Finding love is a big goal for many people around the world, and networks and streaming services have capitalized on this by creating their own dating competition series. There have been a plethora of shows that have come out that deem themselves to be the best way to find love, or claim that they are revolutionizing dating. While dating series have been a staple for the reality TV genre as a whole, some shows have been better than others.
Reality TV dating shows have had a few controversies like The Bachelor, but it seems like audiences have not dismissed them just yet. When Netflix saw the popularity of this reality TV genre, the streamer dipped its hand in the format with their monumental success with Love Is Blind and Too Hot To Handle. There is something about watching people fall in love that viewers love to follow along, and these reality shows often contain storylines of cheating, lying, and betrayal, which are universal themes. The exciting, complex emotion of love usually makes for great TV and keeps these stories unpredictable. Here are a few great reality dating shows that you can watch.
8. Flavor Of Love
Flavor of Love had a lot of controversies, but it ultimately set the tone for what some call the golden age of reality TV dating shows. Flavor Flav was part of the famous rap group Public Enemy in the 1980s and 1990s. He had already had reality shows with VH1, but he actually struck gold with Flavor of Love. The show was a hit, and it helped spawn other shows such as I Love New York, Daisy of Love, Real Chance at Love, and even Rock of Love. The show had three seasons, though the first two seasons are probably the best. While Flavor Flav may not have found love, the show is a great nostalgic throwback to the 2000s.
7. A Double Shot at Love with DJ Pauly D and Vinny
Fans of Jersey Shore will love this spin-off series, which has Pauly D and Vinny Guadagnino in a mansion hoping to find love. The show is a fun watch, and when it first premiered, the viewers did not think that the two roommates would end up with one of the ladies. They were proven wrong, however, as Pauly D recently celebrated his first anniversary with long time girlfriend Nikki Hall. While Vinny did not find love on the show yet, there are talks that there may be another show of a similar format to help Vinny finally find love.
6. Love Is Blind
Love Is Blind was a truly unexpected hit for Netflix when the streamer began to venture into the reality TV genre. This was a smash hit for Netflix as it experimented with a different way to fall in love. On the show, contestants talk to potential partners through a screen and never see each other, hence the title Love Is Blind. The new format was meant to show that people could fall in love by simply talking and not getting distracted by physical appearances. While it worked out for Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton, it was still a risky experiment, as more components contribute to falling in love. However, Netflix announced that fans can now expect two more seasons of Love Is Blind coming soon.
5. The Bachelor
The Bachelor has been around for a very long time. However, the male leads have frustrated viewers beyond belief, such as when Jason Mesnick dumped his final choice and went to be with his runner-up, or even when Ben Higgins committed a Bachelor Nation faux pas and told his final two picks that he was in love with both of them. However, the fans probably lost faith in The Bachelor after Peter Weber’s season. The season received so much criticism that no woman from his season was even considered to become the next lead of The Bachelorette. However, The Bachelor is a great accompaniment for other shows like The Bachelorette and Bachelor In Paradise.
4. Married At First Sight
Getting married to a stranger may sound like the last thing anyone would do, but there are crazy things people would do to find love. The Married At First Sight series has an incredibly low success rate, but contestants always come in with the hope that it will work out for them. Alas, there have been amazing couples, such as Amani and Woody Randall, or even season 1 couple Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner. Even though the concept is wild, this can be a heart-warming show, and the fans may even learn something from its regular counseling sessions.
3. Are You The One?
If your perfect match were standing right in front of you, would you know it? That is the big premise of MTV’s dating show Are You The One? It is a chaotic way of finding love, as there is no scientific way of proving someone is your perfect match. This show is like Married At First Sight, but without the wedding, ring, or marriage license. Overall, AYTO consists of 20 singles who must figure out who their perfect match is, and they have 10 weeks to do so. If they do win, they get the $1 million grand prize. If they blackout any week, however, their cash prize can be cut in half. The show is intensely entertaining and one of the best reality series to come from MTV. Recently, Are You The One? even had an all-LGBTQ+ inclusive season.
2. The Bachelorette
The Bachelorette hasn’t been around as long as The Bachelor, but it is now becoming more popular than the original series, without a doubt. In recent years, longtime fans of the show have leaned more toward the female-led spin-off, as many viewers feel that a lot of male leads are either immature or just confused. Bachelor Nation has enjoyed so many amazing seasons, from JoJo Fletcher’s to Rachel Lindsay’s to even Katie Thurston’s, which is the first season not hosted by Chris Harrison. Despite the controversies and issues, The Bachelorette is one of the best dating reality shows out there. It has stood the test of time and does not seem to be slowing down.
1. Love Island UK
The British edition is honestly the only Love Island series worth watching. While the other versions have tried to emulate the mega-success of the original show, they have not reached quite the same standards. Overall, Love Island consists of 10 hot singles trying to find their perfect match and stand a chance at winning £50,000. The show is widely popular, and the casting is usually amazing. Most seasons are filled with enough drama and romance. A few contestants have even gone on to get married and have babies together. Overall, the series has managed to find the right balance. With the latest season beginning on June 28, it would be a great time to start watching and jump on this fun bandwagon. Moreover, this show has launched the careers of mega influencers like Amber Gill, Molly-Mae Hague, and Tommy Fury.