Netflix makes a pitiful attempt at stealing my heart
Mead Gill, Copy & Online Editor
For many of us stuck in quarantine, there’s nothing like a good Netflix binge to distract from being productive. Unfortunately, the new crop of dating shows released by the platform has left me with mixed emotions. For this review, I’ll dive deep into a couple shows, writing from the perspective of your average Netflix subscriber.
Love is Blind (2020)
Though the show presents viewers with the question “Is love blind?” in the hopes that contestants will find true love without physically seeing their potential fiances, I found myself wishing I was blind while watching parts of the show. The show is centered around cliches like “true love” and “destiny” which don’t align with the romantic interactions on the screen. In the span of ten days, eight couples were engaged. It seemed the producers had done too good of a job picking contestants; they were only expecting two or three engagements, which forced them to completely cut two of the couples from the show. That doesn’t sound like true love to me.
Despite its downsides, the show succeeded at providing me with quality drama and hard-hitting love triangles. After watching the engaged couples struggle to figure out if they were actually in love with each other, I found myself convinced I was more emotionally stable than many of these grown adults. And watching people desperately struggle for love is undeniably entertaining.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Too Hot To Handle (2020)
After watching the trailer, it was clear to me that the show was a must-watch. Basically, a group of conventionally attractive men and women are forced to live together and restrain from sexual activity which, I’ll admit, sounded extremely entertaining. But as the show progressed, the entertainment value quickly wore off. The Netflix producers spun this wild premise as “sexual rehabilitation” which promoted the message that people should abstain from sexual relations in exchange for lasting relationships. As much as I support this message, I don’t watch reality TV to be taught a life lesson.
Yet again, the producers went overboard when it came to choosing applicable contestants. At times, it was painful to watch how disgustingly unintelligent these people were. Quotes such as “what is the number for 911” and “I literally have no idea where [Australia] is” almost felt too dumb to handle. But as difficult as the show was to watch, it’s hard to look away from a train wreck.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars