Bravo in Chicago?
Ok this is a pretty specific question, I have to admit. I’m not sure if this question will even make sense to those who aren’t from (or somewhat familiar with) Chicago, but I’m so curious to see what people have to say…
Shows set in Chicago are pretty popular…Chicago Fire/PD/etc, the Bear, Shameless, etc etc. Yet I can’t think of one reality show that’s been filmed here.
I am familiar with the arguments of why Bravo hasn’t had a RHO franchise here, and they makes sense to me. I’m not interested in watching RHO Kenilworth or the Gold Coast either. Honestly, that sounds pretty boring. But I WOULD be interested in a reality show featuring single moms in Edgewater/Rogers Park or a group of restauranteurs in Pilsen, or maybe some aspiring theater actors living together and auditioning in Logan Square/Humboldt Park. I’m just thinking of these ideas from examples in my life as a lifelong Chicagoan, but really the possibilities are endless as we have so many different neighborhood vibes and types of people here.
In my opinion, the two thing that make reality shows great are authenticity of the cast and showing interesting lives. We have loads and loads of authentic people and life here is so exciting! NYC has so many reality shows somehow Chicago doesn’t?!
The diversity, the arts, the tenacity, the multiculturalism, down-to-earth but still “dream big” mentality, the entrepreneurial spirit - these things flavor life in Chicago in such a way that when depicted well in fictional shows, the audience EATS IT UP. I’m just surprised that neither Bravo nor any other major network has capitalized on this untapped potential gold mine, I guess.