Television Shows of the Year: Silly Dating Shows--2022 in Review

 Silly Dating Shows

You know what we had a lot of this year, and I appreciate that we did? Trashy dating shows. I am always open about adoring stuff such as, "Love Island," "The Bachelor," franchise, "Too Hot to Handle," "Love in the Jungle," "Back in the Groove," "Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer," and I'll give an honorable mention to, "Big Brother," as a showmance usually forms in most seasons. I'm so happy to be in a loving relationship with my wife because the drama these people face on dating shows makes it clear being single ain't easy. These programs are a good way to kick-back, relax, and just enjoy people acting a fool in the name of finding love, or at least some action.

Television Tuesday: "Back in the Groove," Is Fun but Unsure if it Wants to be Cringey or Heartwarming

I watched the first two episodes of, "Back in the Groove," yesterday. Two more will have dropped today. Then, on Wednesday and Thursday, two more will be released for a total of eight episodes. The show features three women in their 40s dating men who range from their early 20s to just barely 30. Taye Diggs of, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," hosts, resulting in an obvious number of jokes regarding the show's name and his breakout role. Having seen the two debut episodes of, "Back in the Groove," I like it, but feel it is tonally unsure exactly what it wants to be.

Is this a show that wants to be cringey and trashy as a bunch of young men act a fool over these women--with the twist that one man is actually a son of a lady there being an especially WTF moment? Is this a show about empowering females of any age to find love with some of the guys who seem genuinely nice and level-headed? The program is unsure. There will be a nice trashy moment of a guy who clearly thinks too much of himself talking smack about another one and causing trouble...then there will be serious conversations about love, loss, and growth. I will say I like Lee--he is just loveable and adorably weird.

The tone is a bit wonky, clearly, but the overall format works (it is a well-honed format). This show is not officially affiliated with, the, "Bachelor/Bachelorette," franchise as a spin-off, but showrunner Elan Gale worked on that series and there is some DNA of that show in this. Dates occur during the day and come nighttime we don't have a cocktail party, but we do have mixers. There aren't rose ceremonies, but men do, "Check-out," of the hotel should things fizzle between them and the women. There is even a wacky concierge named Pedro who reminds me of Wells from, "Bachelor in Paradise," or Martin from the recent, "Joe Millionaire," season. The format is tried-and-true, clearly.

"Back in the Groove," is entertaining even if the tone is often all over the place. I had a good time with the first two episodes and plan to watch the rest as they roll out during the week. Hopefully, we get some more Taye Diggs too as he literally was in the first 10 minutes of the premiere and then disappeared completely.

4 out of 5 stars for the first two episodes.

Television Tuesday: More Thoughts on the Latest, "Joe Millionaire," as it is so Fun

I wrote about how much I enjoyed the debut episode of, "Joe Millionaire." I also wrote about how much I am not enjoying, 'The Bachelor," recently. That still stands with, "The Bachelor," having a slog of a season and, "Joe Millionaire," being an absolute gem of a show with my earliest minor complaints being addressed and what I liked being even more apparent as the episodes have continued.

When I first wrote about, "Joe Millionaire," I complained the women were boring. I will now adjust my statement to say some were boring, as the gals who are still on the show competing for love (or money) are pretty entertaining compared to the women who went home early in the process. Steven has money, Kurt possibly does not (I still theorize he's actually even richer than the one we were told is rich) and they have developed a bromance that is possibly the strongest relationship on the show. They support each other, laugh together, and even when they are both interested in one woman they understand this is a gameshow somewhat and that's okay they both have eyes for a lady. Most of the women on the show have all gotten along well too (after some who really stirred the pot went home early) and understand they are there to have fun and date--note, this statement does not fully apply to Carolyn who gives off a slight, "I will murder Kurt if I can't have him," vibe anytime another woman goes near him. That said, most of the gals are lovely now. Suzan is hilarious and hopefully continues to go far.

