Reality TV is not as real as the name suggests. Producers have a vision for how they want the story to play out, and they will nudge, steer, and sometimes outright reshape what happens to fit that narrative. I’ve been on a few reality shows myself, and the behind the scenes influence was impossible to miss. They consistently tried to guide my thoughts and reactions toward whatever they thought would make for better television.

The most telling example? On one show, the actual winner wasn’t enthusiastic enough for what they wanted on camera. He was paid, but when it came time to film the winning moment, they used someone else who gave them the reaction they were looking for. That pretty much says everything you need to know about how real reality TV actually is.