NBC's The Courtship may be a meek lovechild of The Bachelorette and Bridgerton, but it offers a compelling take on the reality dating show genre

Paste Magazine

"Overall, The Courtship isn’t revolutionary, but if you’re into dating shows it’s definitely not something you should skip," says Kathryn Porter. 'The show has a lot of potential, and it gets to be a little campier than its counterparts simply because of the Regency element of the premise. Nicole Rémy is a delight, and the added element of her family brings something different to the show that you can’t really get anywhere else. At the end of the day, The Courtship is some light, harmless fun that can hold you over until the next season of Bridgerton drops—and that’s all it really needs to be."

ALSO:

• The Courtship elevates The Bachelorette formula, making it feel new and fresh -- which is ironic for a show set in the early 1800s
• When it comes time for eliminations, The Courtship veers completely and delightfully off the rails
• It’s deeply gratifying to see a Black woman be a protagonist in a story that -- both historically and in modern fantasy versions -- excluded and degraded women of color
• The Courtship heroine Nicole Rémy didn't see the time machine twist as a burden: “How many hours have we spent on dating apps just to feel like we’re going in circles?” she says. “Superficial swiping and potentially going on dates with guys based on physical characteristics alone wasn’t enough… we’re often living in a world that isn’t so focused on making true, deep connections with people. The Courtship was breath of fresh air from that.”