Did the show really need hosts?
Hosted by Nick Lachey and wife Vanessa, the show was pretty self sufficient without them as they only appeared in several episodes, they didn’t even bother to show up for the 82 minute season finale. It wasn’t like Next in Fashion where participants needed handholding and direction each week with challenges, and it didn’t even need voiceover narration like they did in The Circle.
Total air time from this supercouple couldn’t have been more than 10 minutes in total, where do I sign up Netflix? Easiest gig ever!
Not seen the show? Here’s what you missed:
If you’ve missed the first 9 episodes, it’s different to Married at First Sight because the daters have a chance to engage and get to know prospective partners before taking a leap of faith:
- The bachelors live on one side of the complex, while the bachelorettes live on the other.
- From 30 singles, 6 couples got engaged and headed to Mexico for their first physical date / honeymoon
- 35 days is how long it took for them to date in the pods, meet in person, meet their parents, with weddings taking place on the last day
Diamonds are not this guy’s best friend:
One of the most memorable confrontations took place in Episode 4 and because of Social Media & Marketing Manger Carlton Morton‘s omission, it led to NBA Dancer, Diamond Jack making decisions without all the information resulting in a missed opportunity for the show because she turned out to be a firecracker with her dramatic exit. Whether he wanted to or not, Carlton became the poster boy for fluid orientation and he lost whatever sympathy that could have left this story on a positive note because of that temper tantrum by the pool that will define his Love is Blind appearance for years to come.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9DASefpDBU/
His outrage at Diamond was misdirected and inappropriate. But she gave as good as she got putting him in his place, she needs to come back in Season 2 or ask her to host the show if she’s got a spare ten minutes in case the Lachey’s are busy! No one deserves to be spoken to like that especially when you drop a bombshell from them out of no where expecting them to be okay with it the next day. Obviously, they didnt make it to the altar with the couple throwing in the towel in Mexico and going their separate ways.
The Weddings in the Season Finale:
Up until the season finale, the soundtrack of the show could rival any Weddings Greatest Hits essential playlist with its light and bubbly vibe. As each couple uses the same reception venue to tie the knot, the music quickly turns into a dramatic symphony straight out of a Star Wars Jedi battle as the marriage celebrant ends his piece to recite vows with the question: “Is Love Blind”, the couples then respond with an “I Do” or an “I Don’t”.
Giannina pours her heart out in a poem:
The fiery Venezuelan retail owner, Giannina Gibelli has been a ticking time bomb since she and Industry Supply Manager, Damian Powers left the pod and it started almost straight away on that yacht in Mexico. Even her mother before the wedding says to her daughter in Spanish that she “better be serious and not treat this as a game”.
Giannina finally seemed ready, taking on board a hurt and worn down Damian’s feedback at dinner. The love-hate exchanges with these two seemed to come from a place of passion making them so entertaining to watch because they’d somehow always make their way back to that place they found in the pod.
She genuinely seemed to be making an effort especially with a poem she wrote for him accompanied with socks to wear to the wedding:
“The beginning was rough the middle was sweet
the other half was a lot and soon we’ll reach our peak.
I asked you once ‘Can you handle me?’
I hope you know now and forget the rest
cause ready or not, this isn’t a test
So what do you want?
Only you can guess”
As Giannina walks down the aisle at the end of Episode 9, Damian becomes teary.
Damian’s shocking 360:
Damian has been pretty consistent and devoted to his fiancee who on several ocassions throughout the season has gone on a tyrade. The season finale opens with Damian responding to the marriage celebrant’s question to take Giannina as his lawfully wedded wife:
“I do not” he says quivering as tears roll down his face.
Did not see that coming at all, total blindside. What’s weird is he thinks he can still salvage a friendship with Giannina after she runs out of the church in embarrassment leaving guests and family in a state of awkwardness. His decision makes Giannina the only woman from the group to have been ditched at the altar.
Opposites Attract until Barnett freaks out:
Ex-Military Tank Mechanic, Amber Pike pretty much quit her waitressing job after she got engaged. Her dream was to get married, be a stay-at-home mom and let her future husband dig her out of credit card and student loan debt and pay for the $850 custom tailoring on her wedding gown. Meeting Matt’s family couldn’t have been easy but her unpredictability complements well with the .
Brawl for a Cause fitness professional, Matt (aka Barnett) gets cold feet and things are looking grim with a montage of his doubts if having to choose between his family and fiancee, her financial insecurity and a conversation with his rational thinking brother. “Getting married means putting that other person before yourself. Are you ready to give up everything for that person?”. Matt doesn’t return any of Amber’s calls or texts the morning of the wedding and finally shows up at the eleventh hour.
