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Netflix's Dating Around Is a Cringey Nightmare I Can't Stop Watching
Reality dating shows have never been so human.
Do you love anxiety and small talk? Probably not, but if you do enjoy experiencing it secondhand through the safety of your television, I've got just the show for you!
Netflix's new reality television series Dating Around is a recurring nightmare that I cannot wake up from—nor do I want to. Let me explain...
The premise is simple: each episode follows one New York single who goes on five blind dates in an attempt to find love. At the night's close, they pick one person to go on a second date with. The dates range from cute and casual to instant fireworks to unbearably awkward. There are six episodes in total, but we're only going to talk about the queer contestants here (because straight people bore me).
Episode 3 features the "Asian James Dean," production designer Lex who's looking for a man who wants something a bit more serious (even though he will always be out of town for work). He meets up with the tall, awkward twink Cory, leather-pantsed Italian guy Mic, the peacocking songwriter/dog walker Jonathan, broadway queen Peter, and man-bunned rugby player Brad.
The dates play out like many of ours have: the guys talk about everything from their coming out stories and dabbling in drag to awkward hookup stories. The cringiest moment of all is when Jonathan reads one of his quite vulgar songs aloud and Lex's face twists in discomfort. This sparked so much joy for me personally, but you can't help but squirm when Jonathan asks about a second date and Lex just wants to be friends.
Doe-eyed serial monogamist Mila gets her shine in Episode 6. The femme makeup artist just moved to NYC and is figuring out the lesbian scene. She meets AG fashionista Nina, seasoned fitness manager Christina, aesthetically fuccboi yet charming Charlotte, bisexual model/actor Jarry, and party girl Ashley.
The dates commence and, over food and ice cream, the girls go over their labels, stud and femme preferences, and bond over fending off gross guys. We watch as Mila vibes with two of the girls while she parts ways with the dates she's not so interested in, and those moments underscore why the show works so well.
Dating Around can be really sweet when a couple is hitting it off and upsettingly uncomfortable when the date starts going south, but all of the interactions are brutally human. The premise of a reality dating show isn't new, but it's simplicity and rawness make it impossible to tear your eyes away. Unlike most reality dating shows, there aren't moments played up for laughs or producers pushing storylines behind the scenes, it's just people, taking a vulnerable shot at love for the world to watch.
So if you're feeling romantic or sadistic, give Dating Around a chance. And if you're Brad, the man-bunned rugby player from New York City, please slide in my DMs.
Dating Around is now streaming on Netflix!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
