The untold truth of Forged in Fire

The best reality television focuses on talent. Sure, we all love drama, and watching a bunch of people scheme and plot and riff on some version of "I'm not here to make friends" like they invented the phrase is fun and all, but shows that pit smart, talented people against each other in a test of skill? Magic.

That's why the History Channel's Forged in Fire — in which bladesmiths compete to make various knives, swords, and other bladed weapons — is such a success. Not only is the subject fascinating, it's also educational both in terms of how these things are actually made and the history of some of the weapons they create. The best part is that they manage to wring drama out of the competition instead of interpersonal drama. Each episode is exciting because of the challenges posed to the competitors, not because of their personality conflicts. And also the fire. We're not gonna lie, the fire has a lot to do with how great this show is. And while the series might seem like an open book, there's actually a lot going on under the surface. Here's the untold truth of Forged in Fire, some of which is really going to surprise you.