All genres are not created equal, and it is commonly accepted that reality television shows, more specifically, reality television shows about dating, fall squarely into the “trash” TV category.
If we’re being polite, the genre could be reframed as a “guilty pleasure” but the bottom line remains the same: you are permitted to boast about devouring Succession, but no one should admit to watching an entire season of Are you the One? in one day.
We can (and we should) deny watching them, but it seems we can’t get enough of them. Next Monday, we will see the return of rating juggernaut Married At First Sight on Channel Nine (owner of this masthead), while franchises including The Bachelor, Farmer Wants a Wife and Love Island continue to unearth batches of singles looking for love.
But while free to air has been the traditional hearth of reality dating shows, the rise of streaming platforms has given us a bouquet of on-demand options. To adapt a common dating show adage: there are plenty more fish in the stream.
Choosing the right show is much like choosing the right partner. You have to get out there, dabble, experiment, binge outside your box. But you don’t want to go into it blind (unless, of course, blind dating is your thing), so in the interest of helping you find your perfect match, here are the best, worst and weirdest dating shows available to stream right now.
Too Hot To Handle, Netflix
On the surface, this is your classic dating show featuring loads of Sexy Singles™ living in a mansion and almost exclusively wearing swimmers. But there’s just one twist: no kissing or sex of any kind. Suitable for those experiencing their own dry spell, but not for those looking to live vicariously through their guilty pleasure. Rating: ♥♥♥♥
No kissing or sex on Too Hot To Handle, but plenty of scantily clad limbo.Credit:Netflix
Below Deck, Netflix
All aboard Below Deck as we set sail for true love. If it wasn’t clear, Below Deck is set onboard a charter motor yacht and follows the young crew as they work hard and party harder. While not strictly a dating show, Below Deck features plenty of nautical drama as the crew members inevitably stumble in and out of each other’s cabins. Pros: Lots of boat-puns and stunning scenery. Cons: It should’ve been called Some Like It Yacht. Rating: ♥♥♥
Are You The One?, Paramount +
Are You The One? toys with the idea of a perfect match by plonking a bunch of hot young daters on an island. The group of singles have been secretly paired into couples by producers, and if the couples can find their perfect match, they will walk away with a million dollars. Finding true love is great, but finding true love while also taking home a cash prize is better. Perfect for those who believe in soul mates, but hit skip if you’re after straight-up raunch. Rating: ♥♥♥
Sexy Beasts, Netflix
Every so often, a show comes along which is so bizarre you can almost hear the pitch being delivered: what if we did a dating show where all the contestants wore prosthetic makeup, so they looked like beasts? Sexy Beasts really represents what all dating shows should aspire to; it’s original, hilarious, but also kind of well-meaning (if you can fall for a purple-headed alien, then love is truly blind). Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Sexy Beasts sets out to prove that not only is love blind, it’s also terrifying. Credit:Netflix
Summer House, Binge
Renting a house with friends is one of the most wholesome activities you can do: shared meals, board games, too much wine. But you should never stay longer than a weekend before everyone starts to get on each other’s nerves. Which is precisely the point of Summer House, which documents a group of friends as they rent a house for a full six (6!) weeks. Naturally, there is plenty of drama, as well as hooks up and breakups in equal measure. Rating: ♥♥
The Undateables, Stan
A British dating show with a difference (and some actual heart), The Undateables centres on people living with challenging conditions – be they physical and/or learning disabilities – in the dating world. In much the same way Love on the Spectrum shines a light on dating with autism, The Undateables focuses on the reality of dating with health problems or disabilities. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
For The Love of Ray J, Amazon Prime
Remember Ray J? Of course, you don’t. Most famous for being the other person in Kim Kardashian’s sex tape, Ray J capitalised on his 15 minutes by starring in two seasons of For The Love of Ray J, which is basically like The Bachelor, but the Bachelor is always Ray J.
Each episode features ridiculous challenges designed for the girls to show Ray J how much they like him. In one episode, the girls have to convince Ray of their cinematic talent during a challenge called, Create Movie Scenes To Act Out With Ray. Only to be viewed when you’ve watched everything else. Rating: ♥
Singles Inferno, Netflix
Single’s Inferno features plenty of romantic dates, just like this one. Credit:Netflix
Another dating show, another island, but Single’s Inferno is far from your regular reality program. In this South Korean offering, the contestants are looking to escape the deserted island they’ve been dumped on to make it to paradise (a luxury hotel). They must pair up with another single and select each other at a ceremony to do so. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.
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