MILF Manor is a reality TV program begging to be discussed and analyzed on the internet. The show’s title and setup of mothers and their sons competing in the same dating pool is so outrageous, it borders on being normal. The contestants are even asked to participate in a blindfolded contest to identify their sons by their abs alone. However, it looks like robots are now coming into play.
One of the most interesting aspects of the show is the absence of a traditional host. Instead, the contestants receive alerts and directions via text messages on iPhones provided by the producers. In a trend noticed on other reality TV shows, there’s no actual human host.
The Circle, a show on Netflix, set off the trend in 2020. The show consists of contestants who compete to create the most popular social media presence while living in isolation. They receive tasks and challenges through television in their living quarters. A more recent show on Netflix called Pressure Cooker, takes this concept a step further by replacing the host with a kitchen printer that sends out challenges and voting results.
The Button, a YouTube series produced by Cut, takes it even further by featuring a large talking button that provides comedic prompts and awkward questions for the daters until one of them presses it, signalling the end of the date and bringing in a new match.
The removal of the host role in these shows may be a cost-saving measure as reality TV competition shows are known for being budget-friendly to produce. Additionally, it could be that the role of reality TV host is not as attractive to high-profile figures as it once was. In the past, well-known personalities such as Tyra Banks, Mario Lopez, and Donald Trump were frequently seen as hosts, but this is no longer the case.
This trend could also indicate a shift in the way audiences view reality TV, and the need for a host figure may not be seen as important or necessary in the current climate.
Even though these examples above are far more benign than AI controlling a group of humans in a reality show, this trend may speak to a dystopian future where that could actually happen. Or, a future where AI and robots take over the entertainment industry entirely. We’ve already seen AI, like Microsoft’s controversial Tay, break into the social media entertainment space.
