Netflix’s “Love Is Blind” returned for its eighth season, transporting viewers to the heart of the Midwest with singles from Minneapolis, Minnesota. With fresh faces and complex relationships, this season had its highs and lows, leaving fans divided on its overall impact.
If you haven’t watched the new season yet, beware of spoilers below.
This season introduced a mix of personalities, leading to five engaged couples. However, not all relationships made it to the altar, leaving only one couple that ultimately tied the knot.
Taylor Haag and Daniel Hastings left the pods engaged and ready to start the next chapter in their lives. But shortly after the reveal, Haag started to question whether or not Hastings had actually known what she looked like the entire time when she thought she recognized his face from following and then unfollowing her a couple of weeks prior.
Along with many others, I had to ask myself, “Is Daniel a stalker?” The internet went wild, commenting on Hasting’s Instagram posts speculating that he was some creep who knew Haag before entering the pods. Others assumed that Haag just didn’t like what she saw and tried to make up an excuse to not marry him.
Eventually, the entire world was proved wrong when Haag and Hasting were the only couple to tie the knot and are still married today, one year later.
While the new couple just bought their first house together and are talking about starting a family, the other couples didn’t have such a smooth journey.Â
Sara Carton and Ben Mezzenga and Virginia Miller and Devin Buckley are two couples that also left the pods engaged. While both couples initially appeared compatible, their relationships slowly crumbled due to clashing political and social beliefs leading Carton to leave Mezzenga and Miller to leave Buckly standing alone at the alter.
Another couple, Monica DanĂşs and Joey Leveille struggled with communication and compatibility. A big part of this relationship was when DanĂşs’s older sister started to belittle Leveille and say things like, “I’m five years older than you, I almost feel like I have to do it first.”
After this episode aired, the public had a field day posting comments online talking about how DanĂşs’s sister is jealous of her and the only reason she didn’t like Leveielle was because she wanted to be the first to get married.
Ultimately, the two decided to end their engagement due to doubts about their connection and the fact that neither of them had actually said the words “I love you.”
Lauren O’Brien and Dave Bettenburg, another couple that left the pods engaged, called it quits shortly after their romantic getaway to Honduras when Bettenburg couldn’t get over the fact that O’Brien had been with a fling of hers two weeks before coming on the show.Â
According to Bettenburg, a big part of this breakup was his sister and friends putting misinformation in his head as well as refusing to meet O’Brien, his fiancée at the time.
After all the episodes were released, there was only one more thing that fans had to look forward to — the reunion. This reunion allowed the contestants to reflect on their journeys, as well as “dish the dirt” on their castmates and ex-fiancées.
This reunion included drama, tears and multiple receipts out of cast member Madison Errichiello’s bra.
Also at the reunion, “Love Is Blind” season six star AD Smith and “Love Is Blind UK” star Ollie Sutherland hard-launched their relationship as well as their engagement after appearing on season three of “Perfect Match.”
Season 8 sparked a variety of reactions from both fans and critics. Some found the season to be the least engaging yet, while others appreciated the new energy brought by the Minneapolis cast.
Entertainment Weekly labeled the season as “the most boring season yet,” citing a lack of drama and compelling storytelling. Some viewers felt the contestants were less emotionally invested compared to previous seasons. However, Collider took a different stance, commending the Minneapolis singles for bringing a refreshing and genuine energy to the show, making it a more relatable experience.
Whether you loved it or hated it, everyone seems to keep watching each new season hoping for the drama to increase. So see you next season for “Love Is Blind,” Denver, Colorado!