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It is difficult to describe why Terrace House is so nice. But if you ask someone who gave the hit Netflix series a shot, you’ll probably discover another megafan waiting to share their thoughts.
If you are new to the Japanese reality show, here is a summary of what you are missing. Terrace House is focused on love, inspiring others and building lifelong friendships. Six people, consisting of three men and three women of different ages, share a beautiful home and even have access to two luxury cars. There is no script, no public voting system, not even a prize on offer. They are just six normal people, learning to live and grow with each other.
The biggest difference between Terrace House and its obvious counterpart, Big Brother, is that members of the house are free to get on with their daily lives. They go to work, see their friends, have access to social media, and can even watch the show inside the house when it airs. Each week’s events are also commented on by a panel of hilarious and friendly hosts, who bring lots of talking points and unforgettable moments.
Relaxing reality
It may sound a little boring, but seeing a person trying to excel at Terrace House, whether for love or career, is compelling on television and extremely inspiring. You will quickly find yourself supporting certain housemates as you absorb yourself on their personal journey as you reflect on your own. Of course, you won’t all like it, but there is also a lot of fun in gossiping about people. It is quite cathartic.
However, when it comes to romance? Well that’s where Terrace House really shines. Tears will be shed, hearts will be broken and the question of “won’t they?” It will never be far from your mind. But it goes much deeper than that …
Life in japan
Despite the different format, what really separates Terrace House from any other reality show is Japanese culture itself. The series provides a fascinating insight into what life is like in Japan. Whether seeing how global traditions like Christmas differ, or how holding hands is considered a huge For some Japanese couples, there are so many subtle and substantial contrasts between Western and Asian culture that it can change their perspective on so many things that they could take for granted.
It also reflects how society as a whole, particularly in a country like Japan, which is not considered particularly progressive, is changing rapidly. Terrace House has seen a young member discover his sexuality, while foreigners have become more prominent in recent episodes.
There are currently four seasons of Terrace House on Netflix, and we highly recommend watching them all. Boys & Girls in the City takes place in Tokyo; Aloha State sees Terrace House move to Hawaii; Opening New Doors takes place in the quiet ski town of Nagano, and Tokyo 2019-2020 is in … well, Tokyo again. Each season offers something new and is an ideal material for binge watching.
Closure Problems
Although a ton of new episodes were recently released for Terrace House 2019-2020, the show officially stopped filming last week when Japan closed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Japan appears to have been in control of the pandemic, but the country today declared a nationwide state of emergency today (April 16), meaning that schools and most businesses will remain closed until at least 6 of May.
We’ve already seen how Netflix has been affected by the coronavirus in the west, with key shows like Stranger Things season 4 and The Witcher season 2 waiting until further notice. Japan has also had to cancel the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which were a major blow to the country.
The good news for Terrace House fans is that we tend to get episodes in the west many months behind schedule compared to Japan, the last few episodes that aired showed housemates celebrating Christmas and New Years, for example. That means we should still be receiving a few more entertainment deliveries wholeheartedly at Terrace House, but what the future holds after that is, unsurprisingly, unclear. However, since Terrace House is so fluid in format (housemates come and go regularly), it wouldn’t be too surprising to see this season end a bit earlier than expected.
A Netflix series to feel good about, then, Terrace House is the perfect tonic to stop you from thinking about the current weather and an encouraging reminder of a simpler time that, hopefully, isn’t too far off.
