Introducing Terrace House

Welcome to the Terrace House!

As we’re reminded at the start of every episode:

• Terrace House is a show about six strangers: 3 men and 3 women, living together.
• All that the show has prepared is a beautiful home and two cars. 
• There is no script at all.

The Premise

The members, ranging anywhere from 18-33 years old and of varying professions, are free to move out of the house whenever they please. As soon as someone moves out, their replacement moves in. There have been anywhere from 16-22 cast members per season, meaning the dynamic of the house is always in flux. People become best friends, enemies, lovers, you name it. 

But Terrace House isn’t your typical reality TV show. If you’re looking for crazy catfights and nasty name-calling, this is not the show for you. The charm of Terrace House ultimately lies in the fact that these are very regular people living regular lives who just happen to live in the same house. They cook together and talk about their dreams, they argue, they hang out around the house, they go on dates etc. 

Speaking of which, there's another important part of Terrace House: ROMANCE! 

On Terrace House, nothing is more swoon-worthy than watching a couple start out as friends and fall in love. On the flip side, nothing is more heartbreaking than a rejection, or even worse: a love triangle! But it’s exciting too, and I know I’m not the only one rooting for everyone to find happiness.

And commenting on all of the crazy happenings of the house is a panel who gives their opinions on the events of the episode and on the members themselves. Most Terrace House fans agree: the panel is the best part of the show. Since it’s made up of heavyweights of the Japanese comedy scene, the commentary is clever, sometimes raunchy, and always hilarious. They appear a few times an episode, and we're always sad to see them go. If you can speak Japanese, you can listen to their commentary all episode long by turning on the audio-commentary function, but be prepared to have the show's dialogue drowned out by another one of Yama-san's jokes!

So now you’re interested in Terrace House, but where to start?

There are four exciting seasons to choose from. From my experience, most people start with Boys & Girls in the City, but it's up to you! Take a read of a quick summary for each season:

Boys × Girls Next Door (2012–2014) 

The experimental first season of Terrace House was also the longest, with a whopping 98 episodes and a movie. It is the most well-known season in Japan, but the least known internationally since it's only available on Japanese Netflix. Taking place in Shonan, a totally gorgeous seaside town outside of Tokyo, many of the members of this series went on to become well-known TV personalities in Japan. Considered by many fans to be the most “authentic” Terrace House, it’s definitely a bit less polished than its counterparts. It also lacked the commentary for its first 12 episodes. Sad! Nevertheless, it's a classic - the mothership of the franchise - and a great series overall. 

Boys & Girls in the City (2015–2016) - Available on Netflix Worldwide

The rebirth of Terrace House meant a brand new cast in a brand new place! This time the series moved to downtown Tokyo and followed a rotating group of overly emotional young urbanites as they tried to make it in the big city AND find love. Some of Terrace House’s most iconic moments came from B&GitC, including the Omu-rice Incident, Meat Incident, Costco Incident and maybe one of the craziest last few episodes yet. The most popular season internationally and the start of Terrace House as a global trend, it's a must-watch!

Aloha State (2016–2017) - Available on Netflix Worldwide

In 2016 Terrace House really went international, all the way to a different country for the first time in franchise history. Aloha State was set in the city of Honolulu, Hawaii, and with this move came the introduction of non-Japanese members and with them more drama than anyone could have ever imagined. Is this the messiest/trashiest season of Terrace House? Absolutely. Is it still a really fun watch? Oh yes. Sit back, relax and enjoy the wild ride while soft ukulele music plays in the background and the palm trees sway.

Opening New Doors (2017–) - Available on Netflix Worldwide

The current season brought Terrace House back to Japan, this time to the postcard-perfect town of Karuizawa in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture. A refreshing break from the dumpster fire excitement of Aloha State, this season is full of cute moments, hot models, the return of a few favourite former members, and beautiful rural scenery. And of course, there's lots of drama and romance all around! What could be better?  Sign me up!

As Opening New Doors is set to wrap up production next month, many fans are wondering where Terrace House will go next. All I know is that I can't wait to see what happens and I hope you can't too!

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this article! 

Are you a Terrace House fan? What's your favourite season? Let me know below?