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PODCAST

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred

reality blurred

Step behind the scenes with Andy Dehnart, a writer, TV critic, and creator of reality blurred, one of the internet"s most enduring blogs. Andy—"the pioneer of reality TV criticism," according to the YouTuber Barfbag—pulls back the curtain for candid conversations. He offers insight on reality show producing, blogging and writing, and offers recommendations for great TV and pop culture. Join Andy for an insider"s perspective you won"t find anywhere else.

tv & film tv reviews

All Episodes

21:56

Reality TV recaps: a recap!

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/11/12

This week: a recap of recaps! What do I recap, why do I recap, and WTF even is a recap today? Plus: life advice from The Real World Hawaii—really!Mentioned My Real World Hawaii recaps My reality blurred recaps Table Talk Television Without Pity Best Evidence RHAP Recommendations Beat Bobby Flay: Holiday Throwdown (Food Network) What the Fuck Just Happened Today? Mercury Stardust, the Trans Handy Ma'am Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home

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20:02

What makes The Great British Bake Off work so well

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/11/04

This week: All food, all the time! I share behind-the-scenes details about The Great British Baking Show, and explore what other reality TV shows can learn from it. Then, recommendations for three shows related to food, and then stick around to the end for life advice from reality TV, this time from former Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi. Mentioned The Great British Baking Show The Great British Bake Off’s time calls are fake Why Prue Leith doesn’t have her own Hollywood

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21:51

How one person kept fans connected after Disney...

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/10/28

How one producer single-handedly revived a reality TV show that was cancelled by Disney-owned NatGeo—and how that has me thinking about connecting to our audiences as creators. Plus a recommendation for the first holiday season reality TV show of the year, and life advice from TV courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa. Mentioned Port Protection Alaska lives on thanks to one producer’s brilliant idea and work Alaska-Vibes on YouTube Dan Blank's Clarity Cards and

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18:27

What TV show would you revive for one season?

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/10/22

In this week's episode, I share what show I'd bring back for just one season. What would you choose? Also: dishwashers, country music, and Trading Spaces.Mentioned Reddit: If you could bring back a TV show for JUST ONE season... My The Mole season 1 recaps The Mole behind the scenes: an oral history of its early seasons Anderson Cooper on The Mole and its future Trading Spaces behind the scenes Recommendations The Road (CBS) Renae (RenDuH) on TikTok How to CORRECTLY

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21:53

Survivor criticism, criticized

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/10/14

This week's episode: How I think about criticism of my own work, as it relates to a recent episode of Survivor. Plus, recommendations for two very different food competitions, and life advice from Mister Rogers.Mentioned: My Survivor 49 episode 3 recap comments on my recap Recommendations Knife Edge (Apple TV) Culinary Class Wars (Netflix) Credits Andy Dehnart’s Reality Blurredis copyright 2025 by Reality Blurred LLC. Find me

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22:39

My happy blogging accident

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/10/07

On today’s show: the happy accident I made when I started writing about reality TV on the internet, and how that connects to why I think Substack is full of shit and not the best place for your writing. Plus, recommendations and life advice from TV!Mentioned: My Start Your Blog series Why Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg went to war over WordPress Substack is full of shit Substack’s extremist ecosystem is flourishing My newsletter tool: Buttondown My website host: Deep Roots

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21:58

A fresh start can work for writers and reality TV shows

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/10/01

On today’s show: It’s time for a new season of Survivor—the 49th, holy shit! And in honor of that, a behind-the-scenes look at what Survivor players wear. Plus: recommendations for two new competition reality TV shows, and life advice from reality TV, this time from a chef at the Culinary Institute of America.Mentioned: Happier with Gretchen Rubin Why is Survivor 41 such a fiasco? Here are 5 reasons Survivor 41 finale: a streak is broken, and so was Survivor Survivor 49 E1: What a

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18:42

Why Survivor players wear costumes

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/09/24

On today’s show: It’s time for a new season of Survivor—the 49th, holy shit! And in honor of that, a behind-the-scenes look at what Survivor players wear. Plus: recommendations for two new competition reality TV shows, and life advice from reality TV, this time from a chef at the Culinary Institute of America.Mentioned: Survivor rule book Why you should never judge a Survivor for their clothes Recommendations Next Gen Chef, Netflix 99 to Beat, Fox Credits Andy

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23:02

Why Below Deck season 12 was a disaster

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/09/17

On today’s show: What the hell happened to Below Deck?! Breaking down the problems with season 12, and maybe the entire franchise. Also: recommendations for an episode, a clip, and a show, and stick around to the end for life advice from TV, this time from an Emmy winnerMentioned: Why Below Deck was such a wreck How much Below Deck: Mediterranean passengers will pay, and what they get Recommendations Bobby’s Triple Threat: Voltaggio edition Bobby's Triple Threat review Jeff

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24:26

Riding the waves of indie media

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/09/10

On today’s show: Independent media! Advertising! How all of this works and what’s depressing and what’s exciting. Plus, a recommendation for a three-season, Emmy-winning show, and life advice from Bake-Off host Alison Hammond.Mentioned: The Back Indie Media Drive Support reality blurred Traffic Apocalypse, Columbia Journalism Review Washington Post staffers outraged at Jeff Bezos’ stunning plan for opinion pages that prompted top editor to quit After Getting The Ruling It Wanted,

