things as marriage/relationships/sex in the manner presented on shows like MAFS.
It doesn't matter to me whether the participants are fully aware of what they are getting themselves into or not, the format is toxic. It's normalising gaining pleasure from watching others at their most vunerable.
There are a thousands other ways to derive pleasure from media without having to support this absolute trash television.
PKblaze@reddit
Naked Attraction is kind of interesting to watch. I guess because it's uncommon to see random people just casually naked.
azorius_mage@reddit
Did you mean arousing not interesting?
PKblaze@reddit
No lol
Frost-Glimmer-9321@reddit
They tap into curiosity about love, vulnerability and human nature. Stripping away the usual dating games makes it raw, dramatic and impossible to look away.
AdApart5035@reddit
I don't watch Naked Attraction religiously but it is a guilty pleasure. I like how often a female contestant says she wants a nice man, not a fuck boy, picks a man who couldn't be more of a fuck boy and has a horrible time on the date because he gets off with someone else.
WelshBen@reddit
Naked Attraction is awful. It makes me cringe too much. While it does objectify by nature, i suppose it can also inspire those who are a little more timid to not feel bad about getting their kit off. Probably goes the other way too.
Married at First Sight is just good viewing. I rarely watch it but whenever i do i for sure find it really entertaining. There's just a lot on the line and drama can only be inevitable in pretty much every facet. It's amazing when that one episode the bride absolutely hated him, yet now they're married with a beautiful family. It helps people think outside the objectification of each other a bit more.
WastedYouth39@reddit
People watch them initially and because the contestants are more genuine, the longer it goes on the more fake it become and the contestants treat it as a vehicle to get famous.
flip8t2@reddit
Escapism from everyday monotonous life.
ResplendentBear@reddit
The problem with MAFS and Love Island (and others) is that the quality of the television is directly in proportion to the human suffering. That's kind of the problem with a lot of reality TV.
When nothing happens it's boring., when something does it's probably because someone's life is being ruined.
I think with Naked Attraction people just like seeing tits and dicks.
MATE_AS_IN_SHIPMATE@reddit
No idea.
They're exploitative and the producers ignore contestants being raped by other contestants.
They should be banned.
split-tennisball@reddit
What about Naked Attraction?
MATE_AS_IN_SHIPMATE@reddit
I've not watched it and I don't know anything about it. I was really commenting on married at first sight.
FavouredAntelope@reddit
I don't know as much about Naked Attraction - I think that's more of a thing where people just find the premise funny and it has a certain shock value because nudity is still taboo. It likely isn't taken all that seriously.
MAFS I stopped watching a few seasons ago because I did start to find it hard to watch but fundamentally it is addictive. If you are at all interested in relationships, what people find attractive, partner preferences, how couples navigate differences and value clashes, conflict both within and between different couples etc then there are things that keep you watching. Most people are interested in at least some of these things. It is heavily flawed in its premise and execution, but it is successful because it accesses a lot of the issues that keep people engaged and talking about it.
L-0-T-H-0-S@reddit
Same reason people watch honest, upfront fictional Soap Operas - its ongoing, manufactured drama using allegedly "real" people instead of actors. Easy to project on, easy to produce and milk wholly for the entertainment value, nothing to do with whatever "serious" social experiment label slapped on the front.
OkContribution6454@reddit
Naked attraction is all about the willies.
They like to see all sorts of willies, big ones, small ones, pink ones, brown ones, weird ones, and then laugh at them.
AirSorvete@reddit
I'm a naturist so Naked Attraction isn't an issue to me.
I'm happy for people to be confident enough in their own skin to appear naked on telly.
I'm also a fan of a variety of different bodies being seen in the media.
Channel 4 in particular seems to have an uptick in nudity driven TV shows but hey ho, I still watch!
BellendicusMax@reddit
Modern day freakshows.
Charming_Bing_3802@reddit
I like MAFS because it’s filled with awful pretentious people.
toroferney@reddit
It’s like going to bedlam hospital was back in the day or the women knitting at the guillotine , or going to see the bearded lady at the circus. We like the bizarre and to point and stare.
yorkspirate@reddit
I used to like married at first sight but the past half a dozen series's have been so obvious manufactured drama it got pathetic, I'll watch the weddings as I love to see the gorgeous places and ceremonies. That said, they've pulled the show from the back catalogue and began an investigation after accusations of abuse by a few women contestants
Mountain_Arrival2944@reddit
Brain dead easy to watch shows for when you are tired after the working day
Adzx93@reddit
I started watching Married at First Sight and Love Island because my partner asked me to watch it with her. Honestly, the drama was pretty great lol.. so I ended up watching both the UK and Australian Married at First Sight and Love Island UK and Love Island All Stars with her lol
Obviously it's heavily edited/scripted but so is everything else on TV and the drama is funny 😂😂
anxiousthroway85@reddit
It used to be my “trash tv” evening when my husband goes out on his set night and the kids are asleep. It with MAFS I could only watch the ceremony and honeymoon, it got to toxic for me each season after that. Naked attraction never bothered me
Future-Selection9287@reddit
Brain dead watching with no or low stakes
purplerainbowsrule@reddit
I personally watch it because I like to judge, but it’s also simply a fascinating concept to watch other people’s naked bodies. You feel more confident with your own when you see other people exposing theirs, in my view anyway.
Used-Flamingo-4320@reddit
I would guess they are just a bit of fluff that people can zone out and watch after being fucked in the arse by work and cost of living issues throughout the day.
Similar_Asparagus547@reddit
Dunno
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