Inside USA
- Mark Wang
- Oct 16, 2025
- 3 min read
"Inside" is a show that was created and usually hosted by the Sidemen. Sort of a play on their name and also the theme of the show, which includes popular content creators, not including the Sidemen, stuck in a small house with nothing. They have to try to win $1 million, but buying amenities or food will cost contestants, and in each episode, one contestant is voted out via popular vote amongst the contestants. After two successful seasons in the UK, where the Sidemen are primarily based, they decided to host a US version. The Sidemen took a significant step back this season, letting famous American content creators Valkyrae and Fanum host the show. This season received mixed reviews, with some fans saying it was just as good as the previous ones, while others said it was a far cry from its predecessors.
On the one hand, several fans of the "Inside" show say that they enjoyed the season because of the twists and turns, the drama, and the overall excitement. An example is this Sideman fan's post to Reddit, saying that "Honestly, this was the best season of Inside to date. Everything clicked: the players, the emotions, the drama, the wholesome moments, the love, the hate literally perfection" (From Reddit, 2025). This summarizes what viewers of the show had to say, with some of the performers creating lots of drama, which helped to increase the tension and the entertainment of what is essentially a reality TV show. There were also some moments where performers decided to help each other, as opposed to trying to win for themselves, which helped to create wholesome moments that all members of the audience could enjoy.
Reference: From Reddit Public Forum, User Diligent_Peace_1618, September 28, 2025, Thread r/Sidemen, "Inside: USA My Final Thought"
Opposing them, however, other fans say that the US version of "Inside" was not what they expected. For one, the Sidemen were not really involved in the show, although they may have been involved in the designing and the behind-the-scenes of the show. A second reason is that the show's favorite commentator, Steven Tries, was not involved in its creation. From the UK Mirror article on "Inside: USA", one fan is quoted as saying, "Already miss Steven 5 mins in episode one. That's half the appeal gone" (Harris, 2025). Known for working closely and being close friends with the Sidemen, his commentary on literally dozens of Sidemen events has made him a staple of the community. On top of that, he is extremely talented at making jokes; there is no example of Steven Tries being involved in a production and not cracking at least 10 hilarious one-liners.
Reference: Peter Harris for the Mirror UK, September 21, 2025, "Sidemen Fans Spot Something 'Missing' Minutes in to New Netflix Series"
I think that the Sidemen, as well as Netflix, which is the platform that "Inside" is placed on, should be paying attention to these fandom discussions. The fans with positive views explain why they thoroughly enjoyed the show, providing the Sidemen with valuable insights on what they did right. Unfortunately, some people didn't want it. The Sidemen should also pay attention to see if they can correct or change any aspects in future iterations of the show that may have made this season less entertaining. In terms of immediate effect, though, what Netflix and the Sidemen should be worried about is the "bad press" that they may be receiving because of the mixed reviews, which could lower the viewership of the show.
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