JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This July, Netflix has a lineup of new programming coming to the streaming platform, with a slew of titles sure to be engaging, heartwarming, thrilling and hilarious.
"Sexy Beasts" isn't one of them.
The "reality" dating series hits the platform next month, but after seeing the trailer, which dropped Wednesday on YouTube, I'm already going to have nightmares.
Scroll down to watch the full trailer.
"Could you fall in love with someone based on personality alone?" the voiceover asks as contestants interact with each other decked out in over-the-top costumes reminiscent of a psychedelic fantasy.
The premise of the show seems to combine aspects of other popular unscripted series "The Masked Singer" and "Love is Blind." The participants are done up in "fantastical, cutting edge prosthetics" and makeup to make their faces unrecognizable, in an effort to take looks out of the equation and "giving them a chance to find love purely based on personality," according to the show's description on the Netflix Media site.
It's hard to believe this is a real series. After seeing the trailer, I did a double-take at the calendar on my desktop to make sure it's NOT an April Fools Day prank.
The good people of YouTube's comments section seem to largely be in agreement:
"I swear, aliens must ride by Earth and lock their doors," user brassyjazzful mused.
"So someone saw Cats and went, 'no, not far enough,'" user The Blank Panel said.
"I've been to Florida several times, and I have to admit that this is the dumbest thing that I've ever seen," observed user theylied1776.
Several other comments included strong or suggestive language, some hinting at certain kink communities that would be ashamed by "Sexy Beasts."
Still, some of the commenters seem to be looking on the bright side:
"I mean they’re employing a bunch of makeup artists so that’s cool…" noted user ZeroFox75.
"This definitely feels like something everyone would have watched when the pandemic began, when we all watched Tiger King," said KoopaPlays.
But, best perhaps summarizing everyone's feelings on the matter, user Aden says "I’m disgusted and interested at the same time."
Me too, Aden. Me too.
After all, I can't stop watching the trailer or showing it to everyone I know.
Maybe this isn't a ridiculous, over-the-top, sensational and brainless idea for a series. Could it be...secretly ingenious?
Time will tell.
