This has nothing to do with being a mother, but please explain the popularity of The Only [name]Way[/name] is [name]Essex[/name] to me.
Uhm, TOWIE’s awesome! And trashy. And it’s set in [name]Essex[/name]. Nothing lovelier than watching glamour models and sleazy men argue and drink and all that stuff… in [name]Essex[/name]. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors, but now we know. C’mon, you guys’ve got The Hills and all that, it’s the same only set in [name]Essex[/name] with people from [name]Essex[/name]. Which makes it trashier and so much more fun… I have to admit I think Made in [name]Chelsea[/name] is even better.
Its car crash tv! As [name]Ottilie[/name] said, the women in it are as fake and as plastic as you can get, breast enlargements, botox, lip fillers, hair extensions, you name it…And the men are almost as bad! They all use an [name]Essex[/name] shade of fake tan, similar in colour to cheetos so that they’re permanently glowing and spend all their time either out clubbing or shopping.
A lot of it is staged (I think) but it doesn’t take away from the trashiness. I’m not into Made In [name]Chelsea[/name] at all though, I could never get into it!
It is just so bad it’s hilarious. I have to say, Made in [name]Chelsea[/name] is a guilty [name]Monday[/name]-night watch - I don’t think it’s an accurate portrayal in any way AT ALL, but the conversations they have…oh dear me. I cry with laughter. And actually, I think the shots in between awkward conversations are quite arty, but that may be just me.
The Only [name]Way[/name] Is [name]Essex[/name], I cannot explain away.
So, I’m an American expat, but my husband is English and we do live in the UK. Neither of us really likes TOWIE (we don’t watch it regularly or anything), but it’s entertaining in sort of a horrible way. Maybe a little like watching ‘Here Comes [name]Honey[/name] Boo-Boo’… it’s all so wrong that you just keep watching in fascination.
I’ve managed to avoid it (and all the others too) but I agree that the appeal is probably car-crash tv like ‘Big Fat [name]Gypsy[/name] Weddings’. The only time it annoys me is when it wins awards that could have been won by genuinely good tv shows >: (
They tried to make a version set in Liverpool "-_- I actually saw them filming it in town and had to go out of my way to avoid being on camera. Thank god it didn’t take off. People already think we’re all a bunch of poorly spoken, tangerine coloured, outdoors-pyjama wearing morons. They don’t need an extra reason!
I’ve seen ten minutes of it and it just didn’t appeal to me at all, but it is basically just trashy telly. Something to watch that doesn’t require much thought to it. I think it takes off after the whole ‘reality show’ craze of Big Brother et al as the next generation of car crash telly. It’s semi-staged, I think, which puts it halfway between reality and soap, both of which are popular genres. I think part of the appeal is just because they’re all so fake you can look at it and think ‘I’m glad my life isn’t as messed up as that’ or whatever.
Slightly OT but I have to say, I love [name]Geordie[/name] Shore for the same reasons I love TOWIE…Its just hilarious!
Please tell me they give this show in the states because I love me some trashy TV! There’s on,y so much Real Housewives you can watch before your brain dies.
You can buy it on dvd…
Thanks! It’s on Hulu as well as I just investigated. I have issues.
I used to like TOWIE (yes I know it’s trashy!) But the last few series I’ve not watched because it’s not the same. [name]Amy[/name] Childs (one of the characters) made the show and when she left it was never the same to me.
[name]Essex[/name] is basically the fake tan and plastic surgery capital of the UK and all the characters live up to this stereotype. I think people watch it just because it’s so fake, it’s funny.
We also have [name]Geordie[/name] Shore (The British [name]Jersey[/name] Shore) and The Valleys ([name]Trust[/name] me, not everyone from the Valleys is a sex-mad, party animal. This show is extremely controversial and has angered many people of the towns and villages near where I live it’s literally the talk of the town haha) and finally we have Made in [name]Chelsea[/name] which basically follows the lives of posh/rich people of [name]Chelsea[/name] in [name]London[/name].
Although they are extremely trashy, I can’t help but watch them just to see what it’s like. I obviously know they’re acting most of it and it’s not true but it’s kind of addictive once you get into it.
[name]Ah[/name] yes, Desperate Scousewives. 
It is sooooooo much more like [name]Jersey[/name] Shore than the Hills, I think. I was just genuinely surprised it keeps winning BAFTAs.
[name]Ah[/name], never seen The Shore. I just meant the same style really; scripted reality. And we’re all surprised it’s won BAFTA’s 
Yes. God. My poor, poor city.
Sorry-never watched it. I’m more into medical documentaries and ‘The Great British Sewing [name]Bee[/name]’.
There’s always Downton [name]Abbey[/name]
I honestly have never watched it but I have seen adverts and it looks extremely rubbish.
Downton [name]Abbey[/name] plummeted like a stone in quality after series one 
And I can’t even begin to explain the horror that is every episode of [name]Doctor[/name] Who at the moment.
Broadchurch. Now there’s a series you want to download and watch! 
Agreed. I like [name]Sherlock[/name] too, and [name]Merlin[/name] (but mostly for the costumes). And as Whirlie said, The Sewing [name]Bee[/name] is fun! And the bake off… I watch too much telly.