When I heard that Fox was bringing back Love Connection with Andy Cohen as the host, I didn’t know what to expect. I was not sure what they were going to do to modernize it and if that modernization would ruin what made the original version so enjoyable. After watching the first episode, I am happy there is a perfect mix from the old and new versions, so you are going to want to make a date with it tonight and every Thursday this Summer at 9p.
The episode starts off with a suitor in a video describing why they decided to do the dating show. Then they come out to talk to Andy and we get to see the 3 people they went on a date with. As we meet each potential lover, we get to learn how they rated each other on just their appearances only. Next up we get hear how their dates went both live on the show and with confessions that were recorded on the date. Finally, it is time for them to decide which of the three they want to go out with again. If they audience picks the same person, the suitor gets $10,000. If not, they have to choose the date or the money. It will be interesting to see how many have a love connection and how many have a money connection.
Earlier this week, I was on a conference call with Cohen and he previewed the upcoming season.
What type of daters will we see?
AC: Oh my Gd, we’ve got a great lesbian group of daters, one of whom comes out to her mother on the air. We’ve got a man who is in his 70’s who went on his first Tinder date or a first online date recently and the woman stood him up. So we set him up with three dates. We’ve got the gay guys; we have a surprising Real Housewife. We have a lot of big ones.
Who plans the date?
AC: They [the three daters] plan the dates [with the suitor]. We give them $500 and say do anything with it.
Did the show make any Love Connections?
AC: Yes, you have updates on everybody and it’s incredible how many people are still dating and we’re keeping the updates kind of up to the minute.
What made him want to the show?
AC: It’s just I loved the format, I loved asking awkward questions. It just felt like the perfect marriage of a show for me, of format.
How is he as a matchmaker?
AC: I’ve had matchmaking successes for people who have wound up having great dates or hooking up, but I have not hooked up a couple that has wound up getting married.
Would he sit on the other side of the couch?
AC: I would go on three dates but I don’t know if I would do it on TV.