Hell, even the host, a man named Martin, is better than Chris Harrison ever was or Jesse Palmer currently is. This became apparent in one episode where a contestant named Breanna had way too much to drink during a camping-themed group date. While everyone else was doing various camping activities she sat in the tent and when Maritn did his host duties and checked on her as she wasn't taking part in stuff she drunkenly asked Martin if she was ugly. In a genuine moment, he seems taken aback and tells her she isn't ugly and to never talk ill of herself. He then helps her up and encourages her to maybe just relax the rest of the night and not interact with the guys too much (she was quite tipsy). In the most recent episode, she discussed how she has some insecurities and they came out while she was intoxicated, and both guys reassured her at the end of the show they wanted her to stay because they liked her and even if she were sent home at some point in the future she's still an awesome person. 

This whole thing is a, "Breath of fresh air," compared to how toxic another big dating show is lately and this season especially--it is a bit of a mess on, "The Bachelor," between a dull lead and absolutely abhorrent behavior from some of the women. At this point the supposed hook of how one guy is rich and one guy is less wealthy isn't even the main thing drawing me to this new, "Joe Millionaire." The stuff I love is that people are just having a good time and enjoying dating without obsessing over some big forced engagement at the end or being so competitive in an effort to, "Win," they resort to insulting someone for being neurodivergent--again, looking at, "The Bachelor." I would not have predicted a tweaked reboot of an old reality show nobody really liked the first time would be my new favorite program, but here we are. Thank you for having some drama but also remembering the fun, "Joe Millionaire," as I appreciate you not taking yourself too seriously. You're a treat.

 5 out of 5 stars for the latest episodes.

Television Tuesday: The New, "Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer," is a Hot Mess and I'm Here for It

Ya'll remember, "Joe Millionaire," back in 2003 (if you were born then)? It had all these ladies vying for the love of a millionaire but the twist was that he lacked anywhere near that many digits in his bank account? It had a sequel season nobody cared about and then was put in the franchise graveyard. Well, you can't keep a (good?) idea dead, so now we have, "Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer." This time things are different, however. There are two men and the ladies competing for their love are informed one is worth more than 10 million while the other is not. We viewers know the guy with the cattle ranch is rich and the other guy who has a construction company just is financially stable (so it's not like one is flat-broke), but the ladies have to keep guessing and determine if they're after love, money, or maybe a bit of both. It's disgusting. I love it.

Let's start with the biggest flaw this season, the actual contestants. When you watch, "The Bachelor," or other shows there was always standout personalities who grab your attention from the beginning. The women on, "Joe Millionaire," are basically not young enough for, "Love Island," or interesting enough for, "The Bachelor." Some hint they might just be after money in a sly way, others seem genuinely sweet, but we lack any big, "Oh, I love her/oh she's a villain," participants. Frankly, the two guys are actually more interesting, and just watching them interact and be friendly bros is a highlight. Steven (the rich rancher) and Kurt (the less wealthy construction guy) are both quite funny, laid-back, pleasant, and handsome (Kurt may not be rich but I am comfortable enough with my sexuality to admit he is fine). The lack of much of a pulse from the females at first was concerning and I didn't know if I'd be into this show. Then the dates happened.

Kurt and Steven.

Oh man, the dates in the final third of the 2-hour premiere are what sealed the deal for me with liking this show. I wasn't sure if this version of, "Joe Millionaire," was trying to be a serious meditation on love versus money or a hilarious mess. It was failing at being the former but then it did a lovely job being the latter when the ladies were split into two groups--one that went hokny-tonk dancing at a bar and another assortment who attended a cotillion of sorts. Steven did the honky-tonk date and everyone had a fantastic time dancing, drinking, and then swimming in the pool back at the mansion. Meanwhile, Kurt headed the cotillion which dissolved into crying, screaming, and name-calling as the ladies seemed to be seeing who could get more sloppy drunk than the other. 

I realized what, "Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer," wanted to be when it did a split-screen between one date being full of laughter and fun and the other having tears and screaming--it wants to be a hot mess, and God bless it for that. The basically-simultaneous exclamations of, "Best date ever!" and, "I hate it here!" were just a hoot and the melodramatic televised junk food my brain needs after a long day. It's on Thursdays on Fox. I'd recommend it based on how delightfully trashy it was when the first episode finally got into gear.

4 out of 5 stars for the first episode.