'Terrace House' Is The Calm Reality Show You Didn't Know You Needed

Netflix is home to plenty of international content, and recently, while scrolling through its newly-added content, you may have come across a series called Terrace House. It’s a Japanese-language reality show (you can watch with English subtitles) that looks a lot like Big Brother or The Real World. If you’re planning on watching the new season, you may be wondering what Terrace House is about.

With its vast catalog of international titles, Netflix has opened the world to TV viewers, and with Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020, it gives audiences a sneak peek inside the lives of six strangers living under one roof in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games host city of Tokyo. As they pursue their careers and live their lives, the roommates get to know one another and forge new friendships. Netflix just premiered the 12-episode first part of the season, and in just a few months, after Part 2 finishes airing in Japan, it should also be available on the streamer.

The show has been around for a few years, and you can find previous seasons on Netflix. The Terrace House franchise started in 2012 with its series Boys × Girls Next Door, and went on to grow with more seasons including Boys & Girls in the City, Aloha State, and Opening New Doors. Each season follows a different group of strangers, all living it up in a new city.

Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020 highlights the lives of six 20 to 30-somethings trying to make their mark on the world. This season, you’ll be introduced to Kaori Watanabe, a 28-year-old illustrator; 25-year-old actor Shohei Matsuzakan; Kenji Yoshihara, a 31-year-old musician;

24-year-old actress, Haruka Okuyama; Ruka Nishinoiri, a 20-year-old part-time retail employee; and Risako Tanabe, a 21-year-old fitness trainer. Throughout each episode, a group of commentators chimes in about what’s going on in the house and gives their own two cents.

Unlike the loud, and sometimes obnoxious reality TV shows you’re used to seeing, Terrace House is notably calm and relaxed. Every person on the show is super polite, and rather than throwing tables and cursing each other out, they peacefully talk things out when they have a disagreement. There are no alliances, challenges, or prizes to be won, so the show just maintains a sort of serene daily glimpse into the lives of these interesting strangers.

With all the cultural and political polarization, negativity, and drama you see in the news daily, it’s nice to kick back and see people interact with respect and communicate without getting triggered at every turn. Plus, with the Summer Olympics coming to Tokyo next year, the series gives viewers a chance to see what life in this Japanese city is really like, offering an inside look at its people, culture, and sights.

If you’re still on the fence about watching Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020, jogging through the first episode could help you cement your decision. With all the chaos of life in general, you may find the series to be the soothing, sweet watch you never knew you needed.

Terrace House Tokyo 2019-2020 is currently streaming on Netflix.