Since its beginning, Dating Naked has been a headline grabber. That's not surprising, as most shows on cable television that prominently feature naked people generate headlines. This time, the reality dating series is getting attention not due to controversy, but instead a cancellation. The news possibly sounds worse than it is, as VH1 President Chris McCarthy explains Dating Naked Season 4 won't happen, but there could be something else.
We haven't made plans to move it forward to Season 4; we think it's a great, fun format, we would like the opportunity at some point to reinvent it. But for right now, we felt the shows and assets that we have made more sense as we head into the year.
So, no more Dating Naked until stated otherwise, which should put a damper in anyone's plans that included Dating Naked Season 4 dance parties. Thankfully, Chris McCarthy did leave the door open for a reboot of the series, which should please fans. But how exactly do you reboot a show like Dating Naked?
I'm not sure there's a way to take such a concept like Dating Naked and expand it or turn it into something else. Maybe by adding an element of danger, but then it's basically just Naked And Afraid with more romance and less puking. Maybe flip the script and do something like "One Night Stand With Clothes On," although that seems stranger. My actual suggestion would be to perhaps have celebrities do casual dates (whilst naked) or do like a naked group date? I guess if it were that easy to transform the show, we'd be seeing it for Season 4!
As his Deadline interview states, Chris McCarthy is in the process of transforming VH1 into a reinforcing brand. McCarthy first oversaw the revitalization in VH1 programming a while back, and the network has seen such positive results that sister station MTV (of which McCarthy is also President) is undergoing the same process. With 4 out of 5 of cable television's top unscripted dramas on their network currently, shows like Dating Naked and The Amber Rose Show are going to be nixed for more fresh ideas to come in and hopefully continue to grow their audience.
Sad news for fans of Dating Naked, but it looks like VH1 is gearing up to introduce a lot more shows reality fans will enjoy throughout the rest of 2017. Don't give yourself a headache trying to keep up with all these new show announcements and premiere dates, that's our job! You can find any returning and new shows coming out day by day on our midseason premiere guide and summer premiere schedule.
It's unfortunate that Dating Naked was cancelled. However, if you are looking to add the series to your dvd or blu-ray collection, you can check that out here.
