Summary
TikTok stars and influencers living in a mansion together, which is more gloomy than glamorous.
Netflix reality series Hype House season 1 was released on the streaming service on January 7, 2022.
A series spotlighting TikTok stars, and social media influencers trying to be ‘as famous as A-list celebrities’ – in this series we get a deep and personal insight into their lives, telling us how and why they chose to become influencers and TikTok stars, and how this has changed them as people and the effect it has on their lives.
This series follows some of the internet’s most famous stars, including Kouvr Annon, Vinnie Hacker, Alex Warren, Chase Hudson (Lil Huddy), Larray Merritt, Nikita Dragun, and more.
This may remind you of the old MTV series The Real World, and the Channel 4 series Big Brother, who brought strangers together in one house and taped them 24/7. I really enjoyed these shows, especially Big Brother, when the people were not famous, and you had ordinary people chatting nonsense and getting drunk on TV. Mindless entertainment, but entertainment, nonetheless. Unfortunately, people with some celebrity background bring more viewers.
So, this house is full of social media stars, in their 20’s, talking about their lives and wanting to be as famous and renowned as A-list celebrities. Think a lot of drama, high-school drama, pointless drama, and you’ve got this series. Set in a mansion in California, they are really living the high life, even if they don’t think it at times. The money the influencers make on brand deals as the Hype House crew is used to pay for the rent and other household expenses, showing that their lives really do depend on their viewers/fans.
Through confessions and fly on the wall style filming, this series talks about the pressures of online, social-media fame. Which is very eye-opening and interesting… Something for you to watch if you want to understand the world of social media Influencing. Although if you’re not interested in social media or the world of influencers, this is not the series for you. You’ll find it annoying, pointless, and justifying some people’s existence and excuse to be seen and trying to be “famous”.
For me, it is a sad age for artists where social media has so much power and influence over careers. However, good for the people who use it to their advantage and make it “big”. There is a lot of fun in the house, but there are some serious, somber and sad parts. I really felt for Chase Hudson when she said, “If you get canceled for something that’s what you’re known for, for the rest of your life,” – social media really is the life and death of someone’s career currently and you can see the pressure they can put on themselves to make their followers happy. A big concern that comes forward is the fear of work loss during quarantine and fans turning on them. There is a dark, lonely side to their lives, so I do feel sorry for them — clearly, money and fame don’t buy happiness and peace of mind.
A lot of these “stars” are using this social media as a gateway into becoming something else, such as a musician, model, or actor/actress, so it’s interesting to see how their careers have developed and are developing.
Overall this is a self-indulgent show, full of drama, definitely for younger audiences, and inspiring TikTok stars and influencers. You can follow them on TikTok, and clearly, they need you to. The idea of them being as famous as “A-List” celebrities is unrealistic as I question the longevity of their careers and whilst they might influence people, they don’t inspire.
