Recent years have seen a huge evolution in television as a whole, with reality TVespecially changing greatly from how it has functioned for the past few decades. Most of these changes have been positive, while some people have valid complaints about new setups for long-standing series. The mandated increase in people with different identities being cast and programsfighting against blatant discrimination has been a welcomed innovation.Some of the clearest examples of these changes can be seen in reality dating shows, with the latest season ofPerfect Match, created byChris CoelenonNetflix.Helping to establish a new norm on how romantic experiments like these can be run.
Any series like this will feature jaw-dropping moments of drama, but fans have luckily seen fewer and fewer circumstances of flagrant bigotry and offensive misogyny in their stories of people searching for love.Perfect Matchhas become the latest show to fight against these issues, andthey owe it all to their contestants. Not all of them,as it’s unfortunate how many still cling to the problematic behaviorthat makes so many early seasons of earlier shows hard to watch. This season has some amazing icons who refused to be quiet in the face of this kind of mess and, if audiences are lucky, set a precedent for this show (and others like it) to follow going forward.
Perfect Match
Perfect Match is a Netflix original dating/competition reality show that premiered on Valentine’s Day, 2023. Taking some of the most untamed contestants from other Netflix series such as Too Hot to Handle, Love Is Blind, and The Circle, Perfect Match aims to put these singles together for a chance at finding a new long-lasting romance - and a mysterious prize. As the couples attempt to bond with one another, a wrench gets thrown into the works as new singles arrive at the island to shake things up.
These ‘Perfect Match’ Contestants Didn’t Come To Play
Perfect Matchis one of countless entertaining dating shows, with this subgenre astounding fans for decades with its stories of people trying to find the one for them through various unique experiments. These have taken many forms over the years,from people getting engaged ‘sight unseen’ to a group of attractive singles battling it out on an island dedicated to their romance, yet no matter each one’s premise, all of them are grounded in the interactions between its cast. How these people communicate with one another builds the series and makes the ultimate goal of finding true love possible -which is why it’s so unfortunate how deeply problematic so many of these series have historically been. Not every moment, of course, but many viewers cringe when looking back at older iterations of franchises and seeing things like slut-shaming or the gaslighting of people just trying to speak their feelings. It’s not only made things harder for the show’s contestants, but it has also created harmful models for everyone watching who may not know that what they’re seeing isn’t healthy.
This season ofPerfect Matchpresents a setup that many reality fans are familiar with: attractive singles from acrossNetflix’s wide range of reality shows come together in a Mexican villa, each with the goal of finding said perfect match. They do this through a complex system of coupling up, playing competitions, and occasionally swapping partners with those who don’t find someone they click with being evicted from the house. This sophomore outing has featured the exhilaratingmoments of tension and romance that made the first so popular,yet there’s something different in this iteration - something better.Because it’s clear that many of these people have come looking for love, yes, but they’ve also come in with a wealth of healthy habits, self-respect, and an understanding that they are all adults and should be acting as such. This maturity doesn’t come at the expense of drama at all, and it has created a thrilling season of amazing reality TV that is both enjoyable and educational for everyone watching.
Tolu, Xanthi, and Jessica Are Making A Difference
One ofPerfect Matchseason 2’s first truly iconic moments came fromThe Trust’sTolú Ekundarewhen this strategic powerhouse confronted her current match - and season 1 winner -Dom Gabriel. Their initial few days together had Dom assuring her that, despite his failed (but winning) relationship, he was still on this series looking for ‘the one’…which is why she was shocked when he revealed his true intention was to date around as much as possible. Fans were disappointed in this revelation, then thrilled to see her respond with well-justified force,the competitor succinctly calling him out for misleading herand agreeing that he wanted the same thing when that was clearly never his intention. She was brutal but respectful, a mature demeanor thatXanthi Perdikomatisreplicated when she informed Tolü that her follow-up match,Chris Hahn, had spent the day saying that he thought she was holding him back. The man got confronted and, while he tried to bring in Xanthi to discredit her, she simply reiterated what she said. Tolu valued the words of her friend, and proceeded to delightfully call him out for his caddy behavior and went to speak with others, refusing to lethimhold her back. This moment not only continued a great trend of verbal evisceration that wasn’t overly disrespectful, all while stressing these women’s friendship and how valuable that can be over flighty romance.
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Tolu and Xanthi were great examples of calling someone out while still being mature, but this season’s true model of maturity isLove is Blindalumni,Jessica Vestal. Her relationship with resident playboyHarry Jowseyhad been rocky from the start, with the player making it clear that she was looking for a serious relationship for herself and a respectable man to bring home to her daughter - which made it truly terrible when former hostMelinda Berryannounced at a table of the show’s women that he’d kissed her. Jessica called out this clear desire of attention immediately but swallowed her frustration to explain that, while she appreciated the other person’s honesty, in no way was it appropriate to drop such a bombshell in front of the cast.
This clearly baffled the theatrics-prone people around her, but this wasn’t even where she really shined. That came earlier in the day when she found Harry crying in bed, lamenting that he acted in a way that didn’t befit her or her daughter. Jessica heard how he had spent the day carrying another woman around, took a moment to gather himself, then called him in to have a healthy conversation that validated both of their feelings. This health didn’t come without drama, as after his tears dried, she made it clear she was still furious at him and didn’t understandhow he could be sad when she’s the one his actions hurt, but it still created an amazing model of communication that watchers can learn from and revel in its entertaining results.
‘Perfect Match’ Shows How To Have A Relationship
Not everything has to be a lesson, with many watchers turning into franchises likePerfect Matchto take a break from their daily struggles and instead invest in the experiences of these people searching for romance. Unless it’s ingrained in its premise, no reality series should feel that they must always be using their platform for some impactful messaging - but that also doesn’t mean they should allow toxicity to run wild.Perfect Matchisstill filled with an ample amount of entertaining mess; from breakups to a surprising amount of shady strategy for a dating program,this season is rife with scenes that fans of chaos can enjoy. But these cast members show that health and maturity do not mean boring. With Jess, Tolu, Xanthi, and the countless other reality contestants acting similarly, these stars provide important messages while offering up the nail-biting moments that reality fans yearn for. It’s a heartening evolution in the genre, and they should be appreciated for pushing that change forward.
Perfect Matchis Available to Watch on Netflix in The U.S.
WATCH ON NETFLIX
