'Love in the Wild' declares all three remaining couples safe in twist

Love in the Wild eliminated no one during Tuesday night's sixth episode of the second season of the NBC reality dating series, which features singles attempting to find love in the Dominican Republic.


While "Chase" Aaron Chase, a 28-year-old from San Diego, CA who currently resides in Newport Beach, CA, and Summer Mack, a 32-year-old from Satellite Beach, FL who currently resides in Indian Harbour Beach, FL, finished the sixth episode's adventure in last place and neither of the two other remaining couples split up before them at the Couples Choice Ceremony, Love in the Wild host Jenny McCarthy announced they'd be safe from elimination due to the fact four individuals got ousted from the competition the week prior.

After the three couples left in the competition spent the night together following the eliminations of Jesse Wilson, Ali Leitza, Ryan Smith, and Jenna Gillund at the previous Couples Choice Ceremony, they expressed how relieved they were to see the numbers going down. Chase loved that four people went home because it made his chances with Summer better, both to stick around in the game longer and potentially win the trip around the world.

However, Chase was determined to push romance between the couple although he figured Summer was very goal-oriented. Meanwhile, Michelle Sacco, a 26-year-old from Rome, GA who currently resides in Atlanta, GA, and Benjamin Clark, a 27-year-old from Chesterfield, England who currently resides in Monroe, NC, were very happy to be together. Ben was shocked he had made it so far in the game.

Kenneth Barrington, a 33-year-old from Peoria, IL who currently resides in Miami Beach, FL, and Yanina Beccaria, a 33-year-old from Rosario, Argentina who currently resides in Chicago, IL, thought they had the communication and team dynamic to win the whole thing, especially since they had been together the longest of any couple. They both thought it would be amazing to travel around the world together.


Jenny McCarthy then met with the remaining six individuals and explained the rules to their next challenge. Each couple was required to locate a GPS to find three items one at a time: an inner tube, a pump and a journal instructing them what to do with their two products.

Afterward, they had to blow up their tubes, float down the river, get their bodies through deep quicksand in the jungle, and then locate a scroll. Using the scroll, they then had to decode a message while inside a scorpion-filled "chamber." Finally, they had to dig deep in wet sand on the beach to retrieve a chest which they had to carry with them to the finish line.

Ben and Michelle and Summer and Chase ended up encountering some issues along the course. Ben never used a GPS before, so they got off track numerous times. Similarly, although Chase claimed he had a lot of experience using a GPS because he had been in the Marines, he struggled to find his way and disappointed Summer with her lack of success.

Chase felt like he had let Summer down and worried she wouldn't like him anymore. Chase and Summer, who were the last place team the whole way and said they weren't working well together, eventually caught up to Ben and Michelle. However, Ben and Michelle got their chest out of the sand before Chase and Summer and therefore beat them to the punch.

Ken and Yanina were the team to finish the adventure in first place. They were then followed by Ben and Michelle in second, and then Summer and Chase in third -- and last -- place.


For coming in first, Ken and Yanina won the right to stay at the luxurious Oasis private villa along with a fun dune-buggy ride later on, while the remaining teams slept in cabins.

Once the teams got settled in their new accommodations, Summer was quiet around Chase and had her guard up because she was so upset about losing the adventure. Chase didn't know where Summer stood and he was frustrated with himself because he had failed, but at the same time, he noted how he was on the show to build a relationship rather than a first-place team.

However, Ken and Yanina continued to strengthen their bond at the Oasis. Ken said he was convinced Yanina was the girl for him, while Yanina thought he was the full package because he was a sweet manly-man.

Ben and Michelle were also having a lot of fun together and enjoyed their light-hearted relationship. Ben set up a little surprise picnic on the beach for her, and Michelle was pleasantly surprised because she didn't originally think she'd go on the show and click with someone so fast. She was "loving every minute with Ben."

After contemplating how to fix things between himself and Summer, Chase then decided to create a scavenger hunt for her to help her re-live the places where they had spent special moments together. Summer thought it was sweet and adorable and appreciated the effort Chase was putting into their relationship. Chase's gesture made Summer feel bad about being "a poopy pants" after the challenge.


Later on, Ben and Michelle had a chat with Chase and Summer, and Ben admitted he didn't see much of a chemistry between Chase and Summer because they seemed more obsessed with the competitive aspect of Love in the Wild. Summer was bothered by Ben's statement although he was just being honest.

But while Ben didn't think Summer and Chase were the best match, Summer thought Ben and Michelle were an "unlikely couple and didn't make sense." Michelle felt solid in what she had with Ben, however, and thought she and her partner deserved to stay over Summer and Chase because they knew how to be affectionate and were confident in how much they liked each other.

Love in the Wild's sixth Couples Choice Ceremony then commenced.

Jenny McCarthy explained to the three couples they would be participating in a dating game in which they would be asked a series of questions to determine how well they knew their partners. Each of the seven questions would be worth one point and the couple to accumulate the most points at the end of the game by having their written answers match each other would win.

For finishing the adventure in first place, Ken and Yanina received one bonus point to start with.


Jenny McCarthy asked the couples questions about their personal lives and their relationships. Best physical trait, one thing you haven't done with your partner that you'd like to do, annoying things done when sleeping at night, who's more materialistic, who's the bigger catch, and who's more materialistic were all examples of question topics.

Surprisingly, Yanina and Ken were down points the entire game, so the last question was a tie-breaker for Ben and Michelle and Summer and Chase.

When asked who's more eager to settle down and have a family, Summer answered "both" -- an answer which shocked Chase and Jenny McCarthy a little because she had a 50/50 chance of getting it right but chose otherwise. It was also a mistake previously made by first-season Love in the Wild contestant Theresa Trujillo, a move which cost her and her partner Skip Sullivan the game and their place in the finale broadcast.

As a result, Ben and Michelle won the game and received a 30-second head start in the next adventure. Summer and Chase finished the game in second place, and Ken and Yanina came in last. Jenny McCarthy then told Ken and Yanina they'd be going home, but after a long pause, she admitted she was joking and revealed they were all safe.

According to Love in the Wild's preview for next week's episode, the couple to finish the next adventure in first place will be able to choose which couple goes home and which pair will square off against them in the show's second-season finale.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski