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VH1 dominated the 2000s, Bravo hit a high in the 2010s, and Netflix is already making a strong case that the streaming service is the de facto reality show tastemaker of 2020. Fresh off the success of The Circle and Love Is Blind, Netflix has released Too Hot to Handle, a series it hopes will become your next reality show obsession.
The eight-episode first season puts a group of 10 hot singles to the ultimate test: no hooking up or sexual activity of any kind for the duration of their stay at the tropical island villa. In order to add some incentive to follow the show’s strict rules, with every infraction the show’s $100,000 prize money goes down. Part dating show, part self-improvement retreat, and part torture for these poor people who thought they were going to spend a few weeks bed-hopping with their fellow sexed up singletons, Too Hot to Handle has everything you might be looking for in your next reality TV binge.
Check out six reasons why you should stop wasting time and start watching Too Hot to Handle right now.
1. The prize money, like each other, is shared among all contestants.
The added wrinkle to the “no hanky panky” rule is that every contestant shares a piece of the total prize money pool. That means that any infraction against the anti-whoopie decree is then given a financial penalty, which is deducted from the total prize pool. A mere kiss, for example, will cost the group a few paychecks (part of the fun of Too Hot to Handle is finding out how much each sexual act costs). Naturally, this causes the best kind of tension among the contestants as any sins of the flesh penalize everyone, creating some watchdogs among the group who try to rein in the hormones of those who are only there to make a lot more than friends and don’t give a darn about money. It’s ingeniously devious, forcing these horned-up hookup hotshots to weigh whether gettin’ some action is worth losin’ some money (and the respect of others).
Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle Trailer Tasks Sexy Singles With the Impossible: Not Hooking Up
2. The cast is made up of the horniest people we’ve ever seen.
Let’s get this out of the way: Sex is a beautiful act among consenting adults. No slut shaming here. Embrace your kink. But good lord, these people act like having sex is the only thing they were put on Earth to do. The producers did an ace job of casting the show, bringing in participants who are randier than rabbits after two glasses of champagne and half a dozen oysters, and cramming them together in a small beachside resort under the pretense that they’re there for a hedonistic holiday. “David’s body, I wanna lick it. Kelz’s body, I wanna lick it. Harry’s body, I wanna lick it. I haven’t seen Jesus’ body yet but I probably want to lick it,” one contestant says after a quick meet-and-greet with the guys. That’s pretty much the prevailing attitude as they simulate gyrations, test the beds for squeakiness, and boast about daily bouts of sex in the outside world. Even when the bang ban crushes their hopes of non-stop boning, another rule puts them over the edge: no “self-gratification,” either. That literally makes the boys blue.
3. It’s hosted by a robot.
The only thing crazier to watch than these carnal contestants trying their hand at celibacy is a reality show hosted by a robot. Yes, you read that right. The host of Too Hot to Handle is Lana, an all-seeing, all-knowing A.I. that attempts to keep these lusty ladies and gents in line — and doles out the punishments when they break the rules. With so many tropical dating shows on the air, the novelty factor of an A.I. host is a welcome break from the typical formula. Add to that the pure hilarity of watching people fueled purely by hormones and horniness have to interact with this discerning hunk of plastic and you’ve got comedy of opposites at its finest. (And if you think the boys don’t immediately start commenting on how “hot” Lana sounds, then you really haven’t grasped just how sex crazy this cast is.) While this casting does nothing to assuage our fears of an eventual robot takeover, having what is essentially a souped-up Alexa host the show is definitely worth potentially paving the way for total robo-domination.
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4. A couple ridiculous self-help retreats actually work wonders.
To fill in some time over the several weeks of sexual tension, Too Hot to Handle puts its contestants in a pair of gender-specific spiritual and sexual retreats, kind of like when Bachelor in Paradise takes a couple and throws them into an awkward tantric workshop. The highlight of the two involves a male-energy guru who dubs himself a Heart Warrior and helps the men tap into their inner selves by rubbing each other down with mud, divulging their insecurities through art, and screaming. It’s absolutely ridiculous, but it’s the show’s shot at legitimizing its social experiment of getting these libidinous lotharios to pursue authentic relationships. The results are surprising as rivals hug it out and tears are shed, and all of a sudden this garbage reality show finds its emotional center. You’ll come to Too Hot to Handle to watch these oversexed people grind on pillows in frustration, but you’ll also see some personal breakthroughs and, dare I say, emotional growth from people who just moments ago were talking about their penises.
5. Not everyone is interested in having breakthroughs though.
Given that all the contestants were lured to the retreat under false pretenses, we’re not shocked that many of them weren’t too happy when they learned what Too Hot to Handle was really about. We were shocked, however, by how some of the contestants responded, specifically the Instagram model Francesca, who compared the sex ban to her mother dying. With no dire need for money herself (and no respect for others’ different financial circumstances) Francesca’s flagrant disregard for the rules provides almost all of the show’s best drama, and as you watch you’ll find yourself equal parts angry, entertained, and grateful that at least someone is willing to stir the pot with seemingly no shame.
6. Some people actually do manage to find deeper connections.
If you’re one of those people who like actual earnest romance in their reality dating shows, don’t worry, some of these horndogs do deliver. One couple in particular (although we won’t spoil who for you here) forms what appears to be a genuine bond that actually might have what it takes to last after they leave this “luxury no-bone zone.” And even some of those contestants who didn’t find a romantic partner seem to take the messages from Lana and the self-help retreats to heart and at least want to try to change their habits out in the real world. Do we think most of them will actually seek out deeper connections once they don’t have a robot regulating their sexual activity? Absolutely not. But it’s the thought that counts, right?
Too Hot to Handle is available on Netflix now.