Too Hot To Handle is the new reality Netflix series that is binge worthy and makes it Too Hot to miss!
As a self-confessed dating show addict, I was thrilled to see that Netflix were releasing another one after the success of Love At First Sight– a show which had me jittery with excitement when I saw that little sign saying that new episodes were available.
However, it was hard to say whether this new show would live up to expectations that had been set by Love At First Sight and the beloved Love Island.
Too Hot To Handle has a very promising premise as contestants aren’t allowed to kiss or do anything of a sexual nature including masturbate. Otherwise, they risk losing money from the prize fund, a terrible feat for the cast who are playboys, sex addicts and eternal flirts.
There are many similarities to Love Island (without the PDA) as the participants can be seen sporting swimsuits with gorgeously tanned skin while wandering around an out-of-this-world villa that is equipped with its own fire pit-esque seating area called the Palapa.
The stars include people from many different walks of life and from all over the (English-speaking) world which prompted the best moment of the programme when “Lana” – the device which looks like an air freshener who watches the contestants to make sure they’re adhering to the rules – was described as coming from “Factory, China”.
However, the casting leaves something to be desired as it’s clear that some of them don’t connect on a level that will give us exciting relationships, but they also don’t clash enough for there to be thrilling drama either – except from Haley whose pessimistic and malicious personality was both a blessing and a curse for the show.
A pitfall of the programme is it was too short as we see these characters experience four weeks of growth squished into eight 40-minute episodes. Instead of becoming familiar with their personalities and feeling proud with their progress by watching them everyday like you do with shows like Love Island, you’re left feeling like the changes in their actions and thoughts are fake and unbelievable because you didn’t watch it happen gradually.
Too Hot To Handle does have its merits, however, and that comes in the shows message and its challenges – although they still didn’t include average people who aren’t perfectly preened and chiselled. To win the show, you don’t need to be in a couple to win, you just have to show that you’ve changed and become less dependent on sex.
This is achieved in part by the challenges that aren’t about your knowledge of sex positions or kissing people (except on the first night) but is about connecting with yourself and others on a more spiritual level.
These tasks introduce new ideas that many of the viewers may never have heard of before but can potentially practice at home – let’s be real, who doesn’t want to stare at their own private parts – which is an original and wholesome concept for a dating show.
Ultimately, the show is watchable and has both entertaining and educational moments throughout. However, I was left wishing we got to know the cast more. Too Hot To Handle is the perfect series to binge on a rainy day during lockdown when you just need to escape reality – and with only eight episodes, it won’t even take long to marathon!
By Helen Carys Rodgers
Feature image: CNN.com