The premise of Love Is Blind is that a strong romantic bond can be developed sight unseen, as relationship-minded individuals within a certain geographic region are paired for consecutive rounds of dates while they narrow down their options to one person they can see themselves marrying. Season 7 of the series was overrun with problematic men in the pods, so much so that it almost overshadowed one of the most romantic pairings that the series has seen since its earliest episodes. Garrett Josemans and Taylor Krause approached the “social experiment” with the same skeptical but committed energy, and as they got to know each other better, the chemistry that arose between them was notable.
I haven’t seen a bond between a pair on the series this strong since the Season 1 sensation that Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed‘s connection turned into. It cannot be stated enough how much the success of the franchise owes to the strength of their relationship after the inaugural season aired. Similar to Garrett and Taylor, Cameron was also in the scientific field, and it seems that the analytic approach these contestants brought to the Love Is Blind process was a significant factor in their success on the series.
In Season 7, Garrett and Taylor remain the only convincing prospect of a happily married couple, as the paternity scandal between Ashley Adionser and Tyler Francis has yet to play out at the reunion after they said “I do” in the finale. I feel that if the producers on the series understood the assignment, there would be more individuals cast like the sexy and serious-minded scientists who seem to have the system figured out in Love Is Blind.
There Are Only a Few ‘Love Is Blind’ Couples To Root For
Each season of Love Is Blind has produced at least one married couple, except for the unfortunate second season. These couples had a range of experiences on the series, and compared to how quickly it was clear that Garrett and Taylor were convinced they were weirdly well-suited to each other, many of them fell short of the immediate spark that many people expect from true love. A good example of this was Amber Pike and Matt Barnett from Season 1, who also tied the knot, remain married to this day, and recently announced they are expecting their first child. However, their flirty-frustrated dynamic made them more of a “will-they-won’t-they” relationship in the series, and though now they seem settled and happy together, their love journey was not always a comfortable ride on Love Is Blind.
There are a handful of other married couples from the series that are now welcoming children into the world. Alexa and Brennon Lemieux from Season 3 recently introduced their first child to the world, as has Season 4 couple Zack Goytowski and Bliss Poureetezadi Goytowksi. It is still possible to root for each of these couples, of course, but since their realization that they had found the one on the series was less immediate than the sparks seen between Cameron and Lauren, or Garrett and Taylor, it was a different journey for viewers.
What Makes Garrett and Taylor Different?
It was easy to root for Cameron and Lauren after they solidified their match in the pods. Lauren’s commitment to the process and Cameron’s willingness to be emotionally vulnerable if it would produce the desired result of a romantic match, combined to create magic. The couple remains the shining example of just how well the self-proclaimed social experiment can work. So what was it about Garrett and Taylor’s journey that reminded me of the first time viewers fell in love with a couple on Love Is Blind? Compared to the other couples who lasted on the series, there are a few differences I see that set Garrett and Taylor apart in a way that is reminiscent of Cameron and Lauren’s journey in Season 1.
I found it incredibly rewarding to watch emotionally intelligent and mature individuals build on an initial spark by putting in the work the experiment recommends — not speaking about their physical appearance, focusing on conversations that would reveal important details about their possible future lives together, and most importantly, remaining committed to the idea that if they do strike a match, they are ready for marriage. With Cameron, Garrett, and Taylor, their scientific background prepared them to be skeptical from the start, and it seems that Lauren had her own initial doubts as well. But each of them took the leap of faith that the experiment could actually deliver their forever partner if they played by the rules.
This isn’t Love Island, where the whole idea is to test a romantic connection by getting to know multiple people throughout the process; on Love Is Blind, the point of the experiment is understanding that once you find someone to commit to, that commitment lasts. What sets Cameron, Lauren, Garrett, and Taylor apart from other contestants is that their journey showed their dedication to this idea from the start. Once they fell for someone, whatever doubts crept in were not enough for them to stop working on the relationship, asking the hard questions, and having honest conversations. For me, these two couples were the ones that best modeled the height of what falling in love can be — the meeting of two imperfect people who complement each other, challenge each other, and commit to the idea that whatever flaws they discover are simply one facet of a person they have become wholly loyal to.
Love Is Blind is available on Netflix in the U.S.
