‘Perfect Match’ Is Netflix’s Messiest Dating Show Yet

If, like us, you watched the Love Is Blind season 6 reunion with fascination and horror, you’ll have noticed that one of the show’s former contestants name-dropped another reality dating show: Perfect Match. If you’re in the mood for more reality TV drama, then Perfect Match may just be the perfect show for you.

Giannina “Gigi” Gibelli—who participated in Love Is Blind season 1—joined the season 6 reunion with her new beau Blake Horstmann (a former Bachelorette contestant), showing off her baby bump and updating fans on her love life since leaving Love Is Blind. Gibelli mentioned that she was all set up to join Perfect Match before meeting Horstmann, falling in love, and dropping out of the show. But what exactly is Perfect Match?

Perfect Match features some familiar favorites

Produced by Netflix and hosted by Love Is Blind and The Ultimatum’s Nick Lachey, Perfect Match brings back some of Netflix’s most polarizing, aggravating, and hilarious reality TV show contestants to try and find love (again). Those familiar with shows like Love Is Blind, Too Hot To Handle, The Circle, Selling Tampa, and more will undoubtedly recognize most of Perfect Match’s contenders. Too Hot To Handle’s notorious rule breaker Francesca Farango, Love Is Blind’s Shayne Jansen and Bartise Bowden, and The Ultimatum’s Zay Wilson were among some of Perfect Match’s romantic hopefuls.

There’s a huge luxurious villa, gorgeous sandy beaches, and plenty of private suites to go around. What could possibly go wrong?

Vying for the title of “Perfect Match” and a grand prize of a week-long romantic getaway, Perfect Match’s candidates are thrown into the deep end with the hope of finding their soul mate and building a strong connection before new singles arrive to upend the group’s dynamics, much like what happens in Too Hot To Handle—except this time, there’s no sentient cone telling the cast members what not to do.

Instead, the contestants have much more say in the matter. Every night, they choose whom they’d like to share a private suite with, but anyone left single at the end of the night is eliminated from the show. Proven couples then challenge each other in compatibility tests, and the winners receive the power to decide which new singles can enter the villa and whom they might go on dates with—basically, they’re given the power to throw the villa into chaos and make winning a little easier for themselves. As explained by Perfect Match creator Chris Coelen, this show isn’t necessarily steered by the producers. The contestants wield the most power, and they also get to choose the final winners.

Perfect Match season 1 is available to watch on Netflix now. Season 2 is set to premiere this summer. As revealed after the Love Is Blind season 6 reunion, new cast members include Love Is Blind alums Jessica Vestal, Micah Lussier, and Izzy Zapata.

(featured image: Netflix)