Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Bravo
Much has changed in reality television since the heyday of MTV’s groundbreaking The Real World. During the show’s most memorable seasons, viewers were casually and continuously thrust into raw, disturbing scenarios that would trigger national discussions around sensitive topics like sexual violence, self-harm, and eating disorders.
In 2023, reality shows have made gradual improvements in censoring certain shocking material and preventing unsafe situations. However, in a recent episode of Bravo’s Below Deck Down Under, a show generally described by fans as “comfort” and “background” television, things got unexpectedly real.
(Warning: This piece discusses sexual assault.)