Unreal (TV series)
| Unreal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre |
Dark comedy[1] Drama |
| Created by |
Marti Noxon Sarah Gertrude Shapiro |
| Based on |
Sequin Raze by Sarah Gertrude Shapiro |
| Starring |
|
| Composer(s) | Fil Eisler |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Marti Noxon Robert M. Sertner Sarah Gertrude Shapiro Bill Davenport Sally DeSipio Stacy Rukeyser |
| Running time | 42 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
A+E Studios Wieden-Kennedy Entertainment Tiny Pyro Frank and Bob Films II |
| Release | |
| Original network | Lifetime |
| Original release | June 1, 2015 – present |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
Unreal (styled UnREAL) is an American dark comedy/drama television series that premiered on Lifetime on June 1, 2015.[1] It stars Shiri Appleby as a young reality television producer pushed by her unscrupulous boss (Constance Zimmer) to swallow her integrity and do anything it takes to drum up salacious show content. The show was created by Marti Noxon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, and was inspired by Shapiro's award-winning independent short film Sequin Raze. Unreal has received critical acclaim, and was picked up for a second season in July 2015.
Plot
Reality TV producer Rachel Goldberg (Appleby) returns to the new season of Everlasting, a popular dating show, after an epic meltdown the season before. With a reputation to rebuild and the show's demanding executive producer Quinn King (Zimmer) breathing down her neck, Rachel must pull out all the stops in what she does best: manipulating the contestants to create the outrageous drama the viewers of Everlasting expect.
Cast
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Main
- Shiri Appleby as Rachel Goldberg, a producer on Everlasting, who is brought back to the show by executive producer Quinn despite Rachel's epic breakdown during the previous season. Though conflicted by how she must lie to and manipulate the contestants, Rachel is a "closer" who thinks fast on her feet and know exactly what needs to be done to create drama on the show. Meanwhile, she is drawn back to her ex-boyfriend Jeremy and finds herself getting close to Adam.
- Constance Zimmer as Quinn King, Everlasting's demanding executive producer who pushes boundaries on the show to maximize ratings. She is having an affair with Chet, but their dysfunctional relationship is strained by his marriage and their work.
- Craig Bierko as Chet Wilton, the eccentric and drug-using creator of Everlasting who is having a volatile affair with Quinn. His immaturity, vulgarity and callousness have given him a keen eye for what the audience wants, but his tremendous success has only fueled his self-destructive self-indulgence.
- Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman as Jay, a gay producer on Everlasting who is initially one of Rachel's only friends. He soon crosses Quinn, and becomes more willing to step over the line in order to ingratiate himself to Chet.
- Freddie Stroma as Adam Cromwell (series regular season 1, recurring season 2), a rich British playboy and the "suitor" on Everlasting. He is reluctant to do the show, but is hoping the publicity will improve his "bad boy" reputation and help with his business ventures. As Adam becomes savvy to the producers' manipulations and what will make the show "better", he alternately plays along, and does some kindnesses to individual contestants. He also begins to develop an attraction to Rachel.
- Johanna Braddy as Anna Martin (season 1), a contestant who is bulimic and an attorney. She almost leaves Everlasting when her father dies, but she is coaxed back by Rachel with feigned assurances that she will likely win.
- Aline Elasmar as Shia (season 1), a producer on Everlasting who has a professional rivalry with Rachel. Initially earnest with her take on contestant storylines, she soon learns that she has to be more ruthless and manipulative—like Rachel—to compete and succeed. To this end, she gets Maya drunk and tampers with Mary's mood stabilizing medication, but loses control of the outcome.
- Nathalie Kelley as Grace (season 1), a contestant who is a swimsuit model. She and Adam have an immediate sexual attraction, and though Quinn does not see her as an acceptable winner for the competition, Grace is determined to win.
- Josh Kelly as Jeremy Caner, a camera operator (later promoted to director of photography) on Everlasting, and Rachel's ex-boyfriend. Engaged to the show's make-up artist Lizzie, he still has unresolved feelings for Rachel.
- Ashley Scott as Mary Newhouse (season 1), one of the oldest contestants who is a single mother with an abusive ex-husband. Quinn, finding Mary uninteresting, pushes her to step up her game, not knowing that Shia has tampered with Mary's mood stabilizing medication and given her alcohol. Bipolar and struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, Mary begins to unravel under the pressure put on her by the manipulations of Rachel, Quinn, and Chet.
