“I think that some are [here for a meaningful connection] and some are not — and there’s a whole spectrum in between,” Daniels confesses. “I mean, they’re all here for love; some of it’s love for humans, some of it’s love for fame, some of it’s love for glory. And some of it might be the paycheck. That’s what we’re here to find out.”

It’s certainly easy to be incredulous about a reality dating series with such an intentionally camp premise. It’s definitely steamy and overtly self-aware; each episode ends with Daniels hopping on a call with the show’s mysterious (and fictional) benefactor for a debrief laden with sexual innuendo and double entendre. But dismiss this show at your own risk, because behind all the camp, the wordplay and cheekiness are honest, impactful, and reasonable discussions about queer sex, relationships, sex work, consent, kink, and, yes, actual love.

PRIDE saw many of these dynamics play out during a special episode where I joined the cast on set in the lead up to the final to sit down with each couple to suss out which ones really were falling in love. The intent was to see who had the most chemistry, but also who were actually looking toward the future and had the best chance of finding a real love after the cameras went down and they returned back to their real lives — often hundreds, if not thousands, of miles apart.

We wanted to know what they thought made them compatible — but also where their biggest challenges would lie. After chatting with the remaining Daddies and Himbos, including Kane and Hazel, Jimmy and Quis, Anthony and Derrick, and Nigel and Rico the answer was clear.

I stepped into DILF Mansion a skeptic and left it a believer because, well, it’s clear that, as Daniels described, there were cast members here really looking to find a partner. This was particularly apparent with Nigel and Rico, who won the challenge.

Why? for one thing, rather than try to skirt the tougher questions, they were eager to admit that things weren’t perfect but they were already putting in the work to face those challenges together. They also had a natural and easy rapport, their eyes sparkled when they spoke of one another, and they made it clear that they were focused on creating a future together. Their interactions and candor earned them a special helicopter date.

Another thing that these two had in common, and that set them up for success, was that they joined the show with genuine hopes of finding love — as unlikely as that may have seemed.

“I was so hopeful. That’s the way that I was before I entered DILF Mansion,” Nigel recalls. “I have always worn my heart on my forehead and gone love first into everything. I knew the chances were small, but I was like, ‘I’m gonna be that person. I’m gonna meet someone.’”

In his Himbo, Rico, he found a kindred spirit. “I’m a glass- half-full type person, and I thought there would be some chance [I could find love]. I have a pretty good heart, and most people can read that,” he tells PRIDE, although he admits he was skeptical of some of his castmate’s intentions. “I was just worried about the other people coming in, their intentions. But once I met Nigel and kind of weeded him out — I put him through a couple of tests — I saw that he actually had a genuine heart and really wanted to build the same [things] that I was looking for.”

As soon as the two laid eyes — and hands — on one another, they felt like they were going to be end game. “It felt like pure butterflies,” recalls Nigel. “I can still feel them when I think about that moment. It’s the same moment you get when you bump into a guy at the bar, and you turn around, and he’s so beautiful, and you want to talk to him. It feels like I just went on vacation and fell for someone, and the cameras happened to film it."

Rico remembers being happy when he set eyes on Nigel, because he worried he wouldn’t find someone he was attracted to — let alone who he’d connect with on an emotional level. “I was really concerned about not finding someone who fits my type. I don’t have the quote-unquote standard type. Everyone loves a twink. Everyone likes fair skin. I dig ethnic people. I dig hair. I dig chubbiness. I dig full- body confidence. So, when I felt that full hairy body, it just made me super happy, super excited, to find someone who I’m attracted to and not to have to, quote-unquote, play the game,” he says.

But they aren’t the only ones rooting for a happily ever after to this unique love story. Daniels clocked the pair’s instant chemistry and connection on the first day of filming. “I’ve liked Nigel and Rico from the beginning because they were blindfolded, and Rico described his perfect match. It was like he ordered [Nigel] off the menu,” she recalls.

However, like the realist she is, Daniels isn’t blindly swept away by their love story.

“Nigel, he’s very, very sweet, but he cries a lot. We need a mop bucket. I know he’s had a lot of trauma lately. I’m just wondering if this is just not the right time for him to be doing this. So I hope that it works out because they seem to be genuinely falling for each other. And that’s one of those really tragic situations. Right person, wrong time. So we’re hoping for the best,” she explains, while teasing that there’s another couple who might sneak past Nigel and Rico in the finale. “I think our sleeper — because nobody’s paying attention to it — seems to have a genuine connection, and they’re not being very showboating about it. That’s because they’re spending time getting to know each other: Jimmy and Quis. I think they’re going to sneak up on them.”

The question remains: Can you actually find love in a situation like a reality TV show? In some ways, Nigel says it’s the best place to find someone special. “In life, sometimes people may be looking for love, but there are so many things that distract us or keep us from fully loving to the potential that we’re capable of. But that being the whole objective of being in DILF Mansion really brings out the true lovers in people,” he explains.

That was true for Rico as well, who found being in the house brought out sides of himself he rarely gets to share. “I’m a rock, and people don’t get to see [my softer side]. I’m naturally masc presenting, but I just always felt like I didn’t get to be as squishy as I know I am,” he says.

As for fairy godmother Daniels? Well, she’s keeping an open mind. “Anything is possible. That’s the one thing the last six years have taught me: never say never, and anything is possible. Is it likely? No, but that’s what makes a social experiment so fun,” she explains. “I do think there have been some genuine connections. And that doesn’t necessarily lead to a romantic relationship in the love sense. But I have seen some genuine connections and friendships and, most importantly, people being able to connect with those who have empathy for their situations, and so they’re not feeling alone. I think those relationships have been more meaningful and deeper, honestly, helping these people connect with others in their situation.”

At the end of the day, whether you’re a true believer, a skeptic, or simply open-minded about the possibility of finding real love under the watchful eye of Dr. DILF, this show, at its core, is all about queer joy and the celebration of gay sexuality, romance, and friendship. It’s also counter- programming the ageism that’s so rampant in queer dating circles. This is the future that gays want — and we’re happy to let Daniels lead us down the rainbow path.