Stream It or Skip It: ‘Couple to Throuple’ on Peacock, A Messy Reality TV Exploration Into The World of Polyamory

The latest Peacock reality show Couple to Throuple dives into the world of polyamory as it follows four couples as they welcome a third person into their relationship. The show is hosted by Access Hollywood co-anchor Scott Evans and guided by sex and relationship expert Shamyra Howard, both of whom offer support to the contestants while they navigate their changing relationship dynamics and go in-and-out of partnerships. Will the couples be able to commit to adding another person into their relationship? 

COUPLE TO THROUPLE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? 

Opening Shot: Host Scott Evans asks, “If you were given a chance at non-monogamy in paradise, what would you do?” as the camera pans across the beach villa that the contestants are staying at. The opening continues with a montage of the four real-life couples and a breakdown of the show’s format, which sees the couples participating in a Matching Ceremony followed by Stay or Swap Ceremonies that occur “every few days.”

The Gist: Couple to Throuple follows four real-life couples as they explore adding a third person to their relationship. The couples all have varying experiences with polyamory, but none have committed to the lifestyle. They are introduced to a handful of singles, all of whom have dabbled in monogamist relationships, and they have a mingle session.

Later, the couples meet with sexologist Howard to have a guided relationship session, during which each coupled person reveals who they were most interested in bringing into their relationships and see if they agree with their partners.

Then the group has their first Matching Ceremony where both the couples and the singles have a say in who they match up with, resulting in the four couples now being throuples. As the show continues, the couples consistently participate in Stay or Swap ceremonies in order to ensure they find the person who best fits in with their relationship.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Couple to Throuple will remind you of other dating reality shows that take place on a beach destination, like FBOY Island, Love Island, and Perfect Match, and maybe a bit of the sexy swinging reality show Real Life Wife Swap. There’s also Polyamory, a Showtime docuseries from 2012, that treats the subject matter a tad more seriously than what you’ll see here — but also has no qualms about showing full frontal.

Our Take: Couple to Throuple is interesting enough for us to not be mad at it — does that make sense? The show is subversive to the reality genre and dating norms, and makes a worthwhile effort to be an ethical portrayal of polygamy. But we can’t help but feel that the premise is damaging to the real-life couples as we watch them struggle to adjust to bringing another person into their relationships. By not selecting couples who were already dedicated to polygamy, it’s clear that the show was created to meddle with existing relationships, which delivers a murky message about unconventional dating styles.

Overall, the show works to create a judgement-free zone and Howard offers valuable guidance to the couples through her therapy sessions, and helps them acknowledge and work through their roadblocks.

The worst parts of the show are the typical reality show bits and the voyeuristic peaks into the contestants’s bedrooms, and the number of Stay or Swap Ceremonies — which emphasize the unseriousness of the plot. That said, the best parts of the show are Howard and Scott, who both have amazing chemistry with the cast and cultivate an inclusive environment.

Sex and Skin: There’s a surprising amount of sex and skin in Couple to Throuple. While illusions to sex and skimpy bathing suits is nothing new to the genre of paradise reality shows, this show has the cameras follow the couples into their bedrooms and gives awkward peeks into their sex lives. There are multiple scenes that feel like soft porn.

Parting Shot: Cover your eyes! The couples each select a third person to welcome into their relationships… and their bedrooms. The episode ends with a NFSW montage of the newly formed throuples getting extra cozy in their beds built for three.

Sleeper Star: We love the show’s same-sex couple Ashmal and Rehman! From the beginning, the two men from Chicago seem completely in love with each other and in sync as they decide which single to invite into their relationship. Though, there seems to be trouble in store for them as shown in the next two episodes. 

Most Pilot-y Line: Ashmal and Rehman were a hoot during the first episode. While reflecting on the experience during a group breakfast, they joked, “We can’t even pick a movie, now we’re picking a person?”

Our Call: STREAM IT! If you like reality television, we recommend giving Couple to Throuple a shot! The show takes the voyeuristic nature of reality programming to the next level and offers nonstop jaw-dropping moments. But if you’re looking to learn about polygamy in an ethical and educational manner, stick to the YouTube explainers — or book a private session with Howard.