- Breeda Wool as Faith (season 1), a contestant who is a shy and insecure Christian virgin. Rachel later helps Faith realize that she is a lesbian, and is in love with her female best friend back in her hometown in Mississippi.
- B.J. Britt as Darius Hill (season 2), the first African-American Bachelor on Everlasting.[2][3]
- Monica Barbaro as Yael (season 2)[4]
- Denée Benton as Ruby (season 2)[4]
- Michael Rady as Coleman (season 2)[4]
- Gentry White as Romeo (season 2)[4]
Recurring
- Arielle Kebbel as Britney, a contestant whom Quinn brands "the villain" and is one of the first eliminated from Everlasting.
- Brennan Elliott as Graham, the host of Everlasting.
- Amy Hill as Dr. Wagerstein, a therapist employed by the show who feeds the producers personal information about the contestants so that they can manipulate dramatic moments from them.
- Siobhan Williams as Lizzie, a make-up artist on Everlasting and Jeremy's fiancée.
- J. R. Bourne as Bill DeYoung, Quinn's former writing partner and ex-boyfriend, who is a recovering alcoholic.
- Genevieve Buechner as Madison, Quinn's meek production assistant.
- Christie Laing as Shamiqua, a contestant who is a clerk for a Supreme Court Justice.
- Natasha Burnett as Athena, a contestant who is a hairstylist seeking publicity for her hair salon. Jay uses her to create on-screen conflict with Faith.
- Stephanie Bennett as Pepper, a contestant who is an elementary school teacher.
- Andrea Brooks as Tanya, a contestant.
- Melissa Elias as Crystal, a contestant.
- Elise Gatien as Rita, a contestant.
- Natasha Wilson as Maya, a contestant. Shia gets her drunk in order to liven her up and get Adam's attention, which results in Maya being sexually assaulted by Adam's friend Roger.
- Sonya Salomaa as Cynthia Wilton, Chet's wife.
- Mimi Kuzyk as Dr. Olive Goldberg, Rachel's mother
- Eve Harlow as Bethany, Rachel's former roommate.
- Chelah Horsdal as Louise, Mary's sister
- Ty Olsson as Kirk Newhouse, Mary's abusive ex-husband
- Mitchell Kummen as Terry Martin, Anna's brother
Episodes
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 10 | June 1, 2015 | August 3, 2015 | |
| 2 | 10[5] | TBA | TBA | |
Development and production
On July 30, 2013, Lifetime placed a pilot order on Unreal, inspired by Sarah Gertrude Shapiro's award-winning independent short film Sequin Raze.[6] Shapiro had previously worked at the American reality dating series The Bachelor.[7] The pilot was written by Marti Noxon and Shapiro, and directed by Peter O'Fallon.[6] On February 6, 2014, Lifetime officially green-lit Un-Real with a 10-episode series order.[8][9] In March 2015, the premiere date was announced as June 1, 2015.[1] On July 6, 2015, the series was renewed for a second season of 10 episodes, to premiere in 2016.[10] The second season will continue to feature the fictional show, Everlasting, with Quinn and Rachel returning as main characters.[11]
Casting
Casting announcements began in September 2013, with Shiri Appleby first cast in the lead role of Rachel Goldberg, the young staffer working on the reality dating competition.[12] Freddie Stroma was the next actor cast in the series, in the role of Adam Cromwell, the smart and wealthy bachelor on the dating series.[13] Shortly after, Josh Kelly signed onto the series regular role of Jeremy, Rachel's ex-boyfriend who also works as a cameraman on the reality dating series.[14] Breeda Wool was then added to the cast for the role of Faith, one of the contestants on the series.[15] In early-November, Megyn Price, Nathalie Kelley and Johanna Braddy joined the series. Price signed onto the role of Quinn King, the controlling executive producer on the reality series; Kelley joined in the role of Grace, an eco-swimwear designer/model and contestant on the series; and Braddy set as Anna, a type-A control freak and attorney who is also a contestant on the series. Ashley Scott was later cast in the role of Mary, the single mother of a 4-year-old daughter who joins the series hoping to find love.[16] In June 2014, Price was replaced by Constance Zimmer as Quinn.[17] On July 22, 2014, it was announced that Craig Bierko has been cast as a character named Chet, who is the reality dating show's creator.[18] On August 8, 2014, it was announced that J. R. Bourne and Siobhan Williams were both cast on the show, Bourne as Quinn's recovering drug addict ex-boyfriend and former writing partner, and Williams as Everlasting's new make-up artist who is also Jeremy's fiancée.[19]
