

The panel members represent a diversity of personalities; Yamasoto talks the most, gleefully honing in on the clumsiness of the young housemates, while Tokui is talkative and excitable, outlining imagined inner monologues and contributing autobiographical romantic notes. By contrast, Babazono is markedly quiet, chiming in only occasionally with a joke or spot-on impersonation, while Trendl can be relied on for more charitable interpretations of the housemates’ motivations, delivered tactfully with flashes of sharp humor. You offers up thoughtful, largely impartial moral verdicts, and the rotating teen panelist typically chimes in with naïve observations before invariably getting owned by the other panelists.

The panel is Terrace House's emotional backbone, alternately providing catharsis and heightening the stakes of the in-house drama. I used to call my friend during the commercial breaks of Desperate Housewives to break down what I’d just seen, and the panel replicates that experience while adding humor to the show’s emotional-rollercoaster structure. The panelists carry another added element of appeal: their clothes. While the Terrace House tenants mostly dress boringly in t-shirts and neutral-colored lounge clothes, the panelists' clothes get more outrageous and exciting as each season (there are eight currently available on Netflix) progresses.

In celebration of Netflix releasing the latest installment of episodes from the show's Opening New Doors season, here's our own commenting on the commentators, ranking them according to the sartorial drama they bring to the table.