| Boy Meets Boy | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Reality television |
| Presented by | Dani Behr |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Production location | Palm Springs, California |
| Running time | 46 minutes |
| Production company | Evolution Film & Tape |
| Original release | |
| Network | Bravo |
| Release | July 29 – September 2, 2003 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Boy Meets Boy is an American reality television series broadcast by Bravo. The series premiered on July 29, 2003, and it concluded with its sixth episode on September 2, 2003. Filmed in Palm Springs, the series depicted leading man James Getzlaff selecting a partner among a group of fifteen men, referred to as mates. Getzlaff and the mates participated in one-on-one dates and group activities, with Getzlaff eliminating three mates from the competition in each episode. However, in the fourth episode, it was revealed to Getzlaff that the mates actually consisted of both gay and straight men. If the final mate in the competition was a gay man, he would win a $25,000 reward and a vacation to New Zealand with Getzlaff. Conversely, if the final mate was a straight man, then he alone would win the $25,000 reward. The series was hosted by English television presenter Dani Behr.
The series received mixed reception from television critics. Some critics praised the series for its portrayal of LGBT people, while others found it dull. However, the fourth episode's reveal was universally panned by critics and audiences alike, with most deeming it a cruel and homophobic twist against Getzlaff. The twist was defended by producers, who claimed that it was an attempt to appeal to audiences outside of the LGBT community. The series received further backlash from some conservative Christian organizations, such as the Traditional Values Coalition, for its perceived positive representation of LGBT people. Boy Meets Boy premiered to strong ratings for Bravo's standards, although it dwindled with subsequent episodes. The series received a nomination in the Outstanding Reality Program category at the 15th GLAAD Media Awards.
Boy Meets Boy was the first same-sex dating show. Despite its short-lived run, the series inspired a wave of LGBT-related reality television series throughout the 2000s. The series assisted in bolstering the entertainment careers of several contestants, including Getzlaff and Dan Wells. Due to the fourth episode's twist, several media outlets have cited Boy Meets Boy as one of the most controversial reality television series of all time. In 2022, Time deemed the first and only season of Boy Meets Boy as one of the most influential reality television seasons of all time.