How Fade Street Revolutionized Reality TV

RTÉ has highlighted the legacy of Fade Street, a reality series that aired from 2010 to 2011, as a pivotal moment in Irish television. The show followed the professional and romantic lives of a group of Dubliners aged between 20 and 29, serving as an early example of the “lifestyle” reality format in the Republic of Ireland.

Produced by RTÉ Two, the series was loosely based on the style of American hits such as The Hills and The City, as well as Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. It featured a cast that included Vogue Williams, Louise Johnston, Danielle Robinson, and Clare Cara Cavanagh.

Production and Format

The show’s structure revolved around the lives of young professionals in Dublin, with several cast members working for the Dublin-based Stellar magazine. The series spanned two seasons and 12 episodes, with its original release beginning on November 11, 2010, and concluding on December 14, 2011.

A central element of the production was its soundtrack, which featured a mix of established and emerging Irish music artists. The opening theme was provided by Talulah Does The Hula with the song Those Girls.

While RTÉ described the show as unscripted and spontaneous, the production utilized orchestrated situations and storylines to drive the narrative. This approach mirrored the style of The Hills, where creators manipulated scenes while the participants reacted genuinely to the scenarios.

The authenticity of the show was a point of contention. Some bystanders present during filming claimed that participants frequently performed multiple retakes of scenes if the producers were dissatisfied. However, cast members denied these allegations in an RTÉ interview, with Cici asserting that the show was completely unscripted and suggesting that learning lines would have been too difficult.

Critical Reception and Cultural Impact

Despite its viewership, Fade Street became a frequent target for critics. The Irish Times described the series as wearyingly pointless, and the publication called for the national broadcaster to pull the plug on RTÉ2, quoting a reader who likened the show to a bed of sewage.

The series captured a specific era of Dublin social life, characterized by magazine launches, DJ sets, Jägerbombs, and the use of OMG. For some viewers, it presented an aspirational lifestyle. for others, it echoed the warnings about Dublin social circles previously presented in the series Bachelors Walk a decade prior.

The show’s perceived superficiality led to a wave of online parodies and comedy skits. It is often grouped with other Irish reality shows of the era, such as Tallafornia, which were viewed as addictive despite being widely criticized.

The series is also noted for featuring Vogue Williams before she became a pervasive presence in Irish media and before the rise of Instagram as a primary window into the lives of the privileged.

Cast Details

• Louise Johnston: A 22-year-old from Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, and budding fashion journalist.
• Vogue Williams: A main cast member who later became a prominent media figure.
• Danielle Robinson: A featured regular in the series.
• Cici: A main character who defended the show’s unscripted nature.
• Other cast: Clare Cara Cavanagh and Melina Skvortsova.

One early narrative arc highlighted the tension in Louise’s life as she had to choose between starting an internship and going on a getaway to Marbella, ultimately choosing the latter.