Watching ordinary people watching TV on the couch at home, sipping on a beer or a cuppa, sounds like the worst idea for a program, ever.

Nobody wants to come home after a long day at work and watch people screaming, laughing, criticising or over-reacting to something they’ve just watched on their TV, right?

Shut the front door! Yes, they do.

It’s called Gogglebox Australia, a co-production between pay TV Foxtel and free-to-air network Ten, and it’s back celebrating a massive 20th season next month.

Non-viewers of the show might question why Gogglebox, which originated in the UK late at night on Channel 4 in 2013 and spawned a cult following with numerous international versions and spin-offs, is so popular?

Like the original, 10 families representing a cross-section of Australian society – from migrant families and gay couples, to larrikins and empty nesters – are filmed via remote-controlled cameras watching the week’s most talked about shows.

“There’s an assumption that the show is about criticising shows and tearing them apart, but that’s not it at all. It has a lot of heart and warmth,” executive producer David McDonald told the Sydney Morning Herald when the Australian version was commissioned in 2015.

“Most of their jokes and humour and pathos stems from their character. They’re not trying to be smart arses, they’re just who they are and that’s what makes them funny.”

So who’s on the box this season?

Producers have always looked for people who didn’t necessarily want to be on television.

They can’t cook, survive, sing or dance.

They’re not magazine-cover worthy, sexy or controversial.

In a teaser trailer ahead of the premiere next month, a stack of Gogglebox original talent – all sitting – are popping champagne, grabbing onto each other, pushing away balloons and high-fiving with their faces to the sets.

But here they are, the Delpechitra family, happily married couple and grandparents Lee and Keith, best friends Anastasia and Faye, and tight-knit family of four, the Daltons.

Best mates and larrikins, Adam and Symon, mother and daughter Kerry, Izzy and baby Ruby, Matty along with son Malik and Uncle Jad, foodies Tim and Leanne, surfers Milo and Nic, more friendship and sisterhood groups.

For their effort, they reportedly are paid a $1200 location fee per house each day of filming, according to the Daily Mail, and a few go on to have careers in the entertainment space.

Angie Kent, who was on Gogglebox for 68 episodes (2015 to 2018), got a spot in the jungle on I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of Here!, The Bachelorette and Dancing with the Stars.

The show has been nominated for a seventh time for the 64th Logie Awards in the best structured reality program category.

Water-cooler effect

Senior lecturer in the school of media and communications at RMIT University, Dr Glen Donnar, has previously said the show reveals our cultural differences and sensibilities.

“It vacillates between notions of relatability and difference, so it shows us the kinds of different perspectives of people that are different to us,” Donnar said.

“At the same time, it seeks to reiterate that no matter how different people are, they are also like us. They respond in the same way to shows.

“In some sense, it adapts a water-cooler effect for the home.

“People comment on what they watch, they debate what they watch and they even talk back to the television.”

– TND