Love Is Blind recently wrapped its tenth season on the 2026 TV schedule, giving fans even more messy relationships and happily-ever-afters to watch with a Netflix subscription. Nick and Vanessa Lachey were once again on hand for the festivities with the reunion special. However, celebrations just make me wish that NCIS: Hawai’i got the same treatment.

The Love Is Blind Season 10 reunion dropped on Netflix on March 11, and it’s hard to believe that the show has made it ten seasons already. Vanessa shared some BTS photos and videos from the reunion on Instagram and was as excited as ever to celebrate this Love Is Blind milestone, especially with her husband right by her side:

As a Love Is Blind fan, I couldn’t be more excited about the show reaching ten seasons, knowing that we’ve gotten plenty of messy and controversial breakups, makeups, engagements, weddings, relationships, friendships, and much more from the Pod Squad. However, as a fan of another one of Vanessa’s shows, it makes me incredibly sad knowing that NCIS: Hawai'i wasn’t even close to receiving the same treatment, and I am still in mourning.

It’s been almost two years since NCIS: Hawai’i was surprisingly canceled after just three seasons. The cancellation came out of left field, and Vanessa even admitted she was blindsided by it. As the NCIS franchise continues to remain strong with the mothership, NCIS: Origins, and NCIS: Sydney, all of which are returning for new seasons, it makes me sad knowing what could have been for Hawai’i. There were so many stories left to be told, probably more crossovers, and much more character development.

Hawai’i’s cancellation was probably the most devastating cancellation of 2024 for me, or at the very least, the most surprising. A CBS head honcho had admitted that if it had been any other year, Hawai’i would have probably survived, but alas, for financial and scheduling reasons, the show just didn’t seem to take priority. Even though it’s been two years since the show ended, I still miss it. And I miss it even more with Vanessa Lachey celebrating Love Is Blind’s 10^th season, knowing that Hawai’i will never get that treatment.

There is always the possibility that Vanessa’s Jane Tennant or someone else will pop up on NCIS in the future, as it wouldn’t be the first time a character from an NCIS show that has ended returned. If anything, two Hawai’i actors have returned to CBS, with Alex Tarrant starring on the new sitcom DMV and Noah Mills recurring on Watson. It may not be Hawai’i, but it’s better than nothing. And of course, Vanessa will likely continue to be seen on Love Is Blind.

Now, if you want to reminisce and think about what could have been, you can stream NCIS: Hawai'i with a Paramount+ subscription. Meanwhile, all seasons of Love is Blind are on Netflix.

Netflix just knows how to entice me into watching a dating show. Some of my favorite reality TV shows on the premium streaming service are Reality TV dating shows. They’re the perfect blend of hope, drama, and chaos. Age of Attraction is the newest hot mess dating show to grace Netflix.

It asks the age-old question: Does age matter? The answer is yes, but some may say it depends. Age of Attraction brings together a group of single people across various age ranges, but doesn’t allow them to disclose their ages. They must leap into love despite major age gaps.

It reminds me a lot of the early days of Love is Blind. It may be a must-watch for some Love is Blind fans.

Warning: Minor Age of Attraction spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution

Age Of Attraction Also Tests Whether One Superficial Factor Is Important To The Success Of A Relationship

Love is Blind asks is love really blind? The show has had mixed results, with some couples lasting for years. Other times, the contestants don’t even make it to the altar. Basically, the experiment and dating show prove that love can be blind, depending on factors such as the contestants’ commitment to the experiment. and the casting team’s efforts and vetting process.

The ten seasons of episodes have concluded that love is complicated and not everyone has the same path to love and commitment. Age of Attraction showcases a similar conclusion. Age may complicate some love stories, but for others, it doesn’t mean anything.

Both series highlight that external factors, such as society, family, and friends, can disrupt a romantic relationship, but the couple ultimately decides to continue the relationship or end it.

Age isn’t necessarily a superficial factor because age often dictates life experience. Life experience matters in all areas. Therefore, I wouldn’t dismiss age as just a minor factor in a relationship, but that’s what Age of Attraction explores. It wants to know if age is something superficial that couples should ignore, or if it is important to a relationship’s success.

The Age Reveals Are Just As Dramatic As Love Is Blind's Post-Pod First Meetings

Some of Love is Blind’s most iconic moments involve contestants meeting each other outside the pods for the first time. These moments can be romantic, devastating, exciting, or frustrating, amongst other things. They were key factors in how Love is Blind became so popular. The latter seasons have not emphasized them as much, but they’re still a key to why the show works. We want those big reactions.

Age of Attraction tries to produce the same sort of buzz and excitement with the promise/commitment ceremonies. Two daters go into a room to declare that they only want to date each other. They reveal their ages if both pairs agree. The reactions have been gigantic. I personally like to play along and try to guess the contestants’ ages before the reveal.

This adds an extra layer of fun to Age of Attraction. Also, I did well in the first season, guessing most contestants close to their actual ages. The reveals have been entertaining, but they are not as monumental as some of the Love is Blind post-pod meetings. Finding out how someone looks versus their age is a big emotional difference.

I Am Invested In the Age Of Attraction Love Stories, Just As I Usually Am For The Love Is Blind Ones

Some of the Love is Blind couples have been my favorite reality TV couples. They had unforgettable and sweet love stories (some even void of drama). They will be remembered in reality dating TV hall of fame. The same can’t be said for the Age of Attraction couples. By the time I finish writing this, there will only be a few episodes of the season left. Therefore, I feel confident saying that none of these couples are my favorites. It will surprise me if any of them are still together.

However, you don’t always watch reality TV shows for happy endings and overcoming obstacles. Sometimes you enjoy them for the escapism. This sometimes includes living for the mess. I am invested in these Age of Attraction couples because I want to see the trainwrecks. I want to see which couples are really ill-suited for one another, and which ones somehow make it, despite clearly having gigantic obstacles.

I have not been enthusiastic about watching Love is Blind lose the spark that made me initially want to watch it, but I still enjoy it sometimes for other reasons. This includes seeing no one find a lasting love story or a particular nefarious contestant getting karmic justice from a bad fan reaction. I can want better for Love is Blind, but also find ways to just be entertained by the trashy reality TV show elements.

Age of Attraction Season 1 hasn’t made me love any of the couples, but I am still invested in their story, and how the show can evolve to find couples that fans will root for to last.

The Stakes Feel Lower On Age of Attraction Compared To Love Is Blind

I don’t believe any of the Age of Attraction couples will make it. I still believe in Love is Blind making lifelong matches, even with some divorces. I have this faith in the Love is Blind process because the stakes are already high. These people agree to possibly marry someone whom they have only known for weeks.

This means that many of these people are ready to settle down. Additionally, I think most people do not want to get a divorce. It’s an expensive, emotionally and legally difficult thing. Therefore, most of the people who say “I do” on Love is Blind want to stay married. This means they will likely try harder to keep the relationship together.

Age of Attraction doesn’t put that level of pressure on the relationships. These contestants just agree to continue to date. Dating is something that anyone could do, so there isn’t a major pressure to make it work. There is no legally binding document keeping them together. Age of Attraction needs something more drastic to really make fans invest in whether these couples can make it work.

I Already Suspect That Most Of The Couples Won't Make It

I am eternally optimistic about romantic love. Therefore, I want couples to make it work, despite everything that may make it nearly impossible to succeed. I want the Age of Attraction couples to last, but I don’t believe many or any of them will make it. The age gaps are so huge that there are bound to be lifestyle clashes.

I believe some of the couples (who weren’t followed) that are closer in age have a chance. However, many of the ones we meet and follow don’t seem built to survive past the experiment. Additionally, we already know a few don’t make it because they break up before the finale. At least with Love is Blind, I am more confident or torn on whether some of the couples could last.

I don’t feel that uncertainty with any of the Age of Attraction couples. I think they will all eventually break up. Nevertheless, I would love for them to prove me wrong. You can stream the show with a Netflix subscription now.

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for Love Is Blind Season 10, so make sure you’ve streamed all the episodes with your Netflix subscription before reading further.

Another round of Love Is Blind is in the books, with Season 10 resulting in one successful marriage (one more than that Season 9 fiasco). I had the opportunity to speak to Vic St. John and Christine Hamilton — the Netflix dating show’s newest success story — and they told me what shocked them the most about watching the season back.

Vic St. John and Christine Hamilton’s love story was a joy to watch develop on Love Is Blind for how quickly they bonded and for the way they addressed important issues like race ahead of their wedding. However, because the couple was treated more like “Pod Squad” members — missing out on some of the group events like honeymoons in Mexico — there were naturally some surprises when they watched the episodes back, especially when they saw the actions of some of their castmates. Vic told CinemaBlend:

Vic didn’t mention anyone by name, but it’s not hard to imagine that Chris Fusco was among the people he was talking about. Chris was inarguably Love Is Blind Season 10’s biggest villain for how he acted after getting engaged to Jessica Barrett in the pods (i.e. shaming her for not working out every day and then hitting on his second choice Bri McNees with her fiancé Connor Spies just feet away from them).

In fact, just look at Christine’s face when she was informed about some of Chris’ actions at one of the group meet-ups:

Christine echoed what Vic said about being surprised by what they saw, saying:

I was curious about whether Vic and Christine were upset that they missed some of those incidents, and if they wished they’d been there to support their friends or to witness some of the unexpected behavior in real time. However, Christine said she thinks it all played out the way it was supposed to:

It seems even though Vic and Christine were surprised by the words and actions of some of the Season 10 cast, all was revealed in the end. The Ohio portion of the Love Is Blind experiment has completed its run on the 2026 TV schedule, so you can watch back the entire season and reunion now to relive all of those surprising moments, and be sure to stay up to date on Netflix’s upcoming movies and TV shows.

The last few seasons of Love is Blind have made me question if the show is still worth watching. Season 10 has just added to that uncertainty. However, it had one major redeeming quality: the reunion. Love is Blind reunions are always entertaining, but the last few have lacked some charm and substance.

