This New Reality Show That Tests Contestants’ Adulting Skills Will Make You Feel Seen

If you’re a GenZer or Millennial, you’ve probably seen it all when it comes to reality TV. We know the drill by now: producers trap two dozen pharmaceutical sales reps in a sun-bleached tropical palace, ply them with alcohol, and encourage them to “fall in love” — or at the very least hook up or push someone into the pool — faster than most of us can do a load of laundry.

That’s why “Responsibility Island,” the Roku Channel’s hottest, (tongue-in-)cheekiest new reality show, brought to you by H&R Block, is so much fun to watch: it turns a fundamentally insincere medium on its head by being in on the joke. And even more impressive, its playful premise and over-the-top clueless contestants will have you cackling while at the same time wondering, Wait, is this show about … ME?

Here’s the premise: a bunch of hot twentysomethings get dropped off on what they think is “Lit Island,” a perfectly generic yet debaucherous reality show setup with the stereotypical glass-walled mansion and cerulean blue pool that glistens almost as much as the contestants’ sculpted abs. We meet TayTay, a hunky social media manager who wears a RESPECT WOMEN crop top and practices ethical non monogamy with his “queen” back home; blue-haired content creator and self-proclaimed “dance-fluencer” Trinity B; cryptocurrency founder Zane, who’s in a committed relationship with his AI headset; skincare entrepreneur and crystal enthusiast Jynyphr; child star-turned-delulu has-been Narci; and glassblower Blaze, whose perma-smile and half-lidded eyes suggest his name is also his favorite hobby.

They’re ready to get drunk and hook up until a talking iron informs them that — record scratch — this isn’t Lit Island, it’s ResponsibiLITy Island … and they’re here to get a crash course in adulting, which will culminate in the most-feared grown-up challenge of all: doing their own taxes. (Oh and also? There’s no booze in those drinks. Things are about to get real.)

What follows are three more legitimately hilariously scripted episodes that find the lovably oblivious contestants struggling to complete basic tasks like balancing budgets, folding laundry, and finding their tax forms. (“Unsurprising,” the iron deadpans, “that none of them had chore charts as children.”) We learn that TayTay still hits up Mommy for all of his living expenses, Trinity dissociates when faced with any hardship, Zane is a clueless financial criminal, Jynyphr’s “spirituality” is just rampant incompetence, Narci can’t do anything without her agent and publicist; and Blaze … well, actually Blaze is surprisingly good at this! Not only can he fold a fitted sheet — a true ninja-level skill — but he easily does his own taxes and gets a huge refund using H&R Block’s guided online filing system. That means Blaze gets to go home early while the other five are left to face their greatest fear with nothing but their mocktails and borderline personality disorders to save them.

Of course, the ultimate plot twist is that H&R Block’s software is so effortless that even these satirical dumdums can do it (um … do I feel attacked?). As each contestant reluctantly opens their laptop and answers H&R Block’s guided questions, watching their refund grow, they realize that this seemingly terrifying “adulting” gauntlet is actually a breeze. Who knew that doing your own taxes doesn’t actually have to be … taxing?

Responsibility Island might be a fun-to-watch send-up, but it has a real and incredibly helpful message at its core, which is that doing your taxes doesn’t have to be scary (unlike Jynyphr’s Horse Girl mask … you’ll just have to watch the show). H&R Block’s online filing system feels like you’re being guided through from start to finish by a seasoned tax pro, and depending on the complexity of your paperwork, you can file for free or for an extremely affordable one-time fee that comes with AI Tax assist (don’t get any ideas, Zane).

The best part? H&R Block guarantees you’ll get your maximum refund*, with minimum stress. You don’t need a talking iron to tell you that’s a deal you can’t pass up.

*All tax situations are different. Not everyone gets a refund. See https://www.hrblock.com/guarantees/ for details.