UnREAL season 5: Why it’s not happening, at least for now

Is there a chance for an UnREAL season 5 to happen at some point in the future? We know that there are reasons to want one, but it doesn’t seem like it’s happening at some point in the near future.

Today, the entire fourth season of the series dropped on Hulu rather than its typical home of Lifetime. It’s still not clear if the series is ever going to air there, but as of right now, the plan is to have season 4 be the final one.

Why is this happening? Much of it seems to just have to do with the series’ performance. While UnREAL remained a strong DVR performer over on Lifetime, the ratings for season 3 were down significantly over season 2. We have to feel like if the network really had high hopes for the ratings for season 4, they would be premiering it over there. UnREAL has never been a particularly high-rated show, and we feel like a big reason for that is simply a matter of the subject matter. Basically, it’s a show for people who love reality TV, but are also cynical enough to see it dissected. We know that there are a number of people who want to give into the fantasy of a show like The Bachelor without thinking anywhere near as much about the production manipulation and all of that.

Do we think that the series has appeal for people who don’t even know reality TV? Certainly, mostly because the acting from Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer is superb. Beyond that, there is a natural curiosity that comes with looking at a particular industry like TV — UnREAL takes it down to the bones and examines it from the ground up. It’s funny at times but heartbreaking at others. We know that the cast and producers seemed to have a good time making the show, so who knows? Maybe this season becomes an enormous hit over on Hulu and there is a chance to revisit the property down the line. Personally, we think it’d be interesting for them to look at a different reality TV franchise than The Bachelor.

For the time being, though, all signs point towards season 4 being the end.

Do you want to see an UnREAL season 5 happen down the line, and would you love to see the series tackle a different sort of reality TV franchise beyond The Bachelor? Share in the comments.

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