Airdate: Sexy Beasts

What are dates like if you take away physical appearance?

Probably not much fun …..but that’s the premise of Sexy Beasts, airing on ABC2.

It uses prosthetics to disguise its participants, as they search for the ideal chemistry in a partner.

After the dates end, then the latex comes off. And you though Dating Naked was far-fetched.

In a world where attraction is often based purely on looks, and social media encourages us to choose a potential date in a split second, judged solely on someone’s appearance, Sexy Beasts uses Hollywood prosthetics to transform people before they go on a first date, taking their real looks out of the equation. Using personality alone, can they find that elusive spark, and meet ‘The One’?

During each episode, we see either a woman or man vetting three potential love interests, with each person wearing their own bespoke prosthetic disguise. The choice of ‘outfit’ has a personal story behind it that reveals a bit about their character. Will Alex the demon find love with Belinda the monster, Charlotte the werewolf, or Vicky the alien? Can Bethany the witch find ‘Mr Right’ when she dates franken Josh, old man Scott, or Ricardo, the weird purple thing?

It won’t be easy – these dates happen in the real world, so prepare to see a demon try and find monster love in a cheese shop; and an old man trying to woo a witch on the dodgems, whilst bemused members of the public look on.

Everyone’s real faces are only revealed to the other participants in the show and to us at home after all the dating is done. Having picked their favourite, have the singles gone for someone that could be their usual ‘type’, or has dating based solely on personality led them down a different route? And, have they now found the beginnings of true love as a result?

Episode one:
Matt the dog has three women vying for his attention – Rachael the red skull, Kirsty the blue alien, and a lizard from Essex named Amber. His romantic excursions include a 4×4 driving course and a line dancing class. Will one of these be the location in which he finds true love, as confused members of the public look on?

Once all the dating is done we, and the people involved, get to see the real faces that lurk beneath the latex. Will Matt be pleased when he sees the girl he’s chosen purely based on personality, or will he have barked up the wrong tree?

Thursday, August 13 at 10.05pm ABC2.