Netflix’s Love Is Blind has created a huge buzz on social media for its novel premise and unrelenting drama. This new show is certainly a new direction for dating shows, but it owes a lot to its messy predecessors. Dating shows, and reality shows in general, have a long and storied history, but here are five of the best to watch after you’ve binged Love Is Blind.
Flavor of Love
This list starts off with the show that is often credited as kicking off the trend of great, trashy dating shows. It also is perhaps the most fantastic, ridiculous dating show to ever grace the television airwaves. Airing on MTV in the mid-2000s, Flavor of Love’s three seasons follow Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav with a group of female contestants who compete for his love through challenges and increasingly degrading games. The series is reality TV trash at its greatest with countless cat-fights and levels of drama only capable by MTV in the early-2000s. From Flavor of Love came numerous spin-offs and specials, including a series based on Internet famous Tiffany “New York” Pollard’s quest for love. Most notably though, Flavor of Love spawned Rock of Love.
Rock of Love
Like Flavor of Love, Rock of Love focuses on one celebrity’s quest to find love through the format of a competitive dating show. In Rock of Love, this celebrity is rockstar Bret Michaels of Poison. While Flavor of Love takes a bit to really find its stride, Rock of Love starts off with a bang of partying, drama, and sheer ridiculousness that defines the rest of the series. Though both Flavor of Love and Rock of Love are not without their serious issues and feature a great deal of eyebrow-raising interactions between contestants and the men they are pursuing, they’re both series that can be considered the greatest of guilty pleasure binges. Both shows are available for streaming on Hulu.
90 Day Fiancé
The premise of 90 Day Fiancé is simple: couples have 90 days to decide whether or not they will be married. The kicker is that they’ve only interacted in person with each other for that period of time and one member of the couple is in the United States on a visa, which expires in 90 days. This dating show features numerous screaming matches, a true cast of characters, and a fresh format that lends itself to binge-worthy drama. Five seasons of 90 Day Fiancé are available for streaming on Hulu.
Love Island
Love Island features several contestants, referred to as Islanders, competing in a resort-style environment to win a cash prize and find lasting love. Based on popularity and their current relationship status, contestants are either kicked off or remain from week to week. Of course, there is a great deal of drama and betrayal that make Love Island a worthwhile dating show. Though Love Island has not been without controversy, its mix of drama with that classic reality TV trashiness makes for a good binge-watch session.
Love Island is available for streaming on Hulu.
The Bachelor/Bachelorette
Of this list, The Bachelor/Bachelorette series is perhaps the most similar dating show to Love Is Blind if only because these dating shows take themselves incredibly seriously. The Bachelor/Bachelorette has become a cultural staple, each version of the series airing annually and often resulting in long-lasting conversation and controversy. The premise follows one pre-selected Bachelor or Bachelorette, usually a former contestant of the show, as they search for love in a group of contestants all vying for their attention. All involved treat the format and process as one capable of producing true love. Whether this notion is true or a piece of overproduced ridiculousness, it proves for a quality viewing experience. The latest season of The Bachelor is available for streaming on Hulu.
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