Love in the Wild

TV review by Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media
Love in the Wild Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 15+

Survivor meets dating show, with arguing, kissing.

NBC Reality TV 2011
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age 15+

Based on 4 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this dating competition series features single men and women pairing up to compete in eco-challenges in the hopes of winning and finding love. There's lots of hugging and kissing, and couples are expected to spend the night in the same bed. Drinking (wine, champagne, beer, etc.) is visible, and the language can get salty ("bitch," "ass," bleeped curses). Arguments sometimes break out between the couples during competitions. The Oasis Costa Rica Suites is prominently featured throughout the show.

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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

Our Editors Recommend

For kids who love reality adventures

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