Age of Attraction is the worst thing to happen to reality TV.
And yet, viewers can’t look away. It seems Netflix is always hunting for the next trainwreck, and this time, for better or worse, they definitely found it.
Featuring a cast ranging ages 22 – 60, all gather for a retreat in the woods. The one caveat is that none of them know each other’s ages. In Phase 1 of the show, they have to go on dates with one another for a few days before “committing” to someone, should they grow feelings. They have to participate in a really strange “commitment ceremony” in a cabin, where they reveal their ages at last and then move into Phase 2: the real world portion, where, most notably, they meet their partner’s families and friends.
Immediately, the premise of the series strikes most viewers as icky. It’s odd to see people with 30 year age gaps date each other and heavily stress about the age gap when, well, they decided to go on the show. At the same time, it’s hard seeing younger, and even older, people in very different phases of their life not realize what they might be getting into. It’s also hard to watch at many points, considering the gaps in their stages of life. You would hope the cast gave it a little more thought before signing up for Age of Attraction, but a large portion of the show features every couple struggling with this and what public perception might be.
Right off the bat: it’s bad. On top of the premise, the series itself is boring – not much drama happens, and the conversations are awkward and stilted. Also, many people seem to be there for some inkling of fame, which is called out once or twice throughout.
As a viewer, it’s difficult not to want to shake them through the screen. It’s not that hard to tell how old people are, so tell us why the guesses are 10 to 20 years off. It does seem like most of the cast members assume everyone is in their 30s.
It’s also worth noting that a handful of other, additional couples find a spark but they don’t have an age gap. And, whoops! That’s bad television! So, they don’t continue to Phase 2. Then again, Netflix probably doesn’t want to use the budget on having 12 couples in the mix. Certainly not when they can’t even give this show that’s been in the Top 10 a proper reunion, akin to Love is Blind.
Instead, the cast has to go on a podcast – host Nick Viall’s The Viall Files – for a three hour snooze fest. If you don’t have three hours to waste and just want the quick rundown: some of the couples – who you may not expect – stay together, while the others all had inevitable falling outs. Not much else happens, kind of like the rest of the show.
It’s no surprise this show is renewed for season two, considering how many people are watching it. Messy people with insurmountable issues do end up making decent reality television. With that said, if the premise wasn’t already enough of a reason to fast forward through the show, the fact that it really isn’t that fun to watch is another glaring reason. We’ll see if season two is any better, if this reviewer can even muster up the energy to watch it.
