Uwa Ede-Osifo

JT Tsou recently swore off using dating apps. “People who are on dating apps just want to move really fast,” said the New York City-based writer and producer. “But, to really get a connection with someone, it’s gotta be a slow burn. You want to get to know someone and their habits, their likes, and dislikes.” Singles hoping to find love online are doomed—at least according to a spate of headlines that espouse the prevalence of dating app fatigue that people like Tsou feel. The allure of entering a seemingly wider pool of attractive suitors has devolved into painstaking repetition: ghosting, small talk, or dates, that for one reason or another don’t advance into meaningful relationships. The trials and tribulations of online dating aside, public health authorities in recent years have rung the bell on loneliness and social isolation as pressing concerns. People yearn to relate to one another but in organic ways. The dating approaches for connecting “IRL” oscillate between the experimental (think: pseudo-business cards with your info to hand out to strangers) and the traditional (old-fashioned matchmakers). Across the city, a “slow-burn” alternative to the apps, nestled between novel and familiar, has emerged: live dating shows. These events translate stand-up comedy and reality television formats into eclectic game shows. Contestants, who are often strangers to one another, may find themselves making out in front of an audience or divulging their innermost secrets. “Why Are Yo