Dating in the Dark (American TV series)

Format

Three men and three women live in separate areas of a house and are not allowed to talk to or interact with the opposite sex unless they are in a special dark room. The show begins with a group date where all six contestants sit around a table in complete darkness, sharing their names and getting to know each other through voice and personality. After that, each contestant can ask someone for a private date, which also takes place in the dark room.

Host Rossi Morreale helps the group by giving them personality profiles that show who might be their best match, and he lets them look at personal items the others brought, like clothes or luggage. Some episodes also feature sketch artists who draw how the contestants imagine each other looks. Following the one-on-one dates, each contestant can invite someone they want to finally see. The contestants go into the dark room one last time, and they are revealed to each other one by one.

During this reveal, the couple must stay completely silent. When one person is shown in the light, they cannot see the other person’s reaction. The two contestants stand at opposite ends of the dark room with a large two-way mirror between them. A color camera films from the dark side of the mirror while the other person is lit up on the other side.

A separate infrared camera records the reaction of the person on the dark side, and the two images are combined later. This is done using video editing software that fades the infrared image of the person being revealed to black before they are lit, then smoothly fades in the color image of that person. The show ends with each contestant deciding whether to meet someone on the house’s balcony. A contestant goes to the balcony and waits for their potential partner to join them.

If the other person comes to the balcony, it means they both want to try a relationship. If they leave through the front door instead, it means they do not want to pursue a relationship. Cameras are set up to show both the balcony meeting and the front door exit.

Episodes

The first season of the show aired six episodes starting on 20 July 2009, with subsequent episodes on 27 July, 3 August, 10 August, 17 August, and 24 August. In the 3 August episode, Chris was the only guy selected by all three women for the final date and the reveal. All three women also chose to meet him on the balcony, but none of them actually went to him. The other male participants in that episode were Philip, age 27, and Billy Ray, age 33.

The second season began on 9 August 2010. In that episode, Joey, age 31, was not picked for a final date or reveal. Both Jessica and Natasha wanted Dave, so Jessica waited on the patio while Natasha waited in the piano room. The next episode, on 16 August, saw Joshua and Summer receive no pictures, while Michael and Becky each got two pictures.

Joshua, age 28, did not take part in the reveal or the waiting. On 30 August, John, age 29, also skipped the reveal and the waiting. Both Jill and Kate wanted Brad, so Jill waited on the patio and Kate waited in the piano room, but Kate left before Brad made his choice. In the season finale on 13 September, twin brothers Ray and Shawn, both 26, appeared together on the show for the first time, but neither was selected for a final date or reveal.

Harrison was chosen by all three women for a final date and by Kahleel and Kayla for the final reveal. Suzanne, age 24, decided not to date anyone and did not wait on the patio. Kayla and Kahleel both chose to wait for Harrison, with Kayla on the patio and Kahleel in the piano room.