I’ll be the first to admit that, when Perfect Match premiered last February, I was not totally on board. More than anything, the show felt like Netflix’s attempt to construct its own collection of C-list stars akin to Bravo-lebrities or the Bachelor-verse. To do that, Chris Coelen (creator of Love Is Blind) assembled an Avengers-like crew that included some of the most abrasive personalities imaginable, including Too Hot to Handle troublemaker Francesca Farago and the insufferable Shayne James Jansen from Love Is Blind Season 2. The final result was as dramatic as one might expect but also, at times, pretty difficult to watch.
Nevertheless, I have bravely pressed play on Season 2, which premiered Friday. And by some sweet summer miracle, I have to say: It’s way better than the original. The personalities are popping, emotions are high, and, as always, the love games are brutal. It’s stunning what a difference a likable cast can make.
On Perfect Match, 22 singles search for their soulmate through a series of compatibility challenges and poolside make-out sessions. Each week, everyone pairs off in a game of romantic musical chairs; anyone left without a match must go home and hope that someone brings them back to flirt another day. The challenges, administered by our ringleader and stalwart Netflix dating show host Nick Lachey, determine which couple gets to bring new people into the villa and send their fellow competitors on dates. Although the series first premiered just in time for Valentine’s Day, Season 2 proves that summer is really the time to drop a show like this. This season, especially, it’s a perfect, raunchy escape from reality.
Read more at The Daily Beast.
