A Few ‘Love Is Blind’ Couples Finally Show The Cracks In Their Relationships

FINALLY! This issue of Lauren having a fling with this guy before she came on the show has been dragging ever since Dave brought it up. He clearly cares more about the opinions of his friends and family than his relationship with Lauren, which should tell her he’s not the one for her. Honestly, Lauren dodged a bullet. If this is all it took to unravel their relationship, then good riddance. It’s unfortunate that Dave let other people get into his head, but at least he had sense enough not to drag this out until their wedding day. — Njera

I was so over Dave’s hyperfixation on Lauren’s dating history that once they decided to break up, it felt like a relief. I did notice that Dave never actually clearly articulated “Let’s break up,” with Lauren however. I believe he also kept it pretty vague with Molly when he broke up with her in the pods, and she was practically begging him just to plainly say, “I want to break up.” I think Dave relies way too much on context and vibes, and due to this, emotional intimacy may always be an issue for him.

BUT ANYWAY, I’m glad this shit ended. And I’m glad Lauren didn’t take the bait when Dave came crawling back begging for a second chance. He was equally vague during this encounter, and no one deserves a life where they have to interpret their partner’s “signals” and “moods” to gauge what they’re actually feeling. Shit just needs to be clearly communicated sometimes. — Elyse

I was literally holding my breath during their conversation at that bar because I desperately did not want Lauren to make up with him. Thank God, the national nightmare of Lauren and Dave’s relationship is over. I also was sick and tired of him bringing up his sister in regards to the experiment. I wish she would clear her name because he just made her sound obsessed with his own relationship; simultaneously, it sounded like an excuse to get him out of the relationship. Speak out, Dave’s sister! All the other sisters on this season have said their piece; it’s your turn! — Erin

I really don’t know why this man came on the show if he needed the approval of his friends and sister to get to the altar. It’s very telling that he apparently told his sister he didn’t think he was going to make it this far. It’s also very telling that he continued to refer to Lauren’s casual two-month fling as a “relationship.” It was a complete dismissal of everything she’d previously said and a clear indication that he chose to believe his friends’ gossip over the assurances of his partner. Also, I can’t lie, a couple of months of “dating” or being in a relationship, if that was the case, isn’t SHIT at all. Grow up, Dave. He’s been infuriating from the start, and I really don’t know what Lauren saw in him. I’m glad she didn’t take him back and I really hope it stays that way. — Taiyler

Sara was so impassioned when explaining to her sister Lisa and her sister’s partner Kelsie why she wanted to be with Ben, and good for her. BUT, I think Lisa and Kelsie were right to be skeptical because it does seem like she has loosened up on some of her values for Ben. The conversation between them definitely got a bit intense, but it wasn’t exactly giving the same hater energy we saw Monica’s sister give earlier in the season. In Episode 12, we also got to see Lisa and Kelsie, especially Lisa, make it clear that they were going to support Sara no matter what and I think that’s great. — Taiyler

Sara’s sister and Kelsie have every right to be concerned about Ben. Unlike Monica’s sister, these two seemed genuinely worried about whether Sara is making the right decision for herself. She seemed a bit defensive at one point, as she felt she had to list a bunch of reasons why she loves Ben. But if Sara really believed in their relationship, I don’t think she should’ve felt the need to sell Lisa and Kelsie on it.

Ben also sounded like he was trying to say all the right things to Lisa and Kelsie during this scene, so I’m glad the latter pushed back a little. Like when Ben stated that he’s “fiscally conservative but socially liberal” like Sara, as if that doesn’t mean they could still vote differently. Or the fact that Ben is more privileged than Sara, which is something else the couple probably hasn’t considered. Lisa and Kelsie said they’d still support Sara no matter what she decides on her wedding day, but deep down, I know they hope she calls things off. — Njera

Oh, deep down Lisa does not want this for Sara, and you can see it written all over her face. Points for the poise, though, Lisa. — Elyse

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Molly in the pods, or if she was being genuine to Lauren after finding out they were in a love triangle with Dave. However, the way she sticks up for Lauren after finding out she and Dave broke up has made me a believer. I’m glad she called out Dave’s BS excuses for not getting over Lauren’s past because none of them made sense. At the end of the day, Dave could’ve at least given Lauren a chance to meet his friends and family so they could clear up the confusion around the situation. Instead, he did the coward thing and broke up with her based on their opinions, which isn’t fair to either of them. It’s baffling that Molly defended Lauren harder than her own fiancé, but again, that just shows what kind of person Dave is.

