History’s “The Curse of Oak Island” features modern-day treasure hunters Rick and Marty Lagina, who fulfilled their childhood dream by acquiring a large chunk of the titular island, which just so happens to be the focal point of some of the most fascinating legends around. Rumors of things that are buried on Oak Island range from pirate treasure to legendary artifacts, and indeed, over the course of “The Curse of Oak Island” seasons, the people featured on the show have uncovered all sorts of fascinating secrets — though it’s up for debate whether any of these finds warrant the island’s ever-escalating reputation as the treasure trove to end all treasure troves. However, there’s always the next day … and the next episode.
Because of the many legends attached to the island, and the fact that the Lagina-led search is well into its ninth season, fans occasionally start to wonder how real “The Curse of Oak Island” really is, and some have even started to get fed up with Season 9. Now, some viewers have spotted a moment from the show that makes them think it’s scripted.
Some fans think Billy’s poor acting skills reveal the show’s scripted nature
In a Reddit discussion about the show, some fans have pointed out a moment that, according to them, features less than polished acting by excavator driver Billy Gerhardt. As the team explores the discovery of some potentially interesting wooden objects, Billy equally woodenly asks Rick to pick up some sticks in a way that makes it seem like he’s flubbing his lines.
Some fans considered this particular moment an example of less than impressive line reading. “Well, now we know this show is scripted. Billy needs to up his acting game,” redditor u/cnljglppl wrote. Others went even further, implying that this has been the case for quite a while, if not always. “LOL, it would probably be closer to always scripted,” u/Tel864 opined.
Others yet pointed out that while they think that “The Curse of Oak Island” might possibly embellish some things for effect, it’s unlikely to be entirely scripted. “It might not be scripted but, they probably do pick up shots and will tell someone to say something for coverage,” u/rivertwice19 wrote. “They can’t just be like ‘oh this stick was dug up but no one noticed’. They’ll be like, can you say something when you see something. Some of the filler stuff they say with each bag of dirt is definitely them being prodded to say crap.”
Whether you believe “The Curse of Oak Island” to be one of the reality TV shows that are actually real or not, it’s clear that people are watching … and that every viewer has an opinion about the show.