While we may not be dating too much in Covid-19 times, we can still watch others do it on television. Dating Around is a Netflix reality series that follows six young bachelors and bachelorettes in finding someone they can explore a deeper connection with.
Each single goes on a blind date with five people. This consists of a drink, dinner and hopefully some sort of banter; then the single has the choice of calling it a night or going to the bar for the second round of drinks. At the end of each episode, the single chooses which date they’ve built the most authentic connection with for a second date. Most of the time it’s never who you’ll expect.
Season two of Dating Around takes place in the lively city of New Orleans, known for its rich architecture, history, and cuisine. To get the essence of each single I’m going to take you through their profile.
Episode 1: Justin’s our first bachelor. He’s charming, handsome and humorous; social, yet stable. Justin is a flavorful thirty-one-year-old accountant. He has some fun
dance moves and he has all the right words. Some dates were better than others. One
date, in particular, commented on Justin’s complexion being dark – that’s surly an
eyebrow-raiser. Don’t think she’s the one getting the second date. So, what’s holding him back? Justin has a type and they seem to be party girls. They’re not the most willing to settle down statically speaking.
Episode 2: Ben is the man of the hour. He’s funny, emotional and caring; the
book definition of a hopeless romantic. He’s been in one relationship for several years. Ben is often in his head, hesitating to make a move or say the right thing which is completely relatable. He’s awkward but in a cute way. What’s
preventing Ben from finding love? At the beginning of the episode, Ben’s friend
states “Ben’s a nice guy and nice guys finish last” Everything in me doesn’t want to
believe this is true but I do see it in this episode.
Episode 3: Deva is a beautiful, poised and stylish woman who hasn’t been able to surrender to love. For a living Deva is a singer. Her father is the famous blues singer/songwriter extraordinaire Taj Mahal. She’s been with someone for six and a half years. Now she’s in the position of re-learning herself. Deva doesn’t fit into any neat sexuality category. She knows that at any moment she may fall for someone and it’s entirely about their soul connection. What is stopping a deeper connection for Deva? Deva is a powerhouse. She is proud to hold her own and that is getting in her way. She feels her defences need to be up and rightfully so. I can’t wait for her glass walls to shatter when she feels a bond.
Episode 4: Heather is a sweet, honest and confident woman.
Most men go after Heather for her looks – what they often fail to realize is she’s
abundantly more than that. Heather is incredibly close to her family. She has the
essence of hospitality to her. Heather dishes complements whenever she can. For a
living Heather is a makeup artist. She elegantly describes how fulfilling it is to create
emotion using make-up. A memorable moment from one of Heather’s dates states he hunts Duck for fun. Heather pauses and talks about her childhood pet duck who slept in the crevice of her neck. At that moment the only two words that could have gone through Heather’s brain were “cheque please” Why hasn’t Heather been able to find love? She’s been hurt in the past multiple times. It’s now about trusting the process.
Episode 5: Brandon is energetic, witty and caring. He’s been in two long term
relationships. Both broke his heart because he had been incredibly invested. On one of Brandon’s dates, he runs into someone he knows from a past Mardi Gras event. There was some sort of animosity between the two guys, then passion and intensity quickly stirred in forms of physical affection. What is holding Brandon back from love? His fear of the past repeating. Brandon is an amazing guy who needs someone to match his personality and love.
Episode 6: Demi is kind and beautiful, and tightly attached to her Dominican roots.
She loves dancing, specifically bachata. Demi’s last relationship was open. In her past, she fell for a guy that didn’t want to offer up commitment. Demi has a type and It’s the good-looking bad boy. Demi prides herself on her ambition. She works from home in advertising and is self- described as “the side hustle queen.” A stand out moment from one of her dates was when Demi talked about her childhood guinea pig that died of obesity. It was something I hadn’t personally heard before. Walk your guinea pigs daily, please. Let’s keep our loved ones in shape! What is restricting Demi from finding someone special? Herself. She’s a catch – her type just needs some tweaks to it. There are plenty of good, sweet attractive guys in New Orleans.
Season 2 of Dating Around is a must-see. The visuals of New Orleans are mesmerizing, the music is always infectious and pop-based. I was a fan of the uniqueness of each single on the show. What resonated with me the most is the series emphasis how many emotions come along with dating and where each person may be in their dating journey. Some come from marriages that couldn’t work and some have never been in monogamous relationships before. The series provides an understanding that dating may be passionate, exciting and memorable but it can also be anxiety-inducing, heart wrenching and something ultimately, we may not just yet be ready for.