Side note: I hope we get more clarity on Dave’s sister and why her opinion of his “Love Is Blind” experience mattered so much during the reunion. He brings her up way too much for that not to be a red flag, too. — Njera

I wasn’t her No. 1 fan in the pods, but I loved watching Molly call out Dave to his face for making such a big deal out of Lauren’s past FWB situation. And, of course, Dave acted like he couldn’t remember the last time he had sex. He didn’t want to be made out to be the bad guy. (I didn’t love Molly jokingly suggesting to Lauren that they should continue dating the same men, but that’s neither here nor there.) — Taiyler

I was so happy to see Molly’s interactions with Dave and with Lauren. She shut down Dave, and she comforted Lauren. It really made me wish that Molly had gotten matched with some really great guy on the season. Then, I’d actually have something to root for. — Erin

Molly is coming off as a real girl’s girl. But a part of me wonders if she truly is, or if that’s how she wants to be perceived? Don’t forget, Molly did admit to being the other woman while talking about her dating history in the pods. She also was way too eager to tell Lauren that when she checked out Dave’s IG page after she got her phone back, his selfies gave her the ick.

But if Molly is merely playing the role of a girl’s girl, that will likely come to light at the reunion, so we’ll see. If she and Lauren are chumming it up in ball gowns in two episodes, I think I’ll be a bit more sold. — Elyse

Monica’s sister apologizing was a great example of someone taking accountability for their actions. It’s not an easy thing to do, but owning up to your bullshit is the best way to grow, and I’m glad that’s being aired on something as toxic as a reality dating show (and seems pretty ironic considering how this show’s production exploits its contestants, but whatever!). All in all, I thought this was a pretty sweet scene, and enjoyed seeing Monica and Joey enjoy themselves so much during the photo shoot. I don’t know if the photos being shown were Nicole’s shots, but if they were, she’s a pretty good photographer. — Elyse

After the way Monica’s sister acted earlier in the season, I’m glad she apologized to Monica and Joey. The engagement photoshoot was also a nice gesture. I still think she believes everything she told Monica, but it was big of her to admit she was flat-out mean. Hopefully, this teaches her not to judge so harshly before getting to know someone, especially someone who may be joining her family. — Njera

Yes, I was pretty shocked that she owned up to her messiness. Do I still think she’s jealous? Yes. But she had such a big reaction to Joey and Monica’s relationship that I’m glad she cleared it up before the weddings, even if she still feels like it’s happening too quickly, which is a natural reaction, I think. — Erin

I’m also so glad to see that Nicole came to her senses, and fairly quickly at that! I don’t know what was said behind the scenes between Monica and her sister, but this seemed like a very healthy way to resolve conflict. And I found the whole photo scene pretty adorable and heartwarming. — Taiyler

This entire conversation between Devin and Virginia was frustrating to watch for a lot of reasons. For one, it’s strange that these two waited until two weeks before their wedding to have basic conversations about their political values and stance on abortion rights. That’s like pod topics 101 that should’ve been discussed before they got engaged. The course of this discussion also showed the cracks in Devin and Virginia’s relationship, namely when it comes to their age gap. It doesn’t surprise me that Virginia took the lead in asking Devin the hard questions because, based on his answers, it doesn’t seem like he’s ever considered them in a serious relationship. And this is the problem I’ve had with their connection since the start, because it took 10 episodes to finally see them face some conflict — and it doesn’t exactly end with clarity.

