Perfect Match season 1 brought together Netflix’s hottest stars for a chance at true love, but the upcoming second season could stand to learn a few things from its predecessor. With stars like Too Hot To Handle‘s Francesca Farago and The Circle‘s Joey Sasso on the first installment, Netflix didn’t hold back in trying to give the show as much star power as they could. Singles from an assortment of different reality TV shows all traveled to a beach in Panama, where they lived together and coupled up to find their perfect match.
As the competition went on, it was clear that Perfect Match had a few issues in the game plan for the series. Though it was entertaining and enjoyable as a series, it wasn’t as well-thought-out as it could have been and, for the most part, didn’t offer a satisfying resolution. By the time Perfect Match season 1 was airing, all the couples featured on the show had already broken up and were moving on to find new love elsewhere. With a dissatisfying conclusion and some issues with the game overall, Perfect Match season 2 has a lot of places that it could improve from the original.
10 Start With A Better Understanding Of The Rules
Perfect Match was clearly meant to be Netflix’s spin on Bachelor In Paradise, bringing together contestants from several different shows to find their one true love. While that was the premise, it was fairly unclear what the rest of the show was supposed to be when it first started airing. Without a solidified concept for the contestants or the viewers, it was tricky to follow and keep up with the shifting power and eliminations. Making things clearer would simply help the audience keep up.
9 Feature Cast Members Who Viewers May Not Know
Though there was some focus on the cast members from shows like Selling Tampa or The Mole, they typically weren’t heavily featured throughout the season. Featuring cast members who may not have had the chance to shine on other shows would be an opportunity for Netflix to create new stars and for the audience to see fresh stories. Connecting people from shows that may not be as popular as Too Hot To Handle could sway audiences to go back and rewatch series they may have missed the first time around.
8 Focus On The Stronger Relationships
Placing a focus on the stronger relationships in the house, rather than highlighting why the weaker relationships aren’t working, would be a great change for Perfect Match. For couples who find each other quickly and stay together longer, having more of a focus could mean their connection has a bit more longevity. This could mean the couples are more interesting and well-developed on screen, which makes for a better story and the possibility that fans will choose to follow the couples after the show is over.
7 Better Rewards For Better Matches
While couples who win competitions are given power and special dates, it would be great to see an even bigger reward for people who find themselves in the winners’ circle. Giving couples the ability to eliminate specific players, go on luxury trips, or even earn cash prizes could be a great way to make the stakes higher. Bigger rewards could also mean that riskier or bigger competitions could be played overall.
6 Bigger Punishments For Finishing Last
Alternately, merely not getting power and the possibility that your match could be broken doesn’t feel like a big enough punishment for losing a competition. Making the competitions have higher stakes overall could be interesting and would include making the losers actually feel like they’ve lost. This could be in the form of elimination, less luxurious accommodations, or some other forms of punishment in general.
5 More Social Game Aspects
Perfect Match is an interesting mix of social and physical competition, but it was proven in the first season that the social game is much more important to the overall outcome than the physical. Making the social part of the competition a more incentivized, “playable” piece would be interesting for Perfect Match season 2. Incorporating some elements from The Circle or Big Brother surrounding the lead couple could make for some higher stakes, more interesting game moves.
4 Wider Range Of Representation
Perfect Match season 1 only featured one couple who wasn’t heteronormative. In general, inclusivity is something Netflix needs to do better with, and it could easily accomplish this with Perfect Match season 2. Bringing in contestants who identify as LGBTQIA+ could be great for the competition and prove that Netflix is up to the challenge of being inclusive with its dating shows. It would also allow for an interesting array of pairings that the streamer has yet to show off in most of their reality TV shows.
3 More Chances To Connect For Couples
With Perfect Match filmed over a few weeks, couples have very little time off camera to connect and see if their relationship will be viable in reality. Either making the filming process slightly longer or simply freeing up time to give the couples the ability to bond could help this issue and allow the couples to decide just how interested they are in each other. With all of the couples from Perfect Match season 1 crashing and burning post-show, it could be worth it to give couples more time to connect.
2 Obviously, Less From Nick Lachey
While Nick Lachey did better hosting Perfect Match solo than he does on Love Is Blind with his wife, Vanessa Lachey, it’s worth noting that his role could be minimized. Though a host presence does seem necessary, he could appear a few times throughout the season rather than a few times per episode. With less Nick – and fewer jokes at his expense – the couples could be given even more time to grow together.
1 Feature A Reunion At The End Of The Season
A reunion for Perfect Match would allow the cast to discuss everything that happened during the season and give viewers insight into what they may not have seen on screen. Considering all of the Perfect Match season 1 couple broke up after filming, a reunion would also serve to give viewers an update as to what’s happening in the lives of their favorite Netflix stars. As long as it doesn’t go the Love Is Blind live route, a Perfect Match reunion could be a great addition to the next season.
