"It's really good"— Too Hot to Handle earns a top spot with Andrew Garfield as his favorite reality show

Andrew Garfield, an acclaimed actor known for his roles in The Social Network and Spider-Man, has revealed that Too Hot to Handle is his favorite reality TV show. In a recent interview with W Magazine on January 4, 2025, Garfield discussed why he enjoys the show and shared his perspective on its unique format.

"It's a guilty pleasure it's too hot to handle... it’s really good," he stated.

Too Hot to Handle is a reality dating series that premiered on Netflix in April 2020. The show brings together a group of singles, who are initially led to believe they are participating in a typical dating competition, only to discover that they cannot engage in any physical intimacy unless they form a genuine emotional connection.

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Garfield's take on Too Hot to Handle’s premise

The fundamental premise of Too Hot to Handle is, as explained by Garfield, a dating show with a twist. It makes clear that contestants initially enter believing they're in a reality TV show just like Love Island, where everything seems to boil down to being hot and lovingly attracted.

He stated that in the initial interviews, most of the contestants expressed the desire for non-serious bodily encounters. However, Garfield pointed out that once the contestants arrive at the island, they soon discover the true nature of the competition. He explained that the show’s twist is revealed to them:

“It’s a prize pot of money, and you only win it if you don’t f--- each other.”

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The role of Lana and emotional growth

Garfield also discussed the importance of the robotic figure "Lana," who is in charge of the show and makes sure that there is a following of the rules. He explains that Lana organizes the contestants and determines and measures competition by monitoring their behavior and determining whether there are emotional grounds for interaction.

Garfield underlined that the participants are informed that they have been chosen because of their fear of intimacy and the challenge of forming actual emotional connections, not physical attraction. He explained further how Lana approaches this in a different way.

“The competition is run by this Alexa kind of robot... you will be here for a week, and anything you do physically with each other that is not born out of a true emotional connection you will be fined for, and your prize pot will go down and down and down,” Garfield explained.

Garfield further emphasized that when the contestants do form real emotional connections, Lana allows them to engage in physical intimacy, but only if it aligns with the emotional bond they have established. He explained that the show encourages participants to open up, revealing their traumas and past experiences in the process, which leads to emotional growth.

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The impact on contestants

Garfield highlighted the emotional transformation that many contestants undergo throughout the series. He underscored that Too Hot to Handle is not just about finding romantic connections, but also about personal development.

“You see these people who start to reveal their traumas, and suddenly they’re softening and they’re vulnerable and they’re terrified of doing it, and everyone around them is very encouraging,” he explained.

According to Garfield, it is the show that provides an environment in which contestants can be supported for emotional growth leading to more real relationships. Secondly, Garfield pointed out that the show contains intimacy coaches and self-love practitioners, who will guide the contestants through their emotional journeys.

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Catch up on all the drama and emotional growth by watching previous seasons of Too Hot to Handle, now available on Netflix.