Charlotte Shao ‘26

Hang Up is a Queer reality dating show podcast from Radiotopia, with “no rings attached.” Created and produced by Caitlin Pierce, the show aims for more realistic stakes than its television counterparts. Instead of pushing for marriage at the end of the season, the stars are simply looking to connect with someone.

Each season, one contestant is matched with six potential lovers. They can only talk over the phone using pseudonyms and cannot reveal any physical traits. Each episode is spent trying to emotionally connect in different ways, from a speed-dating style lightning round of questions to discussions of sexual compatibility. At the end of the episode, one contestant gets “the hang up”--- and is eliminated by the contestant. At the very end, the winner gets to make a choice: an all expenses paid vacation with the star or $1,000 cash.

There’s only one season out so far, but it’s a good look at what Hang Up has to offer. The star, codename Maxine, starts out unsure but tentatively hopeful about her prospects. She has strong opinions about her “icks” and is candid about her previous dating experience. Maxine feels like someone who genuinely came to the show to look for someone and not like a TV personality looking for a spotlight.

Her suitors are a variety of colorful people, from Osprey, a student who loves birds so much they’re named after one, to Charlie, the gum-chewing dentist; from Kai, who loves cooking and going out with his friends, to June the comedian with a love of 80s pop; from Sasha, the artist who loves learning new things, to Sabo, who enjoys karaoke and getting into trouble. The contestants don’t interact with each other as much, but their conversations with Maxine do genuinely feel like two people trying to meet each other halfway.

Zakiya Gibbons, the host of Hang Up, acts as both facilitator and best friend to Maxine as she tries to figure out which contestant she clicks with the most. While Zakiya is the one who introduces the concepts of each episode and gets the ball rolling, it doesn’t really ever feel like she’s meddling. She feels more like she stands in for the listener: she encourages Maxine to share how she feels during each step of the process, and asks many of the questions that the audience might have while listening to the show.

The show did feel pretty realistic compared to other reality dating shows. Any awkwardness was palpable even without visual cues, and Maxine's low expectations for the end result felt relatable. That’s not to say that there’s zero drama and everything is smooth sailing. But the frustration was like watching a friend make bad decisions, rather than having to do with the editing of the contestants or the overall story.

Overall, Hang Up was an enjoyable experience. It was like eavesdropping on a series of dates, with all the ups and downs. Fans of reality dating, especially those looking for something a little more lowkey, should definitely check it out.

Review of Hang Up Podcast (no spoilers!)