Riffing on reality dating shows like Fox’s Temptation Island and Paradise Hotel, MTV’s Are You the One? started out in 2014 by challenging contestants to identify their “perfect match” from a pool of live-in housemates of the opposite sex for a chance to split $1 million in prize money. Then, in 2019, for the show’s eighth season, the network flipped this concept on its head by casting 16 people who identified as sexually fluid. The eight “perfect pairings” were still decided by a matchmaking process involving in-depth interviews, questionnaires, and “scientifically proven compatibility testing,” but were no longer limited to heterosexual couplings. This made for a competition that was not only miles more difficult, but also exponentially more compelling. The season went on to win a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program in 2020 and—unlike MTV’s previous queer-themed dating competition, A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila—was praised for its choice to “portray queer experiences for viewers in a way that actually feels authentic.” —Megan McCluskey
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