Bizarre MAGA dating show sparks warning for mainstream TV
A 22-year-old model sharing a photo of herself in a bikini and a cowboy hat is vying to become a farmer’s future wife. Among her competition is a woman dreaming of staying at home with four kids and a Nashville country singer.
These are the contestants on “Farmer Wants a Wife,’ Fox’s spin on “The Bachelor” and the latest in a TV revolution that’s pandering towards new appetites since President Donald Trump’s reemergence.
Experts told Wired that Hollywood executives are avoiding anything that could be seen as progressive or “woke,” and are instead rushing to sign up shows that amplify traditional, conservative values.
“More conservative projects are getting greenlit,” Colin Whelan, founder of Conveyer Media which produces reality shows for major companies including Netflix, the Wired.
“People are pitching more shows like that because they realize that’s what’s selling.”
Blockbuster shows in the past few years demonstrate the trend, Wired reported. “Yellowstone,” that followed cattle ranchers in Montana, brought in massive audiences. Similarly, “Duck Dynasty” built a huge following with its documenting of characters in line with MAGA values.
The show’s producer is reportedly in talks with the Department of Homeland Security about a show in which “immigrants compete to prove they are the most American,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
“In Trump’s version of Hollywood, old-fashioned values are in vogue again,” Wired went on.
“The Christian drama 7th Heaven, about a Protestant minister and his seven children that aired for 11 seasons on The WB (later The CW), is in early development at CBS Studios and will “focus on a diverse family,” though it’s not clear what that means. “
Carri Twigg, a founding partner and head of development at production company Culture House, told Wired it was a “cultural recalibration.”
“I’ve heard from multiple executives that there’s a noticeable hesitancy around content perceived as too progressive, especially if it centers non-white leads or tackles social issues explicitly,” she said.
“Even projects with mild inclusivity are getting flagged in internal discussions.
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But she said hitching their wagon to political movements could burn the production companies — particularly if there’s a backlash to Trump’s administration.
Wired added, “The anti-DEI backlash threatens to make Hollywood even more out of touch than it already is to younger audiences, who increasingly prefer TikTok and YouTube to traditional viewing formats. An estimated 50 percent of Gen Z identifies as non-white, and nearly 30 percent identify as LGBTQ+.
“‘These audiences aren’t just asking for representation—they expect it,’ Twigg said. “If the industry starts backing away from inclusive storytelling, it won’t just be regressive—it’ll be a bad business decision.”