Animation
Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld
Netflix’s Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld isn’t your typical fantasy-horror blend, with a mix of Chinese mythology, Daoism and a whole lotta violence.
Ah, l’amour. It is a thing of pure beauty—as lovely as a rose in bloom, as tempestuous as a stormy sea, as timeless as the universe. It has filled a million poems, been praised in a million songs. It is a most glorious, most unpredictable thing, and nothing says love—true love—like reality TV.
Or so the folks at ABC seem to think. That must be why the network has played moneyed matchmaker to young and telegenic singles in The Bachelor and The Bachelorette many years now, so much so that it’s almost become a sort of national phenomenon. The Bachelorette—now in its twenty-first incarnation—is the newer of the two, and it merely reverses the format of its forerunner. Onscreen, a carefully selected girl (for her looks and personality) “dates” 25 men over the course of the season, doling out roses to suitors she likes (signaling they can stick around for another week) while booting those who don’t strike her fancy.
It’s all very titillating and tawdry—emotional porn, really, for folks who believe romance is more about picturesque set pieces (fancy cars, nifty getaways, fabulous fashion) and superficial compatibility (“Do you like to eat French fries?” “I love to eat them too!”) than the stuff of real relationship.
Not that one can’t find true love on the set of a reality show, I suppose. Trista Rehn, ABC’s first ever Bachelorette, married her onscreen beau and they’re still living happily ever after, apparently. Still, isn’t there something just a little bit creepy about revealing your love life to an entire country of voyeurs? These shows also whittle away at traditional morality while they whittle down the contestants. Discussions about how “sexy” suitors often devolve into full-blown intimate encounters. Scenes show her in the tub, in lingerie and “in bed” with the guys.
Men vie for attention with all they’ve got, trying to make a lasting impression from the first introductions. Some are sweeter and more thoughtful, finding similarities between themselves and the leading lady to talk about. Others are lewder and more suggestive in their first meetings. Either way, tension between the guys runs high quickly: They all know there can only be one winner.
In Season 21, a familiar face from The Bachelor returns to find her “person.” Jenn Tran walks into the spotlight as the first Asian-American lead in all of the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise history. In her first interviews she acknowledges that she’s finding love in a non-traditional way, but that she is sure she’s going to get engaged. No pressure, I guess.
While only one episode has aired, it looks as though the show will follow its time-honored format. The men are desperate, the locations and the cars are fancy, and there’s going to be a lot of making out, crying and a few twists and turns along the way.
But it’s more than television love and fancy vacations that keep the viewers watching. Tensions run high, and part of the “charm” of the show is finding your own favorite suitor to root for. Love is patient and kind? Nah. Love is the final rose for the hottest, most confident, and most popular bachelor—and the one able to crush the competition.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at [email protected], or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
It’s time for Jenn to meet the 25 eligible bachelors. And after their first introductions and some individual one-on-one chats, Jenn must send seven men home.
Her goal? To “flirt her little booty off with a bunch of men” in order to find her person.
Their goal? To “win” the woman’s heart (and hopefully get the first rose, meaning she’s really interested).
The eligible bachelors want to make a memorable first impression, so many of the first introductions are on the crazier side.
One contestant claims to be well-endowed. Another contestant shows up in a hospital gown, pretending to be “lovesick.” He wears nothing underneath, as Jenn glimpses his backside as he walks away (censored for the viewers). Several contestants likewise introduce themselves in rather suggestive and presumptuous ways.
In a game of Truth or Dare, one contestant is dared to streak through the house. We see him in nothing but his underwear, but the man’s critical regions are blurred when he runs fully unclothed through the house.
On the flip side, some individuals seemingly take love more seriously. Some bachelors remember failed relationships in their past and say they want to be more cautious. Many of them express healthy family ideals, wanting their marriage to be permanent and hoping to raise kids.
One contestant described himself as a “love virgin,” claiming that the girl he makes his girlfriend is the girl he will make his wife.
Jenn is described as “beautiful,” “gorgeous” and “stunning,” and she describes certain men as “hot,” “sexy,” and “cute.”
She shares a “feral” kiss with one contestant before the night is over.
Viewers hear a handful of bleeped profanities. We also hear characters say “d‑‑n,” “h‑‑‑,” and “a–“. God’s name is taken in vain a few times. In his introduction, an army vet recalls almost dying and brief war violence is seen (no gore). Nearly everyone is shown downing alcohol in shots or champagne glasses.
Ali goes on three dates—one with Frank (they talk under the Hollywood sign), one with Jesse (they take a trip to Las Vegas) and one with a dozen other attention-starved suitors who frolic with her on the beach as part of a photo shoot.
Ali surely ended up with severely chaffed lips, what with all the kissing going on. And she wears some pretty revealing getups, from a cleavage-exposing dress to two teensy-weensy bikinis. But the group date deserves some extra attention here, given that most of the men are handed Speedos to wear for a “Sexy Guy” calendar shoot. The guys alternate between making off-color jokes about the suits—how certain contestants don’t fill them out “as they should”—to reassuring one another that the suits don’t make them look fat. “You’ve got great legs, a great a‑‑!” one man tells another.
Viewers hear lots of bleeped profanities (and one obscured obscene gesture). We also hear characters say “d‑‑n,” “h‑‑‑,” “b‑‑ch” and other “colorful” expressions. Ali and her dates misuse God’s name at least 30 or 40 times. Nearly everyone is shown downing wine, beer and champagne.
Caleb Gottry is the Plugged In intern for Summer 2024. Caleb studies journalism with a minor in music at Texas Christian University, where he will be a junior in the fall. He loves playing with words, listening to and making music, and spending any spare time with friends or family.
Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.
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