Shraman Mitra
‘Ex on the Beach’ is an exciting reality show that brings together a group of singles and has them stay on the island while being cut off from the rest of the world. Although the singles believe they are on a dating show, they soon realize their exes have also been invited to the island. After that, the series determines whether the participants prefer to start new relationships or return to their exes. Naturally, with exes involved, cast members can often find themselves in awkward and uncomfortable situations. Moreover, some feel that the show is too dramatic at times, making viewers wonder if the entire series is scripted. Well, let’s dive in and find out the truth, shall we?
Is Ex on the Beach Scripted?
From the beginning, MTV has touted ‘Ex on the Beach’ as an unscripted reality show, and we find no reason to believe otherwise. Readers should note that for a reality show to be authentic, it has to do away with scrips of all kinds. On top of it, while the cast isn’t allowed to rehearse a specific action or scene before re-enacting it in front of the camera, the production team is expected to keep their hands off the narrative. Hence, everything we see on screen is entirely spontaneous, and the cast members have total liberty to be themselves and act freely.
Additionally, the exhilaration of not knowing what will happen next adds to the thrill of an unscripted show. Even though the US version of ‘Ex on the Beach’ mostly features well-known reality TV stars, one can argue that it adds to the show’s authenticity. Since most of these stars have massive followings on social media, fans are well acquainted with all aspects of their lives. Thus, they would be the first to notice if the star in question was forced to follow a script to act differently.
On the other hand, most participants are encouraged to speak their minds in front of the camera. The producers rarely try to hide moments in which participants show a bit of weakness, be it in the form of jealousy, affection, or payback. In fact, there have been incidents in which the singles and their exes have talked ill about each other behind their backs as the producers tried their best to capture the raw emotion. Nevertheless, we agree that the production team plays a part in the proceedings, as each cast member is carefully vetted before being asked to come onto the show.
Besides, producers are responsible for arranging dates and other activities for couples formed during filming. Yet, despite their importance, the production team rarely influences the narrative and is entirely non-intrusive once the cameras start rolling. Besides, we are happy to report that no matter how awkward a situation one might find themselves in on the show, most of it is a coincidence; as former ‘Ex on the Beach’ UK star Natalee Harris said, “Don’t get me wrong, you’re put in situations where you wouldn’t normally want to go, but honestly, nothing is set up. Everything we say, everything we do, every reaction is real.”
Still, it is common knowledge that a network produces a reality show to make a profit, and having a massive viewer base is incredibly beneficial. Consequently, producers often try to arrange the narrative in a specific way that boosts the show’s dramatic nature and attracts more viewers. While this is generally done through minor edits in post-production, readers should note that keeping such modifications aside, ‘Ex on the Beach’ is as authentic as a reality show can be.
Read More: Where is Ex On The Beach Season 4 Filmed?
