The Undateables: If you’re lacking the feelgood factor, make a date with Shantae

The popular dating show is back for a new series
Channel 4

Surely anyone with a bad word to say about The Undateables must be some kind of monster?

Channel 4’s disabled dating show has been beaming meetcutes into living rooms since 2012, a bygone era of chillaxing, the London Olympics and a hapless, mostly harmless Mayor Boris.

It is a tried, tested and — here come the claws — slightly tired format, albeit perfectly polished to deliver a metronomic microhit of that feelgood factor we’re all craving.

Does that matter? It now being the Year of Our Lord 0 BC (“Before Coronavirus”), and perhaps mere minutes before we are each locked away with nothing but television for company anyway, here comes a familiar friend that recalls A Better Time for Britain™. It’s odd, though, that a forward-thinking programme can seem so fuzzily bygone.

22-year-old Shantae is a fashion lover and performing arts student (Channel 4 )
Channel 4

Schmulzy-but-important first dates are the order of the day (how long until today’s popular dating spots are restricted to video calls with the kind of filters that let you pretend you’re on a rollercoaster?). Everyone, of course, is utterly charming.

There’s Nicholas from Berkshire, 26, whose passion is a gig as amateur football commentator at Bracknell Town FC, and who has Asperger’s syndrome (a form of autism). He has dreamed for some time of his first-ever date as a football match. “And he’s done it, he’s got the phone number, there will be a second date,” he jokes. You’re rooting for him.

Television shows in 2020

1/11

Then there’s Shantae, 22, a third-year performing arts student at a West Midlands college, who loves fashion and has Down’s syndrome. Her first date plays out like a fairytale. Sam, 28, from Devon, has a learning disability and an enduring passion for both horse-riding and Robbie Williams. All will be well for him, too.

The trick here is to elevate the issue of visibility under the guise of will they, won’t they telly. That’s a deft sleight of hand worth appreciating.

Sam discusses his global development delay on the show
Channel 4

When Sam, who has worked hard to live independently, explains to viewers his global learning delay “which means sometimes I take a little bit longer to understand what people are trying to explain to me”, it is truly eye-opening. We are observing someone else’s way of viewing the world, where they struggle, how they overcome.

Still, it’s hard to see past the show’s formula. Person meets person and do/ don’t fall for each other. Relax the playbook, guys. People need attachment, and making a value judgment as to whether sparks are flying over a game of Connect Four seems slightly anathema to that point. Humans are complex; can’t there be some recognition that our social relationships can be, too?

Maybe a dating show in which potential great mates are set up wouldn’t wash. That said, it works for Gogglebox. Whatever, though.

Even the most embittered cynic (hello!) would be moved by the joy of seeing happy parents proud of their children’s sense of satisfaction in themselves. Props too to matchmaker Lydia and her dating agency, Flame Introductions, who seem to put huge effort into challenging misconceptions about those living with a disability. It’s easy, pleasant watching. In the era of social distancing, good luck getting to Series 12.

The Undateables is on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in