Rom-Com Rescue

Any takeaways from this episode?

Down-on-their-luck artists, reality dating chaos, mean girls and sabotage—The Wrong Paris has all the ingredients of a romcom…and almost none of the actual love lessons.

This week on RomCom Rescue, Kira and Dr. Isabelle break down the 2025 Netflix romcom The Wrong Paris starring Miranda Cosgrove and Pierson Fodé—and they’re joined by Nick Thompson from Love Is Blind Season 2 and president of the UCAN Foundation (Unscripted Cast Advocacy Network).

Together, they pull back the curtain on reality dating shows and ask:

Are these setups actually about love—or just entertainment dressed up as a fairytale?

In this episode, we get into:

• The Wrong Paris recap
• Reality dating shows vs real love
• Manipulation, archetypes & editing
• Women competing vs actually connecting
• Paradox of choice & dating apps
• Avoidance, independence & self-protection
• Will Dawn & Trey make it?
• Nick’s reality check on “success stories”

Guest Spotlight: Nick Thompson

Nick Thompson is a former cast member from Love Is Blind Season 2 and the President of the UCAN Foundation (Unscripted Cast Advocacy Network), a nonprofit that supports reality TV contestants’ mental health, rights, and wellbeing while advocating for industry reform.

Watch & Connect

• 🎥 Watch: The Wrong Paris — currently streaming on Netflix
• 🧠 Learn more about UCAN: Go to the UCAN site to support their work with reality TV cast members.
• 💌 Share your hot takes:
  • Was The Wrong Paris relationship goals or a walking red flag parade?
  • Vote in our Instagram polls and DM us your thoughts.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Underwhelmed and a little fired up: we unpack Season 2’s recycled arcs, interfaith stalemates, weaponized ‘good guy’ energy, and a wildly unethical storyline.

Spoiler alert: We spoil Season 2 of Nobody Wants This (Netflix). Proceed caffeinated.

This week Kira and Dr. Isabelle dive into Season 2 of Nobody Wants This with Adam Brody and Kristen Bell—and why, despite stellar performances, the story stalls. 

We break down the interfaith impasse (values vs. pressure), Noah’s performative “good guy” pattern, and how a nightstand somehow became peak romance. 

We also cover Esther/Sasha’s whiplash baby talk, Morgan’s messy choices, and the biggest red flag of all: a therapist who dates a (very recent) former client. We talk power dynamics, love-bombing, and why “leaving an abuser” scenes on TV skip the most dangerous part in real life. 

Bright spots? Joanne’s divorced parents modeling mature, joyful post-marriage connection—and Rebecca living her best life. 

Tacos were stingy this week, but the conversation’s meaty.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

To celebrate the incomparable Diane Keaton, we’re revisiting the friendship-forward classic The First Wives Club (1996) starring Diane Keaton, Bette Midler, and Goldie Hawn—a sharp, funny heist-of-the-heart about loyalty, divorce, and getting your voice back. We unpack what still works, what didn’t age well, and the modern love lessons anyone can use.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why friendship is a legit love story (and how to nurture it)
• What self-abandonment looks like (and a simple test to catch it)
• How “cool-girl” ambiguity creates heartbreak—and a one-line clarity script to prevent it
• Money, power, and ‘90s gender roles (plus: “where were the lawyers?”)
• Spot-the-red-flag therapy ethics from a wild plotline
• Confidence vs self-worth (and why external validation backfires)
• Aging, attraction, and building relationships that fit your life

Hosts:

• Kira Sabin — Healthy dating educator, certified coach, positive psychology practitioner
• Dr. Isabelle “Izzy” Morley — Licensed clinical psychologist, EFT-certified couples therapist

Where to watch the movie: Free (with ads) on Pluto TV and YouTube (availability may change).

