Summary
Reality fans will enjoy Dating Around season 2 while it will grow slowly on the cynics. Simplicity is key in this dating reality series.
Netflix series Dating Around season 2 will be out on the platform on May 12, 2020. This review contains no spoilers on who the participants chose as their second date.
I’ll admit in my review of season 1 I was naively snotty about Dating Around. I felt like it was a scripted dating show but as far as reality goes, in hindsight, this is not tacky at all. Also, since then, I’ve willfully allowed myself to venture into the dating world and let me tell you — nearly 30s dating is a completely different ballgame to early 20s. It can be an incredibly humbling and compatibility-based experienced — it’s not just about attractiveness, it’s the full scope.
And the reason why I enjoyed Dating Around season 2 is due to the simplicity of the above — it makes the compatibility a straightforward game in an uncomplicated environment. The person meets their matches in a relaxing bar and they work each other out and then they choose their second date. It’s oddly realistic but Netflix has stylized the process into a two-phase format.
There are no twists or surprises that reality shows tend to douse audiences with or complex rounds in order to find the right match. Dating Around season 2 exemplifies the dating dynamic. If you are an animal-lover and you find out on the date that the person opposite regularly hunts, then ultimately that may be the decider.
Dating Around season 2 provides the cringeworthy moments but at the same time, brings enjoyable chemistry. There’s nothing more awkward than when your date is more invested into the outcome of the evening when there’s no interest from your side at all — there are a few moments like that in this Netflix series. “Can I kiss you?” which has the reply of, “Sorry, I don’t kiss on first dates,” is obviously a classic sign that the feelings aren’t reciprocal and I’m highly surprised how few understand that in this series.
On the flipside, guessing who the lead participant is going to pick for the second date is the most fun part of Dating Around season 2. Of course, at times, it is easy based on how the dates went but on a couple of episodes, it’s easy to doubt between two potential couples.
Like the previous season, Dating Around enjoys capturing the atmosphere of the dates; vibrant, chatty, low-lit bars — the Netflix series often references how they are in New Orleans and it seems evident that they are trying to represent the vibe.
Reality fans will enjoy Netflix’s Dating Around season 2 while it will grow slowly on the cynics. Simplicity is key in this dating reality series.
