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 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 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.