We talk about:

• Friendship as a love story
• Self-abandonment: signs, costs, and repairs
• 90s gender roles, money control & legal realities
• Ethics corner: the therapist subplot (red flags to know)
• Confidence vs self-worth (and how to build the latter)
• Clarity over “cool-girl”: the one question to ask
• Aging & attraction: making love on your terms
•  Favorite lines + what still holds up
• If they were our clients: tailored homework
• Ratings & takeaways 

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Welcome to Rom-Com Rescue—where we break down the best (and most questionable) love lessons from your favorite romantic comedies.

Our 80s Series (Big Hair, Bigger Feelings) continues and this week, we’re diving into the sweaty, sultry, dance-heavy world of Dirty Dancing (1987), starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. It’s adult summer camp meets coming-of-age meets… wait, is this even a rom-com?

In this no-holds-barred episode, Dr. Izzy (Team Nostalgia) and Kira (Team Harsh Truths) debate:

• Was this true love or just Baby’s first crush/sexual awakening?
• Is Johnny Castle actually romantic—or just emotionally dysregulated?
• What’s the real takeaway from the abortion subplot, class dynamics, and power imbalances?
• And does grinding in the woods count as character development?

Expect giggles, gasps, and group therapy vibes as we talk sexual awakenings, bad boy tropes, and whether this iconic film deserves all the love it still gets.

💬 Topics Covered:

• Baby's identity, idealism, and fixer tendencies
• Johnny Castle's hot body... and red flags
• Power imbalances, age gaps, and gender roles in 80s rom-coms
• Abortion, classism, and privilege wrapped in a nostalgic dance movie
• Whether they'd actually make it in real life (spoiler: probably not)
• Iconic lines, fun trivia, and hot takes galore
• The real difference between love and infatuation

📌 Movie Details:
🎬 Dirty Dancing (1987)
🎭 Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach
📺 Currently streaming: Available to rent on Amazon Prime; sometimes free on Hulu

💡 Love Lessons (Healthy & Not-So-Much):
✔ The myth that love can "save" someone
✔ Rescuing people ≠ real intimacy
✔ How first loves can blur the line between desire and connection
✔ The importance of emotional regulation and self-worth
❌ Power imbalances and class divides in relationships
❌ Red flags ≠ romance
❌ Punching car windows is NOT hot. (Okay, maybe just a little...)

🎤 About Your Hosts:
Kira Sabin is a healthy dating educator, certified coach, and positive psychology practitioner.
Dr. Isabel Morley is a licensed clinical psychologist and EFT-certified couples therapist.

Together, they help you laugh, learn, and rewire your rom-com brain so you can create your actual happily ever after.

🔥 Call to Action:
📲 Follow @romcomrescue on Instagram for behind-the-scenes takes, polls, and more 80s rom-com debates.
📝 Love the show? Leave a review—it helps more rom-com lovers find us!
 

📺 Next Week:
We’re rewinding to Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) with Mary Stuart Masterson, Eric Stoltz, and Lea Thompson. Stream it on Pluto for free and get ready to swoon… or scream.

💃 And remember...
We've had the time of our life.
(And we never felt this way before.)

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

In this episode of RomCom Rescue, we rewind to the 1987 teen rom-com classic Can’t Buy Me Love, starring a baby-faced Patrick Dempsey and the effortlessly iconic Amanda Peterson. It’s got it all—$1,000 suede outfits, fake dating contracts, high school cliques, and the infamous African Anteater Ritual dance.

Kira and Dr. Izzy dive into:

• Why Ronald might actually be the real villain 
• Whether Cindy’s kindness makes up for Ronald’s total lack of a redemption arc
• The very real 80s trope of choosing fake dating over… talking to your mom
• Female friendships in the 80s vs. now 
• The moment Patrick Dempsey went from geek to Grey’s Anatomy god

Real-life lessons we unpack:

• Be who you are, not who you think others want
• Your “type” might just be your trauma with better hair
• And yes: if someone steals your poem to hook up with someone else…they’re not your person

Plus:
👀 Behind-the-scenes trivia (Gerardo? Paula Abdul? Tucson extras??)
🧠 Pop psychology meets teen rom-com tropes
🎤 Kira’s soda jerk origin story & Izzy’s illegal cocktail making at 16

If you ever idealized a crush from afar, regretted your high school fashion choices, or just love a good Patrick Dempsey glow-up—this one’s for you.

