Why other people watch reality dating shows is a mystery to me. Maybe they watch for the drama, the love or some other reason. What’s undeniable, however, is that there’s money to be made watching real people give love a shot.
As someone who began her love of reality TV shows with the largest of them all, “The Bachelor,” I’ve certainly been sucked into the appeal. I’ve even bought into all the franchise’s spinoffs, such as “The Bachelorette,” “Bachelor in Paradise” and “The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart”—which I’m recording on TV. Streaming services also provide a lot of binge-able reality dating content like “Love is Blind” on Netflix and “Love Island” on Hulu—a show I’ve just started. With all these possibilities, I wouldn’t blame people for thinking I’ve had my reality TV fix. However, that’s not the case.
Netflix released yet another reality dating show to its mix on April 17, and of course, I had to finish the eight episodes in less than two days. “Too Hot to Handle” is definitely not for kids, with its raunchy conversations and scantily clad bodies. However, this reality tv show is quite different from the rest.
The Netflix description of the show reads: “on the shores of paradise, gorgeous singles meet and mingle. But there’s a twist. To win a $100,000 grand prize, they’ll have to give up sex.” Based on this premise, the show sounds ridiculously trashy. While there is plenty of trash to fill the episodes, however, the description misses the boat.
“Too Hot to Handle” features men and women who define themselves as “hook-up types.” No relationships wanted. The voice-over narrator—comedian Desiree Burch—provides amazing colorful commentary regarding the events that are beginning to occur while being aware of the twist that’s coming. As all the contestants lay their claims on who they want to get down and dirty with, they are unaware of the bomb, or robot, that is about to drop: Lana. As Burch hysterically says in episode one, “better move quick, because Lana’s about to go pee pee on your picnic.”
Lana is basically an artificial intelligence device shaped like a cone that oversees everything that occurs on the island. The AI also issues the challenge for the contestants: if they can refrain from kissing and sex for the whole vacation, there will be a $100,000 prize. If anyone breaks the rules, however, money will be deducted. Obviously that is not what these contestants believed they were signing up for.
Controversy begins right after the twist is announced. While some people are focused on keeping the money pot at $100,000 and discourage people from breaking the rules, others don’t seem to care. However, there’s more to the no physical relationship rule than meets the eye.
The point of this challenge is for the contestants to learn the value in forming deeper connections with each other and to ultimately strive for personal growth. There’s no engagement at the end, and it’s up the contestants whether they want to take any relationship formed on the island to the real world. This twist is the reason that “Too Hot to Handle” is different—and arguably better—than other reality dating shows out there.
While “The Bachelor” franchise fosters deep connections between its contestants, there’s the pressure to put a ring on it at the end of the specified time frame. In addition, there are certainly no rules against kissing. “Love is Blind” also emphasizes an emotional connection first, but these relationships all end up at the altar where someone can get dumped or couples get married. I haven’t watched enough of “Love Island” to understand how that goes, but there don’t seem to be any rules against physical connections.
It’s to be expected that the contestants struggle at first. There are a lot of kisses—which result in a $3,000 deduction each—and even more naughtiness when Lana puts couples to the ultimate test. If Lana feels that a couple has made a deeper emotional connection, she allows them to spend the night in a private suite where contestants usually lose a lot of money. Eventually, Lana also gives the contestants a watch that lights up green allowing a kiss when she feels the couple has earned it.
Not every individual is coupled up immediately. Many try to explore their options and new arrivals also show up; there’s certainly a lot of drama about who likes who. It’s like “Bachelor in Paradise” except a little cone is monitoring everyone’s actions.
Honestly, the idea of a robot watching and dictating your life is creepy. The contestants had to be aware of something like Lana being on the show or they didn’t read their contracts. However, these contestants also signed up for a reality tv hoping to party on camera.
A lot of Lana’s methods seem to work. The AI’s workshops are what really allow the contestants to form deeper connections with each other, become vulnerable to their emotions and achieve personal growth.
The workshops tackle many topics, such as challenging masculinity, embracing female empowerment and building trust in one another. As odd as they are—and they’re very strange—they seem to work. One man opens up to the woman he’s interested after attending the male-only workshop. A woman tells off a guy who messes with her emotions after attending an empowering female workshop.
While most people who star on reality TV walk away from their experience learning something about themselves and relationships, “Too Hot to Handle” allows viewers to see these changes and encourages them. It’s still a wild show—especially with Burch’s comments—but there’s more to it than forcing relationships that don’t work. There’s actually an effort made for people to grow.
If you’re a reality TV show addict or you’re just looking for your next binge, “Too Hot to Handle” has all the makings of an appealing dating show.