Whether it be American Idol, Catfish, or Total Drama Island, I believe that everyone has a guilty pleasure in the reality TV genre. I personally love Survivor. I’ll usually watch the first episode of whatever ridiculous reality show Netflix cranks out every month to see if it’s good too. But at a time where it feels like the genre’s well is starting to run dry, one network has emerged with what may very well be the most absurd and ethically questionable dating series of all time. I’m talking about TLC’s Milf Manor. 

 

As the name implies, the series revolves around 8 seasoned women who get invited to find love at a Mexican resort. But, as in any reality show, there’s a twist. Minutes into the first episode, after meeting each of this season’s contestants, it’s revealed that each of the women will be joined by their oldest sons AND that they will be allowed to date each other’s sons. 

 

It’s a premise that I still can’t believe as I write this review, but it’s true. Things are initially awkward between the moms and sons at first, but most of them eventually warm up to the idea. After all, it’s revealed early on that many of the moms knew they’d be meeting young men at the resort. One mom, named Kelle, is seemingly unphased by the show’s twist and tries to hook up with two different sons in the first 24 hours!

 

That’s where the show really starts to unravel. It becomes hard for other moms to let their guards down and have a good time because they have to worry about the well-being of their sons. And the sons, knowing how toxic modern young men are, have to do the same. It makes you wonder how the hell anyone will find love under these circumstances. 

It goes without saying that one episode in and I’m not entirely sure if this show works. Like so many of TLC’s other programs, it feels more like a gimmick than an actual experiment to find long term love. Will I continue to watch? Absolutely, but only because I feel so grossly invested that I need to know how these relationships turn out. Should you? Probably not. I hear that the new show on Peacock called The Traitors is good though!