Unchain their hearts. Having dissected hospital care, Boston politics and the New York City police department, ABC News producer Terence Wrong turns to the hot pursuit of Mr. Right in his latest summertime documentary series.
ABC’s new series explores the culture of this uncharted territory. The five-hour “Hooking Up,” premiering today and airing weekly through Aug. 11, is a dotcom meld of “The Dating Game,” “Love Connection” and “The Bachelorette.” Its stars are a dozen real-life Manhattan women whose Cupid is the Internet.
“Hooking Up” only uses New York City as its incubator, which seems a bit insular on the face of it. Still, cyber-dating obviously is a fact of modern life across the USA. Should we feel envy or pity for a 35-year-old second-grade teacher named Kelly, who says in the second episode, “It is now Wednesday. I have been viewed 4,418 times” – in a bikini.
Cynthia, 34-year-old manager of a hair salon, has a fallback “booty call” arrangement when she feels the need for sex without any strings. The urge usually hits after a first date also proves to be the last one.
Maryam, a 29-year-old art photographer, frets that one of her dates might be unsuitable at any speed.
“He has a gay voice. C’mon,” she says.
We watch the admittedly very choosy Cynthia embark on another date. And another. And another. In time, we get to know her better than the men she discards, and vice versa.
However you feel, you’re likely to feel something. All of the abundant kissing, telling and gamesmanship in “Hooking Up” just might be the beginning of a beautiful relationship – between viewers and ABC at least.
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