UnREAL: Episode 8

SPOILER ALERT!!

Uh-oh, Rachel done crossed the line!

In Episode 8 of UnREAL Rachel finally fucks bachelor Adam.  The show's been hinting at this happening for a while, and using her on-again flirtation with/fucking of DP Jeremy to distract us.  But now it's happened and, for those not in the know, this is something we in the industry call "crossing the line."  

In general, fraternizing with the Talent is discouraged.  That includes everything from hanging out with cast members outside of work to having sex/a relationship with them.  Which isn't to say that it doesn't happen.  I can think of numerous cases off the top of my head.  There was the producer on The Real World who crossed the line with a cast member and was fired. Then there's Todd Tucker, the Line Producer on Real Housewives of Atlanta who started dating cast member Kandi Burruss and ended up a regular on the show (which, I suppose, is punishment enough). On yet another series, the 40ish Showrunner quit after starting a relationship with a 23 year-old cast member. (Sorry, an NDA keeps me from sharing that one.)  She later moved into his RV and started working at a nearby titty bar.  No word on how that relationship is holding up.

It's easy to understand why line crossing happens.  For one thing, we spend a lot of time with cast when we're shooting.  We see them more than anyone else in our lives and, just as office romances happen on regular jobs, so too they often happen on set.  We are also tasked specifically with befriending them (or seeming to, anyhow) with a view to exploiting that relationship for story.  So lines do get blurry.  

However, there are plenty of good reasons why crossing the line is frowned upon.  For one thing, as is by this point (I hope) abundantly clear, we are manipulating these people.  And it is hard (if not impossible) to manipulate someone you're having a bona fide emotional relationship with for work purposes.  (Everyone knows that manipulating your partner is strictly a recreational activity.)  Additionally, crew members possess information that cannot be shared with cast.  For instance, we may be planning a series of scenes with a particular goal in mind, that will not work if some idiot shares that information with a cast member they're in lurv with.

Finally, and maybe this is just me, we shouldn't cross the line because we're in a position of power over these people; especially on a Competition show (like Everlasting) where cast are essentially our prisoners and we have access to (deeply personal) profiles compiled by show psychologists.  So, to me, crossing the line feels like a teacher taking advantage of a student or a doctor taking advantage of a patient   Don't get me wrong, power is a powerful aphrodisiac.  But only losers abuse it.

All that being said, I expect our girl Rachel will find a way to make this dalliance work to her advantage in acquiring the Showrunning position Chet is dangling before her.

So you go, you bad girl, but Jeremy's gonna be pissed.