'I love reality TV but this new Netflix series made me deeply uncomfortable.'

If there's one thing I can say about Netflix's latest dating reality show, it's that it has made me profoundly grateful for my own marriage. Because… damn.

Watching strangers reject each other via a balloon-popping ritual is precisely the sort of public humiliation I'm delighted to have permanently opted out of. Let's be clear: this is modern dating distilled to its most brutal form, and I want absolutely no part of it. But it does make for an interesting concept.

Netflix has just brought the viral YouTube series, Pop the Balloon or Find Love, to their platform as a live show hosted by Yvonne Orji. If you've somehow managed to avoid this cultural phenomenon that took over TikTok, the concept is simple: a group of singles each hold a balloon while a potential suitor is interviewed. Don't fancy them? Pop your balloon. Right in front of them. While they watch their dating prospects literally explode in real time.

Watch the trailer for Pop The Balloon Live. Article continues after video.

It's like Hinge come to life, except instead of quietly swiping left in the privacy of your loo, you're making a loud, public declaration that someone isn't worthy of your time. And they get to stand there and witness every rejection as well as your blunt explanation as to why. No pressure.

From what I hear, dating in 2025 is already a hellscape of ghosting, breadcrumbing and whatever new avoidance technique we've invented this week. But Pop the Balloon Live takes rejection to spectacular new heights.

Imagine standing before a panel of potential dates, sharing your hobbies, your values, the things that make you who you are… only to hear the consecutive POP POP POP of your romantic chances deflating. In some instances, almost the entire group is popping their balloons before the person has even opened their mouth. Yikes. It's brutal out here.

But the unfiltered comments that come with these rejections are where things get properly unhinged. The reasons people choose to pop their balloons range from the superficial to the surreal.

One man came on with a print button-up shirt. I'll admit… not my personal favourite choice but the girls were not having any of it. Not one bit.

"I wasn't really feeling your outfit. Not really physically attracted," one woman explained after popping her balloon. Another agreed, saying that "style" is important.

Am I crazy or is someone's choice of shirt on one given occasion such a benign flaw? Surely that's something that can be looked past or discussed? Anyway, moving on.

Image: Netflix.

In another instance, after popping her balloon, one of the contestants explained that the man in question looked too "nice".

"I just like men who look like they kill people. Not necessarily a murderer, but you look like it," she said. I'm not sure what this means, but this sounds like a problem for therapy.

Is this modern dating? Not only does it feel like standards for a romantic partner are sky-high (not that there's anything wrong with this), but part of me feels like some of the criteria being placed on prospective partners in these shows are honestly ridiculous and borderline cruel. Telling someone they're too short, or too fat, pointing out their insecurities as a reason not to date them… it's giving shallow energy.

It's like people forget their home training the moment a camera is pointed at them. Contestants regularly critique everything — from someone's teeth alignment to their fashion choices — with the casual cruelty of a school bully who's just discovered sarcasm.

The original YouTube series was even worse.

"The face is a bit wrinkly for me," one man said directly to a woman's face about why he wasn't attracted to her. Like, sir please. How is that okay?

Image: Netflix.

Another man walked directly up to a trans woman in the lineup and popped her balloon for her. Disgusting behaviour. Thankfully, the other women saw that as a MASSIVE deal-breaker, popping their own balloons in response.

But the show's brutal format exposes just how shallow and, at times, deeply problematic our dating preferences can be.

At least with dating apps, rejection happens in the digital ether. You never have to know that 47 people swiped left on you for whatever bizarre reason. But Pop the Balloon Live strips away that merciful buffer, forcing participants to endure rejection by an audience of millions. It's captivating television in the same way a car crash is — you know you shouldn't look, but you can't turn away.

If this is the future of dating, I'll be renewing my vows annually just to be safe. Because while I enjoy reality TV drama from the comfort of my couch, I'd rather navigate peak-hour Sydney traffic for eternity than face a row of people deciding whether I'm worthy of love based on a 30-second introduction.

For those brave souls entering the dating arena in 2025 — may the odds be ever in your favour. Just maybe leave the sharp objects at home.

Feature Image: Netflix.