A guide to the wildest romance reality TV to air over the last two decades.

By Marisa Valenzano

BOY MEETS BOY (2003)

Boy Meets Boy brought the first gay reality romance show to screen in 2003 on Bravo. On this show, 15 suitors were brought in to woo gay bachelor James Getzlaff. The horrible twist? Half the contestants were actually straight. If the winning candidate was also gay, Getzlaff would win a trip to New Zealand for two and $25,000 cash. But, if the candidate successfully tricked Getzlaff and was straight, he would win the $25,000 reward instead, leaving Getzlaff with nothing. With such a heinous plot, it is no wonder this show only lasted one season.

BAGGAGE (2010)

Baggage is a dating game show hosted by Jerry Springer on the Game Show Network. It began in 2010 and lasted four seasons. Each episode started by introducing a central bachelor or bachelorette. Three other contestants are then brought in, each carrying three pieces of baggage in varying sizes: one small, one medium, and one large. Inside each case contains a dark secret of corresponding shock value to the size (small case = smaller secret). As the show progresses, the contestants reveal their se crets and are eliminated if the main character cannot deal with the baggage. Once there is only one contestant left, the main person must admit their own baggage. This unhinged show brought equally crazy secrets to the screen. From “I keep my foreskin in a safe” to “I sleep with a life-size cutout of Britney Spears,” episodes were wild to say the least.

DATING NAKED (2014)

Dating Naked began in 2014 and lasted for three seasons on VH1. The show boldly placed singles–completely naked–together on a tropical resort where they complet ed various competition activities and formed romantic connections. Naturally, private parts of contestants were blurred when aired on TV. However, the show and network were not without controversy, which contributed to the program’s demise. In one shot, the show failed to blur the participant’s genitals completely, resulting in a lawsuit. The show also tried to set up a 69-year-old man with a 24-year-old woman. Coupled with low reviews, it is no surprise Dating Naked was canceled.

I WANNA MARRY HARRY (2014)

I Wanna Marry Harry takes bachelor competition shows to a whole different level of insanity. The show took twelve American women and flew them to a castle where they were to com pete for the love of “Prince Harry.” However, in reality they were dating Mat thew Hicks, a Prince Harry look-alike. The manipulated women had no idea until the very end where the plot twist was revealed. It was announced on June 12, 2014, that the show would be pulled from the air in the US after only four episodes. While not broadcast, Fox.com, Fox NOW, cable On Demand, and Hulu provide access to the last four episodes. In a 2015 interview, winner Kimberly Birch said she felt brain washed by production and that there were even crew members posing as therapists, telling contestants to ignore their doubts about the process.

MILF MANOR (2023)

MILF Manor is the latest and perhaps craziest romance reality television show. Pre miering in 2023, the show brings eight MILFs (Mothers I’d like to f@ck), ranging from 40 to 60 years old, into a manor to find love. The plot twist? The romantic interests are not just young men, but the sons contestants. The result is an experience as uncomfortable to watch as it sounds. In just the first two episodes, one MILF declared her love interest to be her son’s new daddy and another confessed she has slept with her son’s best friend. Just another day in MILF manor! This show airs every week on TLC through Dis covery+.

Art by Fiona Real