They have felt long without really adding anything to the conversations surrounding the seasons. The Love is Blind Season 10 reunion finally gave me a glimmer of hope that the franchise hasn’t completely lost its spark.

Love is Blind Season 10 spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

The Reunion Made Me Trust The Love Is Blind Season 10 Editing

Many people understand that reality TV shows don’t often add full context to situations. They also tend to focus on one aspect of things. It’s all about making memorable television with iconic moments. The complete truth is never a priority for the editors. However, I often wonder how much of the stories of the seasons are accurate.

Maybe a couple isn’t as toxic as they seem on Love is Blind. Maybe a participant is worse or better than portrayed on the show. I think for some seasons the editors want to create certain storylines so things are edited in a way that fits the show’s narrative, even if it isn’t absolutely accurate.

During Love is Blind Season 10, I enjoyed Amber and Jordan as a couple. Their relationship and love story felt genuine, but I never expected them to last. I even predicted that they would divorce by the time the reunion happened. There were just too many glaring issues that came across during the season. However, I have watched seasons where a couple seemed destined to break up, but are still together. Some even became part of the Love is Blind success stories.

Therefore, I wasn’t sure if Amber and Jordan’s problems were as severe as they seemed, or simply amplified for the show. The reunion proved that their problems were as damaging to their relationship as I suspected. They got divorced, and we saw some of their issues surface at the reunion.

Other participants also showed that their backlash was earned. The Love is Blind Season 10 reunion made me feel confident that the editors tried their best this year to portray people and situations as accurately as they saw possible. Of course, this is a TV show, so I am sure some things are manipulated, but I think we saw enough in the reunion to trust the editors this time.

I Love That The Reunion Gave Christine And Victor So Much Praise And Attention

Christine and Vic were the one success story of Love is Blind Season 10. They made it to the altar and remain married. They were a couple that viewers immediately noticed. They seemed like a genuine couple, void of drama. They also just seemed normal compared to some contestants who were clearly in the experiment for the wrong reasons. I believed Victor and Christine went on the show looking for love, and they found it.

Some of their moments were the best parts of the season. Nonetheless, the Love is Blind editors and producers decided to focus on couples that had more drama than them. This rightfully annoyed many fans, myself included, because many of us still watch Love is Blind because we want a repetition of the magic we felt in the earlier seasons.

We want to see more stories like Victor and Christine and fewer displays of men being horrible to women. The reunion made sure to give fans more of this married couple by making them a major part of the first few minutes of the show. Christine and Vic even got to honor their success as a couple by taking their place amongst the other married couples.

It was a nice moment to watch their love story honored in that way. Victor and Christine have now become part of the Love is Blind happy couples legacy. I am really hoping they stay that way.

I Was Shocked By Some Of The Surprise Relationships Post-Love Is Blind Season 10

Rumors had been circulating that Connor and Bri were still together, but I questioned them. Therefore, I wasn’t completely shocked at that reveal on the Love is Blind Season 10 reunion, but mildly surprised that the rumors were true. It was always clear that Connor loved Bri. It was her feelings for him that were hard to figure out, based on the editing.

Internet sleuths had also discovered that DeVonta was engaged and had a child on the way. Despite hearing these rumors, it was still shocking to see them confirmed, especially right in front of his ex, Brittany. DeVonta showcased a similar pattern of men jumping right into new relationships post-filming, while many of the women chose to work on themselves rather than look for another partner. Mike also revealed that he was in a relationship after breaking up with Emma.

Haramol and Jessica were the surprise couple of Love is Blind Season 10. They met in the pods, but the show didn’t show much (if any) of their interactions. Now they have blossomed into this beautiful post-season romance. Haramol’s praising of Jessica is one of the sweetest moments ever witnessed on Love is Blind. It’s nice to see Jessica finding the love she deserves.

Nick And Vanessa Lachey Did A Better Job Hosting This Reunion Than Most Other Ones

Nick and Vanessa Lachey are often criticized for their hosting abilities. They introduce the couples to the rules of the show, but don’t appear that much throughout. The Love is Blind reunions are really when they get to shine. I have to give Vanessa and Nick credit for listening to criticism and constantly changing to improve at their jobs.

The Love is Blind Season 10 reunion showcases them at their best. They called out contestants for bad behavior, praised others, and hyped up the big moments. The Lacheys were charming during this reunion. I hope they continue to bring this level of care to all future Love is Blind reunions. They seemed just as invested as we are in these stories.

This was my favorite Love is Blind reunion, and the Lacheys are part of the reason it worked so well this season when it didn’t for others.

Some Of The Love Is Blind Season 10 Pod Friendships Lost Some Credibility During The Reunion

I know participants form strong bonds and friendships outside the pods. Every year, you hear about these relationships that develop, especially within the gender groups, because they have more time to bond while living together. Therefore, it was kind of shocking to hear that Bri, Ashley, and Priyanka were hanging out with Devonta without talking to Brittany about it.

They were also the women who stood by as Chris talked badly about Jessica. It doesn’t reflect well on them and their beliefs in the bonds of sisterhood. This shows that these relationships from Season 10 may not be as strong amongst the women as they were in previous seasons. However, it once again shows that Amber may be the ultimate girl’s girl. She has the other women’s backs. We love to see women supporting women.

Spoiler alert! This story discusses the results of Love Is Blind Season 10, which is available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

Love Is Blind remains one of the best shows to binge on Netflix, and watching Vic St. John and Christine Hamilton find each other and get married was unquestionably one of the highlights of the past few seasons. Unlike the other couples we met on Season 10, they didn’t encounter huge roadblocks on the way to the altar, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have some serious talks. Vic and Christine sat down with CinemaBlend recently and explained why talking about race was “critical” before saying, “I do.”

To the great disappointment of myself and many Love Is Blind viewers, Vic and Christine’s story was edited down quite a bit in comparison to more controversial couples like, say, Jessica and Chris or Ashley and Alex. However, I was grateful that the show included Vic and Christine’s poignant conversation about the realities of being an interracial couple — particularly when it comes to the children they want to have. I asked them about that, and Christine said:

In one episode of the Netflix dating show, Vic told Christine that growing up, he was sometimes seen as more “threatening” because he’s Black, and she acknowledged that if they do have children, there would be a huge part of that child’s life she wouldn’t be able to relate to. They both agreed they had a lot to learn about the other’s experiences, and that would help them navigate parenthood, if and when that time comes.

In the end, Christine told me it comes down to “just loving everybody.” There are going to be things about people we don’t relate to, she said — be it race or disability or physical appearance — but it’s about loving other humans. Vic agreed, saying:

Honestly, it’s those conversations that make me believe Vic and Christine are the real deal. Sure, it was interesting to see Season 9 throw us for a loop with no marriages, but Vic and Christine’s kind of love story was what I really hoped to see when I tuned in for Love Is Blind Season 10 on the 2026 TV schedule. Hopefully future seasons will continue to showcase such important conversations between its new couples.

February got off to a strong start last week thanks to fun shows like The Muppet Show special and the return of The Lincoln Lawyer. There are still some great series and movies coming to streaming this month, including a great theatrical release you may have missed and one of the most successful (based on profitability) film franchises ever.

The Artful Dodger, Season 2 - February 10 (Disney+ & Hulu)

I’m going to be honest, I somehow missed that back in 2023, we got The Artful Dodger, a series about the Oliver Twist character that starred Thomas Brodie-Sangster in the title role with David Thewlis as Fagin. Now that I know it exists, I’ll be binging it ahead of the second season debut on this. You can watch it with a Disney+ subscription or a Hulu subscription.

Love is Blind, Season 10 - February 11 (Netflix)

Look, we’re not going to judge. You’ve been looking forward to Love is Blind Season 10 ever since the end of Love is Blind Season 9. It’s the reason you keep your Netflix subscription. We understand. We won’t tell anybody your guilty secret. Except don’t worry, I’m pretty sure everybody already knows.

Cross, Season 2 - February 11 (Prime Video)

There have been multiple attempts to turn James Patterson’s Alex Cross into a successful media franchise, but it looks like we’ve finally found one that’s a hit with audiences. Aldis Hodge is back in the second season of Cross. Alex Cross chases somebody targeting corrupt billionaires. Not sure who to root for in this one, but I’ll have my Prime Video subscription ready.

Eternity - February 13 (Apple TV)

Eternity was one of those movies you probably skipped in theaters, or that you went to see because rom-coms like it rarely get theatrical attention anymore. Either way, Eternity, which stars Elizabeth Olsen as a woman who dies and must choose to live her eternity in heaven with either her husband or her first love who died young, is a creative, funny, and heartfelt take on the genre.

Tyler Perry’s Joe’s College Road Trip - February 13 (Netflix)

When the book is written about the history of successful movie franchises, a chapter will be given to the Madea movies. When the films were released in theaters, they always made a lot of money, and when Tyler Perry signed a deal with Netflix, the movies became just as successful there. In Joe’s College Road Trip, Perry returns as Madea, as well as Joe, Madea’s brother, who takes his grandson on a road trip to his new college.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Season 13 - February 15 (HBO Max)

It’s hard to believe that we’ve had 13 seasons of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. On the one hand, it doesn’t feel like he’s been on this show twice as long as he appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and yet the comedian’s hair indicates the show has been on the air since the Carter Administration. Whatever the truth is, you’ll be glad you have an HBO Max subscription this week when the Emmy-winning series returns.

The rest of February will bring back a slew of popular series to streaming, including Scrubs, Paradise, The Night Agent, and the rest of Bridgerton’s newest season. And there are likely to be a few surprises along the way.

Love is Blind Season 9 has been one of the show’s most interesting seasons. That’s not necessarily a good thing. It’s been the show at its messiest and kind of puts the whole franchise into question. I am a dedicated Love is Blind fan, but Season 9 had me really concerned about its direction.

I questioned if the Netflix hit had lost its magic. That’s something I will wait for the next season to decide, but there was one major bright side to Season 9. It had a historical first that some may see as a bad thing, but I think it could potentially save Love is Blind.

