Episode eight recap:

Let’s jump right into it. We had an inkling after last week that these two hadn’t just made up … they also wanted to make out on the grand-prize trip. The final date (and their double-Couple!) only confirmed our suspicions. Their admissions of attraction and connection and “Chris is my f***ing man” made it clear that they were in it to win it together. Chris actually confessed during the finale that whether it was clear to viewers or not, he made it his goal each week to “win back [his] girl” … and we’re happy to say it looks like he was successful. 

This date gets a hot rating only because the shock factor of seeing them (literally) together threw us all for a massive loop. Though they claimed that a behind-the-scenes connection had been quietly building all throughout the season, we (respectfully) call BS. Own it for what it was: a hilarious dig at the dates who dumped you in the eleventh hour. There’s no shame in that (despite Kaci Jane calling it “desperate”). You brought the entertainment and poked fun at the people who did ya dirty.

DID YOU HEAR THE NEWS? These two met up in person the week before the finale and (drumroll please) had their first kiss! We were psyched to hear that the meet-up only strengthened the connection they’ve shared since the first episode. As Eric said in his post-date confession, this couple is “everything you thought we’d be … but better.” Aww, guys! Will you be CoupleTV’s second true-love match? We’re pulling for you long-term!

Physical attraction. Good vibes. Good soul connection. That’s how Nicole and Jake summed up their budding relationship, and we’re not sure there’s a better foundation to build upon. Though there were some initial questions about whether Jake’s young age might be a stumbling block, Nicole waved them off during her confession, saying his old soul shines through and has convinced her that they have the potential to go the distance.

Tough date to watch because these two were not sharing the same energy … or even the same reality. MC seemed to think Adiel was harboring a grudge against his last-minute decision to go the distance with Cheyenne, but Adiel insisted about a billion times that all was good despite a lot of (alleged) behind-the-scenes mixed messages from him. From our outsider perspective, we bought Adiel’s claims that she was a-okay (and come on, Adiel has never shied away from telling her truth), but MC remained inexplicably unconvinced. 

What a far way to fall. These two have made our “hot dates” list nearly every single week, but here we are, recapping what was perhaps the cringiest date of the entire season. We felt Cheyenne’s hurt and anger radiating through our screens from the get-go, and the rest of the date was a back-and-forth over who burned the friendship bridge first. Whether a love connection would have been in the cards had a Candy reconciliation not happened is irrelevant at this point … we’re just sad to see these two end their experience on such a low note.