After their hit with Love is Blind, Netflix is taking another stab at a literal “blind” dating show. The newest addition is Sexy Beasts, which puts a strange twist on the idea: Contestants are required to wear masks on their dates. But they don’t just wear any mask. No, we’re talking highly realistic prosthetics made to look like monsters, animals, and demons — which was a hook good enough to draw millions of eyes. And evidently, viewers are loving that Netflix has stooped to “trashy” shows like Sexy Beasts.
Sexy Beasts is a actually reboot of a show that appeared on BBC in the UK back in 2014. That series only lasted one season before being canceled. But Netflix is hoping a new coat of paint and a wider audience will make it a smash. However, not everyone is happy with the new show and its wacky premise. Let’s take a look at what fans and critics both have to say.
NBC’s Ani Bundel calls the show ‘trashy’ and ‘boring’
In a hit piece published by NBC News, Ani Bundel shared strong opinions about Sexy Beasts. She began by praising Netflix for past cultural smashes such as Orange Is the New Black and House of Cards, but quickly changed gears by saying, “Netflix has lately gotten into the business of the sort of trashy programming that was once relegated to the wilds of cable.”
For her, the show’s premise doesn’t have any real “stakes,” as she put it. Shows like The Bachelor have the idea that they’re looking for true love because engagements and marriages are on the table. However, in Sexy Beasts, it’s more of a casual date and more akin to an early 2000s dating show like Next.
She went on to mention the show’s greatest sin by saying, “But the biggest issue is that the show undermines its own premise from the start … ‘Sexy Beasts,’ which claims to also be taking appearances out of the dating equation, is doing no such thing.” Bundel noted that contestants still can see what each other’s body is working with, meaning looks still played some part in their decisions.
In the end, she flat out stated, “[T]his show fails at every level.” (Ouch!) But it’s not all bad. She gave credit to the narrator, Robert Delaney, and the woman behind all the masks: makeup artist Kristyan Mallett. So credit where credit is due.
Viewers love ‘trash’ like ‘Sexy Beasts’
From Jersey Shore to Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, we’ve learned viewers love watching trashy but entertaining shows. While it might not be Bundel’s cup of tea, Netflix knocked it out of the park with its reality TV releases like The Circle, Love is Blind, and Too Hot to Handle — each one having a wacky premise similar to Sexy Beasts.
The Circle is like Big Brother, but participants can only communicate through social media. Too Hot to Handle asks some of the most beautiful people in the world to give up sex for a chance for $100,000. Then Love is Blind forces the potential couple to get to know each other only through their voice, as they spend the entire time in different rooms. With that type of lineup, Sexy Beasts is right at home.
Will ‘Sexy Beasts’ have a season 2?
Variety reported Netflix had renewed Sexy Beasts for a second season before the first one aired, and that viewers will be getting more episodes toward the end of 2021. That means fans will get two helpings of those elaborate getups in one year.
The exact date is still unknown, but Netflix Life says there are an additional six episodes to look forward to when it does hit the streaming service. Hopefully, it’s not too long of a wait before viewers get to see what the Sexy Beasts makeup department cooks up next time.
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