Virginia saying she normally votes Democratic vs. Devin explaining how his family is more conservative is a huge red flag they should’ve noticed during their pod dates. This makes me wonder, did they spend enough time getting to know each other before making such a big commitment? Because it sounds like they have a lot more to discuss before saying any “I dos.” — Njera

I hate how this conversation was framed. Asking your partner well, is there anything else we need to discuss??? Seems so open-ended and vague. I just really feel like these two have not connected enough to even be in a relationship let alone a marriage. I’m also so bored when they pop up on the screen! — Erin

Yeah, I agree with everything you said, Njera and Erin. I remember right before Virginia brought up politics, I literally said out loud, “Why are these two so boring? Maybe they’re just boring people.” But I think you hit the nail on the head, Njera, these two seem boring because they were seriously holding back — or at least Virginia was holding back. Because when she expressed her views, I had a completely different perspective of who she is — and respected her waaay more.

I’m unsure why she waited so long to bring up politics, because my first question in the pods to all my potential matches would be, “how did you vote in the last election?” I’m sorry, but it isn’t about politics anymore, it’s about values. It’s about caring about yourself vs caring about the community around you.

I wonder if Virginia is still holding on to the socialization many women are taught — to be agreeable, to be a people pleaser, to not rock the boat too much. That’s the only thing I can think of — other than she really, really, really wants to have a family before her biological ship sails. I know it’s a tough dating scene out there, but Virginia could do a whole lot better than this flaccid bowl-of-oatmeal kind of guy with very little going on besides basketball, an “ibuprofen” addiction and going to church. — Elyse

Y’all are on to something. I think Virginia and Devin both try really hard to be pleasant as opposed to getting down to the nitty-gritty (maybe that’s the midwestern niceness that people talk about? I don’t know). Devin made it seem like Virginia was trying to pull his teeth during their political conversation, kinda like how Ben was acting when Sara brought up his church and its stance on the LGBTQ community. I just want these men to be honest. You don’t care about these things because you feel like you don’t have to. Then I want these women to really take that at face value and move on because you cannot teach a man to care about something. — Taiyler

I’m not going to lie, I was very happy to see Mason and Meg walk into the group gathering together. Good for these dumdums, they’re a good match! I’m glad they were able to explore their connection without cameras or a viewing audience judging them.

But when it comes to Madison, I’m not sure what’s going on with her. I don’t totally get her and Alex’s “relationship” now? It seems pretty weird that they’re still talking, especially since Madison seemed to be so bitter about whatever she perceived happened in the pods — and because Alex avoided her completely at the party. I also felt it was odd that he acted like he never met her, when Madison said they had.

I got the ick when Madison kept on talking about how hot Alex found her when they met face-to-face. I felt like she was using her attractiveness as virtue signaling — like because she’s more attractive than Alex she’s somehow superior to him? All I know is that I hope Madison moves on and finds some peace. She came off pretty hater-ish at this cast gathering, but I feel like there’s a pretty cool and emotionally mature person deep down inside of her begging to get out. — Elyse

I totally did not expect Meg and Mason to walk in hand-and-hand to this hangout, especially with how things ended between them in the pods. But I guess curiosity got the best of them, and they decided to explore things once they got their phones back. Cute, I guess. They even did their own in-person reveal. It is cool that they’re taking things slow as friends instead of jumping straight into a relationship or engagement — they have that advantage over the castmates. Hopefully, we get an update on them at the reunion.

And is it bad I rolled my eyes when Madison showed up to the gathering? She irked me so bad in the pods; I just can’t take her negativity. You got it right, Elyse. Madison does come off like she’s better than the men who pursued her on the show, especially after hearing how she recounted her and Alex’s run-in. I don’t think she’s interested in a relationship at all. It seems like she just likes the male attention. Hopefully, she shows up to the reunion with a better attitude than the one she had all season long, but that might be wishful thinking. — Njera

I’m so glad you said that about Madison giving you the ick, Elyse. I just kept saying eww to everything she was saying. I don’t know why she liked Alex in the first place. He was giving NOTHING in the pods. I thought I liked Madison’s energy in the pods, but now I’m like NEXT on her. — Erin

Madison would come across better if she kept her bitter remarks to a minimum. I think it’s okay to voice being upset or disappointed, but to just continue to lament on it is overkill. There’s no need to be so pressed, girl, about Mason or Alex. Just keep it cute and move on. Anyway, good for Mason and Meg. I hope we get to see more of them at the reunion, or at least online! — Taiyler

