Summer is just around the corner, and you know what that means: every single reality dating show that takes place on an island is back.

If you’re looking for a trash TV show to binge-watch or have a lot of time on your hands, look no further. We ranked five reality TV dating shows to help you find the perfect one to watch.

Just don’t blame us if it doesn’t end up working out.

5. The Bachelor/The Bachelorette

This ranking might be controversial, but it needs to be said: “The Bachelor” franchise is just not that entertaining.

It may be the original that spawned the other shows, but being the original doesn’t make it the best. Play the original “Callin’ Baton Rouge” by the Oak Ridge Boys and no one will bat an eye. Play the Garth Brooks version and it will cause an earthquake. 

Since the reality series has been going on for 20 years, you’d think by now people would be sick of the clearly scripted, formulaic setup of “The Bachelor” and its spinoffs. Or sick of the lack of diversity that the franchise is still struggling with.

However, if you are new to reality TV dating shows or you’ve never seen the show, it’s worth tuning in for a season. Just don’t expect us to give it our final rose.

4. Love Is Blind

This Netflix series went viral on social media, and for good reason – the concept is insane.

“Love Is Blind” takes a group of single people and makes them undergo a “love experiment” in which they date other singles without ever seeing them. They must date in rooms the show calls “pods,” where participants can hear but not see one another.

To progress to the next part of the show and actually be allowed to see each other in real life, the couples must get engaged. Again, they must get engaged without seeing each other.

From there, the couples go on a romantic getaway together and have the opportunity to develop a physical connection after emotionally connecting in the pods. They also meet and interact with the other engaged couples participating in the experiment.

After the getaway, the couples have four weeks before their weddings to live together, meet each others’ families and prepare for marriage. At the wedding, each experiment participant decides whether they will say “I do” or reject the other person.
This accelerated relationship experiment creates a lot of drama, and you truly will be second-guessing until the end if a couple will successfully walk down the aisle or not. If you’re trying to watch something that will frustrate you to no end, this is a worthy watch.

3. Temptation Island 

“Temptation Island” has a similar premise to most other island-based dating shows. A group of hot people are put in a villa on an island with other hot people and they have to go on dates with one another. 

But “Temptation Island” has a twist. All of the contestants are in committed relationships already. 

Each couple is split up and encouraged to date other people to see if they really want to be in their current relationship. The only communication they have with their partner while on the show is through, usually out of context, clips shown to them once a week.

While the premise is nothing new and can cause the middle parts of the seasons to get boring, the reunions at the end are always top tier entertainment. If you want to see the funniest and saddest ending to a reality show possible, Season 2 of “Temptation Island” is as good as it comes.

2. Too Hot to Handle 

“I didn’t watch ‘Too Hot to Handle.’ I sat my white ass down and listened.” -Will
“Too Hot to Handle” is maybe the silliest and most clearly scripted of all the reality dating shows. The contestants on the show are all hot influencers or models who want to have sex. Like, really badly.

Unfortunately for them, they are not allowed to kiss or make any physical contact with the other contestants. They are not even allowed self-gratification.

Each time they get too intimate, money is taken out of a $100,000 prize pool. The more rules they break, the less money they win. The goal of the show is to “foster genuine connections” instead of physical ones.

While it may not be as much of a tear jerker as some of the other shows, it is certainly the funniest. Watching the contestants navigate the rules makes “Too Hot to Handle” one of the most entertaining reality shows you can watch. 

The seasons are short at only 10 episodes making it easy to binge watch. If you are looking to laugh, “Too Hot to Handle” is a perfect choice. 

1. Love Island

If you are looking for a reality dating show to watch, this is the one.

“Love Island” takes incredibly hot people and puts them in a villa for a summer, where they have to be in a couple in order to stay in the show and attempt to win a cash prize. Throughout the two months, however, the couples are tested with even hotter and more British newcomers to the villa, being voted off the show by fellow islanders or the general public, and other twists and surprises. 

Each “Love Island” season is pretty long, as the show airs on an almost daily basis. However, once you get to know the contestants and see all the drama start to play out, you’ll be putting all your eggs into the “Love Island” basket.

There’s several seasons and locations where “Love Island” takes place, but the ultimate fan-favorite has to be Season 3 of “Love Island (UK).” If you want to start with the best, this season is an absolute must-watch.

Honorable mention: The Ultimatum

While Netflix’s new show from the creators of “Love Is Blind” is not technically a dating show, it’s still a worthy watch if you’re interested in reality romances or watching people trauma dump on national television. 

“The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On” follows six couples who have reached a breaking point in their relationships: one partner wants to get married and the other wants to wait. 

“The Ultimatum” forces these couples apart by making them flirt and “date” other cast members on the show who are also in long-term relationships. The new couples go on to live together for three weeks, before reuniting with their original partner and living with them for three weeks. Then, the original couples decide whether they want to get married or break up.

While most reality dating shows are about hot single people who fear commitment, this show changes gears by following hot people in relationships that can’t stay committed to each other. If you’re looking for a change of pace in your reality TV-viewing or just want to see people who definitely shouldn’t get married try to get married, this show is perfect for you.