Netflix has set an important example for its competitors in its conscious effort to have diverse casts on its original reality shows. On the latest Netflix hit reality series, The Circle, conversations of race, gender and sexuality are constantly at the forefront, and it’s not by accident.
At its best, reality television should both entertain and inform. The majority of shows in this genre still focus all effort on the former while skirting responsibility to the latter. Netflix, in its latest reality television show The Circle - which originated in the U.K. - once again has displayed a willingness to not only include diversity, but to showcase it prominently. In casting contestants who identify as bisexual, gay and lesbian, interactions concerning sexuality arise often. In addition, the cast is a blend of different races, portraying a more accurate cross-section of the world than what we are used to seeing in other reality shows. It is important to see these exchanges take place - albeit over chat, a distinct wrinkle in The Circle format - because there are many in the audience who don’t ever see two people who identify as LGBTQ interact in the real world.
Dating Around was another Netflix show that captured the realities of social interaction better than most network dating series have done. In only six episodes, it was able to portray a wide range of ages, genders and sexual preferences, revealing conversations that taught viewers more about what dating looks like for people of different backgrounds. It showed the nuances of sexuality, race and gender identity. It opened our minds, while maintaining the suspense factor that keeps an audience wanting more. The Circle and Dating Around, with an economy of characters and episodes, have succeeded in that mission to both educate and enthrall.
While the shift toward casting more contestants of color and varying sexual preferences and gender identities has been slow and gradual for many long-running reality shows, Netflix has treated this responsibility less as a burden and more as an opportunity. The premise of The Circle is a little silly - the contestants never actually meet each other in person until they are eliminated, or blocked, from the group - but the stellar casting more than makes up for it. Because each person is physically isolated in their own space, we hear their internal dialogues. These give us a clear look into how their past experiences shape their actions as they discern who to trust and who to target. Every one of their backgrounds is extremely unique, and it creates endless possible outcomes.
We shouldn’t rely on a Netflix series to teach us everything we know about people we may not interact with on a daily basis. But it is valuable when our guilty pleasure can also give us a chance to learn something new about the people around us. Reality television should be a respite from stresses of our daily lives, but it can and should be something much more. Netflix understands this; hopefully, in short time, other shows will catch on as well.
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