Forget your Love Islands and you Bachelors and even your Bachelor in Paradises. The only good dating show on TV at any given moment is the incredibly wonderful Chinese series If You Are The One. It is, without question, the only dating show that actually matters.
Aside from the fact that the literal English translation of the show’s Chinese title is “If Not Sincere, Don’t Disturb” which is an incredibly piece of information in and of itself, the show rules mostly because the men featured on it are bumbling morons trying way too hard to get a date and the women they’re trying to impress all have an absurdly specific idea of what they’re looking for.
What you may or may not be aware of is that that show was adapted from an Australian show (yes) called Taken Out, which aired very late at night on Channel Ten between 2008 and 2009, was hosted by James Kerley, and whipped significant sack.
That original show’s format – where a guy chasing a date is presented to a bunch of thirsty women who can signal their keenness by either keeping a light on their podium on or switching it off – has been adapted all over the world, including in the UK where it was modelled as Take Me Out.
Now that format, after doing a full lap around the world, is finally returning home, like a 22-year-old backpacker who just spent a year swanning around Europe and is now in need of a hospo cash job.
Take Me Out is coming to Channel Seven reasonably soon, with the new local version of the UK show based largely on an Australian show (try wrapping your head around that one ten times real quick) set to be hosted by Joel Creasey.
Seven dropped the first teaser trailer for the upcoming series earlier today and it sure as shit looks like a real show that will definitely go to air at some point.
❤️❤️ Make a date with @TakeMeOutAU The worldwide phenomenon Take Me Out is coming soon to Seven #TakeMeOutAU @joelcreasey ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/TnNyKp6ba1
— Channel 7 (@Channel7) July 29, 2018
Much as we like Creasey, he sure as shit ain’t no Meng Fei.
There’s no word on any potential air date just yet – Seven, like all other Australian commercial TV stations, does that infuriatingly stupid thing where a show will simply be “coming soon” until the week before it premieres – but if it winds up being half as good as If You Are The One and Taken Out, then it’s worth a watch.
Quality dating show content comin’ at ya, folks.
