"Terrace House" Is the Fresh New Take on Reality TV You’ve Been Waiting For
Terrace House sets a new standard for reality TV with its relatable housemates and examples of genuine human growth.
By DANIELA MEJIA
Reality TV has gotten a bad reputation from shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Jersey Shore, which are filled with people who are either too rich or too dramatic for the general public to relate to. But quality reality TV has been living in the shadows of these over-dramatized shows, and it’s time it got the recognition it deserves. A perfect example is the entertaining, relatable, and refreshing — but still dramatic — Terrace House, originally produced in Japan, and now streaming on Netflix.
Terrace House follows the lives of six attractive young Japanese strangers — three women, three men — who live together in a stunning home, working their day jobs, pursuing their dreams, forming friendships, and falling in and out of love. It is completely unscripted and a bit of a slow-burn, but the show is sure to captivate viewers’ hearts as they fall in love with the house members and the bonds they build with each other along the way.
Each member has their own dreams and aspirations, and all of them also have different backgrounds and passions. Some have career goals in mind before arriving at the house, and others simply arrive in search of a fun, new experience. There are aspiring musicians, models, architects, dancers, and actors, looking to make it big, along with “normal” people seeking happiness through life’s simple pleasures. Despite having contrasting career goals and perspectives, the members are able to find the similarities in their differences, and they are able to motivate each other to do their best and strive for success. The way relationships and friendships develop in the show is as real as making friends in real life, and even when there are mishaps, there are valuable lessons to be learned in the ways the members work past their issues together.
Because the show is based on the real feelings of real people, it’s easier to compare events that happen in our own lives to those of the housemates, and it’s helpful to see how they work past their conflicts without destroying their relationships. Watching the show’s members grow is a good way to learn about how important family and love can be. I found this especially essential during a time like this, where we are all dealing with the pandemic in different ways.
On top of this, the show is also a great way for people to learn about Japanese culture. Since the series started in Japan, all of the seasons take place there except for Terrace House: Aloha State, which is set in Hawaii. The show’s members are constantly cooking traditional Japanese meals or going out to restaurants that give viewers a glimpse into the dynamic Japanese food scene. So if you’re feeling especially confined by quarantine, you can turn to the show for a taste of travel.
There is no other reality TV series that I can say has touched my heart like Terrace House has. The show even features big names in Japanese entertainment, who feature in each episode and reflect on major house events as they happen. This is something unique to the show, seeing these star comedians and actors watch the show progress at the same time as the viewers, and dropping in to give their personal opinions on what decisions were good or bad for the house members.
Terrace House is humurous, dramatic, realistic, and truly heartwarming. The food looks amazing, and the bonds formed on the show are just as beautiful. I cry every time someone has to leave the house in search of their next steps, knowing that I’ll miss their presence in the house as much as the others members will, but I’m also at the edge of my seat whenever a new member is about to arrive, excited for what a new face will bring to the table. Terrace House is an emotional roller coaster, but at the end of the day, it mirrors the lives of all people, and its relatability and examples of genuine human growth make it far more than just another reality TV show.
★★★★★