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20:31

Survivor’s best season in years

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/09/03

On today’s show, the best season of Survivor I’ve watched in years! Plus: a welcome to season three, and recommendations for some heartwarming British shows you can stream for free. And stick around for life advice from the late Chef Anne Burrell. Mentioned: My Australian Survivor: Australia v the World coverage Insight Timer Anne Burrell's knife-holding advice Recommendations The Great British Baking Show (Netflix, Friday) The Great Pottery Throwdown and The Great British

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18:15

A vacation that still haunts me

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/07/30

On today’s show: Creating and writing as an individual versus on a team, and what that means for breaks and burnout. Plus, recommendations, including a show that’s on Netflix for just a few more days, and stick around for life advice from Couples Therapy’s therapist.Mentioned: Project C's Top 50 Creator-Model Journalists What Went Wrong Podcast Recommendations Holey Moley, on Netflix until Aug. 1 Couples Therapy Intense Conflicts 🫷 The Amazing Race 37's Brett & Mark on

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22:27

Love Island USA, Big Brother, and losing momentum...

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/07/23

On today’s show: Love Island USA, Big Brother, and losing momentum—with TV shows, and in our writing. Plus, recommendations for two cooking shows, and life advice from TV, once again from our friend Mister Rogers.Mentioned: Survivor used Love Island’s villa, and 5 more Love Island USA revelations Braden evicted after tie despite producers’ pathetic sanitizing of his bigotry Hamsterwatch What's next for PBS and NPR after Republicans strip funding? May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers

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18:39

I trust you with my mistakes

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/07/16

On today’s show: Making mistakes in public as a blogger and journalist, feedback, and the scourge of reality TV network notes. Plus, recommendations from the Emmy nominations, and life advice from a writer.Mentioned How reality shows are ruined, explained by popular movies Jon Collins' blog, Jeez Jon Matt Kiser's What the Fuck Just Happened Today? SRCCON All the 2025 reality TV Emmy nominees Love on the Spectrum producers on casting, filming, and season 3’s ‘spectacular

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21:01

How I’ve spent 25 years creating the same thing

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/07/09

On today’s show: 25 years of reality blurred! How is that even possible? No, really—how can we create things that both last and sustain us? Also: a recommendation for one of my all-time favorite reality TV shows, plus creative life advice from Bob Ross.Mentioned Earth’s Rotation Is Speeding up This Summer—but Just for 3 Days reality blurred's archives July 2000: the first month The new best of reality blurred page Recommendations The Chair (buy via Amazon or buy via Apple

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19:29

Why is Below Deck’s editing so weird—and what is...

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/07/02

On today's show, Below Deck season 12 and its editing—and what "editing" actually means on reality TV shows. Plus: recommendations for a brilliant illustration of editing's power, a Bravo show, and a Netflix doc.Mentioned With two weeks left until it turns 25, reality blurred and I need your help Support reality blurred 💜 Save the date for an anniversary gathering and AMA! A reality TV story producer’s job, explained How I went from reality TV fan to reality TV story

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16:53

Survivor’s first Black queer couple and the power of...

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/06/25

On today's show, two Survivor players made history as the show's first Black queer couple and shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes story. Plus: a bittersweet recommendation for a TV show.Mentioned "How we met" and "Is it too late for a showmance?" Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian by Leslie Nease One last Worst Cooks with Anne Burrell is coming soon—after a pitiful ‘special’ Recommendations Anne Burrell's show, Secrets of a Restaurant

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16:00

Life Below Zero’s end + writing in community

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/06/18

In today's episode: Life Below Zero’s cancellation and the effect on its behind-the-scenes community, and my recent experience in writing community at the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop. Plus: three podcast recommendations, including the great Rebel Spirit, and life advice from the Golden Girls. Mentioned Life Below Zero cancelled, ending after 23 seasons Life Below Zero is back, after NatGeo cancelled all the other LBZ shows Dear Top Chef: an open letter to a show

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24:15

Why American Ninja Warrior changed

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/06/11

In this episode: Behind-the-scenes details about American Ninja Warrior, including why season 17 has changed so dramatically. Plus: two recommendations and reality TV life advice from Double Dare host Marc Summers.Mentioned Summer 2025 reality TV schedule and guide American Ninja Warrior is trashing its format, dumping Mt. Midoriyama, $1 million prize Behind the Scenes of American Ninja Warrior Recommendations Jeopardy! Masters (ABC/Hulu) Next Gen NYC

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15:18

How Couples Therapy’s set works

Andy Dehnart"s Reality Blurred ·

2025/06/04

In today's episode: The great Showtime series Couples Therapy, and how its set makes its intimate conversations possible. Plus: recommendations for three gossipy podcasts, and life advice from Dr. Orna Guralnik.Mentioned Survivor on reality blurred Survivor turns 25! Introducing a new series of cast interviews Erik Reichenbach and his ‘weird relationship’ with Survivor Kathryn VanArendonk's Couples TherapyBuilt the World’s Most Convincing Reality-TV Set Couples Therapy

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41 results

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