Dom-2 is the main long-liver of our television and a pop-cultural phenomenon that baffles many. The first edition of the show aired on May 11, 2004. During the existence of the “telestroke” about 2 thousand participants have passed through it: someone spent years in the “House-2”, and someone lasted no more than a week. # avtordaryazueva
All these 17 years the controversy around the project has not abated: what is the phenomenon of “House-2”? The show has managed to become synonymous with bad taste and low culture, it is endlessly scolded and tried to be banned. However, you can’t argue with statistics: Mediascope considered that every 11th Russian over four years old followed the dramatic twists and turns of the characters in the show.
How it all began
Dom-2 was launched in 2004, when a new format, a reality show, was gaining popularity on Russian TV. Following the super-successful “The Last Hero” of the First Channel, TNT released adaptations of the programs “Hunger”, “Big Brother”, which beat all entertainment broadcasting records.
Now, perhaps, not everyone remembers, but in front of “Dom-2” there was the first “Dom”. The British “Under construction” was taken as a basis, and Nikolai Baskov was invited to play the leading role. The heroes were married couples who were building a house at the sight of cameras – the main prize of the project.
“Dom” ran for three months, and during this time the producers saw the main drawback of the project: relations within the couples practically did not develop, so they decided to invite singles to the new “House”. This is how the famous “glade” and the first 15 participants appeared, which became known throughout the country.
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How “Dom-2” works
The first episode of the longest reality show began with the participants being brought to a village near Moscow on the banks of the Istra, where the first “House” was held. They are greeted by the hosts of the show, Ksenia Sobchak and Ksenia Borodina, the “foremen” of the TV set. At first, there really was a construction site, but the audience was more interested in how the relations on the project were developing: how the participants love, hate, and make friends.
Gradually, the concept of the show changed: the participants stopped “building” and completely focused on relationships. Every evening the heroes meet around the fire at the “place of execution”: to discuss what happened during the day, to sort things out, to confess their sympathies. Voting takes place once a week, some of the old members drop out, and new ones take their place.
Ups and downs
The participants in the TV show became so popular that they began touring with concerts around the country – despite the fact that they were neither singers nor artists. By 2007, the main stars left the project: May Abrikosov, Alena Vodonaeva, Victoria Bonya. The program’s ratings began to fall, and the producers decided to complicate the plot. There were “city apartments” where established couples could move to check their relationships outside the perimeter. The participants played weddings, gave birth to children, their parents came to live with them.
In 2012, Ksenia Sobchak left the show, instead of her, the main girl of the project, Olga Buzova, took the place of the presenter. Two years later, Dom-2 moved to Love Island in the Seychelles. And at the end of 2020, shocking news awaited both fans and opponents of the endless show: the TNT management announced the closure of the project.
It seemed that the era was over, but two months later, the U channel officially announced the restart of Dom-2 in the same format and with the same participants. Why is the project still afloat?
Scenario relationships
Dom-2 made a revolution in its time: it became the first show on our TV, the main theme of which was romantic relationships. They were shown at the same time without embellishment: obscene language, fights, frank kisses and “magic” (this is how sex is called on the project for censorship reasons).
For this reality show and fell in love – for the opportunity to peep through the keyhole and observe the personal life of another. Watching “House-2” has become a shameful pleasure for many, about which it is inconvenient to tell friends.
Later, the project was accused of the fact that all relationships are the result of the work of the scriptwriters, and they stopped believing in the relationships of the participants. However, the “graduates of the TV set” assure: there is no strict scenario, there are only general recommendations and editing. Most likely, the script is not needed: the participant, getting on the project, understands that the audience wants something “hot”. In addition, the appearance on the air guarantees advertising contracts and the growth of subscribers in social networks, so you have to comply.
What’s wrong with the show?
Dom-2 has become a new version of a serial soap opera. Over the years of the project, only a few were able to truly “build love”, and conversations about feelings are constantly interrupted by advertising inserts, when one heroine suddenly begins to advise another new shampoo (here the expression “soap opera” takes on a new meaning). Of course, it is simply impossible to take this seriously.
But this is not the main problem. Much more questions are raised by what they say and how the heroes behave. Despite claims that the show is “too outspoken,” it is far more conservative than meets the eye. The phrases “a woman should” and “a man should” are constantly heard here, very clear gender roles are broadcast and double standards are in effect. Girls in no case should be too loving, they should look good and be exemplary hostesses. Men, of course, do not understand anything in everyday life and in no case should show weakness (the worst thing is to cry).
Sex is shamefacedly called “magic” and they never discuss really important topics, be it the pleasure of partners, the principle of consent, etc. In other words, the frankness of the show lies only in the fact that it basically contains sex. However, it would be strange to expect otherwise from a reality show where heroes build relationships 24/7.
It is difficult to come to terms with the idea that Dom-2 does not exist in a parallel reality. Ordinary people come to this project who convey their usual values. And the same ordinary people watch their lives. It is unlikely that the show would be so successful if the audience did not empathize with the characters. On the other hand, thanks to this, “Dom-2” allows you to get an idea of the attitudes of the average viewer who lives outside of discussions about the “new ethics” on Facebook.
Close “Dom-2”?
They tried to close the most scandalous show many times. At various times, the Public Council on Morality, the Minister of Education and the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs had complaints about the project. However, what neither departments nor activists could do, Instagram could do.
In the new reality of social networks, when we can observe the life of almost any public person, Dom-2 turned out to be less relevant. Now bloggers love, swear, get divorced and love again, and subscribers are watching all this. But the eternal reality does not end, and Dom-2 will continue to run as long as there are those who watch it, no matter how we feel about it.
Have you ever watched “Dom-2”? Do you think it’s worth putting an end to his story?
Scandals, foul language and fights have become the hallmark of the project. The ability to peacefully build relationships and resolve conflicts is an important skill that will come in handy both at home and at work (but it will prevent you from becoming a reality TV star).