Netflix faces criticism for its recent adaptation of the viral YouTube dating series “Pop the Balloon or Find Love,” with viewers claiming the new version lacks the authenticity of the original, according to a WIRED report. The streamer’s live remake, titled “Pop the Balloon Live,” premiered this month, hosted by “Insecure” comedian Yvonne Orji.

The original show, created by Bolia Matundu and Arlette Amuli in December 2023, features predominantly Black contestants in a no-frills dating format where participants hold balloons they can pop to eliminate themselves from consideration. The YouTube series attracts approximately 2 million viewers per episode and has recently been parodied on “Saturday Night Live.”

User Response Highlights Cultural Concerns

Social media reactions described Netflix’s version as “watered down” and “gentrified,” with one user on X stating, “They gentrified Pop the Balloon… UGH.” An anonymous Netflix executive called the premiere “a tragedy” and indicated the team may make adjustments following the negative response.

Sharp Entertainment, producer of “90 Day Fiancé,” handles production for the Netflix adaptation. Executive producer Matt Sharp stated that the new iteration “builds on the original’s core concept while pushing the boundaries of connection, chemistry, and unpredictability.”

Industry Perspective on Format Translation

Stephane Dunn, Chair of the Cinema, Television, and Emerging Media Studies Department at Morehouse College, identified the issue as “a problem of translation.” Dunn noted that as streaming platforms become “content-hungry,” they often discard cultural specificity in favor of metrics.

“Netflix believed they could duplicate that authenticity, but without certain makers—tone, aesthetics, a relationship to the audience—they have really just purchased a cultural skeleton of the thing,” Dunn stated.

The original YouTube series continues to release new episodes every Wednesday, despite the Netflix adaptation.