How the ‘Perfect Match’ Pool Scene Incited a Brawl Between Chloe and Shayne

Perfect Match has been going viral for a multitude of reasons—nearly as much for the drama taking place on TikTok as for what’s happening on the Netflix reality show.

For starters, queen bee Francesca Farago has been making a solid defense for her actions on the show, posting videos on the social media platform saying that she was lied to about having to share a bed and the series was cut to make her look meaner than she actually is. Cast members have been accused (by both folks on the show and TikTok sleuths) of having had a significant other while appearing on the series. And then, of course, there’s the infamous pool scene.

Here’s a rundown of how Perfect Match works if you haven’t been in the loop in all of this TikTok drama. The Avengers: Endgame of Netflix reality television, Perfect Match brings in a handful of stars from series like Too Hot to Handle, Love Is Blind, The Circle, and The Ultimatum to find love in a new competition. Competitors pair up and spend the night together, while new singles enter the house, vying to stay in the villa like a game of musical chairs.

It’s wonderful. The final episodes of the season aired earlier this week, and the winners are pretty surprising—but no spoilers! Since the show wrapped, cast members have been opening up about their experiences on TikTok, igniting a shocking amount of fan interaction. One contestant, Chloe Veitch of The Circle and Too Hot to Handle fame, has been actively defending herself after being accused of causing a fight on the show.

While trying to make connections with The Circle’s Mitchell Eason (Veitch’s ex) and Love Is Blind’s Shayne Jansen, Veitch made a tiny mistake. After settling on Eason as a potential partner and sending Jansen home, the reality star made her way up to her love suite and happily jumped into the pool (skinny dipping, nonetheless)—while Jansen was standing right below. The poor guy got dumped and soaked with pool water on the same night.

“I actually had a breakdown when I had to sit down and tell Shayne I wasn’t choosing him, I was choosing Mitchell,” Veitch said in an interview with The Daily Beast’s Obsessed. “I had a conversation with Shayne and I was like, ‘Listen, I’m really sorry. What we have is real, but I need to make sure me and Mitchell are definitely over before I pursue things with you. This isn’t me breaking up, this is me just saying: Give me time to figure my shit out.’”

Nevertheless, Veitch doesn’t exactly regret her decision: “Um, when Mitchell Eason tells you to take your clothes off, you fucking take your clothes off,” Veitch continued. “I was just going to get in the pool like normal. But he picked me up and chucked me in. We were in the pool, he started singing, we were cuddling and dancing in the pool. Then, all of a sudden, I hear screaming and shouting. I was like, ‘What is that? What’s going on?’”

That ruckus happened to be Jansen, sopping wet from the unplanned pool shower. Though Veitch ultimately dumped Eason and selected Jansen as her perfect match, Jansen did bring the splash back up later in the show. He was pissed. How could Veitch actually want to be with him, when she was so excited to send him home and spend time with Eason in the pool?

“I’m so worried about people hating me and sending me death threats because of what happened. But it was honestly a genuine mistake,” Veitch said. “I think he needed to go home to diffuse everything that had happened, to then come back with a clear mind. If I had a conversation with him there and then, God knows what would’ve happened. He has a temper.”

It’s a wild moment in the episode, which was aptly titled “Making Waves.” Should Jansen be so upset with Veitch? Did Veitch make the wrong decision, sending Eason home? Are Veitch and Jansen still together? We discuss the viral pool scene—with plenty of spoilers to follow.

Laura: Fletcher, I think we have to start with this very basic question: Did Chloe and Shayne ever make any sense to you as a couple? I could not, for the life of me, see the “chemistry.”

Fletcher: No, not really, I didn’t see them working out. But I do think Chloe knows what she wants, so maybe she was done with Mitchell and had hopes with Shayne. Are they a perfect match? No. But was Chloe pining after Shayne? I believe it! (Would I ever? Not at all.)

Laura: “He has a temper.”

So, let’s get to it—the pool scene. What were your thoughts as you first watched it? Did it register as significant? I remember thinking that had to have somehow been staged, because how else does something like that happen?! It’s too perfect! But then again, I guess monumental bad-luck moments like this do happen. Still, what a scene.

Fletcher: Chloe seems genuinely distraught by the affair, so I don’t think it was staged. I didn’t think too much of it. I don’t like Shayne or Bartise too much, so I just kind of chuckled. But when it came back in that final batch of episodes…oh dear. To me, Shayne’s temper tantrum seemed more staged than the actual splash. Maybe the producers were like: “Can you tell us how you forgave Chloe for that night?” and he realized he hadn’t.

Laura: What is it with these men on reality TV and their short fuses? I’ll admit, I cackled when Shayne got soaked. It’s just one of those perfect TV moments—like the loudest metaphor you’ve ever seen.

Fletcher: Chloe did mention to me that the producers told her to stay in her room that night. Maybe there was more temper than we were shown on camera. But who knows?

Laura: Whooooo knows. I will say, some of Shayne and Chloe’s argument did remind me of Love Is Blind Season 2, when Shayne would get into arguments with Natalie. (You know, before she wisely said “no” to a lifetime of that at the altar.)

Fletcher: Okay, I’ve been trying to do some research. Do we think Chloe and Shayne are still together? And if they’re not… did that pool scene lead to their demise?

Laura: I would be shocked to learn that any couple forged on Perfect Match is still together.

Fletcher: I agree. BUT when I spoke with Chloe, she did tell me she was seeing Mitchell in Los Angeles—with a devilish smirk, might I add. So maybe the show was successful, in a backwards way?

Laura: You know what, I don’t buy any relationship from this show except maybe Mitchell and Chloe. Like, they at least seemed to have some chemistry. (Although, why would you go on a show called “Perfect Match” if you're not down to commit, my guy?!)

Fletcher: Man, if you’re waiting until marriage, I can respect that. But at least commit, because what’s your goal? Why are you going on this show, just to expand your following?

I’m rooting for him and Chloe, though, if they’re together in any way. They seem to have had real conversations about their future. And The Circle is my favorite show, so…

Laura: Lets just hope they stick to ground-floor infinity pools from now on.

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