2 Netflix Reality Shows that are Impossible to Stop Binge-watching

Everyone out there has some form of guilty pleasure. Be that watching gross YouTube videos, tuning into the cooking channel or helplessly attempting to re-create the looks of famous make-up artists. Another thing that belongs to the ‘guilty pleasure’ category is a certain subsection of Netflix: reality shows.

There is an age-old debate concerning reality TV: is the acting real? Some people would immediately say yes to that question while others would state that certain emotions seen on the screen would be almost impossible to replicate.

So what’s the truth?

Lately, Netflix has been swarmed with a range of reality shows that claim to be social experiments and to reflect reality as opposed to pre-learned scripts. Despite that declaration, many remain split on its authenticity.

Regardless of public reception, some TV programs absorb you so much that you cannot hold back from pressing “next episode.”

Yes, perhaps these series are not considered as the most intellectual to witness, however, they can prove to be great fun when with your partner, friends or family. They tend to be filled with adventure, comical jokes, and absurd situations that often many find themselves in. Reality TV can be considered both incredibly distant from the viewer and relatable.

Below is a list of the recently most popular reality TV shows that are super fun to watch especially when in company and with a bowl of popcorn and a soda in your hand.

1. Too Hot to Handle  

Too Hot to Handle is an American-British reality TV dating game show filmed in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The first season of the series consisted of eight episodes and was released on Netflix on April 17, 2020. Since then the series had two more seasons with season three being released onto Netflix on February 19, 2022.

Too Hot to Handle revolves around ten very attractive contestants (mostly influencers) that are placed on an island without knowing the true intentions of the organizers, Laura Gibson and Charlie Bennett.

Instead of receiving a steamy and lustful getaway which they were hoping for, the contestants are told to refrain from any sexual physical contact. Whilst this might sound easy and ridiculous it’s incredibly entertaining and at times relatable as one watches the ten contestants struggle.

While the contestants are on the island, they are also encouraged to build meaningful emotional connections. The organizers help the cast members to bond by offering a range of activities and workshops which help them express their emotions better.

Of course, there is a reward! The contestants start with $100,000 in their shared ‘bank’ and with every violation of the rules they get a large sum taken off. At the end of the four weeks, the money is either divided equally among the contestants or is given to the couple or individual most deserving of it.

2. Love is Blind

Similar to Too Hot to Handle, Love is Blind is an American dating reality TV show that first premiered on Netflix on February 13, 2020. Love is Blind can be either compared to The Bachelor or Married at First Sight. The series so far consists of two seasons with the second one premiering on February 11, 2022.  

Love is Blind was filmed over three weeks and follows the speed-dating journeys of 30 men and women with different backgrounds, some with the best paid medical jobs. Whilst this may sound quite straightforward there is a big twist! The two speaking contestants are separated by a wall, meaning that they are unable to see one another. Through this, creator Chris Coelen aims to answer the age old question: is love truly blind?

The contestants have the opportunity to date one another for 10 days before proposing in case they feel that they have developed a strong emotional connection with the person across the wall.

After the engagement, the couple meets in real life and go on a romantic retreat to Playa del Carmen, Mexico with the other engaged contestants. It is at this point that the show gets exciting as unexpected secrets begin to bubble up and hidden love triangles are brought to light.

But that’s not all! Interestingly, the most testing period within the couples’ relationship is moving in together and returning to their daily routines (which often conclude in conflicts as they struggle to match). Love is Blind demonstrates the realities of relationships and the widespread challenges that everyone faces, be that disputes within families or the struggles of communicating one’s differences.

Love is Blind is simply addicting and impossible to stop binge-watching. It also really makes you think about the extent to which emotional connections count compared to physical intimacy. This idea may raise multiple questions in the viewer: “Would I be able to marry someone after three weeks?” “How significant is sexual attraction in comparison to sentimentality?” “Does one’s financial stability matter in love?” “How would I feel if my significant other would be involved in retail work?”