🎧 Stream now on all major podcast platforms.
🎬 Watch Can’t Buy Me Love (1987) on Tubi for free or YouTube.

🗳️ Vote on our Instagram polls: Was Ronald redeemable? Did Cindy forgive too fast?
📩 DM us your hot takes on instagram: @romcomrescue

Next week: We break down Dirty Dancing and ask the age-old question—does a boombox cure emotional avoidance?

👉 Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review if you’re loving this nostalgic, neurodiverse, and sometimes messy journey through romcom love lessons. Because at the end of the day...

We believe you create your own happily ever afters.
And maybe don’t wear white suede to a high school party. Just saying.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

We're kicking off our totally tubular '80s summer rewind series with the cult classic Say Anything (1989), starring Ione Skye and John Cusack. Kira’s teenage heart is swooning, while Izzy is…confused. We’re unpacking emotional enmeshment, obsessive crushes, and that infamous boombox scene (spoiler: it doesn’t go how you remember it). Come for the nostalgia, stay for the love lessons—and the healthy dose of side-eye.

What We Cover:

• Lloyd Dobler: Dream guy or giant red flag?
• Diane’s wild ride from golden girl to jail visitor
• The messy, manipulative father-daughter dynamic
• Why first love is intoxicating (and often dysfunctional)
• 80s tropes that shaped a generation of daters
• Real talk: Will Lloyd and Diane make it?

Where to Watch: Say Anything is currently streaming on Hulu.

New to RomCom Rescue?
We’re a therapist + dating coach duo who dissect your favorite rom-coms for the love lessons inside. Because you deserve a healthy happily ever after—with boundaries.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Unrequited crushes. Questionable fiancés. Holiday hospital champagne. And one very comatose Peter Gallagher.

This week, we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1995 rom-com While You Were Sleeping starring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman (currently streaming on Disney+), and let’s just say—this movie has feelings. And fiancés. And furniture.

Kira Sabin (healthy dating educator + certified coach) and Dr. Isabel Morley (licensed couples therapist) dig deep into:

💍 Why this movie is built on a mountain of lies
🧠 What loneliness really does to our brains (and relationships)
💔 How fantasy and unrequited crushes keep us stuck
🛋️ Why Peter is basically Big and Jack is Aidan (Sex and the City parallels, anyone?)
🧃 And yes—we're side-eyeing that 90s hospital New Year's Eve party with alcohol flowing...

We ask the big questions:

• Would you lie to a family because the grandma has a heart condition?
• Why did every ‘90s rom-com end in a rushed proposal?
• And seriously—why does no one feed the cat?

Plus, we rewrite the ending you deserve, call out rom-com tropes that need to go (looking at you, angry-truth monologues), and explore how media conditioned Gen X women to wait for someone else to rescue them.

Mic-drop truth? If you’re dating out of loneliness, you’re probably not building from love.
Hot take? Jack and Lucy needed therapy, not a wedding.
Love lesson? What starts in fantasy rarely grows into real intimacy.

📊 Stick around for Kira’s loneliness stats (spoiler: it’s officially an epidemic), and Isabel’s clinical breakdown of why Lucy needed way more than a boyfriend.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Bookstore Meet Cutes, Paparazzi Swarms & the (Infamous) ‘I’m Just a Girl’ Speech: This Week, We’re Rescuing ‘Notting Hill’!

Break out your travel books and awkward British charm—because this week on Romcom Rescue, Kira and Dr. Izzy dive headfirst into 1999’s iconic ‘Notting Hill’ (now streaming on Netflix). Julia Roberts is America’s Sweetheart. Hugh Grant is peak floppy-haired confusion. But do the love lessons hold up… or is this relationship doomed to end in therapy bills and emotional whiplash?

