Friendships and rivalries develop just as slowly on the show as they do in real life. But because no one seems to be self-consciously performing their personality for the cameras, the character arcs feel more believable, and therefore more resonant. They aren’t all lovable there are spoiled brats, sad sacks and immature manchildren. Thanks to some combination of cultural differences and purer intentions, the producers of Terrace House avoid belligerent exhibitionists, amateur actors and not-here-to-make-friends narcissists in favor of young adults who behave like actual human beings. What separates the show from MTV’s 26-year-old institution-which has been barely-watchable for more than half its run-as well as most other American reality series, is its casting. It is a shining example of what many critics have identified as a new vogue for “nice” reality TV. But unlike The Real World, which notoriously explored “what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real,” Terrace House sees no fundamental conflict between politesse and realness. Like The Real World, it’s premised on the assumption that, when left to their own devices, young singles from a variety of different backgrounds will inevitably find some way to entertain millions of viewers. Set in the sleepy winter-sports enclave Karuizawa, Opening New Doors (whose fourth season appeared on Netflix earlier this week) is the latest installment of a franchise that began with a house in beachy Shōnan and has also set series in Tokyo and Hawaii. This is the magic of Terrace House, a Japanese reality phenomenon that throws six strangers together in a gorgeous home and… well, that’s about it.
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