Hollywood and the global entertainment world have seen plenty of outrageous reality shows over the years, but Disney’s newest gamble may just take the crown for the most shocking, controversial, and talked-about project of 2025.

The company that once built its reputation on fairytales, magic, and innocence has just unveiled a reality dating series unlike any other:

“Are You My First?”—a dating show centered entirely on people who, despite their ages ranging from early 20s to 40, have never had “their first time.” Yes, you read that right.

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These are men and women who claim to have remained “pure,” “inexperienced,” and “untouched”—now competing in a reality show where romance, awkward confessions, and explosive drama collide in front of millions of Disney+ subscribers.

 

The premise is deceptively simple. A group of singles—beautiful, nervous, and incredibly candid—move into a luxurious villa designed for love.

Over the course of three intense days, they are tasked with finding a partner, building intimacy, and facing emotional challenges that force them to open up about why they’ve waited so long.

 

But here’s the kicker: if contestants fail to connect or spark a genuine bond within that short timeframe, they are eliminated—sent home still waiting for that elusive “first time.”

 

Producers behind the global phenomenon Love Island are the creative masterminds here, which explains the heavy emphasis on heart-pounding drama, cliffhanger episodes, and raw, unscripted emotion.

But while Love Island was known for hookups, bikinis, and beachside flings, Disney’s spin takes a wildly different—and some say exploitative—angle.

 

The reactions to the show’s first season have been nothing short of explosive.

Fans are glued to their screens, binge-watching all 10 episodes on Disney+, unable to look away from the tension between contestants.

Are You My First?: Season 1 Trailer

One viewer tweeted: “It’s like The Bachelor meets Love Island but with way higher stakes—these people are so raw, so vulnerable, and the pressure is insane.

 

Another critic wasn’t so kind: “Disney took something deeply personal and turned it into a spectacle.

Watching grown adults confess their inexperience and then being judged for it feels more like humiliation than entertainment.” Still, the show is undeniably addictive.

From the awkward first-date confessions to the moments of genuine tears when a contestant admits they’ve been shamed for never “doing it,” every scene is packed with drama.

 

Episode after episode, the villa became a pressure cooker. Contestants struggled with insecurities, cultural stigmas, and the fear of rejection.

In one particularly emotional scene, a 32-year-old contestant named Mark broke down in tears, saying: “People always told me something was wrong with me because I never had sex. Being here is the first time I feel like I’m not alone.”

 

Another contestant, a 27-year-old woman named Samantha, sparked outrage online when she bluntly told her date: “If we don’t connect, you’re wasting my time—and I don’t have another decade to waste.

 

The internet exploded with memes and hot takes about whether she was “brutally honest” or simply “cruel.”

Watch Are You My First? Streaming Online | Hulu

And then there were the challenges—playful games designed to “break the ice” but often turning into cringe-worthy spectacles.

One task forced contestants to practice “intimacy exercises” while blindfolded.

Viewers described it as “the most awkward reality TV scene in history.

 

Disney, of course, is no stranger to controversy, but this show has sparked a new wave of criticism.

Parents groups are outraged that the family-friendly brand is promoting such an intimate theme, while others accuse the company of exploiting vulnerable people for profit.

 

One columnist in The New York Post wrote: “Disney has officially abandoned its wholesome image.

What’s next—dating shows for divorcees, widows, or worse? This is not the Disney we grew up with.”

 

Yet, defenders of the show argue that “Are You My First?” is groundbreaking, empowering, and destigmatizing.

 

A fan on Reddit wrote: “We live in a culture where virginity is mocked or fetishized. This show finally gives people who made different choices a voice—and it’s about time.” Despite the outrage, the numbers are undeniable.

Are Michael and Rachael From 'Are You My First?' Still Together After  Leaving the Hulu Reality Hit Hand-in-Hand?
“Are You My First?” has become one of Disney+’s most-watched unscripted shows of all time, ranking in the platform’s top 5 most-streamed programs of the year.

Social media engagement is through the roof, with TikTok clips of awkward first dates going viral and hashtags like #FirstTimeFever and #DisneyDrama trending for weeks.

 

Insiders now speculate that Disney may have accidentally stumbled upon its next major reality franchise.

Season 2 is already rumored to be in development, with casting calls quietly appearing online.

 

The comments are as heated as the villa arguments:

“This is real, raw, and powerful TV. I cried watching these people open up about their struggles.”– Viewer on X (Twitter)
“It feels wrong. Like we’re watching people’s deepest insecurities for entertainment.”– Critic on YouTube
“Disney just pulled off the boldest move in reality TV history. I’m hooked, even if I hate myself for it.”– Blogger on Medium

For Disney, this is both a massive win and a dangerous gamble.

The company has successfully captured attention and viewership in a crowded streaming market, but at the cost of eroding its family-friendly identity.

Can Disney really balance Marvel superheroes, Pixar cartoons, and now a show about 30-year-old virgins searching for love—all under one roof? Some industry insiders say yes.

Reality TV thrives on shock value, and Disney has proven it’s not afraid to take risks to stay relevant.

Are You My First' Cast and Instagrams
Others warn that the brand’s identity is already fragile, and pushing further into controversial content could alienate loyal fans.

 

Love it or hate it, “Are You My First?” is a cultural lightning rod. It has sparked conversations about intimacy, choice, and the stigma of waiting.

It has also raised questions about how far networks will go for ratings—and how much audiences are willing to consume.

 

For now, viewers can’t stop talking, tweeting, and debating. Disney may have started this show with a simple idea, but it has become something much bigger: a mirror held up to society’s deepest taboos.

 

And as one contestant dramatically declared in the season finale: “This isn’t about finding love—it’s about finally being seen.

 

Whether empowering or exploitative, one thing is certain: Disney’s new show is the drama nobody expected, but everyone is watching.

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