Have you watched Too Hot To Handle yet? It’s Netflix’s newest dating reality show that takes several “serial swipers” and “commitment-phobes” to a tropical island. THTH was released last Friday and while it sounds standard enough, almost like every other show….EXCEPT there are rules to THTH. Contestants have a chance at $100,000 but they can’t kiss, masturbate, have sex, or have any other sexual contact for four weeks! I don’t think Netflix planned this but what a #quarantinemood. If anyone at the retreat violates the rules, everyone loses money. And it’s hard, because everyone is super hot and super horny.
I binged all of THTH in two days and loved every minute. But how does THTH compare to other shows like it, especially Netflix’s other hit, Love Is Blind? Earlier this year, everyone was talking about Love Is Blind, although to be honest, I find it really boring. I tried twice to get into the show and ended up fast forwarding through most of the episodes.
The concept of “blind love” is a really good idea, and one that challenges every other show where sculpted men and gorgeous women try to f-ck each other in various tropical locations. So, what makes THTH better than LIB?
I consider myself an expert in dating reality shows I say “dating” because if I just said reality TV, I think Maria would have me beat) and THTH checks all the boxes and more of Good Reality TV.
It’s not a dating show
In most shows of this kind, the goal is to find love. It’s relatable, and hence popular, but it’s also hard to believe that people can make a strong connection in a short amount of time. In Love Is Blind, it’s like 10 days. In THTH, contestants are focused on improving themselves. They do date each other and couple up, but that’s not the overall point of the competition, leaving room for people to explore other options. This also prevents the dreaded “couple for convenience” and “couple because they were the only option left.”
There are rules and consequences which make for a good hook
All good reality shows need to have a good shtick. In LIB, it’s not being able to see the person you’re dating and then having to propose to them. THTH does better. No sex or even kissing on a show with sexy singles is one of the most genius ideas I have ever heard of. It’s supposed to help people build deeper emotional connections, but it also has added features. Contestants don’t know about the rules until 24 hours into the game. There’s different penalty amounts for different actions (sex costs more than a kiss). And people can screw over the group out of spite if they want to, because any infraction costs EVERYONE. It’s a delicious set up for drama.
Quality characters
We must have people to love AND people to hate. It’s the golden rule of reality TV. As an added bonus, THTH is international, so there’s a cross of cultures (at least Western, English speaking ones) that provide a diverse mixture of personalities, humour, and flirting. That also means you also need people who aren’t super smart, people who make bad decisions, and people who say stupid sh-t.
Stellar editing and production
I think it’s best when shows don’t take themselves super seriously. That’s actually my biggest problem with Love Is Blind. It’s too serious. I don’t really want to just watch couples try and sort out their relationship issues. It’s made worse by the editing. Take the contestant introductions for instance. The producers chose to spread these out over time meaning that you see six scenes with one person before they were introduced.
The editing and the narration of THTH is good. Producers play around with the contestants, giving them characters and stories. They even make one of the contestants Jesus and play heavenly music whenever it comes up. The narrator, comedian Desiree Burch, also does a great job of providing a voice to what viewers are thinking. Not too overbearing, but just the right amount of commentary and jokes.
A good balance of seriousness and fun
For me, this is the best part of the show. Love Is Blind has a great message: focusing on an emotional connection and loving someone for more than just their looks can lead to strong relationships. But there needs to be levels to the show, which is what I think THTH excels in. There are moments in THTH where real progress is made. There are workshops focused on self-development, empowerment, and growth. There’s even one where the women worship their vaginas and it’s f-cking awesome! On top of the meaningful moments, there’s still humour and silliness. There are dirty jokes and sexual references. It’s the kind of show that sends good overall message but also keeps you entertained.
Too Hot To Handle isn’t perfect. The show focuses on five main people, and most of the other contestants don’t get much screen time. It’s not great at redemption and growth arcs, usually relying on the audience to forget sh-tty actions or skimming past it to the point where it feels forced. This could also be because it’s too short. We’re used to one hour of Love Island EVERY DAY. How can THTH compress 30 days into episodes that are less than an hour? We need more!
Still, I’m pleasantly surprised by Netflix’s latest offering, and in my opinion, it’s a much better watch than the studio’s other reality shows. Dare I say that THTH is the best I’ve seen ever? Maybe even better than Love Island? *GASP*
