Right off the bat, I can say that Ready, Set, Love is absolutely charming in 1×01 “Know Your Date.” A lot of it has to do with the lead Kemisara Paladesh as Day. She isn’t here for love. She is here to pay her bills, taking care of her sister, and the food. Paying her bills and taking care of her sister makes me admire her as a human. But it’s her love and appreciation for food while all the pretty boys were being paraded on stage that was an absolute mood. I would cheer for that girl. And it seems that the male contestants in Ready, Set, Love are intrigued by her. So are the hosts and the people behind the scenes. Because while this might be a charming show in many respects, it has layers that I would love to explore.
First of all, let’s talk about the world that Ready, Set, Love is based in 1×01. In this reality, there is a severe shortage of men in the world. Now the show says that they’re there to protect the men at The Farm. But we’ve seen stories like this before and they’re not there to protect the men or The Gentlemen. They’re keeping them like cattle but their pen is much prettier. Tied into all of this is a clear social class divide between regular old folk like day and the upper crust of society and the TV aspect of it, it’s giving a romantic Hunger Games. The upper crust get the special treatment and the excellent care that Day needs to take care of her sister. And throwing Day into this competition where she doesn’t care if she falls in love but she has to win for her sister, creates a really interesting dynamic within Ready, Set, Love.
Personally, I like shows or movies where you see different communities coming together. It always provides an opportunity to explore deeper topics. And I feel like Ready, Set, Love is doing just that. It is charming, cute, and silly. The colors are also a mood and so are the way that the young women are eliminated in this competition. But there’s no denying that this show is an exploration of class divides in a world clearly structured to keep the upper crust as the upper crust. And wrapping it around a cute and charming cast of characters and outfits makes it so a new generation of people will be able to look at a show like Ready, Set, Love and maybe apply it to their world. I just see so much possibility with this show and the real-life consequences of someone like Day winning, that I can’t help but be intrigued and ready to watch the whole season now.
The cast of characters in Ready, Set, Love, especially in “Know Your Date,” are so clearly established. I know who every single person in this story is. At least the main characters I do. I know that Day would do anything for her family. I know that Son is clearly not happy with where he is and the circumstances of his life, even if he is privileged. He’s trapped as well. I even know who the sister is, someone loving and kind who doesn’t want her sister to be alone. And I know who the rest of the contestants are because their personalities are clear. But none shine as much as Day. Any other show would have just made her the indignant angry girl who doesn’t believe in love. Basically, trope filled. But Day is honest, knows her priorities, and understands the power of sacrifice.
It’s not just the relationships between Day and The Gentlemen that shine. There is something about one of the competitors aka Chanel that is so intriguing. Ready, Set, Love has taken small but interesting moments to establish that Chanel is definitely here for her own reasons and they’re not totally about getting married. Also, she’s intrigued by Day. I could see it in her eyes. And I’m really hoping that she is something deeper than just a mean girl. I also love the relationship between Day and her best friend. There’s love and humor there. And I even like that lady who is the showrunner of this whole mess. She’s giving the same energy as the Head Gamemaker in The Hunger Games. She knows a good story when she sees one and when she looks at Day, there is one there waiting for her. Also, there’s a possibility of shaking the upper crust.
Ultimately Ready, Set, Love is giving cute girly pop dystopian vibes that make you pause and think. But the show is also an expiration of love, mainly that of Day and her sister. Because I love how Day remembers everything that her little sister says. Because it’s all important, even if it’s a fandom that she’s not part of aka The Gentlemen. It shows what matters and will be her driving force throughout this competition. My only concern is what do you do when you reach the end of a competition like this where you know that there is a clear societal divide. So this show could keep going the cute girly pop way and just prepare for the next season in the style of The Hunger Games, as this show is very much giving those vibes but for love. Or we could see the beginning of Day trying to deconstruct The Farm. Whatever it is, I’m here for it and will be reviewing the whole thing.
Ready, Set, Love season 1 is now available on Netflix.