Netflix ain’t slick. They started the dramatic music as soon as this scene with Devin and Virginia popped on the screen. It made it seem like the conversation was going to end with them at odds, but instead they just both agreed that the pre-nuptial agreement was good to go and then they signed it. Maybe it says a lot about me that I’m waiting for these folks to have some conflict, but I thought it was gonna come in this moment. I guess I’m just ready for them to realize they don’t need to get married. — Erin

This was a very underwhelming scene, but I’m glad they showed that prenups don’t have to be a scary thing. They can actually be quite helpful in protecting the business side of a marriage by letting both parties leave with what they came with. Very simple concept, like Virginia explained to Devin several times, but I get the skepticism. They handled this hurdle well, but I still don’t think they should go through with the wedding. Perhaps they’ll surprise us, though. — Njera

This was such a non-scene that I’m not even going to waste my energy getting into it. Or this couple. I really don’t get them. — Elyse

I agree that there’s not much to say here since there didn’t really seem to be much conflict. But, I do think it’s extremely smart to sign a prenup, especially when you’ve only known the other person for a few weeks. I’m sure that eases both of their concerns leading up to the wedding. — Taiyler

I’m torn on whether or not Ben and Sara are actually going to get married. I think the show wants us to think it’s going to go badly due to the cliffhanger. And a part of me thinks it will, thanks to the TikToker who decided to come forward about Ben’s bad behavior in the past. She kind of already spoiled their ending. And if this TikToker is right, I think it’s safe to assume that Ben is still a douchebag.

Personally, I hope Sara says no if she’s not completely sure. I’ve noticed that she tends to confront Ben about things that bother her about him, but quickly shrugs it off after Ben gives her some vague explanation for his shit behavior that sounds good, but also comes off as a bit insincere. Like, he always has some suave reason why he didn’t vote, or treated women badly, that sounds positive but a little too steeped in online therapy-talk that makes it sound like someone has more emotional depth and understanding than they actually do.

All I know is that I feel like Sara’s sister really doesn’t want this marriage to happen, and I think her sister has a good instinct. — Elyse

You make a great point, Elyse. Sara has been brushing things under the rug when it comes to Ben ever since they had that conversation about his lack of interest in politics. It’s like she believes the idea of them getting married makes sense because he made her feel “so special,” as she told her sister and her partner. However, the red flags have been there all along.

Based on what the TikToker alleged about Ben, it seems like Sara just may turn him down at the altar, and she probably should. Something feels off about Ben, and I’m just waiting for the show to expose it. Because I’m still not convinced that Sara and Ben are a match. — Njera

Not only does Sara’s sister have doubts, but I was getting the sense that Sara’s stepdad wanted her to say no, too. His questions before they walked down the aisle kind of seemed like jokes, but I also know he was asking them because he wanted her to think about it a little longer. — Erin

I agree, Erin! I love how Sara’s family has made it clear that they’re still in her corner even though they are skeptical. I feel like Sara has put her full energy into making things work with Ben, but I think she’d have a lifetime of difficulty trying to convince him to feel passionate about the same causes she so deeply cares about. — Taiyler

I guess if I had to pick one couple to root for, it’d be Taylor and Daniel. They really do seem in love and compatible. — Erin

I still don’t have much to say about this boring pair, but they seem like the least problematic couple of the remaining bunch. I can’t say I’m particularly rooting for them, but they feel like the safest bet of who will exchange “I dos” in the finale. — Njera

OK, I guess I’m boring because I’m into these two! I really enjoyed their ice skating and mini golf dates, and thought their idea to make Christmas ornaments for all their guests at their wedding was an adorably authentic idea. I’m wholeheartedly rooting for them. I hope that they — as well and Monica and Joey — have happy endings and we can have a little bit of wholesome sweetness this season. — Elyse

Gosh, I just can’t bring myself to be fully invested in this couple. I just keep thinking about the Instagram incident, but obviously they can’t afford to be stuck on that with such a short amount of time before the wedding. —Taiyler