by BRIANNA DELUCA Staff Writer
MTV hit reality series “Are You the One” was renewed for a second season on Tuesday, March 25, 2014.
The unique dating show features 20 contestants from across the country. Through an extensive matchmaking process, the participants are paired up into 10 “perfect matches.”
“The matchmakers get pretty deep into all of the contestants’ past relationship history, so they do these interviews with the contestants and their families. All that information is combined and analyzed,” said psychologist Tiffany Williams.
After the perfect matches are created, the contestants begin the game. It is their mission to work together and find out who everyone’s perfect match is. If all 20 find their match after 10 tries, they leave with love and split a one million dollar prize.
The first season premiered on January 21, and the contestants were sent to a mansion in Hawaii. The men and women learned more about each other by competing in challenges designed to test the intelligence of their hearts.
After the weekly challenge, contestants voted to send a couple of their choice into “The Truth Booth.” This crucial aid was the only way to confirm a perfect match, so they had to choose wisely.
Although the truth booth was very helpful, it only revealed whether or not the couple was a perfect match. This created a lot of drama, especially involving Chris Tolleson and Shanley Mclntee.
Tolleson and Mclntee were sent to the truth booth during the first week after making an instant connection. The couple was devastated with the results, but continued to pursue their relationship. This frustrated other contestants.
Finally, at the end of each week, the group attended a match-up ceremony where they tested their hearts and paired up. The number of perfect matches was revealed at the end, represented by beams of light.
The contestants did fairly well during their first ceremony, with two perfect matches. They did not know which were correct, but it was a start. During the second week, the group doubled their match total.
During the third ceremony, the contestants went backwards. With only two matches again, everyone began to take the game more seriously.
The group gained back their confidence during the fifth week. They confirmed their first perfect match – Dillan Ostrom and Coleysia Chestnut – in the truth booth. The couple was sent to a honeymoon resort and the remaining 18 contestants were a step closer to finding their own matches.
They continued to make progress as they confirmed their second and third perfect matches in the truth booth during weeks seven and eight. By the ninth week, all 10 beams were lit at the match-up ceremony, and each contestant took home $50,000.
The show was a success in its first season and it is no surprise that MTV wants to renew the series. With an average of 1.8 million viewers each week, “Are You the One” is addictive and entertaining. The love is sweet, but the drama is exciting.
Freshman Kiersten Pflueger said, “I found out about ‘Are You the One’ online and I’m so glad I did because it’s my favorite show now. I can’t wait for season two.”
The show was also successful in creating a couple that will spend the rest of their lives together. During the reunion show on April 1, Ethan Diamond proposed to his perfect match Amber Lee. The two are now engaged.
“It was absolutely the sweetest proposal I’ve ever seen on television,” said freshman Tessa Enes. “Ethan and Amber found genuine love and won the money.”
“Are You the One” is a show that will satisfy any reality television lover. With season two around the corner, how will you prepare for the drama that comes along with the new contestants?