Concept and characterization
Unreal is set behind the scenes of Everlasting, a fictional reality dating series operating similarly to The Bachelor.[1][7] Dalene Rovenstine of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "UnREAL has comic moments, but is also twisty and dark in a way you hope isn’t reflected by real-life reality shows."[20] According to Noxon, the series is based on what really happens in the world of reality show production.[21] Shapiro says, "Viewers want to believe in fairy tales, and those reality shows tap into that want. Our show dismantles that want."[21] Adds Noxon, "We thought uncovering the behind-the-scenes machinations would make great stories, and we wanted to comment on the kind of bully culture of a lot of reality television."[21] Shapiro says of the genre:
Contestants come in and think they can beat the game, but it's truly an unbeatable game ... You're ritually manipulated and charmed and edited beyond your control. Viewers think the contestants knew what they had signed up for. But they couldn't have. There's no way.[21]
Writing for the Associated Press, Frazier Moore described the show's dynamic:
UnREAL dwells in the off-camera netherworld of a dating competition show ... where a handsome bachelor must choose among a bevy of hot, hopeful women each bucking for a fairytale wedding ... The week-to-week production process is anything but romantic. On the contrary, it's a callous game of bullying and illusion whose sole objective is outrageous narratives. That process of seduction is led by executive producer Quinn King ... a single-minded puppetmaster whose chief henchman is Rachel Goldberg ... a young producer whose task is to cajole, badger and play on the weaknesses of the show's participants to get the footage Quinn demands.[21]
Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called Quinn and Rachel "architects of destruction—ostensibly of the people on camera, but really of themselves."[22] Moore noted that, despite the contestants' expectations, "the game is fixed and the matchmaking premise is only a pretext ... [the contestants] are pawns in the Everlasting chess game, with Quinn, in her video-paneled master control, pronouncing which contestant is the designated villainess, which is the hot one, which ones are boring and should be bounced."[21] Appreciating Rachel's "killer instincts" and manipulative skills, Quinn also "plays on Rachel's many weaknesses to keep her in line".[21] Caramanica commented:
UnREAL doesn’t exist just to send up reality television, or to pick at its scabs. Nor is it primarily a tell-all about the behind-the-scenes hands that shape reality-TV narrative ... Rather, UnREAL uses that access as a tool to ask questions about these sorts of programs: not just about how they operate—savagely, if its stories are to be believed—but also why participants on both sides of the camera subject themselves to them."[22]
Web series
On January 21, 2016, it was announced that Lifetime was developing a Faith-centred spin-off web series, with Breeda Wool reprising her role from the TV series. The 10 episode webisode series will debut in 2016.[23]
Broadcast
Unreal premiered in the United States on Lifetime on June 1, 2015.[1] The network made the first four episodes available on their website on June 6, 2015, before the latter three had aired.[24]
International
The series is available to stream on Stan in Australia[25] and on Lightbox in New Zealand.[26] In the United Kingdom the show airs on Lifetime. In Israel the show airs on yes Drama channel. In India, the show airs on Star World.