Warning: Love is Blind Season 9 Spoilers Are Ahead. Proceed With Caution

Love Is Blind Season 9 Ending With No Marriages Adds Some Unpredictability To The Show

All the couples on Love is Blind Season 9 decided not to say “I do.” Out of nine seasons, this is the first time this has happened. We have had a few where only one or two couples made it to the altar, but never one where no one got married. It’s probably smart that none of these couples got married because it could have led to another dramatic Love is Blind divorce. Watching Season 9, I wasn’t confident in any of the couples. They all seemed destined for disaster.

The edit also didn’t seem hopeful with any of them. However, we have had seasons of the show before that lean into the drama that exists within the relationship, just to create doubts in the viewer's mind. I thought we were experiencing this again with the Love is Blind Season 9 couples. It turns out that the edit was truthful. The show really displayed all these couples as problematic and not compatible because this was a true representation of the season.

Love is Blind's portrayal of these relationship dynamics and issues added a level of unpredictability. Now I don’t know if a couple seems toxic because they are or because the show wants to surprise you with their altar decision. It’s a clever move from Love is Blind. Additionally, now the comfort of knowing one couple will marry is gone.

I am no longer optimistic about the experiment. However, I like that the show has now become a wild card with whether a season ends in marriage. It makes the show harder to predict and the editing seems more honest about couples.

The Lack Of Marriages Proves I Was Justified In My Concerns About The Season's Direction

I have really been worried about the direction of Love is Blind since Season 5, and definitely the extremely messy Season 7 increased that worry. This made me nostalgic about past seasons, especially after watching Love Is Blind: UK Season 1. It reminded me of the heart of the original series. Love is Blind just doesn’t have the same appeal as the first couple of seasons. I barely watch dating reality TV shows, but I loved the concept of Love is Blind. It’s such a romantic idea, and one of my favorite romance tropes: falling in love with someone for their essence.

You’ve Got Mail is one of my favorite movies and one of the best rom-coms for a reason. Love is Blind has all the elements that I love and is a really great reality TV show. Therefore, it’s unfortunate that it’s becoming addicted to drama, and it seems like the producers and casting team aren’t putting forth as much effort into casting people who want to find a spouse.

I am not confident in love being blind, but hoping that Season 9 acts as a wakeup call for Love is Blind. Maybe it is time to reevaluate some things. People have embraced the messiness of the series, but I think a lot of fans still watch because they want to see the experiment work.

I Think Love Is Blind Season 9 Proves The Show May Need To Reevaluate A Few Production Things

I think the casting team needs to reexamine their process. I felt this way also about Married at First Sight. I think the first season, you could tell how much time and effort went into finding people who were compatible. The experiment worked and was compelling. The same thing happened with the first season of Love is Blind. You could feel the effort. But as the seasons continue, it seems like development and production are more rushed. Before, the show would take longer with the whole process.

Now, Love is Blind is one of Netflix’s most popular shows. Reality TV shows are also not that expensive to produce, so it’s an easy thing for the streaming service to keep producing rapidly. However, if the quality continues to decline because of the speedy production, I think many viewers may stop watching. I hope this season makes production hold off on making the series so quickly. The show has plenty of international versions that it can focus on to allow the original one some time to find its heart again.

I Was Still Entertained But Lost Some Faith In The Process

I will watch Love is Blind Season 10. I may watch more seasons after that, but I have a limit. If the show continues to lose the charm that drew me into it initially, I cannot say it will stay on my TV rotation. I watch Love is Blind because it’s entertaining. However, I care about the process.

I cannot continue to enjoy the show if I lose faith in the idea that the show will make more successful couples. I am a hopeless romantic at the end of the day. I don’t want Love is Blind to be all about the drama. I want the love to matter just as much.

I want an entertaining reality TV show with iconic moments, but I also want swoon-worthy love stories on Love is Blind.

Love Is Blind Season 9 Not Ending In Marriage Made The Show Feel More Realistic

I think that sometimes couples shouldn’t have gotten married on Love is Blind. It was clear the relationship wasn’t going to last. If I had to guess, I think a number of factors lead to the marriage, including wanting to believe in the process.

I think now that there has been an entire season with no marriages, more couples will feel comfortable not getting married. They won’t feel the need to do it just because of expectations. It’s more realistic that sometimes couples don’t work in the real world and shouldn’t force a marriage to please fans or producers.

Stream Love Is Blind on Netflix.

I have a complicated relationship with Love is Blind. Sometimes it’s a thoughtful show about releasing your guard and just getting to know someone without shallow expectations. Sometimes it’s a hot mess dating reality TV program. It’s always entertaining - well, except maybe a season or two. Nonetheless, it’s the show’s entertainment factor that persists.

This makes it hard to quit. Unfortunately, I expect to watch Love is Blind until the end of time, but that makes my concerns even more pressing. I just want the show to return to its glory days. However, Love is Blind Season 9 is making me wonder if that’s even possible.

I Think The Connections On Love Is Blind Season 9 Feel Disingenuous

Love is Blind Season 9 had six couples end up engaged. Not a single one of them feels like a good match. There are definitely some couples that work better than others, but overall, the couples feel like their connections aren’t genuine. They’re going through the motions, either because they hope that somehow it works out or just hoping for more screentime. I want to believe that many stick through the process in the pursuit of the connection they felt in the pods, and a hope that they translate to real-life lasting connections.

I imagine that most want to become one of the Love is Blind success stories. None of these romances seems to have the chemistry, connection, and characteristics to develop into a long-term love story. I don’t even enjoy watching any of these couples together. Often, there is at least one Love is Blind couple that I feel confident about. That has not been my experience this season. I think they’re all headed for failure, maybe even potentially another Love is Blind divorce.

I would be shocked if no couple manages to say “I do” this season, but I don’t think any of them are ready for marriage. Maybe I am being too harsh on these couples, but I just feel like this season doesn’t have Love is Blind’s normal love story sparks.

To Me, It Seems Like No One Takes The Experiment Seriously Enough

I think it’s chic when someone marries five times or more. It’s very old Hollywood. However, I only want to get married once. Twice at most (if my first husband, unfortunately, dies at sea and then I marry another, only years later to discover he actually didn’t die.). Therefore, I take marriage quite seriously. Even on romantic reality TV shows, I want people trying to find real love. I don’t want to know that they’re only there for a quick boost of fame. Therefore, I take the Love is Blind process seriously.

These couples need to find love and for it to withstand the test of time. It seems I want better for them than they want for themselves. It doesn’t feel like the Love is Blind Season 9 contestants are trying to find love and marriage. Don’t go on Love is Blind if you are not ready for marriage. Many of these contestants act as if they don’t understand the weight of aiming for forever.

If some are only on the show for fifteen minutes of fame, that’s their right, but it’s a bit unfair to the contestants who are there to find love and take the experiment seriously. In the first two seasons, I believe the contestants used the show to find love. I felt the same way about Love is Blind: UK. Season 9 makes the marriage part of the experiment and the show appear optional. Marriage is a fundamental piece of Love is Blind. You can find someone to date on any reality TV show. This one works because it’s such an extreme method to find everlasting love. By not seeming ready for marriage, some contestants are disrespecting the heart of Love is Blind.

I Am Worried About The Lack Of Diversity On Love Is Blind Season 9

Love is Blind has had a diversity problem for a while. Not only has the racial diversity been lacking, but the body diversity seems especially problematic. On a show where the premise is all about finding love without the barriers of physical appearance, you would think the contestants would display more body inclusivity and racial representation. It could be due to the Denver location, but the show’s casting team should have cast a wider net to find more racial and physical variations.

Out of the six engaged couples, only two involve a person of color. One of those couples then doesn’t make it past one day of engagement. Representation will always matter. Therefore, I hope Love is Blind tries a little bit harder in future seasons to show more diversity with its contestants.

I Don't Care About These Couples. Not A Single One

I love it when Love is Blind couples beat the odds and end up remaining married and even having children. Most seasons, I find at least one couple that I root for because I like their chemistry or see the potential in them lasting. Love is Blind Season 9 doesn’t have a single couple that I have faith in lasting. Some may have potential to go the distance, like Ali and Anton, but I just don’t care that much about these love stories.

Something got lost in translation because the show isn’t giving any of them the normal treatment. Each couple seems like it has its own brand of toxic. You can see why these connections may not be strong enough for enduring and unconditional love. I don’t think these couples should get married, nor do I want that for them. Love is Blind is not where they should go looking for love.

I Feel Like The Show Is Losing What Made It Special

My concerns about Love is Blind Season 9 are the same ones I have had in previous seasons. It just now feels like it’s not a one-off but a pattern. The show worked because I believe you can find love sight unseen, but you have to be an open-minded person with a strong desire to find love and work on it. The series proved that theory in earlier seasons. However, now, the casting process seems to have lost its way. It almost seems like the show currently casts for drama more than genuine connections.

It wants buzz-worthy moments. Not lifelong love stories. It’s become another sensationalized reality TV show, with iconic moments, but far away from the heart of the original concept. I hope Love is Blind finds that heart again one day.

Stream Love is Blind on Netflix.

Love is Blind has become a constant in my viewing habits. No matter how good, bad, or messy the previous season was, I will watch every season. It has my attention, unless it joins the Netflix cancellation lineup. The series has become so popular that Netflix has produced many international versions. I watched Love is Blind: UK Season 1 and loved it. Therefore, I decided to watch some international versions. I started with Love is Blind: Brazil.

I watched Love is Blind: Brazil Season 5 because I found the premise of this season intriguing. It’s all about contestants over 50 finding love. I know other reality TV shows, like The Golden Bachelor, follow love after 50, but I have not watched them.

Watching Love is Blind: Brazil made me realize my misconceptions about love after a certain age.

Warning: Love is Blind Brazil Season 5 Episodes 1-9 spoilers are ahead.

