Let’s face it: dating is getting harder with each passing day. The days of going to the bar and meeting an interesting (and normal) individual or having a meet-cute are long gone. People are turning to dating apps, but hook-up culture seems to take those over. Where are people supposed to naturally — or at least semi-naturally — meet potential partners? Well, they could always go apply for one of the following Netflix shows.
Dating shows are a new craze that fans cannot help but love. Tired singles, sexy individuals, and people who have reached their limit within their relationships sign up to experience something truly unique. Netflix has gotten on board with this new trend, and they keep finding fresh and interesting ways to do the same thing: get people together. Check out these top 10 dating shows that Netflix has created to see how your love life compares or if you feel compelled to submit an application.
10 Dating Around
Netflix’s very first dating show, Dating Around took a more traditional approach to the dating scene being filmed on camera. Essentially, one person goes on five blind dates, and after the last date concludes, they choose which of the “contestants” they want to go on a second date with. Each episode starts with a friend of the main person explaining a bit about them, and then it quickly moves to the different stages of the five blind dates.
By the end of the episode, the main individual has chosen who they want to continue to see. From drinks, to dinner, to a potential nightcap, the two-season series is pretty simple. Some pairs have chemistry, and a lot of them have awkward laughing to drown out the silence.
9 Sexy Beasts
Looks more often than not play a big part when it comes to individuals being instantly attracted to someone. Netflix, who seemingly took a page from The Masked Singer’s rule book, decided to eliminate one’s attractiveness and real physical features by putting their contestants in wild and ridiculous costumes.
The premise of Sexy Beasts is for one person (who is dressed as a unique creature or character) to get to know three potential partners (who have also spent some time with the makeup and costume department) without truly knowing what they look like. By the end of each episode, the chosen contestant and the primary dater take off their crazy costumes and makeup to reveal their looks to one another.
8 Indian Matchmaking
A common misconception about Indian culture is that arranged marriages are solely at the hands of the parents. Indian Matchmaking sets out to prove to many people that the tradition has changed quite a bit, and the two who are dating have a lot more say than many might think. Sima Taparia is a professional matchmaker in India, and with the help of the show’s creator, Smriti Mundhra, the two focus on the matchmaking process between Indian couples.
Sima Aunty meets with singles and sets them up after getting to know what they (as well as their families) are looking for in a partner. The family aspect is very important because, as Sima Aunty says, a marriage combines two independent families that have their own histories and money; it does not just connect two individuals.
7 Single’s Inferno
With Korean dramas on the rise in the U.S., why not feature a Korean dating show? Single’s Inferno brings six men and six women together on an island to compete in challenges that win them dates with one another. The contestants then get to know the other players abilities and skills as well as what they want from a future partner.
If and when the singles choose a person who has also chosen them, then the two get to temporarily leave the island and go to “Paradise” where no topics (including age and occupation) are off limits. The overall goal for the singles is to win as many challenges as possible, get to know potential partners on a deeper level, and escape the island with their perfect match.
Contrary to one’s initial beliefs in the title, siblings are not dating one another. Instead, they are helping one another find their perfect partners while at a luxurious villa with other singles and their siblings. The premise of Dating & Related may be awkward, but everyone knows that siblings can be the biggest protectors and best wing-people when it comes to their brothers or sisters dating.
Tensions run high in this show as individuals try to go on dates or have a little sexy time with their siblings either right next to them or within view. Some overprotectiveness takes place, but in the end, each pair of siblings (and the one pair of cousins) realize how much love they have for one another while going through this experience together.
5 Love on the Spectrum
With more than a couple dozen different dating shows out there, a unique hook is often needed to set a series apart from the rest. Netflix found an interesting angle with an Australian show, and they decided to bring the concept to the states. Love on the Spectrum (US) follows six singles that have been diagnosed with some form of autism. While they are each looking for love and companionship, not all of them have experienced the cut-throat dating world.
A camera crew follows each individual around in their respective cities as they get set up on blind dates, meet other singles on the spectrum, and potentially fall in love. This series will touch many hearts, but it will also have fans laughing until they cry with some of the quick wit and hilarious commentary.
4 Perfect Match
Perfect Match blends the essence of a dating show with the activities of competition and game shows. A group of singles who were previously on different Netflix reality shows get together and pair up to compete in challenges. The couples who are the most compatible (and therefore have the best communication skills) often win the challenges, and the ones who do not win are subject to being split up and placed with new, incoming players.
From the drama that comes with building relationships to the chaos that ensues when some contestants are just a bit too competitive, this popular show has fans rooting for the success and the failure of several singles.
3 The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On
After a certain amount of time has passed in a relationship, one person starts to question where things are going. Conversations about rings, weddings, and babies arise, but what happens when one person genuinely does not feel ready to take the next step?
The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On poses a solution to this problem. It features couples that have been together for some time, but one person in the relationship has issued an ultimatum to either get engaged or split up forever. All the couples then meet and eventually “swap” partners, so everyone can get to know a different individual in an intimate setting for three whole weeks. This is supposed to make each person realize they either want to take the leap with their significant other or call things off.
2 Too Hot to Handle
Too Hot to Handle is the ultimate tease show. 10 sexy singles are forced to live together in the same house, but the catch is that they cannot kiss or engage in sexual activities or behavior with themselves or anyone else. If (more like “when”) they do, their overall prize money drops. The individuals have to weigh out the literal costs of getting a little satisfaction.
The goal for the individuals is to make genuine connections with other people rather than have shallow flings like they have previously done in their real lives. Over the course of four seasons, some contestants have been kicked out because they simply don’t care about the rules or cannot make connections with the others. This series has been renewed for another season, and fans cannot wait to see the drama unfold for the new players.
1 Love is Blind
While social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, an idea became a reality. Netflix created a show that had individuals “meeting” and dating, but the catch was that they were separated through an opaque blue wall. In Love is Blind, men and women go into conjoined rooms and spill their hearts out about why they are single and what they are looking for in a partner. When a connection is made, dates become more frequent, and feelings are formed.
If things go how they should, a proposal takes place, and the newly engaged couple finally gets to meet face-to-face just before flying off to their pre-wedding vacation. Then, out in the real world, all the couples who have stuck together learn to balance life with planning their wedding to a person they still just met. Not everyone makes it to the altar, nor does everyone standing in front of their family and friends say “I do.”
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
