Reality TV, Mormon wives, and guilty pleasures

What do dancing Mormons, blind dates, and superyachts have in common? They've all featured on so-called ‘reality TV’ shows. But just how ‘real’ are they? 

Some argue reality tv is anti-feminist – yet the genre is consistently popular with young women, and a new reality TV show is breaking records with religious women at the centre of it – The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

It's not the first time The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints has been featured on reality TV, and it certainly won't be the last. So why the interest in the 'real' lives of religious people? And can 'trash' tv teach us complex lessons about gender, shame, and religion?

Guests:

• Siobhan Marin, writer and producer with ABC Radio National, and digital lead for ABC's Religion and Ethics unit
• Dr Elisha McIntyre, researcher on the intersection between pop culture, comedy, and The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints
• Hannah Ferrier, reality TV star made famous by Bravo TV's Below Deck, and host of the reality TV podcast Dear Reality, You're Effed!

First broadcast 19 October 2024