The reality TV dating show fatigue is real, with shows constantly scrutinized over their cast vetting process. But social media star, Isla Moon has found an antidote: putting high-profile OF influencers in a competitive fishing show, Reel Rivals.
Streaming on OFTV, a free and safe-for-work platform, the series sees contestants with zero angling experience compete against each other for a $20,000 cash prize.
The reversed formula works—glammed-up OF figures take on the high seas, and are thrown into unpredictable "situations that they won't usually do online," Isla told TheThings.
Reel Rivals' premise is simple—to show the dynamic personalities behind the "misunderstood" OF stars. In this exclusive interview with Isla, who's producing and hosting the series, she tells us about her fresh take on reality TV amid all its chaos.
OFTV's Reel Rivals Showcases Isla Moon's Passion For The Outdoors & Creator-Led Projects
Reel Rivals Is Isla Moon's First Foray Into Producing & Hosting A Reality Show
The idea for Reel Rivals came to Isla one night during a fishing trip with her boyfriend in Key West. What started out as a joke turned out to be a light-bulb moment. Isla's 4 million followers love her content about nature adventures and outdoor sports the most.
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The next morning, the influencer immediately discussed the fishing show with her content editor. Soon, Isla and "a bunch of friends [were] getting together to form a project," she told TheThings.
Isla felt like there was "no growth" in her career before Reel Rivals. She'd previously tried joining mainstream reality shows to expand her reach. But after a series of rejections, "I decided to make my own show and I said yes to myself," Isla revealed.
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As both the producer and host of Reel Rivals, Isla is hands-on with casting, direction, the logistics for fishing charters, forming the production team, and making sure they catch a fish every 20-minute episode.
It's a lot of work, but Isla is determined to cater to the growing "desire for binge-worthy reality TV that isn't purely tied to dating," she said in a press release for Reel Rivals.
"I wanted to show that a hobby like fishing, commonly considered binge-worthy for older generations, can appeal to younger audiences," Isla added.
She's also right about the rising appeal of "creator-led projects and social media talent on screen," like The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (all set for a bombshell Season 2), or Prime Video's Beast Games by millionaire YouTuber, Mr. Beast (also renewed for a second season).
Isla shared with TheThings that she had just finished studying psychology and neuroscience when she started OF in 2021. She was working in a lab, with offers to get a Ph.D., when she first went viral on social media. After that moment, she decided to pursue content creation full-time.
Isla Moon Wants Reel Rivals To Be A Platform For Influencers To "Branch Out"
OF Creators Get Vulnerable On Reel Rivals
OF influencers are often boxed in their controversial images. Isla told TheThings that when she was developing Reel Rivals, she wanted to show people that OF stars also have "goals, we have ambitions, we are more than just what we show online."
"I kind of wanted to provide to influencers, a platform [as] a way of branching out," Isla told TheThings. "So this was super super important to me, because creators are so multifaceted and people don't usually expect that."
Viewers get to witness this in Isla's personal conversations with the cast members in between fishing. There's a part where Dan Dangler tells Isla about her "dream animal sanctuary," which the host didn't expect either.
| OFTV's Reel Rivals Season 1 Cast |
| Ara Bozorgian |
| Bryce Adams |
| Dan Dangler |
| Dominic "Dom" Dawson |
| Emma Magnolia |
| Jason Luv |
| Lexy |
| Sara Natividad |
Isla told me the conversations were a "last-minute" segment (they initially got too focused on the fishing part). "Our show is so unscripted, and so we're finding storylines as we go during the shoot," she told TheThings.
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Isla also gave us a little teaser about Reel Rivals "reaching a nice emotional point" in an episode featuring adult actor, Jason Luv, and OF model Sara Natividad. "I didn't expect that twist," she admitted. "So there are a couple tears, actually."
Isla Moon Confirms Reel Rivals Season 2
OF Personalities Are Lining Up To Join Reel Rivals
When I spoke with Isla, she was just preparing to film Season 2 of Reel Rivals the following week. "I'm just too eager," she told TheThings. "I needed to get a second season out, because why not? And I feel like we're learning a lot."
Isla, who prioritizes diversity in casting Reel Rivals, is thrilled to get "so many creators wanting to be on the show now that they've seen it."
But it's a tough position to be in. "I have to think and choose, which is hard 'cause I want as many people as possible," Isla told me. The showrunner also opened up about the hate she's been getting from critics who think she's ditching OF and social media.
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But Isla assured fans that she's staying in all lanes. "I want everything, so I like doing it all," she quipped, adding that she enjoys the process of learning what fans want to see on Reel Rivals.
Season 1 of Reel Rivals is now available for streaming on the free and safe-for-work OFTV.
