Just when you thought reality TV had tried every single morsel of ‘reality’ there was, this happens. The Bachelor concept really wasn’t getting that stale, but I guess some people thought it needed to be spiced up.
And that’s where Labor of Love was born (lol).
The new reality show premiered on America’s FOX network this weekend, and folks are feeling all kinds of feelings about it.
Labor of Love takes the standard concept of our fave reality series, The Bachelorette, and turns it up to eleven. The producers have thrown fifteen hunky, well-dressed men to live in a big ol’ mansion with one equally beautiful, lovely woman. But the winning man’s goal isn’t to win the lady’s heart. No, they’re competing for her womb.
The lady of the hour is Kristy Katzmann, a 41 year old divorcee and successful career woman who is looking for a baby daddy.
The show’s tagline, as host Kristin Davis (of Sex and the City fame) puts it: “The labor is mandatory, the love is optional”
I thought 2020 couldn’t possibly be worse, but then came #LaborOfLove a reality show about a woman who wants a baby and the 12 suitors competing to impregnate her on their quest for love, hosted by Sex and the City’s Charlotte. The first competition was a very public sperm test.
— nico problems (@nicooo_suavee) May 22, 2020
Throughout the show, Kristy will be assessing the ‘fatherly qualities’ of the ‘dad-chelors’ (thank you internet) – from sperm counts to drinking habits – while going on elaborate dates to test their parenting skills.
I’m getting major final six group date vibes. You know the obligatory episode in The Bachelorette, where the men are served with a basket of kids toys, and they go into a field and build change tables, and put nappies on dolls, and babysit real kids?
Yeah, imagine an entire show full of that.
From the trailer alone, it looks like a fairly wholesome (albeit batshit crazy) picture. Kristy missed the love boat and feels she’s been aged out of the game, and the producers have lines up equally sucessful, interesting, realistically age-bracketed, and unlucky-in-love fellas for her to pick to start a family with.
Cute, no?
The trailer gives us a taste of some of the dates -which, frankly, are more like Survivor trials – we’re talking abseiling, camping (classic Bachy glamping), strapping the blokes to labor pain machines (wtf), and fighting off a bear (what does that have to do with parenting?). All in an effort to prove they have what it takes to be a father.
Honestly, you’ve got to see it for yourself.
After the first episode aired, Twitter had some things to say – especially after watching the fellas fill specimen cups with their… um… specimen.
Can we talk about this new show #laboroflove? Someone please tell me that I am NOT the only one totally appalled. Did we not learn our lessons from all the failed Bachelor/Bachelorette relationships? Now we’re getting someone pregnant? No. Stop it. Stop.
— Kelly Parker (@KellyP_Author) May 21, 2020
#LaborOfLove is this a love thing or is she just looking for a sperm donor???
— Madison walker (@mwalkee) May 22, 2020
This is so awkward. You’re just gonna make them jack off real quick in a fancy porta potty? In front of everybody? #LaborOfLove pic.twitter.com/bPExn1J3Bd
— AM (@AshMariMakeup) May 22, 2020
I’ve never seen men so sad that they can’t have a child with a someone they met yesterday #LaborOfLove
— Whitney (@its_whitney158) May 22, 2020
A reality show featuring a 40-year-old woman and age-appropriate eye candy?!?!?! It’s about damn time. #LaborOfLove
— Mandy N. Murphy (@mandynmurphy) May 22, 2020
I mean, I know fertility treatment is expensive as hell, but couldn’t Kristy hit up a sperm bank? Seems far easier than all this TV madness.
But you do you, hun. I may be skeptical, but I feel like since we’re missing The Bachelor (kudos ‘rona), this might be the next best (fully bonkers) thing. Unfortunately, we can’t get our paws on it here in Australia, but I’m sure you’ll get the gist of it by wandering through YouTube or Twitter.
Image Sources: Giphy, Twitter (@FOXLaborofLove)
