Love in the Wild
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Survivor meets dating show, with arguing, kissing.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
Where to Watch
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In LOVE IN THE WILD, single men and women embark on an extreme adventure quest for love in the jungles of Costa Rica. Ten single men and 10 single women are paired off into couples and sent out on challenges designed to test how well they work together. Each pair must learn how to work as a team, as well as figure out whether there's a spark between them. At the end of each challenge, the winning pair gets a night in a romantic luxury hotel and immunity from elimination. The others must face off in a \"couples choice ceremony,\" where cast members can try to switch partners in hopes of not getting booted. The couple that manages to make it to the end of the competition without being eliminated wins a first-class trip around the world.
Is It Any Good?
From building rafts to fighting off snakes in the jungle, this eco-dating competition offers viewers a voyeuristic chance to see how folks get to know each other in rather extreme circumstances. It uses teamwork as a way to help contestants connect with potential mates, and it also highlights the awkwardness that comes from being rejected.
The location may be exotic, but the show looks a lot like any other dating competition thanks to challenges that require couples to kiss and cohabitate, plus suggestive images of couples in bed under the covers. Occasional catty behavior and arguments between contestants only add to this. If you like this sort of thing, it's decently entertaining, but overall it sends confusing messages about dating and relationships.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about dating competition shows. Do people really find love on shows like this?
Is the affection that some of these folks show to each other real, or is it just for the cameras? Throughout the history of these competitions, how many winning couples have stayed together after the show was over?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 29, 2011
- Cast: Darren McMullen
- Network: NBC
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: February 25, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate