In September 2019, the Hype House took the internet by storm. With creators like the Damelio sisters, Addison Rae, Chase Hudson and the Wright brothers providing endless streams of content for the group, the content house blew up. It has been almost three years since their start, though only a select number of the original members remain. Fans got an inside look into the drama and lives of the current members of the Hype House in their new Netflix series: Hype House. 

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When Netflix first announced the addition of a Hype House reality show, the company was met with anger from platform users, who thought their money would be better spent on other series like The Society or Everything Sucks!, both removed from Netflix after their first season. The Hype House had become a laughing stock on Tiktok, and many did not care to see them on their “For You” pages, let alone their television screens. 

After the show’s release on Jan. 7, Tiktok was flooded with reactions to the series. Many claimed they were not going to watch it and ended up binging it, myself included. Others were brought to TikTok to sound off against some of the house members. Mia Hayward, the girlfriend of Hype House member Thomas Petrou, experienced the brunt of the criticism. For Tiktoker Vinnie Hacker, the show’s debut resulted in more praise and adoration from fans. 

The series shows young adults in their early 20s with more wealth than most will see in their lifetime. The oldest cast member on the show was Nikita Dragun, who, at the time of filming, was only 25. While some of their struggles seem privileged or trivial, the show shined a light on some of the creators, showing that it was not all rainbows and butterflies. Longstanding Hype House member Alex Warren shared stories of losing his father to cancer when he was young and eventually living in poverty. While his girlfriend Kouvr Annon and fellow Hype House members shared that she moved from her home in Oahu, HI, to live with Warren. When she moved to the continent, she learned that the two would be living in Warren’s car.

A central issue dealt with on the show was income and members not pulling their weight. Petrou believed that members such as Chase Hudson were benefiting from Hype House income but not doing their part to ensure that the money continued to be made. By the end of the final episode, multiple group members had moved into their own houses, marking a chasm in the famous Tiktok institution.  

While I do not follow the Hype House or their projects, I did find their reality show enjoyable. It humanizes the people a part of the Hype House and reminds Tik Tok users that their hate comments are going to real people. I recommend the show if you are looking for an entertaining and, at times, dramatic reality TV show.