We tackle:

• The ultimate fantasy of bookstore meet cutes (do they actually happen? We have thoughts!)
• Power imbalances, celebrity privilege, and why “being mysterious” isn’t the same as “being emotionally available”
• Paparazzi plot holes, the world’s most expensive painting-as-apology, and whether grand gestures can really fix toxic dynamics
• The real MVP: Spike (plus why every romcom needs a lovable weirdo)
• Why we still love the soundtrack, the friends, and those dinner parties (seriously, bring them back!)

Kira’s hot take: Anna Scott might be the OG love bomber, and William Thacker… well, let’s just say his self-worth could use a boost.

Dr. Izzy’s reality check: Sure, Notting Hill is adorable—but let’s talk boundaries, trust issues, and what actually makes a healthy partnership (hint: it’s not just “floppy hair” and letting people walk all over you).

PLUS:

• Real-life “bookstore singles night” ideas you can steal
• Iconic lines, trivia, and why Kira can’t get behind this love story—no matter how good the Elvis Costello ending is
• Taco ratings, movie nostalgia, and your chance to vote: Romcom goals, or train wreck?

Your Turn:

Did Notting Hill give you butterflies… or make you want to block someone’s number?
 Vote in our Instagram poll, DM us your spiciest takes, and let’s debate: Is this movie a classic, or is it just classic romcom B.S.?

Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review—because the more you do, the more rom-com magic (and real talk) we can bring your way!

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Woohoo!  It’s been one whole year of the Rom-Com Rescue podcast.
A year of movies, missteps, magic, and yes—more than a few rants about enemies-to-lovers.

In this special anniversary episode, Kira and Dr. Izzy reflect on:

• The rom-coms we loved (Rye Lane, Love at First Sight, Idea of You)
• The rom-coms we barely got through (Anyone But You, we're looking at you)
• Our favorite series of the year (and which ones deserved better)
• What we’ve learned from a year of love lessons on screen
• Why repair matters more than romance
• Our hopes, dreams, and manifesting Kristen Bell & Adam Brody as guests

And because this is Rom-Com Rescue, we of course go off on:

• Why trailers lie
• Why enemies-to-lovers needs to go to therapy (or just… go)
• How we really feel about the "soulmate myth"
• Why Hollywood and healthy relationships still aren’t speaking the same language

But beyond the laughs and hot takes, we’re celebrating something bigger:

 🎉 A full year of doing this thing. Together.

This podcast started as a dream and has become a weekly deep dive into what love can be—messy, real, and worth talking about.

🎧 If you’ve ever disagreed with us, laughed with us, or yelled “YES” during an episode, help us celebrate:

✅ Follow the show
✅ Subscribe wherever you listen
✅ Leave us a review (seriously—it means the world)

✨ It helps us keep bringing the rom-com magic and the real talk.

Because at the end of the day…
 We believe we create our own happily ever afters.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

We all say we know what boundaries are… but let’s be real: most of us weren’t taught how to actually set them—especially in relationships.

In this episode of RomCom Rescue, we’re breaking down the beautifully messy world of boundaries in romantic comedies. From the iconic (and sometimes problematic) classics to modern love stories that finally get it right, we’re unpacking how Hollywood has shaped our understanding of what’s romantic—and what’s actually just...a boundary issue.

🎬 We’re diving into:

• The early red flags in The Notebook 👀
• Creepy “romantic” gestures in Love Actually
• The absolute boundary dumpster fire that is Sixteen Candles
• Sneaky manipulation in My Best Friend’s Wedding
• And yes...we’re revisiting Crazy, Stupid, Love and The Big Sick for some surprisingly solid examples of what healthy can look like

Along the way, we answer:

• What are boundaries, really?
• Why are they so often misunderstood—or mislabeled as walls?
• How do boundaries protect emotional safety in relationships?
• What do healthy boundaries actually sound like in real life?

👯‍♀️ Join Kira Sabin, certified coach and healthy dating educator, and Dr. Isabelle Morley, licensed psychologist and EFT-certified couples therapist, for a real talk about love, safety, emotional autonomy, and how rom-coms have helped (and hurt) our understanding of healthy connection.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok,  & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com