I Expected Most Of The Contestants To Be Divorced Or Widowed, But It’s Much More Complex Than That

Many of the Love is Blind: Brazil contestants' romantic histories follow what many would consider a traditional pattern prior to the show. They got married, stayed married for a while, and somehow ended up divorced. Others found their soulmates, but then death took them. I think people, especially in a Western society, have this basic idea that life happens in one way. You find love in your 20s and 30s, get married, and then hopefully live that romantic comedy fantasy for the rest of your life.

I think most people, as they get older, know that sometimes beautiful, powerful love doesn’t always stay that way. Divorce happens and death happens even more. However, I believe that many still can’t comprehend the idea of never finding someone you love enough to marry or spend the rest of your life with. It’s probably more common than known, and Love is Blind: Brazil Season 5 reflects this truth.

A few of the contestants are over 50 and have never gotten married. Some go into their dating history, while others just say this would be their first wedding or marriage. Some may see this as sad or a tragedy. I view it as hopeful. Just because they haven’t gotten married yet or found someone to spend the rest of their lives with, doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

The idea that love will find you in the most unexpected ways at the right time is why I always loved the Love is Blind franchise. Maybe these people weren’t meant to meet their soulmates until now on this show, or maybe it’ll end in divorce (like a few others from the show). Nonetheless, being willing to find love at any age is such a powerful and optimistic way to live life.

I Didn’t Expect Some Of The Contestants To Be So Immature, But That Gives The Season More Character

I hope that by the time I reach 60, I am the cutest little grandma figure (even if I'm not a grandma) to ever exist. This is because I associate older people with wisdom and warmth. Even if not true, this is where my mind often goes when I think about individuals approaching senior citizen status. Love is Blind: Brazil once again shows me that I need to broaden my perception of people. There is no standard on how to behave and act at a certain age.

Some of the Love is Blind: Brazil contestants are so immature. This season is just as messy as some of the Love is Blind US seasons. Some of the cast members are egotistical, shallow, fame-hungry, rude, immature, and game players. It’s truly shocking that people can reach over 50, 60, and even 70 and still have traits and behavior that you think they would have changed by this age.

It truly shows that life doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all way about it. People mature, change, and grow at their own pace. Some may mature at 15, while others at 80, and some never.

Love Is Blind: Brazil Season 5 Has Some Jaw-Dropping Moments, But Not In Ways I Anticipated

I wasn’t expecting these contestants to be so emotionless when dealing with other people’s hearts. I thought with age came more empathy, kindness, and a desire to hurt less. This may be true, but not for some of the people on Love is Blind: Brazil. It’s all about doing what’s best for them. That’s understandable and admirable in a way. They don’t want to waste their time or someone else’s time. However, I personally just think so many of these people do it in a way that makes them seem too self-centered. I view love as an action as well as a feeling.

You have to work to keep love alive. It seems like some of these people just wanted magic and perfection to come easy, leading to shocking moments and harsh exits.

It Feels As Messy, If Not More, Than Some Of The American Seasons With Younger Contestants

Some of Netflix’s best reality TV shows are messy dating shows. That’s the streaming service’s bread and butter. I also often love these series. However, I did not expect Love is Blind: Brazil Season 5 to be so dramatic, scandalous, or crazy. I have not seen previous seasons of the Brazil edition, so maybe it’s always this level of mess.

I didn’t expect older contestants to bring so much romantic drama. I didn’t expect love triangles, potential cheating scandals, fights, theatrical exits, and so much more. You really don’t need to be someone in your 20s to make messy TV. You can make it at any age if you believe in yourself enough. Now I may need to see a Love Island over 50s edition. That would go crazy and create some of the greatest moments ever on reality TV.

The Season Shows That Age Doesn't Dictate How Love Looks

I cannot predict if some of these couples will be as successful as some of the franchise’s other couples. As I write this, I have yet to see the Love is Blind: Brazil Season 5 finale. Therefore, I don’t know if any of them make it to the altar. However, I enjoy some of these couples and their love stories.

They act as a reminder that the joy and optimism of love can exist and be powerful at any age. As you age, you don’t have to think a great big amazing love story didn’t find you. It can still find you if you’re willing to open your heart to it. Even if you did have a great love story that just didn’t work out, it doesn’t mean you can’t have another one. That’s why Love is Blind: Brazil Season 5 is such a fun watch. It showcases that life doesn’t have to be stereotypical.

A person doesn’t have to stop dreaming, loving, or discovering because they reached a certain age. Love can find you at any age, place, or time. Now I really hope that the US version does a Love is Blind season with contestants over 50. I am curious how that looks with an American cast.

Stream Love is Blind: Brazil on Netflix.

September comes to an end this week, and October is ready to get spooky season shifted into full swing, complete with all kinds of chocolate goodies. Some of you have been celebrating Halloween since August, I know. There are more than a few spooky streaming items this week, as well as some options for those looking to be a bit less frightened.

Love Is Blind Season 9 - October 1 (Netflix)

Love is Blind is one of the top reality shows in the world, and with the series about to debut its ninth season, and with numerous international spinoffs also available, it’s a great reason to keep a Netflix subscription long term. This season will be based in Denver, Colorado.

Something Wicked This Way Comes - October 3 (Disney+)

There is some great classic TV and film available with a Disney+ subscription, but considering the studio’s 100 years of history, it’s surprising how much you won’t find on the streaming platform. One of the most glaring gaps finally gets filled this week when Disney’s decidedly creepy adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes finally arrives on Disney+.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story - October 3 (Netflix)

Netflix’s Monster series has dramatized the story of some of the world’s most infamous killers. Now the newest entry takes the story back to one of the most important monsters of all time. The Ed Gein Story stars Charlie Hunan as the man who's credited as the inspiration behind many of Hollywood’s most infamous fictional monsters, from Leatherface to Psycho’s Norman Bates to Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs.

Bring Her Back - October 3 (HBO Max)

It's the Halloween season and that means it's time for scary movies. 2025 has already been a solid year for new horror films with some strong projects like Weapons and Sinners, but before those we had Bring Her Back the new A24 project from the writers and directors of the hit Talk To Me. It's one of the best reviewed horror films of 2025 and even the latest example of how having an HBO Max subscription is necessary for any horror fan due to the platform's deal with A24.

The Sisters Grimm - October 3 (Apple TV+)

For those looking for a bit of fantastical content that’s a bit more suited for the whole family than the average R-rated scary movie is, make sure you have an Apple TV+ subscription. An animated adaptation of popular children’s books, The Sisters Grimm, arrives this week. Co-starring Ariel Winter and Loraine Newman, it’s the story of two sisters descended from the Brothers Grimm who live in a town where fairy tale characters are real.

The rest of October has even more great stuff on the way. The IT spinoff series Welcome to Derry is coming to HBO Max, the new season of The Diplomat is coming to Netflix, and the new season of Star Wars: Visions is hitting Disney+, to name but a few. There is truly something for everybody on streaming in October.

Spoiler alert! This story discusses the first six episodes of Perfect Match Season 3, which are available to stream with a Netflix subscription if you’re not caught up.

I think it’s safe to say that most of us don’t like having the endings to movies, TV shows or books spoiled. Personally, I avoid spoilers as much as possible, but there’s also something to the theory that if you know what happens beforehand, you know what to pay attention to. Whichever side you fall on, Netflix didn’t really give us a choice with Perfect Match Season 3, currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule.

Months ahead of Perfect Match's release, it was revealed that Amber Desiree “AD” Smith from Love Is Blind Season 6 and Ollie Sutherland from Love Is Blind UK Season 1 had not only met and coupled up on the upcoming Netflix series (which filmed in September 2024), but that they were still together. I didn’t understand why the streamer would do this, but after watching the first six episodes, I actually think knowing the spoiler is making the watch more enjoyable.

AD And Ollie’s Relationship Was Revealed On Love Is Blind Season 8 Reunion

This season of Perfect Match pulls former reality TV contestants from multiple shows from both within the Netflix Reality Universe — like The Ultimatum and Too Hot to Handle — and outside of it, dipping into the past casts of shows like Love Island and even The Bachelor. However, it’s especially a blast to watch if you’re a fan of Love Is Blind, and back in March, Netflix couldn’t help but give that audience a taste of what was to come.

During the Love Is Blind Season 8 reunion, AD Smith and Ollie Sutherland made their debut, announcing then and there that they’d gotten engaged after falling in love on a show we had not yet had the opportunity to see. Ollie said:

If it wasn’t surprising enough that these two reality TV contestants from different countries had met on a different reality show and gotten engaged, just a couple of months later in May, AD and Ollie announced they were expecting a child together! So now that Perfect Match Season 3 has finally arrived, does knowing all of this take some of the suspense out of the current episodes? Absolutely not.

We’re Getting To See How AD And Ollie’s Love Story Developed

Knowing that Ollie Sutherland and AD Smith are endgame has really only made the viewing experience better, at least through the first six episodes. When the two Love Is Blind contestants hit it off immediately, there was definitely a sense of, “Oh my god, it’s happening!” Their chemistry was instantaneous and undeniable, and it wasn’t long before Ollie was telling AD that he felt closer to her than he had with his fiancée on Love Is Blind UK.

(To refresh our memories, Ollie Sutherland got engaged to Demi Brown, who said, “I do not, for now,” at their wedding. AD Smith, meanwhile, was engaged to Clay Gravesande, and while she said “I do” at the altar, he did not.)

Knowing from the beginning that AD and Ollie make it out of Perfect Match together (or at least that they end up together when it’s all over) allows us to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Knowing They End Up Together Has Made Some Parts Of Perfect Match Less Stressful

If AD and Ollie’s ending weren’t spoiled for me, I’m not sure I’d believe this is a relationship that works out. Despite the connection between the two being nothing short of electric, it also seems obvious that Ollie went on Perfect Match looking for a good time. So it’s actually pretty fun to see him catch feelings so fast and get a bit territorial.

Knowing they’re together also allows me to find the humor in situations that would otherwise have me worrying about the couple. When AD and Ollie got to go to the boardroom, it was hilarious to see her call him out for wanting to bring in Alex Zamora from Temptation Island.

