Why do I like this?

So earlier today there was a Real Housewives of Orange County marathon on… and yes I was watching. But it wasn’t until I had sat through about three episodes that I really begin to think about what I was wasting my day doing. I have always been a fan of all of the housewives shows, but I’ve never really thought about why I like them. In class we’ve talked about how reality TV shows such as this are somewhat brainwashing us into thinking that these unattainable hyper-realities are “normal.” But I don’t think that’s why I watch. I am fully aware of the fact that there is nothing real about the real housewives. I don’t watch because I look up to them, or I want to be like them, or even because I think that they’re good people. I watch because their lives are so incredibly outlandish that it’s actually kind of fascinating to see the way that they spend their time and their money. But I think another reason that I watch the housewives shows, or a lot of other reality TV shows, is because of the whole parasocial relationship factor. If you’re someone who started watching a show from the very first season and you’ve seen all of the characters evolve through their lives and their friendships on the show, then you yourself begin to form a “relationship” with the characters. Now that I think about this, its actually kind of weird and creepy to be like “oh my gosh did you see what Gretchen did on housewives last night?!” Or “oh my gosh did you see Tamra’s Instagram post earlier?!” The fact that I even refer to these people by their first names is strange because it’s not like they have any idea who I am and that I’m sitting over here in Muncie, IN creeping on their Instagrams and gossiping about their lives with my roommates. But something that I just realized is that even though I watch this show because I feel like I have these (imaginary) relationships with these women… if I were to know them in real life… I would NEVER BE FRIENDS WITH THEM! They are far too petty and dramatic and materialistic and just flat out crazy to ever actually have a friendship with. So my question, really just for myself is, if I wouldn’t like these women in real life... then why do I like them on TV?