Best TV Shows for Live-Tweeting

For me, the saving grace of Mondays is that The Bachelorette is on in the evening. I admit it’s one of the most ridiculous shows on television, yet it keeps coming back year after year (for 12 years now). Each season follows the exact same formula, always promising the “most dramatic season ever.” But there is one reason that draws me back each week and that is the hilarious commentary on Twitter.

Reading the live tweets on the show has become a big part of my viewing experience. I’ll check Twitter during each commercial break to see the latest witty comments about the past few scenes, either making fun of a cheesy poem or critiquing a contestant on their outfit choice. It’s a real bonding experience to know that people all across the country are making fun of the same things. I realize that twitter and live-tweeting has changed the way a lot of people watch their television. More and more people are adding their commentary to almost every show. Below is my list of favorite shows to live tweet.

• The Bachelor + The Bachelorette: This reality show is so full of cliches and romantic fantasy dates that it’s almost impossible not to mock on Twitter. The live tweets make the show immensely more entertaining. Some of the best comments come from past Bachelor contestants, who have no problem poking fun at the show that claimed it’d help them find “true love.” Reading their comments proves that no one is taking the show seriously. Even the show’s host and producers get in on the fun!

• Award shows: The Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, and Golden Globes have all been drastically changed through the use of live-tweeting. Now people can directly comment on what people are wearing, the surprise winners, and their acceptance speeches in real time. Ellen set a  new precedent and record at the Oscars when her star-studded selfie became the most retweeted tweet in history and also crashed the platform for a short time. These types of Twitter conversations have become an integral award show experiences for many viewers.

• Watch What Happens Live: Another social media gem, this live Bravo show with host Andy Cohen gets a lot of its content from viewers tweeting in their questions for guests. There is always a dedicated hashtag, which often matches up with the drinking game of the night. The whole show is basically one big joke, which makes it perfect for Twitter!

• Girls: The cast of this popular HBO program often tweets during the broadcast, offering insight into the story line and interacting with fans. The show’s creator Lena Dunham is a huge presence on social media and has spent an entire marathon tweeting behind the scenes tidbits. There are also fake accounts for each character, which are pretty funny to follow during the show.

• The Voice: This singing competition show is very popular on Twitter. Each team has their own dedicated hashtag, and all the coaches and contestants are constantly tweeting during the show. They really showcase the coaches Twitter rivalries to promote audience engagement. The Blake Shelton/Adam Levine relationship (on or off Twitter) really makes the show.

The live tweeting activity shows that there is a huge engaged audience watching these shows each week, and that can be a landmine for marketers.  Not only are the networks receiving instant feedback on the programming content, but they’re also gaining insight into the engaged audience numbers. Searching #TheBachelorette results in thousands of tweets per episode. For many television shows, social media has become a necessary component to their marketing strategy.