NBC’s “The Courtship” is a dating reality show that takes viewers back in time to the days of 18th century regency England. Sixteen handsome bachelors vie for the attention of the gorgeous lady Nicole Remy in a magnificent castle in the English countryside. Leaving aside the dating practices of the modern world, gentlemen use old-school charms like handwritten letters, horseback riding and secret garden dates to woo her and find true love. Plus, every week, rejected suitors are fired after a grand ball. The novel format and dramatic setting of the show makes one wonder how real the connections are. So, let’s explore how real or scripted “The Courtship” is, shall we?
Is courtship real or fake?
Since ‘The Courtship’ is a modern reality TV show but with the feel of a period drama, a lot of effort has gone into recreating those moments in today’s world. From costumes, setting, mannerisms and activities, all have been molded to depict the courtship customs of the Regency era in England. Because everything has been specially organized and planned, it can often feel like it can be scripted. Additionally, while the methods used by the male participants to impress Nicole are dreamlike and storybook-like, they are considered rather unconventional at present.
Nicole further aims to make connections and find true love on the show, but since all interactions take place in a controlled environment and are constantly filmed, it’s hard to tell how much reality actually makes it to the screens of the show. spectator. Plus, this isn’t Nicole’s first brush with finding romance on a dating reality show. She was previously a contestant on season 25 of “The Bachelor,” but left the show before it aired. Nate Shanklin, who is one of sixteen suitors on ‘The Courtship’, was also part of the reality TV series ‘The Celebrity Dating Game’.
In an interview, Nate shared that some of his seduction tactics are common for the two reality shows he has appeared on, including singing and serenading skills. Both Nate and Nicole’s previous experience may indicate that, since they’re used to the format of such shows, their reactions to “The Courtship” might be slightly premeditated and supervised. However, the latter vouched for the authenticity of the show in an interview and explained how, despite her skepticism about the format, she managed to forge meaningful connections.
Nicole shared, “What I found was that because all those distractions were removed, my relationships were deeper because of it. It was wonderful… I didn’t have any social networks. I didn’t have my phone. I had no electronics. I was really able to be open to finding love in a more pure and simple way and without distraction and without having to worry about my job at the time. She went on to explain how the simplicity of the old-school style makes her upbeat.
“My dating experience has mostly been on apps where I’ve been trying to date someone during a pandemic, which isn’t easy. And being able to go back and focus on chivalry and focus about romance and simple things, removing distractions, I felt like anyone could find love in that environment, I really do,” Nicole added. In another interview, she said that the purpose of the show was to portray the true love stories of women of color and portray them in mainstream media.
Other than that, contestant Danny Kim revealed in an interview that his favorite part of the show is becoming his real personality. He said, “The easiest aspect for me was being authentic on the show. Being a romantic and a gentleman is something I learned from my parents and my Korean heritage… I felt I could be me on the show and that was enough to convince the heroine.
Considering all the above factors, we can say that “The Courtship” is most likely a perfect blend of real and fictional elements, where the environment can be controlled but the emotions are surely real. Therefore, it is better to take the scripts of the show with a grain of salt and take advantage of its offbeat concept.
Read more: Is The Bachelorette scripted?
