13 dating shows on Netflix to fall in love with
- - 13 dating shows on Netflix to fall in love with
Declan Gallagher, Ilana GordonJanuary 17, 2026 at 7:30 PM
0
Netflix (3)
David and Abbey on 'Love on the Spectrum'; Amy and Johnny on 'Love Is Blind'; Yoly Rojas and Xander Boger on 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love'
Netflix might not be able to introduce you to your future partner, but it can set you up with your new favorite dating show. Learn what dating looks like in different cultures, witness the devastation when crushes go sideways, and enjoy the redemption when couples rediscover their spark and move forward.
Relationships are fascinating, and Netflix knows how to turn the dating life cycle into addictive content. Enjoy EW's guide to Netflix's 13 best dating shows.
01 of 13
Love Is Blind (2020–present)
Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix
Amy and Johnny on 'Love Is Blind'
This terrifically entertaining twist on the dating show formula asks contestants to mingle, fall in love, and get engaged all without ever meeting in person or seeing what the other looks like. Love Is Blind is, more often than not, a surprisingly warm testament to the power of chemistry and the importance of personality over physicality. It doesn’t always work out, as you might expect, but the series has a much bigger heart and more self-aware participants than the synopsis may imply. —Declan Gallagher
Where to watch Love Is Blind: Netflix
02 of 13
Married at First Sight (2014–present)
Lifetime
Airris and Jasmine on 'Married at First Sight'
Lifetime sure knows a thing or two about commitment. A dating show in which singles are matched by relationship experts and agree to get hitched during their first interaction, Married at First Sight follows the newlyweds on their honeymoon, and over the course of their first eight weeks together as a couple, after which they can decide whether or not they want to remain in the relationship. Season 17 of the highly bingeable series is available to watch on Netflix. —Ilana Gordon
Where to watch Married at First Sight: Netflix
Cast: Dr. Joseph Cilona, Dr. Logan Levkoff, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Greg Epstein, Calvin Roberson
03 of 13
Indian Matchmaking (2020–present)
Netflix Akshay Jakhete on 'Indian Matchmaking'
This series sees esteemed matchmaker Sima Taparia travel across the globe, assisting Indian couples in every port with their impending arranged marriages while reimagining the traditional custom with modern variants. One of Netflix’s best globe-trotting dating shows, Indian Matchmaking offers sympathetic, largely humanist portraits of young couples forced together by their parents and societal norms more than genuine affection. That said, some surprising pairs initially appear trepidatious but warm up to one another and, sometimes, find that they’re each other’s perfect companion. —D.G.
Where to watch Indian Matchmaking: Netflix
EW grade: B+
04 of 13
Love on the Spectrum (2022–present)
Courtesy of Netflix
David and Abbey on 'Love on the Spectrum'
A delightfully warm-hearted series following people with autism seeking connection, Love on the Spectrum eschews competition for an unobtrusive look at real people struggling with romance and friendships. The original Australian version and its newer U.S. counterpart are some of the most authentic — and certainly the least staged — reality dating shows, often content to let its subjects do the talking and guide the format. Though it concerns people on the spectrum, you might find yourself surprised at how relatable and all-encompassing their experiences with love can be. —D.G.
Where to watch Love on the Spectrum: Netflix
05 of 13
Ainori Love Wagon: Asian Journey (2018)
Netflix
Cast of 'Ainori Love Wagon: Asian Journey'
Netflix’s spinoff of the long-running Japanese dating show, which debuted in 1999, finds seven men and women grouped on a pink bus traveling through Asia. They arrive as strangers tasked with coupling up before the Love Wagon loops back to Japan. On the way, they explore tourist destinations and far-flung locales.
Ainori Love Wagon is sort of like Terrace House meets one of those BBC travel documentaries where a nice little granny shows you around a quaint village. Asian Journey finds a fine balance between juicy yet good-natured conflict between participants and an amiable rambling quality that gives the travelog structure a bit of unpredictability. —D.G.
Where to watch Ainori Love Wagon: Asian Journey: Netflix
06 of 13
Dating Around (2019–2020)
Annie Flanagan/Netflix
Contestants on 'Dating Around'
Netflix’s first original dating series, Dating Around is the pioneer that forged the path for other titles on this list. The show lasted two seasons, and every episode follows one person as they embark on five different blind dates. There is no competition element, but the hope is that the person dating around will enjoy one of the dates enough to prompt a second encounter.
With only 12 episodes available between the two seasons, Dating Around is a fast and fun binge. While technically a dating show, the series feels almost documentary-esque in its focused observation of its subjects as they wade into the dating pool, and try to get comfortable with blind dating. —I.G.
