“This changes everything,” carpenter and farmer Geordie said as he drew breath from a blindfolded kiss in the second episode of Channel Seven’s dating show Kiss Bang Love.

After a swig of Red Bull, presumably to keep the energy up, he’d kissed 12 women including someone who boasted: “I’m a bit of a biter, I’m not going to lie”, another who hoped her tongue ring would do it for him and a third who noted that Jesus was a carpenter too.

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At times, Geordie was shocked – and not in a good way.

“She was sucking my face off! I’ve never been kissed like that before.”

Geordie was keen to find the woman of his dreams. Photo: Seven

For those who missed the first outing, this show tests the scientific theory that true love can come from a first kiss, even when the kissers are both blindfolded.

Geordie was asked to rate all 12 of his kissing partners to choose who would win his heart or, at least, a date.

But, while a kiss might have changed everything for Geordie, he was actually the one who changed everything for this show.

Singlehandedly, he turned Kiss Bang Love into a must-watch dating show after a less-than-illustrious start last week.

Geordie is a classic “good Aussie bloke” who works five days a week as a chippie (like his Dad was) and spends weekends on his parents’ cattle farm.

He’s into sport – particularly triathlons – and his friends’ kids call him “Uncle Geordie”. A mother-in-law’s dream!

One contestant could not contain her reaction post-kiss. Photo: Seven

His brother Lachlan and his best friend Michael cheered him on from the sidelines – looking at the photos of each girl he was about to kiss and theorising on what he would think or how he would behave if he could see them. They were natural, relaxed, funny and clearly wanting Geordie to “get his girl”.

The show’s producers got their acts together as well and delivered a slick, tense, engaging and heartwarming show where you really cared about Geordie and the girls he was meeting.

In comparison to last week, the casting was top rate. The boys were great talent and I wondered if it was because it was a man doing the looking that it all felt more engaging.

But the girls were also all interesting and different – from a North Queensland Cowboy cheerleader to a mining heavy vehicle operator turned model.

Geordie and contestant Tamlyn in the studio. Photo: Seven

This week the boys chose two (not one, like last week) girls that Geordie knew – including one he had dated – to throw into the mix and these choices delivered the genuine emotional jeopardy missing from last week.

In fact, the whole show was, quite simply, better made. Whereas last week I had long lost interest in who “won”, this week I was happily there to the end.

When Geordie turned to his winner he said he couldn’t believe that someone as beautiful, funny and smart was available for a date. Where had she been hiding?

I felt exactly the same about the show. The strength of the format was well-hidden last week and I have to ask why on earth Channel Seven didn’t open the run with this one? Hopefully viewers will be enticed to go for a second date.