Unreal - Season 1

UnReal quickly spins into silliness at the start of its second season - but Season 1 is essential viewing for anyone interested in reality television. The woman behind the series worked in this area of television for a number of years and seeds important information throughout her "drama". Given the litigious nature of television networks this is the nearest to the truth about what really goes into the making of such shows as we are ever likely to get.Most revealing is the use (and abuse) of psychological profiling: the production team select contestants for their damage and vulnerability, while ostensibly seeking to "protect" them, and then try to make them break down. No wonder the history of reality TV is littered with tragedy, as contestants (and some production staff) have killed themselves as the result of one programme or another.It so happens I used to work with people who made Big Brother etc so can vouch for the truth of what UnReal discloses. It is also a fun, sharp and well written series but so are many others. What makes UnReal unique and essential viewing is the expose elements, and for this I give 5 stars.

This show must be so underrated as I can't believe I had never heard of it before watching it and it's just SO good. It's a great premise for a series and Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer are amazing in it. Having watched those kinds of dating shows before it doesn't cross your mind that so much of our reality entertainment is false and the drama is so manufactured - this series is entirely believable in the gritty and manipulating behind-the-scenes aspects of these shows. If you love The Bachelor then you will love UnREAL, if you hate The Bachelor then you will love UnREAL. The episodes just fly by which makes it very binge-able.

I tried to give this show an open-minded chance. I barely made it a third of the way into the first episode before giving up. Annoyingly manipulative characters preying on weaknesses of others in the 'ratings' world of reality dating TV. Shallow drama and insufferably hollow content. If there are any redeeming qualities to watching this, I cannot make it through the first episode to find out. To the others who made it beyond the pilot, you have much more patience than I.

LOVE this...& delighted Season 2 is here. Great characters...including the ones you love to hate. From some experience, I know the manipulation and stereotyping that goes on in 'reality' shows and I recognise Rachel's ability to make participants feel she's on their side while actually scheming to make good TV that won't necessarily do the contestant any favours. Yes, probably some poetic licence - could anyone really be as inhuman as Quinn? - but all in all a rounded drama with some really poignant moments as well as some laughs.

This show is very over rated, yes it is enjoyable and gripping it keeps you coming back for more but by the end it was very tiresome I became immune to the quite mean world view being spouted.It tells us Hollywood is no place for nice guys and that only manipulative people will survive. The men in the show were douches and the women conniving both sexes doing anything to get they want.The show tries to aim for almost every audience going, the LGBT community, the Jewish community, housewives, teen to young adult males, African American, Central Americans. You name it, it doesn't completely succeed. With some actors leaving more of a mark than others.In the end enjoyable if slightly hollow, one I can see why Americans have taken a shine to it. Honestly it's just solid TV making not great.

What a surprise. Expected another corny American sitcom based drama with mainly kooky characters and, of course, the straight 'normal' one holding the show. But no, every main character is kooky AND straight! Forget the story line is based around a dating competition, that's not what this is about. There's no right or wrong, good or bad, angelic or demonic, moral or immoral, this depicts people as they really are, all of the above! That's this shows selling point. Just because it's not set in some hardened criminal underworld don't let it put you off. Rachel is amazing!

I love this show! Binge watched 7 episodes yesterday and will continue tonight. Just can't get enough.Show tells a story of The Batchelor-ish reality TV behind the scenes. Two female lead characters are amazing: strong, funny, intelligent. There are also some hot guys with good enough background story and character build up.I would say that the show is more targeted at female viewers but some men will also find it entertaining (especially if they grew up watching The O.C or Gossip Girl).

I almost swiped straight past this cause I thought from the title it was going to be another supernatural type drama. How wrong I was. I think this is probably quite a realistic portrayal of behind the scenes on this type of programme and it reminded me of a similarly themed Ben Elton book I read years ago and enjoyed. I wasn't sure for the first few minutes but after that I was hooked and have just watched the whole season in 2 days. I can't wait to watch the second season.