By Lauren DiCioccio
“Love on the Spectrum,” a show with twists and turns, tears, love, and vacations to Africa to see the lions, is one of the purest reality shows I’ve seen in a long time. Tanner, with his infectious smile, James’ never-ending knowledge, Dani’s passion for animation, Abbey and David’s love for animals, Steve’s beautiful personality, Connor’s fascination with swords, and Journey’s adoration for all things pink, keep viewers coming back for more.
Our familiar faces from season one are Abbey, David, James, Steve, and Dani. Abbey and David are happily in love, navigating their relationship and thinking about their future together. James, Steve, and Dani are back again on the journey to find their true love. Our new characters are Tanner, Connor, and Journey.
Tanner is a fantastic human who is so positive and wants to love everyone. He went on a blind date with Kate, a young woman with Down Syndrome. They clicked immediately, although Tanner did all of the talking. My favorite line from this season is when he asks Kate, “What do you like about me?” and she just replies, “Handsome,” after Tanner has listed 16 things he likes about her. They go on a couple more dates throughout the season, further fostering their connection.
Connor, oh Connor, a little ball of anxiety. Although he has the sweetest heart to give, he’s anxious about being in love. He gives speed dating a shot but has to take a moment alone during switching time because he gets so overwhelmed. He eventually says yes to a date with Sasha, a girl he knew from work. Although he wasn’t sure he wanted to take their friendship any further, he decided to try. He takes her to a beautiful castle but decides he doesn’t want to pursue a relationship with her. He then goes out with Emily, another girl from speed dating. He takes her on a few dates, and she brings him out of his shell. Their connection was strong, and he even shared the selfie they took with his family (which took a lot of time for him to do).
Journey is a young, vibrant girl. She is only eighteen and was recently diagnosed as being on the spectrum. She is into women, but she jokes about her dad pushing her to date boys. She first goes out with Kara, and they decide by the end of the date that they will be better friends. She then goes out with Talia, who has the complete opposite vibe from her, but their personalities couldn’t be more alike. They end the date discussing how they could see their relationship blossoming into love.
Abbey and David, I could argue that my favorite people on this show are taking their first trip as a couple. David takes Abbey on her dream vacation to Africa with her mom and his sisters. They spend their days sitting in the sun and watching all the safari animals (the lion and the lioness are their favorites). They are such a sweet couple, and they balance out each other’s personalities well. Abbey’s mom, Christine, jokes that he is the only person who can get her to settle down when she is overly excited.
James is back this season after realizing that Emma, the girl he was starting to love, didn’t feel the same way. He first meets up with Jasmine, a girl who contacted him through Instagram. They had a lot in common, but she disclosed that she wanted to have children one day, which is one of James’s definite no’s. They ultimately decide not to let it go any further. He then meets with Maggie at one of his favorite spots in Massachusetts. They have very similar personalities and immediately connect. The show ends, and we learn that they did not end up in a relationship, but as viewers, we see that they could have been compatible.
Steve has an infectious spirit; he is one of the kindest people on Earth and deserves all the love and happiness he can give. He is the oldest person on the show, but that doesn’t stop him from having a good time. Last season, he went out with two women who weren’t compatible with his big personality. Now, he tries going out with a woman from Israel, Sharona. She is very bold, very loud, and out there. He’s unsure if he feels a spark with her, but he is still determined to try.
Last but not least, Dani. She has had more ups and downs than most people I know in her love life. Last season, she was back and forth between multiple guys and ultimately decided on none. She is very passionate about animation and has a plan in life, which many of her contenders were not. This season, she attempts to rekindle the flame with Adan, with whom she previously connected but didn’t want to continue. They go on multiple dates and eventually realize they might have something special. Dani considers them even taking the relationship further and engaging in intimacy. But she is not sure how Adan will feel about this.
“Love on the Spectrum” has become my comfort in a world where the only good television has more drama than I can handle. It makes me laugh, cry, and feel good that there are people in this world with the purest intentions and the most incredible amount of love to give. If you want a feel-good show, I recommend “Love on the Spectrum.”