I am fresh off the Love is Blind finale and I have some things to say, so here’s a lil ranking of the wrecks we watched  Please note this post includes spoilers and is entirely subjective. It is based not off of who is right or even likable, but who did what Bonnie Raitt asked and gave us something to talk about.

12. Mallory: I have nothing to say about Mallory other than she shouldn’t be on tv.

11. Salvador: Salvador is probably worse than Mallory, especially considering I thought his name was Sallory and then Salamander. He isn’t last because his name reminds me of when Adrian Brody played Dali in that movie we don’t talk about.

10. Iyanna: Iyanna is very nice, but there’s something just doesn’t fully click with me. She seems rational and yet signed up for this nonsense. Maybe she’s just a sane person in a crazy world. Also are her parents the same age as her?

9. Kyle: Kyle is the saddest character in Love is Blind herstory, including that dog that drank red wine in season 1. I pushed him up, because he had to endure meeting Shaina’s family. I hope he isn’t called to testify in front of the January 6th commission when that family is brought in.

8. Jarrette: Kind of a charming dumb dumb, he caused a little drama when he got turned down by Mallory and had to settle for Iyanna. His apartment is a nightmare and he is labeled as a “hair care consultant” but mostly has some clippers and a folding chair in his living room. You just know he makes his clients sweep up their own hair. His family seems wonderful.

7. Shaina: Shaina is a chaos agent and gave us a lot, but I needed her to be a bit more villainous. Fingers crossed she gives us a top tier reunion performance. She was season 1 Jessica light, but she and her hats have potential.

6. Danielle: Danielle is kind of a mess, maybe suffering from sort of arrested development and anger issues. She was dramatic as hell, but is less telegenic than her partner. More on him later.

5. Natalie: Natalie seems like a nice person and she gave some star work in Mexico as she got used to Shayne’s energy. My main problem with Natalie is that she isn’t very demonstrative with her feelings, a necessary quality in reality tv. Drama in the finale though pushes her higher up.  

4. Shake: Shake is a terrible man and very personally triggering to me. I deeply believe he should be in Azkaban, but his focus on his partners body made him the true villain this show needed. Shaina wishes. Watching him try and spin being left at the alter talmabout Nobu and fitness routines? Sir please.

3. Shayne: Shayne is an asshole and an overgrown puppy of a man. But he also has star quality. He is kind of like Julia Roberts in My Best Friend’s Wedding. Please don’t drag me, I am writing this off the cuff.

2. Deepti: Deepti is also very nice, kind woman. I am ranking her high because I am shallow and like looking at her. Oh and because like Cristina Yang, she knows she is the sun. Long live the queen.

1. Nick Matthew Thompson: Nick is the kind of character I got into reality tv for. He seems like a normal straight man, but then he hits you with all types of crazy. His proposal? Wildly awkward. Keeping his Dawson’s Creek DVDS in his closet? Iconic. Having another closet full of alphabetized DVDs in Mariah Carey’s 2021? God-tier. The scene with him and Danielle wearing their lil costumes is etched into my brain, we watched a man’s life flash before his eyes as he saw grown up girlies who shopped at Hot Topic playing Rock Band and spilling crumbs in his living room. He is also incredibly messy and I hope is called out for it at the reunion. Bonus points because he wore his lil bead bracelet to his wedding. No one is doing it like Nicholas Matthew Thompson.

So in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, everyone, and everyone watched Love Is Blind. But for some reason, I was defiant in my "I'm not watching" stance. So now that it is season 2, i thought, hey why not... and you guys. I am addicted to this god damn trainwreck. I am fascinated by people who propose through walls, get engaged after they have deep discussions about their fundamental differences, I mean one guy literally chose his now fiance as a backup... it's CHAOS. All under the guise of "see I'm not shallow because I chose her/him without seeing them" and it's like... well then you did and you still weren't interested. It just shows that you can want to be physically connected and attracted to your partner, and that doesn't make you the worst IMO.

And I can't get enough. I now regret not watching season 1 with the rest of the world.

I really hope Nick says no at the alter because these two will not last. They have nothing in common and they’re not even fun in an “opposites attract” way. They both have a lot of work to do on themselves— Danielle has been open about her anxiety and Nick, we’ll, Nick could benefit from talking out his divorce issues — and I don’t think they’re ready to be good partners to each other. They make me deeply uncomfortable!

