Almost everyone knows the longing for great love. But is it different when you are physically or mentally impaired? Yes and no, as the new dating format “Especially in love” shows on Vox.
Cologne – Samira loves her job. The educator says that children “accept you as you are”. And that’s exactly what the 1.30-meter-tall woman wants from a partner. The 22-year-old proudly presented her first own apartment in front of the camera at the start of the new dating format “Especially in love” on Tuesday (8:15 pm) on Vox.
The short girl recently completed her training as an educator. All she is missing now is furniture and a partner. “I’m ready for love because I can focus on one man now,” she says. And Vox wants to help with the search.
Three flirt experts from the agency “Handicap in Love” are supposed to support Samira and three other candidates. It’s not that easy at all, because for Samira, Igor, Tobias and Mirjam the “pool from which to choose from is smaller,” explains dating expert Julia.
But that’s what the agency is for. A date partner was quickly found for Samira. It should be the 33-year-old warehouse clerk Hans. They meet in a beer garden in Horb, Baden-Württemberg, and Samira is visibly nervous. During the conversation she keeps looking into the air or to the side and you suffer with her because it reminds you as a viewer so well of the first delicate dates in life – when you clumsily chattered something in order to escape the uncomfortable silence.
It’s similar with Tobias and Jessica’s date. At least at the beginning of the meeting. The 24-year-old has Carpenter syndrome. He is sitting with his date partner in a restaurant near Bonn. The two of them ask about their taste in music, and the first compliments are already falling. “You look good,” says Tobias to Jessica, who has a deformed head and arms due to his illness. Jessica blushes – and it’s wonderful to see how the sparks are obviously sparkling between the two of them. “That’s great,” said Jessica enthusiastically in an interview after the meeting. And Tobias is happy too. It seems like both of them can’t believe how well this is going for them.
Even as a viewer, you catch yourself sitting in front of the screen and smiling, animated – while the two of them are gently flirting with each other. In general, it is amazing how quickly one forgets short stature, deafness, spasticity and physical deformities of the candidates when watching the format in one hour and 40 minutes of broadcasting time. They are completely irrelevant. There are four young people who are walking the arduous path of searching for and finding love. And the viewer suffers because almost everyone knows about the effort.
Even with the deaf Igor (27) from Munich and hairdresser Markus (33), the date rolls off quite well – deep looks, red cheeks. However, questions of sexual preferences are already discussed at the second meeting (“rather active or passive?”). And that is more information than a viewer would wish for. The magic, the magic of this encounter dissipates.
But the pretty Mirjam, who has some form of spasticity, makes up for that when meeting the learning-poor Kevin: she plunges into her “first official date” in an unconscious, open and refreshing way. She too wants a partner who accepts her for who she is. Yes, feel seen, be accepted. When it comes to longing for great love, we are all the same – with or without a handicap. That becomes clear after over an hour and a half of broadcasting time. dpa
