I Enjoyed The Million Dollar Secret Finale But It Made Me Think Of This One Thing Too Many Netflix Reality Shows Do

Million Dollar Secret is a Netflix original reality TV show that I am really enjoying. However, it still has quite a few things to work through. If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it follows a group of individuals trapped together while trying to figure out who is lying about having the box containing a million dollars — hence the name. It’s quite similar to The Traitors but with some distinct differences.

I like The Traitors and Million Dollar Secret for different reasons. However, there is one thing that the Peacok original does much better than this Netflix show. This critical error on Million Dollar Secret also tends to be an issue with many of the great Netflix reality TV shows.

Since Netflix shows tend to be popular, it might not be a major issue for many, but it’s something I wish Million Dollar Secret and other Netflix shows did better.

Warning: Million Dollar Secret Season 1 spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

I Am Happy Cara Won, But I Wish We Got To Know Her Better

Million Dollar Secret’s final two episodes of the first season end with Cara receiving the million dollars. She only needed to keep her secret protected for a few days or less. This was an easier route than some who end up holding the money for days. Cara only had to tell a few lies to keep it. She is shown, in the end, to be a very sly, clever, and cunning player. It is a win well-earned.

However, it would have been nicer to see more of these traits from her throughout the season. Cara isn’t exactly invisible on Million Dollar Secret. We learn quite a few things about her during the season, including her tragic story about her brother. We also know she bonded tightly with people like Sam and, to a lesser degree, Corey.

Cara played the game all season, but she just doesn't really get a spotlight until the final few episodes. Sam, Sydnee, Lauren, and Chris were treated far more as main characters. This is natural because they provided the most entertaining and interesting storylines throughout Million Dollar Secret. Nevertheless, it doesn’t feel like the editors and producers put in enough effort to start to lay the groundwork for Cara’s eventual win.

Her leading lady status almost felt like it came out of nowhere. She’s the most important player in the series, as the winner, but had a supporting role almost all season. I wanted to know more about Cara, to truly become excited about her win. Her final episodes are very impressive, so imagine how much better they would have been if we saw more of her game play and story.

Netflix Burying The Lead Seems To Be A Pattern

Cara's lack of a storyline fits right into the Netflix reality TV show pattern. One of the things I enjoyed about Squid Game: The Challenge is that it has no main character. You could follow a competitor all season only for them to be taken out suddenly and uneventfully. This makes the show very hard to predict. You will never be able to guess the winner because they might not be shown until the final few episodes.

This pattern works in Squid Game: The Challenge because the show is all about the unpredictable. It also works within the context of the original series. However, this lack of focus on the eventual winner or winners doesn’t work with Million Dollar Secret and other Netflix shows. Perfect Match Season 2 and The Mole Season 1 are other Netflix reality competition shows that I have noticed also had winners or important characters (like the mole) who weren’t the main focus most of the season.

However, some of Netflix’s international shows, such as Physical: 100 and The Devil’s Plan, don’t suffer from this issue. They’re also better reality TV shows because of it. This may be a problem strictly with some of Netflix’s American reality TV shows.

It’s Why I Suspected Cara Won Million Dollar Secret

Because I have become accustomed to this pattern on Netflix reality TV shows, I automatically knew Cara would win, especially after receiving the money. I even suspected her before this episode because of how much she faded into the background. Cara definitely was a presence on Million Dollar Secret, but nowhere near as much as she should have been to really make us root for or against her.

If Netflix continues to not focus much on winners until the very end, it will become quite obvious who will win each show.

I Prefer When We Get More Of A Hero’s Journey Early On Reality TV Shows

As a proud reality TV show junkie, I know shows like to focus on contestants who bring the most drama or storylines. Cara could have just not been giving producers as much as others. It is a TV show, after all, and entertainment matters above all else. However, other reality TV shows, such as Survivor, The Traitors, Big Brother, and shows like them, find a way to lead a path to the eventual winners, even when they are unsure about who will win.

Producers and editors also may shift gears towards winning players mid-season so fans can root for or against them by the end. I enjoy the way these shows highlight the winner’s journey because it gets us interested enough early on to invest in their story. I am happy Cara won because she seems like a nice person who needed it. However, it’s a less than enthusiastic reaction because I wasn’t given enough of her Million Dollar Secret storyline to cheer her on from the early days.

I Hope Netflix Figures Out How To Balance Surprising Us With The Winner And Letting Us Get To Know Them

As stated, the edit hiding the winner works on Squid Game: The Challenge because of the show’s premise and context. However, it doesn’t work that well on other shows. It leaves a less than satisfying conclusion. It also doesn’t inspire outrage or a parade. It’s really about knowing when and how to use the edit to make the winner important at the right moment.

Netflix has been in the reality TV business for quite a while, but I think it’s still new enough where it continues to find its voice. Therefore, this storytelling choice may continue to evolve.

I Could Understand Sydnee’s Frustration With Cara Possibly Winning

Because Cara isn’t shown nearly as much as Sydnee and some others, it doesn’t seem like she put in as much work all season as they clearly did. Therefore, it’s easy to understand why Sydnee, who had been clawing her way from elimination all season, found it frustrating that Cara just kind of rode to the end.

We do, however, see some clever moves from her, like lying about her siblings. If we saw more of these types of intuitive moves, we would have been even more thrilled with her win. The edit seemed to treat Cara as Sydnee saw her. She isn’t shown as a key player until the end. Though I didn’t agree with Sydnee’s assessment that Cara didn’t deserve to win because she didn’t do enough, I can see others agreeing.

Hopefully, if and when Million Dollar Secret returns to Netflix it will allow us to get to know the winner more before the finale. Million Dollar Secret is one of Netflix best shows to binge right now.

Stream Million Dollar Secret on Netflix.