Then, AD got sent on a date with The Ultimatum alum J.R. Warren, and while we got to see Ollie sweat a little bit when they came back holding hands, I was never stressed out about who she’d end up matching with that night. However, when it was Ollie’s turn to go on a date, that tension came flooding back.

Some Parts Of Perfect Match Are More Stressful Because The Stakes Feel Higher

AD’s little flirtations with J.R. and any other guy on Perfect Match felt frivolous to me, because I know how it all turns out. However, Episode 6 “Double Trouble” made me realize just how high the stakes are for the couple. After Ollie and AD were picked as the strongest match, Ollie was sent on a date with two bombshells, while AD was sent home. EXCUSE ME????

I was practically as inconsolable as AD, because this was not the love story I was promised back in March. What do you mean she has to leave? Ollie looked pretty broken up about having to say goodbye to her too … until he realized he’d be going on a date with both Justine Joy Ndiba from Love Island USA and Olivia Rae from Temptation Island.

Ollie looked like a kid in a candy shop, and I absolutely hated watching him flirt and hold hands with these women. It was especially painful to hear him talk to Justine about having children, theorizing with her if they’d want boys or girls. If I was nauseous watching that, I can’t imagine AD was too thrilled.

Luckily, AD returned as one of the “singles” for the mixer at the end of Episode 6, reuniting her with Ollie. If the previews are any indication, things may get worse for them before they get better.

Having Their Relationship Spoiled Doesn’t Ruin The Experience At All

Even if AD Smith and Ollie Sutherland were the only couple on this show, knowing that they will go on to get engaged and have a baby has not ruined my experience. Perfect Match is chock-full of other couples and wonderful drama that hasn’t been spoiled. We also don’t know which couple will pull out the win in the end, so even if you are staunchly against spoilers, there’s still plenty to enjoy.

Now, with AD due to give birth to her and Ollie’s baby in November and the couple planning to get married by the end of the year, Perfect Match has restored my faith in reality dating shows by proving that they can both be entertaining and actually form lasting connections. So I’d say that having this relationship spoiled has definitely not ruined the viewing experience and actually made it even better.

Episodes 7-9 are available to stream on Netflix now, with the finale dropping Friday, August 15.

It’s been over a year since CBS axed NCIS: Hawai’i, the popular spinoff of the original NCIS series, and the only one with a female lead in Vanessa Lachey. The actress has been busy since then thanks to her work on Netflix’s Love is Blind, but that hasn’t stopped fans from peppering her social media feed with the occasional #saveNCISHawaii hashtag. Listen though, there’s one benefit to working on Netflix: She can chop her hair and get glam in a bikini whenever she wants.

In fact, that’s exactly what the actress and reality host did this week. She chopped her hair quite short compared to how she wore it while playing Special-Agent-In-Charge Jane Tennant on Hawai’ii. And she threw on a black bikini “only for Netflix.” Lachey amusingly captioned the whole thing the “bikini bob.”

Lots of fans and celebs commented on the post, with her husband and fellow Love is Blind co-star being particularly complimentary. Other celebs who responded included Jennie Garth and her makeup artist who helped her to put together the look for the streamer, Liz Castellanos.

• Nick Lachey: Damn, that’s my wife…….
• Jennie Garth: So pretty ❤️
• MakeupByBlitz: Who the haaaaaal! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥❤❤❤❤❤❤😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

While most fans were intrigued by her new bob hairdo, as I noted, there was that one fan who took the post and turned it into commentary about NCIS: Hawai’i, which has been happening pretty consistently since the series ended.

• Beautiful ❤️ #SaveNCISHawaii #NCISHawaii

It’s clear there are still some hard feelings about the cancelation. Lachey and her co-star Jason Antoon expressed sadness as the show wrapped, and it was only recently the actor also shared a look at the show's former lot sitting abandoned and emptied after years of teaming with life.

For her part, Lachey has moved on with her work at Netflix. Season 9 of Love is Blind has been filming in Denver this summer after Season 8 hit the 2025 TV schedule earlier this year. Additionally, she and Nick Lachey recently celebrated their 14th anniversary as a married couple (and 19th as a couple after his split from Jessica Simpson). While NCIS: Hawai’i is very much missed, that franchise has moved on, too.

In fact, CBS said at the time one of the big reasons the show got knocked off the schedule had to do with the fact the network had so much stuff from the franchise incoming. At the time that meant the release of NCIS: Origins amidst the original flagship show, but also the Tony & Ziva spinoff that will be available soon for those with a Paramount Plus subscription.

So, all's well both on the Netflix and Paramount fronts, and we'll keep you posted regarding what's next for the reality star... and the CBS franchise.

One of the best shows to binge on Netflix has long been Love Is Blind, a unique dating experiment where couples fall in love before seeing the other’s face. There have been mixed results from the pairings over the years, and the latest relationship update is from the only married couple from Season 5, Lydia Velez Gonzalez and Milton Johnson, who are currently headed toward divorce. Lydia just went public with what allegedly happened between them, and she details a series of brutal incidents with her husband.

Season 5’s Lydia And Milton Are Getting A Divorce After Three Years

Lydia went on the What’s The Reality? podcast, which is hosted by Amber Desiree “AD” Smith from Love Is Blind Season 6, to announce the news that she’s decided to end her marriage with Milton after three years as husband and wife. The geologist said the following about why things didn’t work out between them:

During the hour-long podcast, Lydia details a number of problems the couple have dealt with over the years, chiefly with multiple cheating allegations to talk about from Milton’s side of things. Later in the interview she said this about the current state of their relationship:

When Season 5 of Love Is Blind came out in 2023, we ate up every episode. While there were a lot of breakups and drama during the season, Lydia and Milton became the sole successful couple. They became popular for showing off an age-gap romance, with Milton being 25 and Lydia being 32 at the time they first started dating. While Lydia recalled everything being “beautiful” between them at first, just six months into their marriage trouble started brewing.

Lydia Details How Milton Handled Her Chronic Illness Alongside Cheating Claims

As Lydia shared, she apparently came across a text exchange between Milton and his friend commenting on another woman that he wanted to pursue, saying she had been "all around this dick lately" and he wanted to "fuck her". However, when she confronted him about what she saw, he called it an invasion of privacy instead of explaining what happened. Additionally, Lydia shared multiple occasions of women sharing with her over DM that they were allegedly pursued by Milton in bars, with one even telling her he had invited her to his hotel during one of his work trips.

Additionally, Lydia shared Milton’s alleged reaction to her fibromyalgia diagnosis, which occurred in September of 2024. When the reality star was contemplating taking some time off work, she recalled his reaction to her decision. In her words:

While there’s been a number of successful Love Is Blind couples, Lydia and Milton sound like they are better off apart, per her claims. Milton has yet to share his side of the story, but it definitely has us not as optimistic about the experiment going into the upcoming ninth season. You can currently watch the whole series so far with a Netflix subscription.

Has anyone been missing a little bit of reality TV drama since The Traitors’ amazing Season 3 finale earlier this month? Well, it looks like Netflix might just fill the void with the latest of 2025 Netflix release dates announcements. The streaming service has just revealed that 18 reality stars from various Netflix shows like Perfect Match, The Circle, and Cheer are all going to be competing against each other at a cutthroat camp. As a Love Is Blind fan, I was especially shocked to see one vet on the roster.

There’s Going To Be A New Competition Show Starring Netflix Reality Stars

Netflix has really been building a roster of reality TV shows over the years that rivals Bravo at this point, and they’re bringing a bunch of personalities back for a new series called Battle Camp. Per Netflix, the series launching April 23 will have a variety of vets from the streaming service’s shows going head-to-head to win a cash prize of $250,000 through “high-octane challenges, grueling punishments, and a giant spinning ‘wheel of misfortune’” that will determine who gets eliminated. Here’s who’s joining:

• Avori - The Mole Season 1
• Bri - Too Hot To Handle Season 6
• Chase - Too Hot To Handle Season 2, Perfect Match Season 1
• Gabi - Cheer
• Georgia - Too Hot To Handle Season 3, Perfect March Season 1
• Gio - Selling The OC
• Irina - Love Is Blind Season 4
• Kyle - The Circle Season 6
• Lexi - The Ultimatum: Queer Love Season 1
• Lorenzo - Squid Game: The Challenge Season 1
• Louis - Too Hot Too Handle Season 5 & 6
• Morgan - Cheer
• Nick - The Circle Season 3, Perfect March Season 1
• Polly - Selling The OC
• Quori-Tyler - The Circle Season 6
• Shubham - The Circle Season 1 and Season 5
• Tony - The Mole Season 2
• Trey - Squid Game: The Challenge Season 1

It sounds like Perfect Match, which ended up being so much fun to watch when it premiered back in 2023. In the instance of Battle Camp, it may not be about romance, but more about physical activity and perhaps strategy.

Love Is Blind’s Irina Is Returning To Netflix For The Show, And I Find That Wild

As someone with a Netflix account who has mainly watched Love Is Blind when it comes to the service’s reality TV, I have to say, I was surprised by who’s representing the TV show in Battle Camp. The sole Love Is Blind veteran part of Battle Camp is Season 4’s Irina Solomonova, who was the center of some major drama.

As you may recall, Irina, a business owner, hit it off with criminal defense attorney Zack in the pods before they got engaged and went on vacation to Mexico with the other couples as part of the experiment. However, Zack and Irina proved to be the wrong match, considering she called him a “creepy cartoon character” upon meeting him and they had an absolutely awkward time before breaking up.

How Will Irina’s Super Awkward Stint On Love Is Blind Come Into Play?

Love Is Blind Season 4 still ended happily for Zack, who met up with his other top connection Bliss after his breakup and the couple got married on the show and welcomed a child together almost a year ago. During the reunion Zack claimed she was on the show just to get famous, and Irina said she wanted to learn from her “mistakes.”

