Shows to Distract you Until the Latest Season of The Bachelorette Airs…
Writing this I cannot help but think about the fact that there are so few new television shows being released this summer, and one of my favorite summertime distractions, Bachelor in Paradise, has been indefinitely postponed due to the pandemic… For Bachelor Nation (aka. the franchise’s fan base) it could be a real struggle to find content to replace or (at the very least) tide you over until the much-anticipated season of The Bachelorette, featuring returning contestant Clare Crawley, airs hopefully sometime this fall… (After all, the show is supposedly in production, barring any unforeseen shutdowns…)
For me, shows like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and all its various spin-offs (from Bachelor Pad to Listen to Your Heart) are the epitome of ‘train-wreck’ television. You know, shows that are utterly ridiculous and over-the-top, typically featuring contestants who are absolute hot messes, and are, essentially, the kind of television shows that are so unbelievably infantile, yet entertaining, that you cannot help but watch them… All of these qualities make for the very best ‘train-wreck’ television, shows you don’t want to miss a minute of, but also need a glass (or two) of wine to get through. Certainly, the entire ‘Bachelor’ franchise fits this mold.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good dating or ‘hopeless romantic’ type show, just as much as the next gal, but there are times when the contestants’ personalities, the show’s editing, and/or the production choices simply get on my nerves. If the pandemic has taught me one thing, it is the power of the routines that we get sucked into, and right about now, I am missing my Monday (and sometime Tuesday) night routine of watching whatever crazy ‘Bachelor’ show is in season. To that end, I’ve been expanding the scope of my typical ‘train-wreck’ viewing and have been binge-watching each of the following dating or relationship-themed shows (all of which you can currently find on Netflix). I am sure all you Bachelor Nation fans will enjoy these shows, and, even if you don’t, these shows will at least help you pass the time until the next installment of The Bachelorette saga unfolds. Enjoy!
Love is Blind (2020-Present, Netflix)
Is love truly blind? That is exactly what this dating reality show seeks to discover by introducing a bunch of singles in sequestered dating “pods,” where the individuals can talk but cannot see the people they are communicating with and dating. After the contestants have gone through a series of speed dating type encounters, they begin to narrow down their list of potential partners whom they feel the most compatible with, and it is only after proposing that they get to see the other person face to face… Hosted by Vanessa and Nick Lachey, Love is Blind has been renewed for another two seasons on Netflix, so now is the perfect time to get caught up while waiting for new ‘Bachelor’ content to arrive.
Dating Around (2019-Present, Netflix)
Each episode of Dating Around focuses upon one person as they go on five blind first dates. The show is probably one of the most diverse dating shows that I have ever watched, as it focuses on daters of different cultures, genders, sexualities, races, body types, and ages. At the end of each episode the lead usually picks one of their five blinds dates to ask out on a second date, and I enjoy making the show into a bit of a game by guessing who I think the main contestant will ask out on that second date…
Too Hot to Handle (2020-Present, Netflix)
This one is for all of you Love Island fans, as the premise of Too Hot to Handle is to unleash a bunch of horny 20-somethings on a tropical resort and tell them that they cannot engage in sexual activity of any kind (including kissing, self-gratification, etc.), or else they will lose prize money to be split among the group of remaining contestants at the end of their stay… The show also has a ‘big brother’ type element in that a virtual assistant, named “Lana,” keeps a watchful eye on the contestants and deducts set amounts of money for every sexual indiscretion in which the contestants engage. If you are interested in watching the most vapid and unintelligent group of people prance around in swimwear, then this show is the raunchier version of Bachelor in Paradise that you didn’t know you were looking for.
Indian Matchmaking (2020-Present, Netflix)
There is certainly plenty of controversy swirling around about this recently released dating documentary series, but I found the show to be quite entertaining, contemporary, and heartfelt. This, to me, becomes particularly apparent when you think about the current dating climate. We live in a dating world dominated by swiping apps and a plethora of dating websites, where it can be easy for one to get overwhelmed and discouraged by all of the fake accounts, incompatible profile “matches,” and questionable user intentions. There should be an easier way for single people to meet other single people, right??? Enter the ‘matchmaker,’ a concept found in many cultures, but explored from a more modern standpoint within Indian Matchmaking. Not dissimilar to other ‘reality’ dating shows that have featured ‘matchmaking’ elements, think Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker, or even Fox’s recent series Labor of Love (where single 40-something Kristy Katzmann, a former season 11 contestant on The Bachelor, dated a hand-selected pool of men in order to find the right person to start a family with…), as most dating shows today function as a ‘matchmaker’ on one level or another. What kept me engaged and entertained with Indian Matchmaking were the mini interviews with married couples at various stages of their relationships, some had been married for years and others more recently so. It was these little moments with established couples (including their bickering, respect, and love for their respective spouse) juxtaposed between the struggles of those looking for a partner, or ‘match,’ that I found the most interesting. Whether you approve of the concept of matchmaking or not, this show was surprisingly well done, and an interesting look into the struggles of modern dating. Moreover, if this show doesn’t leave you with a variation of “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” (from Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof, 1964) running through your head, I don’t know a better dating show that will.
Love on the Spectrum (2019-Present, Netflix)
Dating can be truly awkward, and Love on the Spectrum shows us just how universal this social construct and experience can be, but through the dating encounters of adults on the autism spectrum. This Australian reality series surprised me with how open, honest, and hopelessly romantic this show’s cast can be. Compared to other dating shows, Love on the Spectrum is a breath of fresh air, as it lacks the ‘competition’ aspects of many other reality TV dating shows, and instead highlights love as a basic human need (right up there with food, water, shelter, etc.). Unlike other dating shows, (think the over-the-top ‘Bachelor/Bachelorette’ dates) this TV series does not sugar-coat the messiness or struggles one faces in order to find that special someone, no matter how uncomfortable the process…
Say I Do (2020-Present, Netflix)
Okay, so I know that this show isn’t really about dating, but it does feature ‘Bachelor’ style proposals in the way of ‘surprise’ weddings, where one member of an established couple plans to ambush their partner with the proposal and wedding of their dreams, all in the span of one week! With Jeremiah Brent, Thai Nguyen, and Gabriele Bertaccini acting as a dream wedding planning team, these three men are tasked with helping the couples through every step involved in planning their wedding including securing the venue/décor, their attire (I’m talking some fabulous bespoke wedding gowns), and all the food, Say I Do helps make these couple’s wedding dreams become a reality. This is one of those feel-good wedding shows, without the fighting and ruthlessness of Say Yes to the Dress or Four Weddings, rather think Disney Fairytale Weddings, but with a more subtle and touching vibe, as the show chronicles all the obstacles and hardships that these couples have faced on their journey towards making it to the altar.
What do you think of the ‘Bachelor’ franchise? How many of these ‘dating’ shows have you found yourself watching whilst self-isolating during the pandemic? Share your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to check back later this week for our discussion of Independence Day!
Copyright © 2020 Sarah Crane
