[Editor’s Note: the following contains spoilers for “Love is Blind” Season 2]
Love is Blind was one of my favorite shows of 2020. It’s a chaotic and crazy concept, but somehow for some, it works. When I heard it was renewed for a second season, I could not contain my excitement. The social experiment that sees strangers communicate through a wall and get engaged sight unseen has become my guilty pleasure that I have turned to, again and again, no matter how bizarre it is. Let’s dive into my thoughts on each of the season 2 couples…
Shayne & Natalie
I thought these two would make it. While Shayne was quite chaotic, Natalie was a good influence on him. Meeting the family went well on both sides despite her mother’s initial reluctance. It seems as though Shayne flew off the handle the night before the wedding, and luckily Natalie had the strength to realize that saying “I do” was not the right decision at that time. I think both will be just fine, but Natalie needs someone who’ll treat her with more respect than Shayne did. At the reunion, they revealed that they tried dating after the show, but Natalie held on to what Shayne said the night before the wedding and was unable to let go of that.
Kyle & Shaina
Is it just me, or did Shaina give Jessica-vibes from season one? Clearly, she was more invested in Shayne than Kyle, but when Shayne leaned more in favor of Natalie, she immediately turned to Kyle. Jessica did the same to Mark when Barnett went all in on Amber instead of her. Kyle and Shaina’s engagement was doomed from the beginning as they had big differences when it came to their beliefs and faith. I felt the producers should have involved Shaina more once the couples left the pods and helped her cause more drama between Shayne and Natalie. Alas, once her engagement with Kyle ended, they both disappeared for the remainder of the season.
Mallory & Sal
I was confused when Mallory picked Sal over Jarrette. Production really tried to fool us. Their relationship was odd, to say the least. I felt like Mallory was forcing herself to like Sal and that he was more invested than she was. I was shocked that he was ultimately the one to say no at the wedding. I think they had a lot of love for one another, but that wasn’t enough for them to say I do in just 40 days. I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Mallory had chosen Jarrette instead. There was a spark there when the couples all met up in Mexico during the honeymoons. Jarrette seemingly did well from the experiment, but the connection he had in the pods with Mallory seemed far more intense than it did with his now-bride Iyanna.
Jarrette & Iyanna
I was surprised that they were one of the two couples to get married. Iyanna seemed to be Jarrette’s second choice after Mallory said she would refuse a proposal from him. While I enjoyed their goofy banter, there still were things about their relationship that should have been discussed and implemented before tying the knot. Jarrette was still partying frequently with his friends, which bothered Iyanna as she was not about that life. They also did not have a realistic conversation about having children. They both knew it would be challenging, but it does not seem as though they came to a comprise with when they would have them and how they would support their family financially.
Deepti & Shake
After seeing Shake’s behavior in episode one, I was certain no one would like this guy. He was extremely transfixed on looks, despite being on a show where your appearance does not matter, at least for the first portion. It seemed, however, that Deepti was able to go past his superficial comments, and they bonded over a shared culture and life experiences. From the get-go, Shake was not physically attracted to her. While he cherished his emotional connection with her, ultimately comparing her to his aunt was a major red flag. I was proud of Deepti for standing up for herself and saying no at the wedding. She deserves better than Shake. How about his reaction after she said no— reservations at Nobu this weekend?! You just got broken up with at the altar, and you’re trying to play it off like it’s no big deal. Again, major red flag alert. His behavior at the reunion just dug him an even larger hole. Good luck finding love in the future, Shake. A girl like Deepti will never come around again, and a relationship so focused on looks will not survive the test of time.
Danielle & Nick
I was constantly in two minds about this couple as the series progressed. While they had the strongest initial connection, demonstrated by their quick engagement, they were also volatile at times. Danielle’s insecurities and fears were super relatable. While many would criticize her behavior, she was acting in a way that many other women knowingly and unknowingly do. While production wanted to make it seem that these two would not commit at the wedding ceremony, I think they were the only couple I could for sure say would. Also, can we talk about that awkward sex talk when Nick met Danielle’s family for the first time? I hope I never encounter a similar situation because that was cringy.
Concluding thoughts:
While I enjoyed this series, it lacked the drama season one brought. Even though it is a serious show that is ultimately looking for genuine, long-lasting relationships, reality TV needs something to spice it up once in a while. I watch another similar show, Married at First Sight Australia, and they always have some form of emotional or physical cheating. While I don’t condone this behavior, it piques my interest more when watching the show. This season felt more sped up than the first despite having the same number of episodes. While production did a much better job of tricking viewers into believing which couples would make it and which ones wouldn’t, I wished we could have seen a relationship like Lauren and Cameron’s that was so certain from day one. Despite all this, I’m a sucker for reality TV dating shows and will continue to watch the seasons that follow. The concept is fascinating and works for some, so why not continue to produce it.