UnREAL S1E1

UnREAL premiered 10 years ago and is having a panel at the ATX Television Festival this year, so I thought what better way to celebrate than to cover the pilot episode. You can stream the show on Netflix.

Reality shows are often full of drama, but in the case of dating show `Everlasting', there may be more drama behind the scenes than there is in front of the camera. Executive producer Quinn commands her staff to get dramatic and outrageous footage for the show, which forces young producer Rachel to manipulate the relationships among the contestants to get the show's final cut to match Quinn's vision of it. As show star Adam searches for his perfect mate, the show's staff members deal with their own romantic predicaments on the set. Rachel's ex-boyfriend is one of the show's cameramen, and his current fiancee, Lizzie, is the makeup artist.

“The Final Rose” - An UnREAL Cocktail:

🍸 Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Gin (London Dry or a floral-forward variety)
• 0.5 oz Aperol (for that rose-pink TV glow + underlying bitterness)
• 0.5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur (smooth, manipulative sweetness)
• 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
• 0.25 oz rose syrup* (romantic and fake — just like the show)
• 1 dash Peychaud’s bitters (for color + depth)
• Garnish: Dehydrated rose petal or a “bloody” sugar rim

Rose syrup: Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1 tsp rose water in a saucepan. Heat until dissolved, then cool.

🧪 Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well, imagining Quinn whispering in your ear.
3. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
4. Garnish with a single dried rose petal or a pink sugar rim splashed with red food coloring to look like a lipstick smear… or blood.

Drinking Game (earnspendlive.com):

Take a sip every time:

• You’re more than 75% sure that whatever is going on could REALLY happen on The Bachelor/Bachelorette…
• …and you catch yourself looking around for Chris Harrison.
• There’s a kiss.
• Tabloids stir up drama.
• Chet is the literal worst.
• Someone says something racist.
• Rachel has an attack of conscience.

Take a shot if/when:

• Adam comes back for Season 2.
• Two if Adam and Rachel get together.
• Rachel actually quits “Everlasting”
• There’s yet another awkwardly voyeuristic sex scene.
• Two if it’s The Suitor screwing someone he’s not supposed to (Adam flashbacks, anyone?).
• Rachel/Quinn does something terrible but says it’s feminist.

Finish your drink when:

• The producers cross the line.
• Quinn and Rachel have one of their rare, real friendship moments.
• FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!
• You catch yourself admiring one of our two favorite antiheros, Quinn and Rachel because they are kind of the worst.
• You swear you’ll never watch reality TV again (even though we both know you don’t mean it).

As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.