‘The Bachelorette’: What to Watch if You’re Already Missing the Drama
This year, the wait between seasons of The Bachelorette is shorter than usual. Instead of waiting until 2022 to view season 18, the Michelle Young season will premiere on Oct. 19, 2021. For fans who already miss the reality show, however, this might still feel too long. Here are five other programs guaranteed to fill the wait with plenty of drama and romance.
‘Bachelor in Paradise’
Fans of The Bachelor franchise are in luck: the latest season of Bachelor in Paradise begins Aug. 16 on ABC. Like the franchise’s other installments, BIP is an elimination-style competition. Former contestants on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette get a second shot at love in a romantic beach setting. The upcoming season will see David Spade, Lance Bass, Titus Burgess, and Lil Jon as hosts.
‘Love Island’
Outside of The Bachelor franchise, fans can watch Love Island, a British reality show with multiple spinoffs. A group of contestants, called Islanders, attempt to find love in a secluded villa. Each week, they couple and re-couple based on where their interests lie. After making it past a series of challenges and eliminations, the winning couple will take home the prize money. Arielle Vandenberg hosts the American Love Island, which airs on CBS.
‘FBoy Island’
HBO Max’s FBoy Island is the newest installment of TV dating shows. Nikki Glaser hosts the reality show, which began in 2021. In it, a group of 12 “Nice Guys” and 12 self-proclaimed “FBoys” compete for the affection of three women. Neither the women nor the audience knows who belongs in either group. If one of the leads picks a Nice Guy in the end, the pair will leave the island together with $50,000 apiece. If she chooses an FBoy, he gets the choice of whether to split the money or pocket $100,000.
‘Temptation Island’
The final island-set series is Temptation Island, the only reality show on this list that features already-existing couples. In it, the couples test their relationships by separating and mingling with a group of single people. Every episode features a scene where the contestants watch a clip of their partner’s behavior, usually leading to explosive drama. The series is a revival of a version from the early 2000s and airs on the USA Network.
‘Love is Blind’
The premise of Love is Blind is simple: a group of contestants attempts to find lasting love without ever seeing their partner. The contestants speed-date each other in pods that do not allow them to see one another. After just 10 days, the new couples have the choice to get engaged or leave the series. Following the proposal, they meet face-to-face for the first time and go to a couple’s retreat, then an apartment complex. If they make it, their journey on the show ends in a wedding. The reality show is preparing its second season, which will be available on Netflix.
