Like most people, I have to admit, I enjoy a melodramatic reality show now and then. When the first season of Love Is Blind came out in 2020, I was intrigued by the concept of the show. Finding the love of your life, sight unseen, through a wall, can’t be an easy task at all. However, the first season ended on a fairly positive note with two couples saying “I do” at the altar. I was hooked from the very beginning. When the announcement for the second season came out, I was ready to dive into the messiness of the show. Unfortunately, this season disappointed me, and almost failed to keep me interested. It was clear from the beginning that certain people (*cough* Shake) were hellbent on trying to figure out what their dates looked like, which defeats the whole purpose of the show. Others were leading their partners on even though one could tell they really weren’t interested in them. Although there were 30 participants, only six couples made it out of the pods engaged.
- Danielle and Nick
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The first to get engaged, Danielle and Nick’s conversations in the pods made them look like the perfect match. However, the fairy tale starts crashing down when they meet each other. Nick often comes off as judgemental and a fixer, while Danielle’s insecurities take centre stage in their relationship. This combination makes for endless arguments and fights, which often seem to have no resolutions. Surprisingly, Danielle and Nick said “I do” in the end which makes me feel as though the producers did not highlight the good parts of their relationship.
- Deepti and Shake
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This one makes my blood boil and it is only because of Shake. Deepti and Shake bond in the pods over their similar experiences of being Indians living in America and their past relationships as they both have only ever dated white people. Unfortunately, during their vacation in Mexico, Shake confesses to the cameras that he did not feel physically attracted to Deepti. According to him, there was no “animalistic” attraction, and he went around telling other contestants how Deepti reminded him of his aunt. Shake is immature and masks his narcissistic behaviour as “keeping it real.” You can imagine the big sigh of relief I let out when she rejected him at the wedding. She told him that she deserved better, and honestly, she does.
- Natalie and Shayne
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I truly have no idea how Natalie could accept Shayne’s proposal after seeing the way he gaslit her in the pods. Of course, with the way this show is created, there is no doubt that a contestant could form a connection with more than one person. However, after all the sweet-talking Shayne did, I was flabbergasted (just like Natalie) when he mistook her for Shaina AND gaslit her when she called him out on it. But what’s done is done. During the course of their relationship after the pods, it was pretty clear they would never make it. Even if they had both said “yes” at the altar, divorce was definitely written somewhere down the line. Shayne is immature, and Natalie can be quite standoffish at times. She did not reciprocate the love languages Shayne clearly craved for, and honestly, for both their sakes, I am glad this one did not work out.
- Mallory and Sal
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Mallory and Sal’s time on the show was not as exciting as the rest. Their connection in the pods set them up for a great love story, but after the initial meeting, it all kind of went south. I think this was just a classic case of one person clearly being more interested than the other. It felt as though Sal was head over heels for Mallory, while she was trying to convince herself that she actually loves him. All of this was reinforced by the fact that Sal was constantly going above and beyond while Mallory kind of watched from the sidelines. I was shocked when Sal was the one who turned down Mallory at the altar and not the other way around. Hopefully, they have found love elsewhere because they both seem like great people.
- Iyanna and Jarette
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Iyanna and Jarette’s love story started kind of wonky. Jarette had initially planned on proposing to Mallory, but she turned him down for Sal. He later told Iyanna this and then proposed to her. Of course, this did not go well with her at first. Who would want to be told that they were someone’s second choice––especially if the other person was your first choice? Regardless, they got engaged. It is quite clear from the start that Jarette and Iyanna had very different personalities. Jarette enjoyed going out while Iyanna preferred staying in, and most of their conflicts were about his struggles adjusting to no longer being a bachelor. However, they did get married in the end and looked really happy in the reunion episode.
- Shaina and Kyle
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This couple was doomed from the start. While Shaina claimed her connection with Kyle was strong, they had disagreements over religion: He was an atheist and Shaina’s relationship with God took precedence in the relationship. I was confused when he proposed, and even more confused when she accepted. On top of that, she clearly had a thing for Shayne. Even after the pods, she talked down on his relationship with Natalie, calling it “a joke.” When Shaina left Kyle in Mexico on the first night, I thought it was the last we would see of her, however, Kyle was very persistent and met her again in Chicago. I think meeting her family was what it took for him to call off the engagement, and I am glad he did.
Reality shows can be entertaining, but it is also important to remind ourselves that they can be heavily edited to make people look a certain way. My analysis is based on what I was fed by the show, so you can take it with a grain of salt. Danielle posted on her Instagram, “How I was represented on TV is not an accurate representation of who I am as a person.” While I wanted more drama in this show, it is safe to say that it wasn’t the worst reality show I have seen.