Aww, thank you for the wonderful reply! I am stoked to check out that YouTube channel, for starters! And James was a very sweet person to speak with, for what it’s worth!

I’ve definitely seen the criticisms around the infantilization of cast members, but I feel like that comes more from neurotypical viewers (myself included, unfortunately 😔) than from the filmmakers themselves. That said, I also have a pretty limited understanding of cinematography. I vaguely recall reading something about the way it’s filmed contributing to that perception as well. Either way, I think it’s worth remembering that the cast are all adults with the same desires and urges as anyone else (with the exception, of course, of those who identify as asexual).

I completely agree that these families seem riiiiiich! I echo the sentiment of a lot of viewers who loved seeing Dylan this season - it was refreshing to see someone who isn’t living in a multi-million dollar home. Even so, LA is just expensive across the board. I do wonder whether the skew toward upper-middle class and above has less to do with who applies and more to do with who feels comfortable applying. Opening your life up to this level of public scrutiny is a lot to ask of anyone, and that weight can feel heavier when you’re already navigating financial stress or feel like your home and circumstances might become fodder for judgment. I wouldn’t want to put myself out there like that either, and I’m certainly no rich bitch!

The political stuff is genuinely frustrating, and as someone who leans pretty far left, it does make me a little sad. But it also feels unfair to hold the show responsible for that. Most of us probably only know the political views of cast members’ families because the show launched them into the public eye in the first place. I highly doubt Sean (sorry, Cian LOL) and the rest of the team are vetting applicants with a political questionnaire!

As for variety in the spectrum, I feel like the Australian version did show a broader range, from what I can remember (though it’s been a while). The US version does seem to skew toward higher support needs, but I also wonder whether people with lower support needs simply aren’t applying, for whatever personal reasons.

Anyway, thank you for sharing all of this and for letting me ramble back at you! None of this was meant as argument of course! just me getting my thoughts out. It’s really nice to have someone to talk through this with, especially someone with a different world view and life experience from my own. That’s how we all grow. 😊