ABC has announced that it will debut its new 'The Dating Experiment' reality romance series on Tuesday, August 13 at 9 PM EST. Hector Elizondo will narrate the show. In the show, complete strangers give up all control of their lives for two weeks to be ruled by a mysterious diary, all in the hopes of finding true love. The series will premiere with two back-to-back episodes, "The Triangle - Part 1" and "The Triangle - Part 2," TUESDAY, AUGUST 13 (9:00-9:30 p.m. and 9:30-10:00 p.m., ET, respectively),
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The theory behind the show is that a script definitely helps when it comes to romance. The idea behind "The Dating Experiment:" If actors and actresses playing roles on movie sets fall in love because of heightened circumstances, would the same thing happen if real people were put in a similar situation?
In the series, complete strangers who have never met leave home for a secret destination in an exotic locale. Giving up their money and credit cards, cut off from their friends and family, they agree to place their lives in the hands of a mysterious red diary which is delivered daily to their temporary homes. They must follow the diary's instructions to the letter, no matter how far-fetched or outrageous they may seem. The ultimate goal? A chance to find true love.
In each three-part episode, the participants follows the diary's scenarios -- which can range from a romantic night on the town, to a perilous trek through a jungle, to a night camping under the stars, to a spur-of-the-moment jump from an airplane Once the diary completes the story, the participants must part forever. After they separate, the diary places destiny back into their hands. This is the only time when actions are not diary-inspired and the participants are allowed to choose whether or not to continue the relationship.
In the premiere, "The Triangle - Part 1," friends as close as brothers, Geoff and Christian, professional soccer players from San Diego, compete for the affections of Tiana, a spirited mortgage banker from Chicago, after the diary leads them from a romantic dinner for three aboard a yacht to a wrestling match to see who's getting the next date .
In "The Triangle - Part 2," Christian finally gets time alone with Tiana when the pair go on a cliff-jumping adventure, while Geoff's thoughtless remark about Tiana's rapidly ticking biological clock makes her see him in a less-than-flattering light.
"The Dating Experiment" is based on the successful Japanese reality series "The Future Diary," originally produced and developed by the Tokyo Broadcasting Company. Vin Di Bona (executive producer, "America's Funniest Home Videos") is executive producer and Kathy Wetherall ("Love Cruise," "Real World") is co-executive producer of the American version of the series, from DS Entertainment.