Where to watch Dating Around: Netflix
07 of 13
Down for Love (2022)
Netflix
Cast members on 'Down for Love'
A New Zealand export, this series follows people living with Down syndrome as they embark on multiple dates in an effort to find love. A feel-good reality show produced in conjunction with New Zealand’s Down Syndrome Association, Down for Love features five episodes of first dates, first impressions, and love at first sight. A heartwarming and educational reality show that will remind you of all the best parts of the dating experience, Down for Love is a perfect choice for anyone who wants their faith in romance renewed. —I.G.
Where to watch Down for Love: Netflix
08 of 13
Perfect Match (2023–present)
Netflix Chloe Veitch and Mitchell Eason on 'Perfect Match'
This is The Avengers of Netflix dating shows. It combines fan-favorite contestants from other series (Love Is Blind, Too Hot to Handle, et al.) who head to a secluded island villa (where else?) to engage in “compatibility challenges” while coupling and conniving their way to the finish line. Perfect Match is perfect entertainment: breezy, sexy, endlessly bingeable, and often laugh-out-loud funny in a genuine way rather than a a cheesy one. —D.G.
Where to watch Perfect Match: Netflix
09 of 13
Single's Inferno (2021–present)
Netflix
Cast of 'Single's Inferno'
This riveting South Korean dating show strands hip, big-city singles on a desolate island dubbed Inferno, where there is no technology and they must forage for food and water. Their objective is to escape to another island, Paradise, which contains all of the comfortable amenities they desire — but they can only do so after they couple up. If that’s not an incentive to get busy, we’re unsure what is.
The idea to combine Survivor with a dating competition is a sharp one, and Single’s Inferno makes more of that fusion than other series with a similar angle. It especially benefits from a likable cast that’s interesting without resorting to petty, exhausting game-playing. Season 5 arrives in January 2026. —D.G.
Where to watch Single’s Inferno: Netflix
10 of 13
Temptation Island (2025–present)
Courtesy of Netflix
Tayler Byrd, Alexa Santamaria, Ashley Moore, and Shante Glover on 'Temptation Island'
If there’s one thing you can expect from a show called Temptation Island, it’s a lack of fidelity. The show aired on Fox between 2001 and 2003 before moving to USA Network in 2019, and Netflix in 2025. Throughout it all, the show’s premise remains the same: Unmarried couples travel to a tropical paradise where they are separated from their partner and exposed to eligible singles intended to test whether the relationship is strong enough to pursue a lifetime commitment. You can tempt the contestants on the show, but you can’t lure Mark L. Walberg away from the series — he hosted all three versions. A new season will drop in 2026. —I.G.
Where to watch Temptation Island: Netflix
Cast: Mark L. Walberg
11 of 13
Too Hot to Handle (2020–2024)
Tom Dymond/Netflix Cast of 'Too Hot to Handle'
This saucy British entry gathers a group of young, swinging singles with a knack for short, sweet relationships and throws them on a deserted island for a month. If they hope to win the $200,000 prize, they must test their chemistry, perhaps fall in love, and (the kicker) remain celibate.
As with all the best British reality shows, Too Hot to Handle is packed both with saucy double entendres (it’s hosted by an AI hazard cone, for one) and seemingly determined contestants who are never afraid to speak exactly what’s on their mind. The show is at times jaw-droppingly ribald in that trademark Isles manner, and it unfailingly parades out a diverse and entertaining cast over its six seasons. —D.G.
Where to watch Too Hot to Handle: Netflix
12 of 13
The Ultimatum: Queer Love (2023–2025)
Courtesy of Netflix
Yoly and Xander on 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love'
This “queer-centric” (and far superior) spinoff of Netflix’s The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On asks five queer couples to decide whether they want to get married or split up for good. To test their connection, all participants become singles in the same dating pool, engaging in a sort of swingers scenario wherein they move in with a new boo for two weeks before reuniting with their original partner. Things predictably get messy from there.
It’s rather astonishing to see the number of seemingly healthy couples (and some not) who crumble at the mere mention of marriage (because love definitely lasts when it’s foisted upon you). On the other hand, there are some participants who genuinely renew your faith in love. —D.G.
Where to watch The Ultimatum: Queer Love: Netflix
13 of 13
The Later Daters (2024)
Netflix
Suzanne and Frank on 'The Later Daters'
Dating is hard at any age, but it’s even more so later in life. In The Later Daters, six single people in their mid-50s and up set out to find love — with help. Dating looks different now, so the singles are guided along on their journey by their adult children and a dating expert. Armed with information about the latest dating trends and their own romantic pasts, the singles embark on a series of blind dates. Featuring eight episodes and produced by Michelle Obama, The Later Daters is a great option for people who love The Golden Bachelor, but want a few less contestants to keep up with. —I.G.
Where to watch The Later Daters: Netflix
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
