Netflix Show Review: “Love Is Blind” Is Binge-Worthy, Cringe-Worthy & Kind Of Sweet

Over time, a number of reality shows dedicated to building romantic relationships have emerged. Such shows include The Bachelor, Love Island and even Dating Naked. However, never has there been a show quite as obscure while also addictive as Netflix’s newest original show: Love Is Blind. The show refers to itself as an “experiment”: by having participating singles get to know each other through a wall, the show tests whether or not people can fall in love with each other and promise to build a life together without ever seeing each other. Essentially, the show tests whether or not looks matter in love, or if conversation and emotional connection alone can make people fall in love. The fact that these people are meeting each other through a wall is not even the craziest part. Rather, it is that, in order to move onto the next stage of the “experiment,” you have to become engaged through the wall. It is only after the question is popped that the two participating individuals can finally see each other. Afterwards, those newly engaged couples go through several more steps after finally seeing each other to try to fit into each other’s lives, prepare for a wedding in the finale, and truly test whether or not their love is blind. Here are just a few reasons this crazy “experiment,” whether you believe in it or not, is worth a watch:

When I first began watching Love Is Blind, I could not help but laugh. It starts out with a large number of single men and women moving from room to room, meeting each other through a glowing blue wall. The couples ask each other questions about their family, what they do for a living and make small talk. Over the course of 10 days (two episodes), conversation with the blue wall continues and connections are made as singles interested in each other continue to revisit each other. Drama even builds as the women begin to talk to each other and discover some of them have feelings for the same man. What really swept me off my feet was when, after just a few seemingly standard conversations and one emotional conversation, participants were ready to propose! The relationships appeared insanely irrational to me but that made me, and so many other viewers, all the more eager to watch how these relationships would work in the next step of the process.

I was hoping the moment the couples met each other in person would be the most dramatic part. However, the in-person meetings were not what captured my attention, it was when the couples who did become engaged, which are only a handful, were taken to an island getaway to spend two nights together. This is where the cracks begin to show. I will admit, I skipped over a good amount of the lovey dovey dates and conversations. It all started to sound like the same small talk they had through the wall. I began to lose interest until I noticed how the couples awkwardly tried to navigate their relationship becoming physical. There was some awkward petting, stroking of arms while still at arms length, lots of kissing and, for some couples, not a lot of touching at all. All the couples appeared to be at different levels physically and some begin to doubt whether or not love is truly blind. It was honestly like watching an awkward high school couple in their first relationship. It was cringey but wildly entertaining. I could say more, but no spoilers…

The next step is for the couples to move into a home together, introduce each other to where they live and meet each other’s families. Essentially, this is the time where life gets real and the couples are no longer in their own little fairytale bubble. It is fantastic. This is where I truly began to see which couples truly had a connection and which ones did not. There is screaming, fighting, nerves, doubts and wedding day jitters as the couples have 28 days since their proposal to prepare for the wedding altar, whether they decide to say “I do” or “I don’t.” Because all of the couples live in Atlanta, Georgia, distance is not an issue which really means the couples have to envision each other in each others’ lives. Let me just say, the awkward family encounters are great but what is even better is when the couples deal with real issues that they hadn’t dealt with on the island or in their secluded rooms. Some of the couples have large age differences, come from different economic backgrounds or are different races or ethnicities. This makes for interesting conversations and brings up some questions I, as a child of a mixed race couple, haven’t thought about before. For me, I had never considered what my parents had gone through as a mixed race couple and it was refreshing to hear someone talk so candidly about it on television. I was pleasantly surprised when I began to see this show as more than just comedic relief.

There were a few interesting parties the couples have together, one being the women’s weirdly joint bachelorette party, where more than one, but mostly one, of the contestants drinks a little too much. It’s important to remember that technically, in the beginning, all of these people dated each other from behind a wall. Super weird, but also, when they are all together, could be super problematic. This makes for some interesting interactions and some not-so-subtle moves on behalf of one of the participants….

The final step is the wedding. What I had not really realized until much later in the show is that the couples are expected to decide whether or not they want to get married when they are literally standing at the altar. In the case that one person says “yes” and the other says “nah” this could lead to a very brutal and public rejection in front of family, friends and Netflix users. I will not reveal which couples say “I do” and which couples split, but I will say that the Love Is Blind reunion episode is worth a watch and I now follow several of the contestants on Instagram.

If you are a sucker for love and are looking for something new, or if you just want a good time and a laugh, watch Love Is Blind. It is a quick watch and it is a great show to watch with friends over some drinks. I can honestly say that this show did not really teach me whether or not love is blind, but it did give me some good laughs, the occasional tear in the eye and a new show to recommend to friends.

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