After years of our screens being saturated with reality television, it feels like we’ve seen it all, and most of it hasn’t been good.
We’ve watched strangers get married in fake ceremonies, celebrities each ostrich anus in the jungle and the Kardashians talk about first-world problems in the comfort of their giant home.
We’ve become conditioned to expect television promos that show people falling over, getting naked or making a fool of themselves, so it’s no wonder a promo that involves two people looking at each other isn’t gaining much traction.
But if there’s a show at the moment that’s deserving of your attention, it’s SBS’s Look Me in the Eye.
Watching two people who couldn’t even be in the same room together, put aside their differences long enough to truly see each other, is a powerful lesson in what can be achieved when you don’t say a word.
This social experiment (come on SBS, just call it a reality show) shines a light on the time that's wasted when we refuse to let our guard down or appreciate a view that's different from our own. It highlights how much pain can be soothed by seeing things from someone else's side and why we're better off sitting in discomfort and nutting things out than assuming we know what another person is thinking.
Watching a former child soldier forgive the man who tortured him or a daughter forgive a father that walked out makes you appreciate how healing it is to sit down with someone and hear the reasons for their behaviour. Problem is, we usually don't ask.
Listen: The Binge host Laura Brodnik explains why Australia is so obsessed with Look Me In The Eye. (Post continues after audio.)
Watching this show will make you reassess the way you communicate, it'll make you look at the strained relationships in your own life and start wondering if you should ring Ray Martin to help you sort them out. But most of all it will teach you how to be a better person and that's something reality TV shows never do.
The award-winning podcast Mamamia Out Loud is doing their first live show. There will be laughs, disagreements and you can meet the hosts afterwards! We’re also donating $5 of every ticket price to Share The Dignity so grab your friends and come along to share the love and laughs, get your tickets here.
