Reality dating shows are a guilty pleasure for a lot of people, and the group chat always has opinions on the latest season. This One Gotta Go card puts four big names together: The Bachelor, Love Island, Love Is Blind and Too Hot to Handle.
Three shows get renewed, and one never films another season. Think about the show you watch every season, the one you binge when a friend recommends it and the one you only know from memes. Then make your pick and share your favorite couple, the one that worked out or the one that definitely did not.
The Bachelor vs Love Island vs Love Is Blind vs Too Hot to Handle
A. The Bachelor
The Bachelor started in 2002 and created the template for the roses, the dates and the dramatic final ceremony. It is the original. It is also very formal and familiar by now, which makes it feel old-fashioned next to the newer, faster shows on this card.
Keep it if: You have watched for years, you know the traditions and you still love a dramatic rose ceremony.
B. Love Island
Love Island puts singles in a villa where they couple up, re-couple and deal with new arrivals. It airs often and moves fast. The case against it is that so many episodes can feel like a lot to keep up with if you are a casual viewer.
Keep it if: You love the daily drama, the challenges and the moment a new person walks into the villa.
C. Love Is Blind
Love Is Blind asks couples to get engaged before they ever see each other, talking through walls in the pods. It is a fascinating idea. Some viewers find the weddings at the end hard to watch, which makes it a fair cut for them.
Keep it if: You love the idea of falling for someone's personality first and cannot look away from the wedding episodes.
D. Too Hot to Handle
Too Hot to Handle brings attractive singles to a resort and then bans them from touching, with a cone shaped assistant named Lana enforcing the rules. It is silly fun. It is also the lightest show here, which makes it the easiest to give up.
Keep it if: You think the rule breaking is hilarious and Lana is one of the best characters in reality TV.
Our take
We would cut Too Hot to Handle. It is fun, but the other three each have a stronger idea at their core: the classic romance of The Bachelor, the daily drama of Love Island and the big experiment of Love Is Blind. The most fun debate usually comes from Love Island fans against Love Is Blind fans, since both sides think their show is the real deal. Ask everyone which show they would actually join.
How to play this card with friends
- Read the four choices out loud.
- Everyone picks the one they'd eliminate at the same time.
- Explain your pick. This is where the fun starts.
- Use the follow-up questions below to keep it going.
Follow-up questions to keep the debate going
- Which dating show has produced the best real couples?
- Would you ever go on a reality dating show?
- Which show has the best format: villa, pods or mansion?
- What dating show would you add to this card?
Want more debates like this? Get the One Gotta Go card game for game night, family dinners and road trips. Shop the decks.
Reality Dating Shows: quick answers
How does Love Is Blind work?
On Love Is Blind, singles date by talking to each other through walls in separate pods, without seeing each other. Couples who connect can get engaged before meeting face to face. They then live together and plan a wedding, deciding at the altar whether to marry.
What is the rule on Too Hot to Handle?
Contestants on Too Hot to Handle are not allowed to kiss or do anything more physical. Each broken rule takes money from the shared prize fund. A cone shaped smart assistant named Lana announces the rules and the penalties.
