Dating Around is a reality show that tries to do something truly novel--imitate and capture reality. In the show, a random person goes on five blind dates in the same locations, and gets to choose one at the end to go on a second date. The dates are spliced together for the audience into a montage, so we literally get to see all five dates happen more or less simultaneously, and suspense builds as we wonder who the person will choose. The final scene is the person meeting up with their choice for the second date.
The premise is pretty simple, and seems even a bit old-fashioned, harkening back to shows like the Dating Game, where contestants get to spend a little time with multiple potential matches and then select their favorite. I like it better than "reality" shows that seem to exist in completely unreal situations--like Too Hot to Handle or Love is Blind--it actually feels like we are watching a real date. Contestants have claimed that the show is not scripted, that beyond choosing the potential matches the producers did not really know what they would end up with. I have often wondered what an artful reality show would be like, and this strikes me as a good possibility--a show that actually tries to capture real situations for the purpose of entertainment or general interest. This show does exactly that, and it is indeed very satisfying when the contestants do sometimes find real connections.