It’ll be interesting to catch up with Irina two years after her season of Love Is Blind, but I just wasn’t expecting for fans to see more of her after what happened on her season. Will she speak to or make light of what happened with Zack? I guess we’ll find out when the new competition show comes out.

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind Season 8, which is now streaming with a Netflix subscription.

While there’s a growing amount of LGBTQ+ dating shows on streaming, Netflix’s most popular reality show has yet to open up its concept to the queer community, and the Love Is Blind format makes this difficult. However, Season 8’s Madison Errichiello shared post-reunion that her queer community was very much present on the gal side of the pods.

While the latest season of the Netflix series did show one moment where Brittany came out as bisexual to Devin in the pods before they broke things off, apparently the show glossed over the fact that Madison was openly bisexual in the pods. While we know what went down between her and Alex after Season 8 ended, we had no idea about this funny story about Madison and one of the other girls. As Madison shared:

When Madison went on the Off The Vine With Kaitlyn Bristowe podcast this week, the Love Is Blind star revealed that she had a coincidental thing happen when she met the girls for the Season 8 pods. One of the other girls, who really wasn’t featured on the show, was one of her past matches on the dating app, Hinge. As she continued:

This story was also confirmed on the other gal’s end, while speaking at an event for MPR News. Casandra Barron recalled the same exact story. Here’s how Madison continued to clarify what became of the missed connection moment:

While things didn’t work out romantically between Madison and Casandra despite their reconnection, the Love Is Blind cast member shared that she’s openly bisexual and even discussed her sexuality while on dates on the show, but it was completely cut from the season. In the same MPR interview, cast member Vanessa Boreland shared that there was “queer representation” reflected in the participants but she found it to be “really unfortunate” that it barely came up in the season.

While I know I was more optimistic for Season 8 going into it, it proved to be just as messy as Season 7 given how all the stories featured shook out. There’s always next season, I guess… considering the show has been renewed for 9 and 10. Too bad the show isn't too LGBTQ+ friendly or some of the queer contestants could have had a larger dating pool!

When Love Is Blind returned for the 2025 TV schedule on Valentine’s Day, I once again got invested in what goes down in the pods between a fresh batch of singles. Although they didn’t end up getting engaged and therein moving forward in the experiment, one of the most interesting couplings to watch was between Alex and Madison. Ahead of new episodes from Season 8 soon becoming available to stream with a Netflix subscription, it’s been revealed their relationship didn’t end in the pods.

In a newly revealed sneak peek from one of the three upcoming episodes dropping this Friday, Madison and Alex return to the show for a cast gathering. During it, Madison updates Lauren on what happened after she left the pods after her and Alex’s breakup. In her words:

Ugh, this is why Love Is Blind is one of the best Netflix shows to binge! There are always some kinds of drama and developments that occur throughout the experiment. When Alex got his phone back after leaving the show, it sounds like he instantly looked Madison up on social media and was in awe of her beauty, and asked to rendezvous before their flights to Minneapolis. As Madison continued:

Now, we haven’t heard Alex’s side of the story yet, but according to Madison, when they met up at the airport he walked back on their breakup, and even invited her to spend some time with him in Los Angeles. However, Madison was still reeling from the fallout they’d just had, and felt it would perhaps be a waste of time to pursue something that had just ended. Check out the clip below:

So, now the next episodes of Love Is Blind can’t come soon enough, because I’m so curious how Madison and Alex’s presence at the gathering will go. (Not to mention Mason likely being there as well!) I don’t see these two getting back together, but I’m especially curious what will happen next, and how they will reflect on the whole experience when the reunion comes out after the finale.

When Madison previously spoke to People about her experience on the show, she said while she admired Alex for being “upbeat,” she also thought there was some “toxic positivity” going on as well. She also felt “invalidated” by him taking Mason’s side and it made her question their viability as a couple. As she explained:

While Madison and Alex didn’t work out, I am cautiously optimistic about the results this season. You can check out what the hosts told CinemaBlend when Nick Lachey said it was a “wholesome” season and I talked to them about my reunion idea.

SPOILERS like ahead for Love Is Blind episodes 1-9, which are now streaming with a Netflix subscription.

With nine episodes of Love Is Blind now out, I once again find myself fully immersed in the flawed social experiment at the center of this reality dating series. I recently spoke about the new season with the show’s hosts, Nick and Vanessa Lachey, discussing my reunion idea with them and how their roles as hosts have changed over the years. Something else from that chat really stuck out for me, though in regard to their thoughts on Season 8. Nick called the latest season “wholesome” and, while the drama is in full swing with the newest installments to drop amid the 2025 TV schedule, I have to say, I concur.

Love Is Blind Nick Lachey's Called Season 8 'Wholesome', And I Have To Agree

During my interview with the Lacheys, I told the married couple that I found myself literally crying over some of this season's pairs. (And, the pod episodes made me feel cautiously optimistic that more of the pairings will work out). Here’s what Lachey had to say:

Some viewers may be surprised to hear that the show is going in that direction, though it'd make sense given the very messy happenings of Season 7. Even though I’d totally agree that this season is being rightfully criticized for majorly lacking diversity this time around, many of the actual couples are way sweeter than the one's I’ve become used to seeing on this show in recent years. Of course, though, there's one piece of exhausting drama that's getting to me!

Yes, I Can't Handle Much More Of Dave And Lauren's Drama

Conflict and hurt feelings will always be part of a show like Love Is Blind, especially when the experiment challenges its couples to go from dating to marriage in the matter of a month. While many seasons of the show have been all drama and no love, I’m happy to see that (mostly) hasn't been the case as of late. On the most recent episodes of the dating series, drama has been especially heating up between Lauren and Dave, resulting in what I find to be the most frustrating aspect of the season.

I’m so over Dave questioning his relationship with Lauren simply because she was literally dating as a single woman prior to even meeting him. Lauren should not be made to feel like she’s less than because she was with someone else prior to the experiment. I’m so frustrated for her, specifically in regard to how Dave is handling it, and I hope she realizes he is not it!

I'm Sorry, But Monica, Joey And The Sock Bin Thing Is Too Cute

Aside from Dave and Lauren’s toxicity, I’m in total agreement that this has been a really sweet season thus far. There are four other couples who seem to have real potential, and the odds of them remaining together appear quite high compared to what I’ve seen in prior seasons.

My favorite couple has to be Monica and Joey, who are just so cute together. While there was that wrinkle of Monica’s sister questioning Joey, I think they both handled it really well. I was obsessed with the whole sock bin discussion they had and the “fam jam” Monica’s family lovingly embarrassed her with.

I Was Also Crying With Daniel And Taylor At Their Family Visit

But I was agreeing with Nick Lachey the most when it comes to how Daniel and Taylor’s relationship is progressing as evidenced by them meeting each other’s families. I was crying with them when both parents came together to discuss their support for the couple. Needless to say, I haven’t felt so dazzled by a season of this show in a while, and I totally see where Lachey is coming from with his comments.

Love Is Blind fans, can you believe it? It’s already been five years since the show first premiered for those with a Netflix subscription. With Season 8 now part of the 2025 TV schedule, Nick and Vanessa Lachey have remained the series’ hosts throughout the experiment, from the pods to the reunions. When CinemaBlend spoke to the celebrity couple, the Lacheys reflected on their roles as hosts over the years.

While the Lacheys remain rather hands-off as hosts of the dating series, I’ve always been curious about what part of the process is most exciting from their perspective. Here’s what Vanessa Lachey had to say during our interview:

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by this answer. Above all else, Vanessa Lachey loves getting to work alongside her own husband on the set of the reality TV show. What I thought was the most interesting aspect of her answer is how they actually decided to step back a bit since Season 1. I had totally not realized (or forgotten) that the couple would actually interview the contestants in between dates of the first season and coach them somewhat.

When the Lacheys stepped back from the show, I think it led to less success on the show, mostly because I wish the contestants had more support. It does make sense that they did so on some level in order to focus on building out more dating shows for Netflix like Vanessa Lachey on The Ultimatum: Marry Or Move On (which we had mixed thoughts on Season 2 about) and Nick Lachey hosting Perfect Match (which we had a blast with). Here’s what Nick Lachey added:

Lacheys have stuck with Love Is Blind for one particular reason: they love, love! While there’s been a lot of mixed results regarding the experiment, the couple continues to find gratification in seeing it play out. Vanessa Lachey also said this:

Isn’t that wild? Across five years, Love Is Blind has become one of Netflix’s biggest shows ever, and it remains a huge show as the new season currently trends on the Top 10. While the previous season was very messy, this one is definitely having me more cautiously optimistic about the experiment.

Now that the couples have gotten engaged and are out of the pods, I’ll be curious to see what’s next as they go on their getaways and start living together. You can catch the next batch of episodes this Friday!

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind Season 8, episodes 1-6.

Love Is Blind has long been my biggest go-to dating series to watch with my Netflix subscription. But as the show celebrates five years and eight seasons, with the new season now here on the 2025 TV schedule, I’ve started to realize I’ve had such a love-hate relationship with the whole experiment.

Look, I know at the end of the day, it’s a show that’s predominantly made for the entertainment of viewers like me, but the uncynical side of me also feels like unlike so many reality shows out there, I think it has and can have the power to really bring real lovers together. Above all else, I want to see romantic moments more than petty drama. Thankfully, Season 8 is giving me exactly what I want from the series thus far.

There are a lot of Netflix dating shows at this point, but I’ll never forget the first time I pressed play on Love Is Blind, because I remember it genuinely getting me to swoon. Having couples meet without being face-to-face is actually such an interesting idea, especially in the world of dating apps, where pretty much all of my friends have met their significant others by seeing their face first, and making an assumption.

Let me talk a bit about my thoughts on the show going into Season 8, and why I'm hopeful for this season being perhaps the best one yet after watching the first six episodes (all out right now).

