There’s no shortage of dating shows on the internet, but “Pop The Balloon Or Find Love” has managed to do what not many have figured out: get people to actually watch the full episode. The format itself is relatively simple — one person stands in front of a lineup and tries to make it out with their dignity and a date. Rejection comes in the form of a literal balloon pop, usually followed by an explanation and, in certain instances, a petty jab or two.
In 2025, a live version of the show officially made its way to Netflix, albeit without its original host and creator, Arlette Amuli. However, for anyone who’s worried the streaming service might gentrify one of Black culture’s most entertaining gems just to pad its dating show lineup — which already includes "Love Is Blind," "Too Hot to Handle" and more — rest easy. Amuli was brought on as executive producer alongside her husband, Bolia Matundu.
So, in the spirit of messy matchmaking and even better commentary, REVOLT rounded up five truly memorable episodes of “Pop The Balloon Or Find Love.” Check them out below.
1. Episode 11 – “Well, you’re not qualified, baby”
Episode 11 didn’t disappoint. The night brought a couple of matches, a guest appearance from YouTuber Rhino, plenty of laughs and the rise of Aaron the Plumber. After one contestant popped her balloon due to him being “a tad bit disrespectful," the internet personality spent the next 10 minutes dishing out clapbacks to every woman in line until only one viable partner was left standing.
“My eyes are up here, baby. Are you looking at the tattoo?” one young woman said while motioning to the ink under her chest. “No, I’m looking at the hair on your arms,” Aaron shot back. Moments later, another contestant called him a “stocky” Ninja Turtle, to which he replied, “You’re not even qualified to be even dealing with me.” Their back-and-forth remains a highlight of not just Episode 11 but arguably all the “Pop The Balloon Or Find Love” videos released that year.
2. Episode 2 – “How attracted to him are you? ‘Cause this is my cousin”
Especially in its earliest episodes, part of the magic of “Pop The Balloon Or Find Love” was not knowing what kind of contestants or stories you’d get. That level of unpredictability gave way to some of the show’s more lighthearted moments, like Kailah Michelle and Edem Kwakumey, who sort of clicked from the start.
Amuli asked if there were any final questions before moving forward, and sure enough, Kwakumey had one: “How attracted to him are you? ’Cause this is my cousin.” Michelle admitted both of them were attractive — no shock there, considering they’re related — but said Dr. Elom came off “a little aggressive.”
3. Episode 23 – “I want my balloon back”
Just because the series’ antics often take over the timeline doesn’t mean its premise is lost on everyone. People really do come on the show to find love. Take, for example, Tavarius Felton. Things looked like an uphill climb for the creative director, who opened by saying he was in town for a children’s book tour, after nearly everyone popped their balloons within the first few minutes of him walking on-screen.
However, once he met Tiffini, there was at least a little bit of chemistry. “I initially popped it ‘cause of the outfit, but now that I got close to you and heard what you [said], I want my balloon back,” she said. Turns out, they were one of only two couples to actually match that episode.
4. Episode 15 – “I don’t like the pants too tight”
The best “Pop The Balloon Or Find Love” villains always seem to have a thread of insecurity running beneath the surface. Enter Bryan Cahn, an aircraft mechanic. His interests, lounges and museums, evidently didn’t land well with contestant Janae, who popped her balloon not long after. “For me, it was the pants,” she said later, just as the camera panned down to his white skinny jeans.
Cahn jumped on the defensive almost immediately, questioning her age and whether she had kids. He did the same with the next woman in line, causing the three remaining women to pop their balloons. Naturally, it didn’t take long for viewers to learn he had kids of his own after someone hit him with the reverse Uno.
5. Episode 22 – “You wanna take it off?”
When a contestant wrongly claimed Johyko Rodriguez had braids under her wig in Episode 22, we got one of the show’s most satisfying reveals. “I don’t mind ‘cause he was so wrong with the braids,” she said. Even Amuli was a little caught off guard: “You wanna take it off?” Sure enough, underneath was a beautiful buzzcut — and not a lump in sight. Let that be a reminder: don’t judge a book by its cover.