'Perfect Match' Season 2: Everything We Know
Netflix's latest reality show Perfect Match is officially over, with three couples making it out of the series as finalists. The omnibus dating experiment brought the streaming giant's alumni from several series together for a chaotic vacation à la Bachelor in Paradise and Love Island, where they all flirted and competed to find their perfect match. The show is perfect mindless reality TV, hitting the sweet spot between relentless drama and discourse fuel about the show villains' gameplay. It's also a bona fide hit, which means it's already time to start mentally preparing for a very likely renewal announcement.
Read on for everything we know about a possible Perfect Match season 2. (For breakdowns of how each couple faired after the show, read on for Dom and Georgia, Chloe and Shayne, and Joey and Kariselle.)
Has 'Perfect Match' been renewed for a second season?
Not yet as of March 1, but it's highly unlikely that Netflix would let this show slip through its fingers. The first season racked up over 24 million hours watched in its first week and 39 million in its second, despite going up against powerhouse shows like You, Physical: 100, Outer Banks, and its genre-mate After the Altar. It's also the type of low-budget, high-viewership show that is all but guaranteed a renewal.
When could 'Perfect Match' season 2 come out?
This is hard to predict, because the shooting schedules of Netflix's other reality shows have been so varied. Shows like Love Is Blind, The Circle, and Too Hot to Handle premiere at around a regular six months to a year clip, while others are still even waiting for a renewal (hello, Twentysomethings). Perfect Match's fate will probably depend on how quickly they can renew the show and round up a new cast, but I doubt it'd arrive any later than V-day 2024.
Who could be cast in 'Perfect Match' season 2?
Netflix has a lot of options to choose from in the new season, even if they choose between alums now rather than waiting for Too Hot to Handle season 5 or Love Is Blind season 4. They could either bring back some of the same people, hoping that their reality-star power can propel the show, or they can trust an entirely new cast.
Before we speculate on some good picks, we do have a hint of what someone involved in the show's production is thinking. Host Nick Lachey shared his picks in a recent TODAY interview, shouting out The Ultimatum's Jake Cunningham, as well as... Love Is Blind's Cole Barnett, and Netflix universe villain Bartise Bowden.
Okay, let's all take a deep breath and say it together: NO GOD PLEASE NO. NO. NOOOOOOO.
Now, an actual rebuttal/plea to the Perfect Match producers: Don't being back Bartise. He had his time on season 1, where he again became the villain and showed his true nature in his break-up with Abbey. We do not need him back. As for Cole, we don't need him in the villa rehashing the Cuties incident at least once an episode the way Shayne brought up "I was left at the altar" like 10 times. There are other options.
As for those other options, I actually agree that Jake from The Ultimatum would be a refreshing choice. Rae Williams would be great on the show too, where either she and Jake could rekindle their old connection, or there could be drama around it. Or, the show could cast Rae as a good natured attempt to keep showing LGBTQ relationships as part of the show. Maybe she'd hit it off with Dominique Defoe from Too Hot to Handle. Or Abbey, who was compelling to watch in her short time on the show and could be back for another season.
Speaking of which, if anyone is brought back for season 2, it should be people who had a shorter run on season 1. No Francesca, no Nick, no (as much as we love them) Ines and Dom. Diamond would be great to come back, as she was a breath of fresh air for even her short scenes. Another returning cast suggestion: Chloe as co-host. (Or just bring her in to host anything on Netflix; she's being underutilized by the streamer at this point.)
Some other fan-favorites who could join season 2: Love Is Blind season 2's Deepti Vempati and Natalie Lee. LIB season 3's Raven Ross. Most of the cast of Too Hot to Handle season 4, especially Jawahir Khalifa. So many more people from The Circle, as long as they can balance gameplay with actually being there for the "right reasons." Those are some suggestions, Netflix. Choose wisely.