Why Love Is Blind Has Not Swept Me Off My Feet In Years

Just to look at the statistics over the past three seasons, the experience has remained pretty similar. Since Season 5, only one couple out of a handful ends up actually getting married, and the rest are kind of a mess. Last season in particular, it felt like so many were incompatible after so many scandals and love triangles across the seasons. I know other fans and I have found ourselves going to Love Is Blind other versions from other countries, like binging the recent U.K. version to restore our hope in the show.

I’m here for some meme-able moments and the show exposing some toxicity that can come with romantic relationships – I mean, love itself can get messy. But come on, if these contestants are going to sign up to literally get married in four weeks, there needs to be some kind of anchor making me feel like it’s a social experiment that is possible to attain for them. Over the years, it feels like the same problems pop up and the show’s producers are not doing much to fix anything on their end.

But, Minnesota's Contestants Had Me In Sweet Tears Of Joy

Then I watched all the pod episodes of this new season. As hosts Vanessa and Nick Lachey say at the top of the season, it’s apparently the “biggest” ever because there were more singles in the pods than ever before (that number being 32), and I think it might have paid off. As I binged the pod episodes, it did feel like a lot more sweet and deep connections were being formed during the process, and I found myself very invested in how quite a few were going to shake out. And the ones I hoped wouldn’t work out.

I don’t know if it’s because this is the Minnesota season, but I feel like so many of the people on the show for the right reasons and weren’t on the show just to be on it. Sure, it is a tad more boring and slow-paced at points than some seasons for this reason, but I personally found it interesting to see how each couple bonds and what it was about their connection that made them feel confident about getting engaged. I liked that it felt like it was not only more about the social experiment, but involved people who understand and wanted the most out of the process. Many of the reveals were so sweet, and I was crying over Monica and Joey seeing each other for the first time.

I Also Feel Like A Lot Of The Potential Drama Was Nipped In The Pods

Now, I definitely have my suspicions about a couple or two having some problems once they exit the pods, but it’s nowhere near the usual very “reality TV” feeling I get when I reach the cliffhanger for next week’s batch of episodes. I think a lot of that has to do with the contestants who I think were not going to be successful just not getting out of it engaged. For example, I think if Alex, Madison, Colton and Meg had all coupled up, there would be room for some hurt feelings and door slams, but they simply were able to sense that their respective relationships were not ready for that next step.

I’m sure you’re curious, who am I worried about? David is No. 1 on my list, because I think he was the center of a lot of unnecessary drama between Molly and Taylor, and I can see this seeping into David and Taylor’s engagement somehow. I’m also not completely confident in Devin and Virginia, perhaps because he came off a bit indifferent in the pods, but maybe I’ll warm up to them. There was that odd moment with Ben when Sarah brought up social issues with him, but they seem rather strong otherwise!

And, The Biggest Cliffhanger So Far Feels So Harmless

Lastly, there’s the “drama” the episode leaves off on regarding Daniel and Taylor perhaps crossing paths before. Apparently Taylor thinks that maybe he followed her and unfollowed her at some point and knew about her the whole time. It definitely has me on the edge of my seat wondering what will be next for them, and if Daniel will be some evil mastermind or if they’ll continue their engagement. But after watching the first few episodes, it just seems so harmless. I highly doubt it’s going to go off the rails and take the show to a wild place.

Anyway, I’m just getting very sweet and innocent vibes from this season, and I know I’ll be rooting for a couple or two to make it at the altar this time! Sure, I still think four weeks is a wildly short time to find your life partner, but I have a better feeling some of these contestants will make it as far as other couples in the past who have said “I do.”

This Valentine’s Day, the eighth season of Love Is Blind is here, and I feel like we blinked and the reality dating series became the longest-running series exclusive to those with a Netflix subscription. As a devoted fan to the series (for better or worse) for years, when CinemaBlend had the chance to speak to its hosts, Nick and Vanessa Lachey, I had to ask them what they thought of a reunion idea that I had. I was pleasantly surprised with their thoughts on it.

With the February 14th premiere here, this is actually Love Is Blind’s five-year anniversary! And across all the seasons thus far, what I’ve loved the most is seeing genuine relationships that bloom as a result of the social experiment. As I was brought up to the Lacheys, what if all the married and thriving couples came together for the ultimate reunion? Here’s their reactions (also in the video above):

Vanessa: "Oh, interesting!"

Nick: "I've never thought of that. Like almost a family reunion of all the couples that are still together?"

Vanessa: "Of 13, 10 are still happily married. Netflix has picked up season 9 and 10, so we're bringing you two more seasons after this one. So who knows? That's a good idea. Maybe. "

Nick: "Might be 'After the Altar All-Stars Edition'?"

Vanessa: "But then, after 8, 9 and 10 would be three more seasons of more couples. So then we're gonna be maybe more than, you never know. You never know. I love this idea."

Nick: "It's a good idea."

Look, I know Love Is Blind has been real messy, in recent seasons in particular, but it’s still one of the best shows on Netflix and pretty amazing to me that there have been any successes at all, and I would be interested in seeing all the happy couples in one room talking out how the social experiment literally gave them their life partner, and how things have gone since saying “I do.”

In the past, the series has definitely done this a tad bit with its After The Altar episodes, but wouldn’t it be cool to see a reunion like this? I was happy to hear they were on board. Vanessa Lachey also continued with these words:

It’s not like once Love Is Blind is over fans don’t have the opportunity to catch up with the successful couples, and plenty of contestants have succeeded in big ways since their run on the show ended. But, I think it would be so interesting for a bunch of them to get together, especially being in different stages of relationships – with some having kids already! I love watching the main show, but it can sometimes be really “drama” focused, including through some behind the scenes lawsuits the show has been hit with in the past.

Especially as the show soon hits ten seasons, I would love to see it! While I wait for the Lacheys to hopefully make this happen at some point, you can check out the first episodes of the new season of Love is Blind right now, and more batches of episodes on the following three Fridays.

I have been a dedicated Love is Blind fan since the beginning. I have even recently begun watching the international versions. It’s a show that I adore even when it’s a bit of a mess. My hopeless romantic tendencies make me admire the idea of falling in love with someone sight unseen. It’s one of my favorite romantic comedy premises.

Having chemistry, love, and affection before adding physical attraction feels extremely romantic. I watch Love is Blind and similar romance reality TV shows because I want the magic, drama, and belief in unshakable love. However, Love is Blind Season 7 is ruining that illusion and killing the vibes.

The season is going really well for those who enjoy reality TV show drama but not great for those who want to believe love is blind and everlasting. Love is Blind Season 7 is a disaster, and we must discuss it.

Warning Love Is Blind Season 7 Spoilers Are Ahead. Proceed With Caution.

Why Are So Many Couples Incompatible?

Love is Blind Season 7 has a ton of couples. It almost feels like the most of any season. This is a good thing because this gives the series a few extra chances to try to have a successful love story from this season. Heaven knows they’re struggling to find one that may work out. The pod days in Love is Blind Season 7 made most couples seem like they would thrive as a pair. They had all the sweet charm of people falling in love for the first time. This made these couples endearing and ones you wanted to see find love and happiness.

However, the early pod stages weren’t without some red flags, but they didn’t seem red enough for what would eventually happen with many of these Love is Blind couples. Once they left the pods, the real drama began. Not a single couple from Season 7 has had smooth sailing with their romance. Some major issues have surfaced. It all comes down to not many of them actually being compatible.

I don’t know what went wrong in the pods but these contestants obviously didn’t ask the right questions. Some glaring issues were ignored or completely missed. This adds a bit of comedy to Love is Blind Season 7 because the whole purpose of the experiment is to find someone you’re compatible with without the distraction of physical attraction. These contestants failed the most important part of the show.

Is Anyone Going To Make It To The Altar?

Before the Love is Blind Season 7 finale, we have already witnessed three relationships implode even before the altar part. Then there was another romance that the producers didn’t even bother to follow (yes, according to Netflix, they also broke up). We’re down to three couples to see if they say “I do.”

It’s not looking great for most of these pairs because major issues still plague their romances. These issues include secret children, disagreeing about the military service, meddling parents, and insecurities about the strength of the relationship.

The Love is Blind Season 7 success statistics may end on a low. I could see none of the remaining couples getting married, all of them, one of them, or some of them, and I wouldn’t be surprised. It just isn’t a triumphant season for those who have faith in the Love is Blind process. It seems extremely flawed this year.

I Can't Believe All The Scandals

Love is Blind Season 7 has so many scandals that could rival some of the greatest reality TV show moments. The biggest one involves Tyler’s secret children. He donated sperm to a gay couple so they could have children. This is a kind gesture but he lied to Ashley about it. He didn’t let her know about the children until after their pods’ courtship, and the situation, including just how involved Tyler actually is in the children's lives, has continued to be a topic of discussion outside the show.

Another major scandal of Love is Blind Season 7 involves Monica and Stephen. After their engagement, Stephen began texting sexually explicit messages to some random woman. This immediately made Monica call off their wedding. Love is Blind is no stranger to scandals and controversy but this season may reach the hall of fame in terms of shocking twists and turns. A scripted soap opera couldn’t even match this season’s level of drama and mouth-dropping reveals.

The Season Starts With A Ridiculous Amount Of Love Triangles

Love is Blind Season 1 had a very famous love triangle/love square. So the series has had many of them throughout the years. However, Love is Blind Season 7 seemed to showcase quite a few of them, but the main love triangle/square involved Hannah, Nick, Leo, and Brittany. Hannah eventually ends up with Nick (which doesn’t last) and Leo ends up with Brittany (which also doesn’t last).

Everyone this season seemed to want to keep their options open. This is a healthy way to approach romance in the pods but seemed to be a bad sign for potential couples. Many may even regret their decisions if their engagements don’t work out. I hate love triangles, fictional or real, so I prefer watching Love is Blind couples who become immediately obsessed with each other and everyone else becomes irrelevant to them. This is how the romance happened with many of the successful Love is Blind couples. Therefore, I didn’t enjoy watching all the love triangles this season.

