Dating Around director talks scripting and reveals all about the catch-up episode in an excl

Publish date: 2024-06-04

With the huge success of Netflix series Dating Around comes the inevitable question; is the show scripted?

While all modern reality TV series from Made in Chelsea to Keeping Up with the Kardashians thrive off clever script work, that doesn’t necessarily mean the same for Dating Around.

Reality Titbit’s exclusive interview with the Dating Around director James Adolphus get to the bottom of all your burning questions.

still from Dating Around Episode One trailer, Netflix, 2019

Was Dating Around scripted? How important was it to preserve reality?

“No, not at all.

We didn’t want, for any reason, for the cast to look to us for direction. The moment they do, they become actors instead of human beings.

It was made perfectly clear that Dating Around was going to be a very different kind of reality TV show.

I wanted to create an atmosphere that resembled the quiet and respectful nature of set-etiquette and the ethics of social and political documentary films.

We would never call cut or run on to set and interrupt a date when it got awkward… once the dates were in process, no-one was allowed on set, for any reason.”

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What was your favourite moment of the series?

“The interaction between Gurki and Justin.

It was a humbling experience to watch Gurki manage her time with Justin, and her handling of the situation really struck a chord with the crew… her strength, elegance.

We did our best to let her know that she was safe, respected and cared for, because by this point in the filming, the crew was falling for Gurki.

She has an indelible spirit and we were lucky to have her on set.”

We found Dating Around star Gurki on Instagram and discovered this…

Did you strike up any friendships with the cast?

“I absolutely loved working with Leonard and Luke.

Leonard is such a special man, he makes it hard to forget that the world isn’t filled with souls like his.

The best part of the Dating Around experience was the unexpected and very dear friendship I now have with Gurki – Great would be an understatement!”

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When they reached out I asked if they had the right person because on the surface of it, a lot didn’t make sense. You’re looking for a director | cinematographer to helm a dating series for Netflix? And I’m your pick? I assured them, I don’t know anything about dating shows, I would never watch one, and I’m really far too serious for the genre. And to be sure, you have been to my website? My background in documentaries couldn’t be any further from the this genre of television. . Right? . Or maybe this was just the universe poking fun at me, the way my son does about my trials and tribulations in dating since my divorce, nearly seven years ago. Luca has ranked the people I’ve dated in order of preference on numerous occasions. And a good friend and colleague at Real Sports, upon hearing about this Netflix series, remarked that perhaps Netflix should be making a reality TV show about my heartbreaks and heartaches. . Fair enough. Maybe I do know a thing or two about first dates. And so now, six months after photography, Dating Around, a new dating series by Netflix is premiering this Thursday, on Valentines Day. . That’s Leonard, one of my favorites from the series. Leonard, a gem of a man, a widower in his sixties who disarmed me with his spirit. He was on board, and apprehensive. Understandably. I promised him this would be different. It would have to be different, I don’t know a thing about the dating genre and I’m far too serious to trivialize the uphill battle of finding and holding on to love in the West in the twenty-first century. . Here we go. . #netflix #datingaround

A post shared by James Adolphus (@jamesadolphus) on Feb 13, 2019 at 4:24am PST

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There are whispers of a catch-up episode. When and what can we expect from it?

“There will be a follow up with the cast – it’s actually already been filmed – but don’t expect it in the form of another episode.

The follow-up will be entirely social media based.”

still from Dating Around Episode 1 trailer, Netflix, 2019

What about a Dating Around season 2?

“There are a number of possibilities for the future of Dating Around. I think it would be terrific if the show gets picked up for another season.

I think we can push the storytelling even further, push the boundaries of the genre further and perhaps help to steer the genre of reality television in a more respectful and intellectually satisfying direction. We’ll see.”

WATCH DATING AROUND ON NETFLIX NOW

Where is the Netflix Dating Around restaurant? Can I go there? What’s on the menu?