Love on the Spectrum is the best dating show because it truly captures what happens when people date

The Daily Beast

"It’s a paradox we all accept because, frankly, it’s kind of the point," says Laura Bradley. "Despite the genre’s name, 'dating' shows are generally not interested in capturing the mundane magic that can spark between two people who met, say, waiting for a bus. Instead we get mansions stocked to the brim with champagne; private phone booths in which hot suitors decide which random stranger sounds like marriage material; F-boys and girls making out on the beach. (Or trying not to make out in a beach house.) It makes sense that most dating shows are allergic to sincerity; our collective fear of vulnerability makes it easier to laugh at people trying to fall in love than to let ourselves relate to them. But what if producers actually tried to capture what happens when two people date? Love on the Spectrum, which has returned to Netflix for its second season this week, catches everything: awkward pauses abound, as do ecstatic moments of recognition. Painful attempts at small talk intertwine with cautious kisses and overwhelmed sighs of relief as the season’s subjects—some new and some returning—navigate the thrilling, confounding world of dating. Technically Love on the Spectrum is a reality show. The series observes Australians on the autism spectrum as they search for The One and meet with a dating coach to discuss the fundamentals of dating and flirtation. By creating a safe, non-judgmental space for their subjects, however, producers also happened to make a better dating show than most actual dating shows."