'Love in the Wild' eliminates couple Dawn Jaener and Jared Ines

Love in the Wild eliminated Dawn Christ Jaener and Jared Ines during Wednesday night's premiere episode of NBC's new reality dating series, which features singles attempting to find love in the Costa Rica jungle.


"It feels bad. I was really happy when I was picked first and so it's just a bigger let down when you go home first, but there were some good moments and there were some bad moments. I'll take it as life experience. My thought was I was going to be open to love. I am disappointed it didn't happen, but it's something I will never forget," Jared, a 28-year-old MBA student from Los Angeles, CA said after his elimination.

"Coming here, I knew it was an experience of a lifetime, but I was disappointed. I wanted to continue on in the journey and it is what it is at this point, I guess. I foresee falling in love in my future, absolutely -- 100% percent," Dawn, a 27-year-old in hotel guest services from Scottsdale, AZ said following her ouster.

Love in the Wild's first episode began with host Darren McMullen meeting with the 10 single men and 10 single women who will be looking for love while undertaking a series of adventurous activities in the hopes of winning luxurious rewards.

Darren explained that each woman would have the chance to pick her partner -- who she must share a private bungalow with at night -- for their upcoming jungle adventure and based on the potential of the couple's chemistry, they could eventually choose to switch partners and get to know someone new or grow in their relationship together. The man and woman left standing at the end of the show will receive a first class-trip around the world.


Dawn selected Jared, while Vanessa Guerrero, a 26-year-old law student from Phoenix, AZ chose to compete with Steele Dewald, a 24-year-old pro golfer from Scottsdale, AZ. Erica Scherle, a 24-year-old self-employed songwriter manager from Nashville, TN, was the next girl to choose and stood by Miles Haefner, a 28-year-old client services manager from Saint Louis Park, MN.

Samantha Woods, a 23-year-old wedding planner from Huntington Beach, CA, then selected Mike Spiro, a 29-year-old commercial real estate broker from San Francisco, CA, while Jessica Soares, a 23-year-old retail supervisor from Bridgewater, MA paired herself up with Skip Sullivan, a 30-year-old loan underwriter from Milton, MA.

It was then time for Kym Nguyen, a 24-year-old hairstylist from Quincy, MA, to choose and she selected Derek Leach, a 28-year-old medical sales representative from Venice, CA, while Heather Pond, a 26-year-old public relations professional from Sonoma, CA picked Benjamin Hooker, a 27-year-old MBA graduate from Charleston, SC. 

Brandee Dillehay, a 25-year-old mental health specialist from Nashville, TN chose to stand by Adam Rose, a 25-year-old bouncer from Taunton, MA, while Jess Debolt, a 24-year-old travel executive from San Francisco, CA, paired herself up with Jason Jackson, a 28-year-old in sales from San Francisco, CA.

Lastly, Theresa Trujillo, a 24-year-old hooters girl and real estate agent from San Jose, CA, chose to compete with Peter Paris, a 31-year-old surf camp owner from Venice, CA.


The 10 couples then learned their first adventure challenge required them to run to the banks of The Puerto Nuevo river where they must build a raft and then use instructions on a map to navigate themselves through "water," "earth" and "air," collecting objects which represent those elements along the way.

After building the raft, the couples had to cross the river, climb an observatory tower and record themselves via camera sharing a kiss, fill a container with salt water from Serpentine Creek, and then search for a large medallion wrapped around a random tree. 

Samantha and Mike finished the course in first place and as the winners of the challenge, they became safe from elimination and received a night alone together at the Oasis, a five-star bungalow, as well as a private meal beside the La Fortuna Waterfall the following night.

Meanwhile, the remaining couples would have to spend their time socializing with their partners and fellow castmates in less plush cabins.

Following Samantha and Mike were Ben and Heather, Adam and Brandee, Peter and Theresa, Skip and Jessica, Miles and Erica, Derek and Kym, Steele and Vanessa, Jason and Jess, and -- seven hours later -- Dawn and Jared.


While Samantha and Mike enjoyed their time at the Oasis and shared their dinner the next day, the rest of the couples spent time getting to know each other either in their bungalows or out as a group in a hot tub.

Later on, Love in the Wild's first Couples Choice Ceremony commenced.

Darren explained each couple would have the option to keep their couple intact or switch members when called upon in the order of which they finished the challenge. Since Samantha and Mike came in first place, if they chose to split up and request partnership from other castmates, the castmates receiving the offer could not refuse under any circumstances.

However, all the remaining couples' members were told they'd be given the opportunity to decline a request to pair up with any castmate, and the men from each couple would be given the decision first.

If a man or woman rejected their offer to become new partners with someone for the subsequent challenge, he or she would risk elimination if not selected by another man or woman afterwards. The last couple or man and woman standing without matches would be eliminated at the end of the ceremony.


Samantha and Mike decided to stay together as a couple after they had a great time together at the Oasis.

Following the happy pair, Ben and Heather decided to switch partners. Ben chose Brandee and then Heather selected Miles.

Adam, left without Brandee, selected Kym, while Theresa and Peter also chose to split up. Peter opted to compete with Jess, while Theresa requested Skip's company.

Jessica, after Skip left her, chose to pair up with Derek, and Erica -- now solo after Miles chose otherwise -- selected Jason.

Vanessa and Steele decided to remain a couple, but that left Dawn and Jared as the last couple standing. Dawn and Jared then departed the competition as a single woman and single man respectively, once again.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski