Television series

Take Me Out

Name: Take Me Out
Genre: Romance
Released: 2010
Cast: Paddy McGuinness

Romance
Light-hearted
Dip in and out

A British dating show where 30 single women judge arriving bachelors, eliminating them with a button press. Hosted by Paddy McGuinness with infectious energy, it's built on the simple, brutal mechanics of instant rejection—though occasionally, someone finds a genuine connection. Pure entertainment, no pretence. For anyone who enjoys watching people squirm and sometimes surprise themselves.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you find yourself grinning at strangers' awkward banter and love a format where the comedy comes from watching people be cheesy, cocky and charmingly out of their depth under bright studio lights.

Skip it if the whole thing runs on the cheap thrill of judging strangers on looks and one-liners, so if public sizing-up leaves you cold, the novelty wears thin fast.

What it asks of you: Each episode runs about an hour and needs little beyond a glance at the screen, as hopefuls arrive in a steady stream and get sized up in real time.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Love Island2015

The same voyeuristic pleasure of watching strangers couple up, but stretched across weeks so you actually invest in the drama. Addictive, chaotic, genuinely funny when contestants have zero self-awareness.

But Eight-plus weeks is a serious time commitment. The constant recoupling can feel repetitive, and some series lean heavy on manufactured conflict.

The Bachelor2003

The American gold standard of dating competition. Glossy, operatic, and unashamed about the melodrama. One man, many women, genuinely memorable moments of heartbreak and joy.

But Episodes run long and the show repeats its format relentlessly. You'll need to accept some cringe-inducing desperation as entertainment.

Married at First Sight2014

Raises the stakes by actually marrying strangers who've never met. Forces real vulnerability instead of strategic flirting. Australian version especially is warm-hearted beneath the chaos.

But The premise feels exploitative to some. Several seasons have uneven pacing and couples you stop caring about halfway through.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Take Me Out

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Face/Off1997

Both strip dating down to instant judgment, but Face/Off removes the visual noise that Take Me Out thrives on. It's the same game with the volume turned way down, asking harder questions.

Dating show where people fall for each other through only audio and video of faces. They can't see bodies, clothes, or context—just features and expressions. It reframes what attraction actually is. British, intelligent, surprisingly moving.

But Deliberately low-tech aesthetics might read as cheap. The premise attracts people thinking about serious relationships rather than entertainment, which shifts the energy.

First Dates2013

Speed dating as sport. Rapid-fire meetings with sharp editing make it feel like a highlight reel of dating. Genuinely curious about whether rapid attraction is real chemistry.

But The format doesn't allow real conversation to develop. You never find out what actually happens, which can feel unsatisfying.

Flirty Dancing2019

Dating show where strangers dance together in a club before even talking. The dancing becomes a weird form of instant intimacy. Hosted with genuine warmth by Gok Wan.

But The premise feels slightly gimmicky. Whether it works depends entirely on the chemistry, and some pairings just flatline.

Dating Around2019

Dates filmed as if they're real cinema verite, one person meeting five different strangers. No judges, no button-pressing, just authentic awkwardness and occasional magic.

But The docuseries approach means slower pacing and less instant gratification. Some episodes are genuinely uncomfortable to watch.

Shimoseka2015

Take Me Out is flirtation as sport, pure light-touch tension. Shimoneta is about what happens when flirtation itself is forbidden. One celebrates the game, the other mourns its absence. Opposite sides of the same coin.

Anime about a repressive future where crude jokes and romance are banned, following a boy accidentally spreading them. Sounds niche but it's genuinely smart about desire, shame, and what gets lost when you can't be playful. Wildly different medium, same energy of flirtation and defiance.

But It's anime—full subtitles, extremely Japanese. The show leans into sexual humour that some will find tedious rather than liberating. Visual style is deliberately garish.