The Bachelorette is currently the place to be when it comes to a reality TV search for romance, and Bachelor Nation has been dominant in the genre for quite a while now, but Peacock is casting for a new show that could be more successful at helping contestants find love that lasts. Following on the heels of months of Bridgerton buzz and centuries of Jane Austen popularity, Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance is on the way to Peacock to take contestants (and viewers) on a blast to the past in the search for love.
And no, Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance, which is casting now up until July 16, doesn't have the potential recipe for reality TV romance success just because the title calls Mr. Darcy to the mind of anybody who has ever read Jane Austen's famous novel or seen one of the adaptations. All it takes is a look at the casting details for An Experiment in Romance and a comparison to how Bachelor Nation chooses its contestants to see why the new show could have an edge over the long-running franchise.
Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance will take the action back to Regency-era England, and a group of suitors will work to win the love of a woman in a fairy tale-like journey that involves romantic chariot rides and – of course – balls, because what would a Regency-esque project be without some assemblies such as those from Jane Austen? It will be an immersive experience, and the show is looking for the right people to fill this world for the duration of the show. And, as the casting details prove, the show is leaving no stone unturned in finding the right people to search for love.
As one would expect from a casting call for a reality TV dating show, the application asks for the basics like name, age, gender, marital status, number of kids, etc. But it also asks more nuanced questions angled toward this particular show, including but definitely not limited to:
What are your deal breakers?Why are you a good catch?What are your thoughts on dating apps?Who do you turn to for advice when it comes to dating?Does modern day dating frustrate you? Why or why not?Do you like romance novels? Rom-coms? Big romantic gestures?When it comes to dating, is chivalry important to you? Explain and provide examples if applicable.
Maybe I'm just jaded from season after season of Bachelor Nation contestants being there for the wrong reasons, and the relative lack of Bachelor Nation success stories, but Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance getting so specific in casting when it comes to the character of the contestants indicates that the show isn't messing around in trying to find the right love interests for whoever the leading lady may be.
To contrast, the casting applications for Bachelor Nation don't really go very in-depth beyond the basics, and the one question that's the most open-ended for applicants to show personality is "Why would you like to be on the show?" All things considered, with how general the application criteria is for Bachelor Nation compared to Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance, I'd say that the new Peacock series has better odds of making a love match that can last, even after the contestants have to leave the Regency era and return to 2021.
If you're interested in appearing on Pride & Prejudice: An Experiment in Romance, you can apply here before the deadline is up on Friday, July 16. If you need a fix of Regency romance on the small screen sooner rather than later, Bridgerton on Netflix is an option for watching and re-watching, and the Pride and Prejudice miniseries starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle is available streaming on Hulu. As for what you can watch now and in the coming weeks, check out our 2021 summer TV premiere schedule.
