Dating Tips We Can All Take From ‘love On The Spectrum’ 

Beyond being a binge-worthy show, ‘Love on the Spectrum’ is packed with lessons on dating and relationships that are well worth taking notes from!

Global (15 April 2025) — Under the advice of a friend, I recently sat down to learn what the hype surrounding Netflix’s ‘Love on the Spectrum’ was all about.

At first, I was equal parts curious and skeptical as to how young adults ‘looking for love’ would be portrayed in the show. As any fan of reality TV knows well, things are edited, re-edited, and spliced to seem one way or another. I worried that certain tropes of Autism would be played up for the sake of ‘entertainment’ (which didn’t sit well with me) or that the show would shy away from certain topics, undercutting the Autism awareness aspect of it all.

Given that I don’t know any of the show’s participants personally, it’s impossible to say just how much was edited. However, in the camp of awareness, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised at how well the show did in delivering important messages; simply by letting the public into the lives of people that don’t often have their stories told; let alone taking us along their pursuits of connection (which in most cases was so pure).

What stuck out most to me, especially in the third season, was the refreshing dose of authenticity the show had thanks to its participants. Scripts are one thing, but those genuine bursts of excitement, curiosity and love are hard to force, which made seeing these emotions in their rawness that much more refreshing.

Following my binge-watch (I won’t reveal any spoilers), I got to thinking about how there’s so much I learned from Love on the Spectrum, and how much we all can—especially in our love lives. Where so often dating advice is premised on ‘not being too much of this or that’, ‘Love on the Spectrum’ flips many of these conventional notions entirely, and we might all just be better off to take notes from our friends on the Spectrum.

Dating Tips We Can All Take From ‘Love on the Spectrum’

Thoughtful gift giving is in

One of the sweetest parts about the show was how thoughtful the participants were in the gifts they gave each other on dates.

Whether it was Tyler giving Madison a Cinderella bracelet charm (she had told him that princesses were her special interest), or Abby gifting David a candy charcuterie board filled with all his favourite sweets, these touches of thoughtfulness were precious.

So, if you’re going on another date with the same person (even if things are still fairly new), consider adding a small, but thoughtful gift to the equation. Something as simple as a keychain with their favourite animal on it can go a long way; it shows not only that you put in more effort than simply showing up, but also that you paid attention to things they told you.

Unapologetically authentic, always

There’s a loud irony in the typical world of dating. You’re trying to connect with someone, but you’re too afraid to be yourself. Following that skewed logic, people forge faux connections, and it’s oftentimes all uphill from there (just watch 27 Dresses again, feel frustrated at Tess, and you’ll get the picture).

Authenticity should always be front and centre when you’re connecting with someone new, and something the participants handled like pros, no matter how nervous they were. In fact, explaining nerves was a part of their authenticity. Tanner made a point of mentioning to his dates that he ‘didn’t have anything to say’ at certain points on their adventures, not to be rude, but to simply explain his moments of silence.

While we don’t all need to share every thought on a date, there is something to be said about allowing people the experience of our own self-honesty. So, don’t go eating food you don’t like to impress someone, or pretending to love a type of music you can’t stand (you’ll thank yourself down the line when you’re spared listening to heavy metal for the rest of your relationship because you claimed to be a huge fan on that first date).

Asking for permission is the vibe

There was something so commendable about the way participants handled asking permission when it came to any kind of physical touch. From hand-holding to first kisses, each made sure the other was okay and comfortable with the idea of new forms of closeness, and it’s certainly something many neurotypicals could learn from.

Leading people on isn’t cute

I loved how participants made their intentions known. So many times in the show ‘honesty is the best policy’ was said, and most importantly, communicated.

Rejection stings for anyone. But it’s a lot easier to get over a first date brand of connection than a whole confusing situationship or relationship built on nothing more than one party hoping to not hurt the other’s feelings.

Even when it’s tough (as it was for James in letting one of his dates know there wouldn’t be a second date), being up-front speaks volumes about character.

Sources: GTG

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