History YMMV / TheOnlyWayIsEssex

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: Inverted, clearly intending to be a drama for adults (e.g. 20+) that airs during timeslots containing episodes of ''The Real Housewives'', yet the juvenile problems that a lot of the characters have immediately attracted the teenagers and preteens.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Before the show launched, the concept was pretty much universally derided as a pointless knockoff of a Creator/Channel4 show called ''Seven Days''. TOWIE massively defied expectations by becoming a hit while the C4 show is now barely remembered.

** Gemma Collins, a self-proclaimed diva, who became the only original member of the cast in 2017. Outside of the show, she has appeared on other reality shows (most famously, ''Celebrity Big Brother''), not once dropping the diva attitude. In her own words, she earned her "diva card" the moment she reached her thirties.

** Mark Wright was handsome, likeable and all-around pleasant person. After leaving the show, he became a TV presenter, notably for Access Hollywood, and married Michelle Keegan, who was Tina on ''Series/CoronationStreet'' and former [[MsFanservice Sexiest Woman of the Year]].
** Joey Essex because others cannot believe how ditzy he is, to the point where it becomes worrying.[[note]]This has led to numerous debates about whether Joey is faking it for publicity. ''[[TooDumbToLive That's]]'' how stupid he can sound.[[/note]]

** Denise Van Outen. Although she was already known as an actress, her voiceover disclaimers at the beginning of every episode are full of NarmCharm with a healthy dose of snide, which is entertaining for hate-watchers or people watching as a PointAndLaughShow.

* SnarkBait: Unsurprising considering before the much alcoholic and sex-crazed fuelled ''Series/GeordieShore'' and ''The Valleys'' came along, it was considered Britain's answer to ''Series/JerseyShore''.

* MoralEventHorizon: Mario, who was an all-around unpleasant womaniser, reached this when he cheated on Lucy and then slut-shamed her when she had a one-night stand when the cast went to Marbella (at this point, they had broken up). Considering how he had barely been nice to the girlfriends he'd had during the course of the show, people cheered when Lucy [[FoodSlap threw her cocktail in his face]]. Diags later revealed on ''Most Shocking Celebrity Moments''[[note]]A TV countdown list series that aired on ITV 2[[/note]] that he [[RewindPlayRepeat put the clip on loop]] after it aired.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: Inverted, clearly intending to be a drama for adults (e.g. 20+) that airs during timeslots containing episodes of ''The Real Housewives'', yet the juvenile problems that a lot of the characters have attracted the teenagers and preteens.

* TheRedStapler: Before TOWIE, reality TV was dying out in the UK, mostly due to the lack of audience interest and the economic crisis of the mid-2000s which strained all the channels, and most of the popular ones were either talent shows (''Series/BritainsGotTalent'' and ''Series/TheXFactor'' had their heydays here) or ending after a long run (''Series/BigBrother'' UK, which began c. 2000, ended in 2010). After TOWIE became popular, there was a new generation of viewers that were watching, enough to spawn ''Geordie Shore'', ''Series/MadeInChelsea'' and ''The Valleys'', and other reality TV shows that became just as popular.
* SnarkBait: Unsurprising considering before the much alcoholic and sex-crazed fuelled ''Geordie Shore'' and ''The Valleys'' came along, it was considered Britain's answer to ''Series/JerseyShore''.

* SnarkBait: Unsurprising considering before the much alcoholic and sex-crazed fuelled ''Geordie Shore'' and ''The Valleys'' came along, it was considered Britain's answer to JerseyShore.

** According to audience figures, the series' first three seasons had the most viewers, with the first episode of season three being one of the most-watched episodes of the show's running time.
* DiscreditedTrope: The Essex Girl stereotype is this now, if not DeadHorseTrope territory yet.[[note]]It led to the nationwide campaign by many women from Essex of getting rid of the phrase from the Oxford dictionary for being derogatory.[[/note]]

* MagnificentBitch[=/=]ManipulativeBitch[=/=]BunnyEarsLawyer: Lauren, Amy and Maria all fit this trope well.

* BrokenBase: Amongst citizens of Essex, who either find the show a celebration of where they live or an embarrassment.

* TheRedStapler: Before TOWIE, reality TV was dying out in the UK, mostly due to the lack of audience interest and the economic crisis of the mid-2000s which strained all the channels, and most of the popular ones were either talent shows (''Series/BritainsGotTalent'' and ''Series/TheXFactor'' had their heydays here) or ending after a long run (''Series/BigBrother'' UK ended in 2010). After TOWIE became popular, there was a new generation of viewers that were watching, enough to spawn ''Geordie Shore'', ''Series/MadeInChelsea'' and ''The Valleys'', and other reality TV shows that became just as popular.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Before the show launched, the concept was pretty much universally derided as a pointless knockoff of a Creator/Channel4 show called ''Seven Days''. TOWIE massively defied expectations by becoming a hit while the C4 show died a death and is now barely remembered.

* DiscreditedTrope: The Essex Girl stereotype is this now, if not DeadHorseTrope territory yet.

* SnarkBait: Unsurprising considering before ''Geordie Shore'' came along, it was considered Britain's answer to JerseyShore.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Before the show launched, the concept was pretty much universally derided as a pointless knockoff of a ChannelFour show called ''Seven Days''. TOWIE massively defied expectations by becoming a hit while the C4 show died a death and is now barely remembered.

* MagnificentBastard / ManipulativeBastard / BunnyEarsLawyer: Lauren, Amy and Maria all fit this trope well.
* SnarkBait: Unsurprising considering before Geordie Shore came along it was considered Britain's answer to JerseyShore.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Before the show launched, the concept was pretty much universally derided as a pointless knockoff of a ChannelFour show called ''Seven Days''. TOWIE massively defied expectations by becoming a hit while the C4 show died a death and is now barely remembered.

* SnarkBait: For some.