Directed by Shannon Alexander, a raw, emotionally honest docuseries about queer dating in NYC, following singles and couples as they navigate love, hookups, and heartbreak-unfiltered and unscripted. Featuring: Nova StClair, Troy Weekes, Ray-Anthony Chin, Shalimar, Atari Storm, Andrea Radix and Saturn.

A lot of the time, entering into documentaries around dating and relationships can feel quite defined and gender-specific, so it’s utterly refreshing to enter Alphabet Soup and be hit with a wave of fluidity. It’s immediately about these strong, individual and bold personalities, regardless of gender or sexual orientation which is really satisfying to watch. In its views, it’s absolutely modern and respectful but Shannon Alexander also captures plenty of that good old-fashioned drama too.

There are mishaps, conflicts, pettiness, vanity, flirtation and a big dollop of honesty, a lot is going on but surprisingly it never feels overwhelming. Alexander has done an incredible job of threading these stories together. How each new person is naturally weaved into the narrative makes it so easy to follow. There’s an interesting balance between how dating can be such a finickity world, picking up on visual cues, tones in texts, red flags from the smallest of interactions, and the vulnerability of opening yourself up to new people. Alexander strongly captures the latter, how easily you can be let down or disappointed, whether that’s the other person not turning up to a date or your feelings not matching up.

As well as being able to have open, frank conversations about sex, that unfiltered quality is definitely a part of Alphabet Soup’s charm. The editing work in particular does a terrific job of adding even more personality, giving the style its own individuality to work alongside the subjects. It comes out strongest in the pettiest moments, Alexander’s not afraid to interject himself, to give opinions through his directorial style. He also uses his connection with the subjects to nudge them to expand on points of conflict and disagreement, gently opening them up further. In other circumstances that might feel forced but with the nature of the project, it feels perfectly organic and adds an even more personal touch.

Another element that Alexander is really knocking out of the park is the colour to Alphabet Soup, it’s incredibly vibrant. In no small part thanks to the eccentric and distinctive fashion of its subjects, who undoubtedly keep things interesting. They all make a particular effort to match their personalities on the outside which holds a lot of confidence. Alexander already proved he knows how to capture the city with Sex, Love, Misery: New New York, but he gets even more entangled with the chaos of the NYC vibe here. Especially keeping things naturally and not cutting out the random interruptions and noise of the city, as well as shooting in locations all over the place to add a great variety.

Alphabet Soup is a refreshing foray into the world of dating and relationships, capturing a more modern existence but with all the classic fights and fumbles. The way that it’s so often being shot on the street at an abundance of different locations gives it the feel of being always on the move and in the moment. Something that nicely matches all the choices that Shannon Alexander makes to help it feel natural and frank. It does a terrific job of authentically portraying the utterly messy nature of dating, it feels very transparent, and that they never hold back. They’re also just such a unique group of people, they have extremely distinct personalities which intensifies everything. It’s overflowing with energy and a little bit addicting.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10

Available now to watch on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video