Turns out it’s just a normal case of wedding day jitters and professes to Amber that he “can’t imagine a life without you”. Classic Prince Charming Cinderella match right there!
What’s the real reason Kelly wouldn’t sleep with Kenny?
Health Coach, Kelly admitted it herself, that maybe “her whole definition of love is not right” because despite saying that intimacy in previous relationships she’s had without connection has been a total let down and kiss of death for her, she finally comes clean saying she’s “conflicted” because she doesn’t “know if she is 100% in love with him”.
Turns out she’s not physically attracted to him. Architectural Lighting Consultant Kenny Barnes who is five years younger than her is totally infatuated like a puppy dog and it’s actually devastating to watch him being ditched at the altar.
Poor Kenny, this match really seemed like it was going to work as viewers bought in to Kelly’s stalling. We were all so distracted with Jessica’s inability to reconcile pod and physical life that we didnt see this coming either. Especially after Kenny and Kelly’s parents met and had similar shotgun wedding experiences themselves. There also seemed to be great chemistry between both families in Episode 7.
“This experiment, it brought me to you.” said Kelly at the altar, “Someone who is so fabulous in every single aspect. This has been a wild ride and I am grateful that it has been with you because you’ve been nothing but supportive, and I appreciate every single moment that I shared with you. And I love you.”
Declaring how much she adores Kenneth and loves him, after the marriage celebrant asks if she’ll take his hands, it all comes crashing down when she says “I don’t” and leaves the chapel with a dumbfounded groom.
Standing alone at the altar, a brave class act of a gentleman, Kenny addresses the guests in a heartfelt moment that moves the bride’s mother as she whispers to her husband how much he loves the guy for his humble words:
“Obviously this is just a whirlwhind for everyone, and again, don’t want to dive too deep into it, and delve. Because you take something that is so complex, and it is authentic, and it is real, but today is not our day. Um, but I love each and everyone of y’all, and it’s something that I’ll cherish and be grateful for forever.”
Kelly later says to the camera that “I’m fucking 33 and I should know what I want” and the story ends there for now…
Everyone knew this relationship was doomed except Mark:
He was adamant that he didn’t want to “play second fiddle” when it was clear she was weighing up options. Tech sales rainmaker, Jessica Batten was embarrassing herself continuously with her drunken rants and throwing herself at Matt with no shame and then denying when she sobered up.
All the red flags were there, love truly was blind for personal trainer, Mark Cuevas who had to have been in denial about their connection and of course she ditched him at the altar.
No surprise there, that coupling always seemed to be doomed. In the end, Jessica admits that emotional connections aren’t enough and that for a relationship she jumps in to, it’s a combination of mind, body and spirit. Watching the season back, she clearly always wanted Matt and her efforts to try and make it work with someone she wasn’t physically attracted to weren’t enough. We would’ve been more sympathetic to her if she hadn’t made indirect passes at Matt after he got engaged to Amber.
We get the happy ending we were rooting for:
The award for sweetest couple of the season has to go to Articial Intelligence Scientist, Cameron Hamilton and Content Creator, Lauren Speed. It’s in this union we saw total authenticity and openness on both sides.
“Everyday that we’ve spent together has been a blessing to me. There’s so much I love about you. You made me want to be a btter an and you have evberythign I need in a partner and I feel very blessed to have you in my life”
– Cameron
“Cameron I love that you make me comfortable being fully myself. No matter how flawed, goofy or broken I may have been. I’m thankful for our time together and how happy our moments are.”
– Lauren
The lead up to their vows brought some great moments through the season. From their first physical meeting to Cameron meeting Lauren’s father, a touching moment between Lauren and her father before walking her down the aisle and Cameron with his mother. True Commitment. A family that works. A marriage that seems like it’s set to last.
The season closes with their final thoughts summing up their experience:
“She has everything I’ve always dreamed about in a partner. She’s charismatic, but down to earth, she’s confident but also humble. She’s intelligent, she’s kind.”
– Cameron
“I don’t think I ever could have met someone like Cameron any other way. I’ve been looking for Cameron for over 30 years. Apparently Cameron was looking for me too, I’m glad we finally found each other.”
– Lauren
Just two nuptials take place out of the remaining couples.
The final episode becomes available tonight globally 7.30pm (Australian EST).
Add it to your MYLIST if you’re looking for something to binge on this weekend.
This isn’t the last episode of the season!!!!
…and you won’t be able to see it on Netflix. Season 1 of Love is Blind wrapped in November 2018 so it’s been well over a year since the weddings we watched this evening took place and we’ll get to see which couples have lasted!
All cast members will be brough back in a reunion episode that becomes available next week on Netflix’s Youtube channel!
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