The Proposal

This awkward matchmaking competition feels like a pageant with no real winners. It shows men and women displaying themselves and their personalities in front of a unidentified stranger for the first time in hopes of getting engaged when the episode is over. It attempts to frame the whirlwind events in a positive way by characterizing their willingness to participate in the process as honest and courageous. It also sends mixed messages, including highlighting the importance of getting to know someone’s inner-self, while requiring contestants, most of whom do not look or dress like models or athletes, to participate in a bathing suit round to be judged on physical appearance.

It’s hard not to cringe as contestants stand in front of a person hidden from view (and a national audience) in partial dress, answering questions, and briefly offering personal details about themselves. Also troubling is the fact that despite the show’s non-traditional, almost carnivalesque approach to making a love match, the response to contestants who don't favor more traditional gender roles in a relationship isn’t very supportive. Overall, The Proposal is a pretty dysfunctional viewing experience filled with baffling ideas about finding a soulmate.