Reception
Unreal has received positive critical reviews.[11] Merrill Barr of Forbes called it "one of the best new shows of the summer because it embraces the insanity it presents on screen".[27] Dalene Rovenstine of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "If you love The Bachelor, you’re going to like UnREAL. If you hate The Bachelor, you’re going to like UnREAL."[28] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called Unreal "acerbic and unrelentingly sad" and "a close and sometimes frustrating study of women tearing other women down".[22] In December 2015, Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly named Unreal as one of his "10 Best New Shows of 2015".[29]
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes lists a 97% approval rating, based on 31 reviews, with a rating average of 4.3/5. The site's consensus states: "The revealing and thought-provoking UnREAL uses reality TV as a suitably soapy springboard for absorbing drama."[30] On Metacritic, the series has a score of 77 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[31]
In May 2015, Unreal was one of five honorees in the Most Exciting New Series category at the 5th Critics' Choice Television Awards.[32]
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | American Film Institute | Top 10 TV Shows | UnREAL | Won |
| 2015 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Most Exciting New Series | UnREAL | Won |
| 2016 | Critics' Choice Television Award[33] | Best Drama Series | UnREAL | Nominated |
| Best Actress in a Drama Series | Shiri Appleby | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Constance Zimmer | Won |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Bibel, Sara (March 16, 2015). "Scripted Drama UnREAL to Premiere Monday, June 1 on Lifetime". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ↑ Erik Pedersen. "B.J. Britt Gets ‘UnReal’ For Season 2 On Lifetime - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ↑ "UnReal: Agents of SHIELD actor B.J. Britt to play next bachelor - EW.com". Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Denise Petski. "‘UnReal’: Monica Barbaro, Denée Benton & More Join Season 2 Cast - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
- ↑ Hipes, Patrick (July 6, 2015). "UnReal Renewed For Season 2 By Lifetime". Deadline.com. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (July 30, 2013). "Lifetime Orders Marti Noxon Drama Pilot Based On Indie Short Sequin Raze". Deadline.com. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- 1 2 Blake, Emily (January 9, 2015). "Lifetime's UnReal pulls the curtain on reality TV". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (February 6, 2014). "Lifetime picks up Buffy EP Marti Noxon's Un-Real to series". Zap2it.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 6, 2014). "Lifetime Picks Up Marti Noxon’s Dark Comedy Pilot Un-Real To Series". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ↑ O'Connell, Michael (July 6, 2015). "Lifetime Renews Unreal for Second Season". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- 1 2 Paley Center for Media (30 July 2015). "PaleyLive: An Evening with the Cast & Creators of UnREAL". Yahoo!. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
- ↑ Masters, Megan (September 20, 2013). "TVLine Items: New Supernatural Poster Revealed, Shiri Appleby Joins Buffy Vet's Pilot and More!". TVLine. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (September 30, 2013). "Harry Potter Alum Books Unreal Work for Lifetime (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (October 1, 2013). "Josh Kelly Books Lifetime Pilot Unreal, Grainger Hines Joins Cinemax’s The Knick". Deadline.com. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (October 22, 2013). "Secret Life Alum to Co-Star in Lifetime's Unreal (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ↑ Ng, Philiana (November 7, 2013). "Lifetime's Shiri Appleby Drama Pilot Adds Jericho Alum". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (June 2, 2014). "Constance Zimmer To Star In New Lifetime Series Un-Real". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
- ↑ Nellie Andreeva (July 22, 2014). "Craig Bierko To Star In New Lifetime Series Un-Real, Michael Irby Joins The Lottery". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
- ↑ "JR Bourne & Siobhan Williams Join Lifetime’s Un-Real". Deadline.com. August 8, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
- ↑ Rovenstine, Dalene (May 18, 2015). "Lifetime's drama UnREAL shows a twisty take on reality show dating". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Moore, Frazier (May 29, 2015). "Unscripted TV Stripped Bare by Scripted Drama UnREAL". Associated Press/The New York Times. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- 1 2 3 Caramanica, Jon (May 31, 2015). "Lifetime’s UnREAL Traces the Cracks in Reality TV’s Fourth Wall". The New York Times. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ↑ "TVLine Items: UnREAL Gets Spinoff, Legends Adds Time Master and More". TV Line. January 21, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Lifetime Puts First Four Episodes of Unreal Online". Variety. June 6, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
- ↑ Knox, David (July 1, 2015). "Airdate: UnREAL.". TVTonight. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ↑ "UnReal may be the realest (and best) thing all year.". Stuff.co.nz. June 5, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ↑ Barr, Merrill (May 25, 2015). "UnREAL Review: The Drama Lifetime Was Born To Make Arrives In Insane Glory". Forbes. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ↑ Rovenstine, Dalene (June 1, 2015). "Lifetime's scripted drama about a reality dating show goes deliciously dark". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ↑ Jensen, Jeff (December 9, 2015). "The 10 Best New Shows of 2015: Jeff Jensen's Picks". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
- ↑ "UnReal: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. June 1, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ↑ "UnReal". Metacritic. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (May 26, 2015). "Critics’ Choice TV Awards Top New Series Revealed". Deadline.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ↑ Hipes, Patrick (December 14, 2015). "Critics' Choice Awards Nominations: Mad Max Leads Film; ABC, HBO, FX Networks & Fargo Top TV". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 28, 2015.