Reality TV dating shows are taking over- Episode 65
I’ve talked about reality TV before — way back in episode 5 — where I covered all types of shows, from documentary-style to traditional competition formats.
But today, we’re zooming in on a very specific genre: dating shows — namely The Bachelor, Love Island, and Love is Blind.
We’ll get into how these shows have evolved, what’s working, what’s not, and the reality star–to–influencer pipeline.
Plus, I’ll share some cultural commentary around the shows we can’t stop watching.
Create & consume:
What Austen is creating this week: I bought a watercolor kit and in an effort to stop doomscrolling I’ve been playing around with it.
What Austen is consuming this week: I watched a YouTube video that Tess Barclay created about YouTube growth in 2025.
In this episode:
A quick history of reality TV dating shows
I used to watch these shows with complete sincerity, but now I look at them more as games — and opportunities.
The early standouts were The Bachelor (the original) and Joe Millionaire. Over time, the formats have shifted, and so have our expectations as viewers.
For the full history, definitely check out the book Cue the Sun! by Emily Nussbaum.
The Bachelor franchise — the OG
This series has been around for more than two decades, premiering in 2002, and while it is one of the original TV dating formats sometimes it fails to keep up with the times.
It took 15 years to cast its first Black lead, Rachel Lindsay, in 2017, and only in 2024 did we see the first Asian American lead with Jenn Tran.
Ratings have been on a general decline, with a rare recent spike during Joey’s season 28.
Spin-offs like The Golden Bachelor brought in new audiences, but Bachelor in Paradise has seen viewership drop from 5.3 million viewers in its first season (2014) to 1.8 million for its 2025 premiere.
Producers have been shaking things up — firing long-time executive producers after Jenn’s season and hinting at casting a complete unknown for Bachelor season 30.
Love Island
The first Love Island actually aired back in 2005, though it looked very different from the format we know today.
Now, it’s a group dating competition where contestants couple up for a shot at love and a cash prize, airing in real time almost every day.
Compared to The Bachelor, Love Island feels less filtered and more FUN.
Contestants can curse, talk about sex, politics, and religion, and spend much more time together on-screen.
I’ve watched seasons 1, 6, and 7 of Love Island USA and seasons 4 and 5 of Love Island UK.
Season 7 of USA actually broke records — 1.9 billion minutes watched — and became the first Peacock show to hit #1 on Nielsen ratings. Over half of its audience was between 18 and 34 years old, meaning the millennials and Gen-Zers are hooked.
Love is Blind
This Netflix hit debuted during the early days of the pandemic in 2020 and quickly became the #1 trending show on the platform — a stark contrast to the short-lived Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart, which possibly was only being watched by my mom and me.
I binge-watched seasons 1 (Atlanta) and 2 (Chicago) on flights to and from New Zealand, and have kept up with seasons 6 (Charlotte), 7 (DC), and 8 (Minnesota) in real time.
What I love is that the show includes more realistic, everyday activities — grocery shopping, building furniture — alongside the romance, something The Bachelor could really learn from.
Editing and producer involvement
Every reality dating show has its own formula.
The Bachelor is shot mostly in the same location and tends to focus on a singular love story.
Love Island and Love is Blind switch things up with more varied storylines since there are more couples involved.
When shows are shot in the US, game show laws also impact what producers can and can’t do when shaping the narrative. However when there’s no cash prize (like on The Bachelor) you may see more producer involvement.
The shows can also change how people come across in post-production by adding silly music or
The reality star to influencer pipeline
Gone are the days when reality stars faded from the spotlight after their season aired.
Now, appearing on these shows can be the start of a long-term influencer career.
From The Bachelor, names like Caila Quinn, Hannah Godwin, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Caelynn Miller-Keyes, Hannah Ann, and Kit Keenan have parlayed their TV fame into thriving online platforms.
Love Island has produced stars like Molly-Mae, Leah Kateb, Huda Mustafa, and Amaya Espinal, while Love is Blind alums Lauren Speed-Hamilton and Jess Ves have found similar success.
The opportunities range from brand partnerships (like Leah Kateb x Google) to creative director roles (Molly-Mae at PrettyLittleThing) to launching their own brands (Kit Keenan’s Ca-Noodle).
Many also move on to other shows like Traitors or Perfect Match.
Consuming the media about the media
If you’re as fascinated by these shows as I am, you might enjoy the commentary and behind-the-scenes insights from:
Game of Roses (How to Win The Bachelor)
Bachelor Data (stats and visual breakdowns)
Dear Shandy (detailed recaps and interviews)
Summary
Reality TV dating shows may be engineered for entertainment, but they also reflect real shifts in pop culture, representation, and how we view relationships.
From the polished fantasy of The Bachelor to the unfiltered chaos of Love Island and the everyday intimacy of Love is Blind, each show offers its own mix of drama, romance, and strategy.
Whether you watch for the love stories, the gameplay, or the influencer glow-ups, these shows are more than guilty pleasures — they’re cultural snapshots of how dating, media, and social influence intertwine today.
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