I would love to understand the contractual obligations of this show more. I find the pressure to commit to marriage after six weeks to be so strange when there doesn't seem to be anything barring them from continuing to date without getting married just yet.

To me, that would be the win-win — get to the finish line, commit to one another, and just date like normal people. But why do several of them actually get married? Is there a monetary incentive to marry at that moment? Is that the only way you keep the ring (which I imagine was gratis)? Why would you rush a wedding (that likely isn't the wedding of your dreams) when you don't have to?

This dude was a MESS. He looked like he rolled out of bed like five minutes before. I know that it wasn't by any means a traditional wedding, but the man looked like utter trash. Sorry! He didn't even have socks on! Looked so hungover. Meanwhile, Natalie looked like a Disney princess. She doesn't deserve someone who doesn't take this relationship seriously. There were so many red flags, but if I walked down the aisle and saw someone who looked like the crazy-eyed hyena in The Lion King, I'd run the other way.

*Love is Blind spoiler alert*

Just gossip not sure if it’s true or not but who doesn’t love a good rumor.

So I had heard allegedly Shaina had a bf the whole time which makes sense why she didn’t want to be with Kyle. She follows the rumored guy on Instagram and allegedly went on a vacation with him.

Same goes for Sal. The ‘ex’ that caused the argument was a woman he was dating before they started filming because it took a year for them to start filming due to covid. And im guessing that’s why Mallory also said no. That, and that annoying singing.

Which is why on one hand I understand but on the other just don’t go on the show if you’re not single. I guess we will find it more on the reunion if so.

I remember the biggest shocker I felt during Season 1 of Love Is Blind was how many people walked away at the wedding. But once we buy into the fact that the "engagement" is the trial run and then the wedding is like a "final rose ceremony" it's less shocking than, say, you being left at the alter IRL ya know? So who do we think is going to actually get married? Here's my thoughts:

-Iyanna and Jarrette: YES. Once you get past the fact that he proposed to a different woman first (😬), these two actually seem really compatible and have what it takes.

-Mallory and Sal: Probably? This pair seems super communicative and really determined to make it work.

-Deep and Shake: There's no way. And if they do get married, once she sees how he's spoken about her, I'd be shocked if it lasts.

-Danielle and Nick: Tentative No. This would have been the one couple I was sure was going to all the way during the pods, but it seems they are getting less and less compatible. They also have different communication styles which only leaves them frustrated.

-Natalie and Shayne: Probably not. These two are just the odd couple to me. At first it made no sense, but then they do seem so happy together on the show, but then the Shaina of it all made me question it again. Plus The Dipp posted an article stating that Natalie and Shayne don't follow each which seems sus.

What do you guys think?

I have been obsessed with Love is Blind since Episode 1, Season 1 - and Season 2 has been no exception. I love debriefing and theorizing about it, and enjoy hearing everyone’s takes on the cast members and relationships.

One popular take, though, that I can’t get on board with is the reaction to Sal. To be frank, I think it is hypocritical.

My friends and the media (including a few of my beloved The Dipp podcasters) consistently complain about their male significant others or the current dating pool, and go on and on about how the men they meet are emotionally unavailable, can’t express their feelings, won’t open up, communicate poorly, don’t listen, etc.

Then, we see Sal on our screens who is emotionally available, expresses exactly how he’s feeling, and listens to Mallory. He strives to form a true partnership with her, and is constantly lifting her and their relationship up. He doesn’t pressure her to make decisions or move their relationship too quickly. He cares about and wants to hear and discuss how she’s feeling, and continuously reassures her and expresses his love to her (and yes, sometimes that is via song, which aligns with his degree in and love of music). And what is the response to him?

“Sal is so annoying. I can’t stand him. If he was my boyfriend, I would smash that guitar. He’s disgusting. He’s too emotional. He’s not my type.” All very hypocritical opinions.

Do I think Mal and Sal should have ended up together? No. But do I think Sal is not being recognized for being a stand-up, respectful, strong and steady, emotionally mature and available man? The kind of man that is often not represented in reality television and popular culture, and as a result, not in society? Yes.

The hypocrites need to put down their swords and recognize that Sal is a king and should be celebrated. Men should be encouraged to feel and express their emotions, and King Sal did just that.