The Issues Seem More Serious Than Normal

Often, the Love is Blind issues feel trivial, like a small age gap. However, sometimes they are more serious matters, such as lack of attraction, financial stress from the relationship, and cultural differences. Season 7 has quite a bit of serious issues, including infidelity, mean behavior, disagreeing on vital partnership things, lack of communication, and the previously mentioned secret children.

These issues are huge and make me completely understand why many of these couples break up before the altar. It convinces me that these contestants should have worked on themselves before trying to find a life partner. Some self-reflection and therapy could have saved everyone some time.

Love Is Blind Season 7 Makes The Show Seem Like It's Losing Its Initial Purpose

I loved Love is Blind UK because it felt like the series went back to basics. The focus was on finding love and presenting these almost too-good-to-be-true love stories. In recent seasons, it has felt like Love is Blind has gotten too preoccupied with drama and lost some of the magic of earlier seasons.

Season 7 proves that the series has very much lost its way. I enjoy reality TV drama but I also enjoyed Love is Blind Season 1 when it was mainly about seeing if the experiment works. The current season seems heavily skewed towards drama and not the enchantment of falling in love with someone’s soul and personality. Season 1 was the perfect balance of drama and proving the experiment. Love is Blind needs to go back to its roots.

Stream Love is Blind on Netflix.

The 2024 TV schedule decided to bless me again with another season of Love Is Blind this year, and ya’ll…this is messy.

I mean, I’ve always been a pretty big supporter of Love Is Blind either way, no matter how you swing it. Whether it’s one of the best dating shows on Netflix, or it becomes one of the worst, I’m always going to tune in because I genuinely love the concept of this show, and sometimes, it works out.

Rarely, but there have been a few couples that have stood the test of time, so I allow myself to enjoy those moments.

However, Season 7 of this show – which really popped up out of nowhere if you ask me – has been nothing but messy since the beginning, and while it certainly adds to the drama, there is one bright spot of this season that I would like to highlight – so let’s talk about it.

This Season, In General, Is An Absolute Mess

As I said in the intro, this season of Love Is Blind is an absolute mess, and I mean that in the best and worst ways. It’s great because it makes good entertainment, but man… it takes away so much value.

The thing with these Netflix reality shows is that they all start in such a good place. Love Is Blind had a great first season. The Circle was a really good competition that used modern-day aspects to enhance it. Even The Perfect Match had a lot going for it in the first season as well, and that was just a combination of contestants from every other show.

Every Netflix dating show or reality show starts off so well, and then it just… fizzles and that’s more or less what happened with this season.

This isn’t the first time that I’ve criticized Love Is Blind, and I’m very sure it’s not going to be the last. From some of the iffy couple choices of previous seasons to past contestants blatantly going past the point of the experiment, there are just so many moments that make me wonder who comes on this show to find love genuinely and who is just there for the clout.

Again, there have been plenty of instances where some couples have stood out, and quite honestly, a lot of the other versions of the show have created great couples – even one of the latest spinoffs, Love Is Blind U.K., restored a lot of our faith in the experiment because it didn’t feel nearly as messy as some of the others. But man, this season is… something else.

And now that I’ve gotten past that let’s talk about the couples.

It’s Nice That It’s On The East Coast Again, But The Relationships Are Almost Too Dramatic For TV

The one thing I can give Love Is Blind is that they don’t stay in one place. While they tend to send the couples to pretty much the same tropical spots every season, they are always from a different city each season, and for Season 7, they were back on the East Coast while using Washington, D.C., as their source of participants.

And that’s great! I feel like having the opportunity to travel offers a wide range of personalities that make these shows what they’re supposed to be—enjoyable and easily watchable.

But that’s about where the entertaining parts end with these couples because they are just not it this season.

Let’s not even get into the fact that for the first three episodes, we followed an entire plot between Leo and Brittany and Hannah and all this crap about them being together when in reality, Brittany and Leo broke off their engagement and didn’t even participate in the experiment after the pods so that was an absolute waste of my time. Thanks for making me emotionally involved and then just dipping.

But that’s not even the biggest issue with the couples. They seem so immature, which is surprising, because I’m pretty sure these are some of the oldest participants we’ve seen yet. For example, Hannah and Nick are having a whole fight about him going on some random plastic toy on the beach and racing with a stranger. I just don’t care. I don’t care. This is such a first-world issue, and is this what you’re choosing to fight about? Get out of here.

Then there’s Alex and Tim, who feel like the most relatable and real couple because they’re not as dramatic as the others. But they had a huge fight, and we didn’t even get to see it. And then we just see the aftermath? I get privacy and all, but the entire point of the show is sort of for us to see the relationship evolve, and we don’t even know what the heck it was about.

So far, Ashley and Tyler are my favorites, but who the heck knows what’s going to happen in the finale? However, there is one bright spot I have to talk about.

The One Bright Spot Is The Diversity, Specifically The Ethnicities

The diversity is hitting this season, and it’s genuinely one of the only things keeping me going. This is the kind of stuff that makes Love Is Blind one of the best shows to binge-watch on Netflix.

It’s been a long-standing thing that Love Is Blind wasn't very diverse with its casting, and have been called out about it, but they’ve made a lot of strides to diversify their participant pool further. I feel like we started to see some changes in later seasons, but Season 7 is really where we see that shine.

This season, we have more women and men of color than any other, along with several interracial couples, which is fantastic to see as someone who comes from an interracial family. It really does go to show that love can be blind, and you can fall for someone without knowing exactly what they look like. There’s also a pretty diverse range of body types this time around, which is something I can get used to.

We want people who look like us, people we can see on the street, people we feel we could be friends with in a normal setting… and besides the drama, this season gave us that.

I Hope That Future Seasons Can Keep This Diversity But Make The Love Feel Real Again

In the future, I really hope that Love Is Blind keeps this diversity. I hope that we truly get to see more and more diverse bodies and ethnicities so we can really keep testing if love truly is blind because that’s what it really comes down to.

Although, please, I can do it without the intense yet underwhelming dramatics this season. Everything feels so overhyped for situations that don’t deserve this amount of attention. And then, for the things we do want to know about, we don’t get to see it. Huh? That’s not how this kind of thing works.

Either way, this show is moving in the right direction, but only time will tell if they truly stick with the diversity and the change moving forward. I suppose I’ll go re-watch Love On The Spectrum for something a little more wholesome.

Even as the already lengthy list of ending and canceled TV shows grows longer by the day, one of the small-screen losses that still stings is NCIS: Hawai’i’s cancellation at CBS, largely because it was due to scheduling issues and not low ratings or lack of a viewership. The procedural world is still expanding with the NCIS: Origins spinoff, but without any expected cameos from someone in Jane Tennant’s family tree. But that doesn’t mean former star Vanessa Lachey is in hiding.

In fact, Lachey is already back on the small screen for Fall TV less than six months after she was blindsided by her sunny CBS series being put to pasture, and the actress took to Instagram to spread the good word. While not an ensemble drama, the DWTS vet is back in the realm of reality TV for Season 7 of the streaming hit Love Is Blind.

With the quirky dating concept back for its second new season within Netflix’s 2024 lineup, Vanessa Lachey shared a pic on Instagram of herself next to husband and co-host Nick Lachey, who is standing atop a small pile of boxes. Here’s what she said in the caption:

Shots fired! And those shots unmistakably came from a spot lower down and closer to the floor, too.

To be sure, Vanessa Lachey is reportedly only a couple of inches shorter than Nick Lachey without any footwear entering the picture. But then when high heels come into it, it's a lost cause for him. And that's apparently when the risers come in.

As someone who knows and understands that this is a normal part of TV and movie magic, as it were, I'm admittedly still surprised to see the former boy band member THAT high while next to his floor-grounded co-host, and can't quite grasp how this would look normal in any capacity. And I'm not the only one who balked a little at seeing him using two boxes instead of just one.

• oh my goodness, two boxes? I get one, but two?!☠️😂 - @labelessnutrition
• Are two really necessary though? 🤣🤣🤣 - @the_rogue_raven_27
• Haha just like when Yas filmed mainly season 1 of the best show ever NCIS Hawaii with Tori when they had Kacy scenes 😂 I miss u all my fave team,cast & characters ever 😢 but we aren't ready to quit fighting to #SaveNCISHawaii & never will be the fight will keep going till we get u back all together ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ - @mickeywayhaught13

Comments like that third one are ever-present in Vanesssa Lachey's comments, as the NCIS: Hawai'i fanbase still hasn't accepted the show's demise as permanent fact. But they don't always connect the save-the-show hashtag to the post's actual subject matter, so kudos to this fan for it.

Nick and Vanessa Lachey will be a streaming presence throughout spooky season, even if their show isn't inherently Halloween-related. Love Is Blind Season 7 is debuting with the first six episodes on October 2, followed by the next three episodes going live on October 9. Episodes 710 and 711 will drop on October 16, and the season finale will be released on its own on October 23.

September comes to an end and October now begins. Anybody who hasn’t gotten into the spooky season yet is probably ready now, and all the best streaming services are here to help. A lot of great horror content is on the way, but that’s far from all.

With so much content changing joining, and leaving, streaming services with the first of the month, it can be extra difficult to find the good stuff. There’s so much new on Netflix that digging through it all can be a chore. With something new on Hulu every day, how do you decide what’s worth watching? Here are a few suggestions.

New TV

Love is Blind (Season 7) - October 2 (Netflix)

In an era where dozens of dramatic streaming shows get canceled after only a couple of seasons, reality shows have found much more success and are a great reason to have a Netflix subscription. Love is Blind has been one of Netflix’s most consistent hits over the years, seeing multiple spinoffs in other countries, but the U.S. version is back this week for Season 7.

The Simpsons (Season 35) - October 2 (Disney+)

While Disney, and therefore Disney+ are known as animation powerhouses, it was only with the purchase of Fox that one of the most popular animated series ever became part of the Disney family. For three and a half decades The Simpsons has been part of our lives, and the most recent season joins the other 34 this week for everybody with a Disney+ subscription.

Unsolved Mysteries (Volume 5) - October 2 (Netflix)

While true crime is an incredibly popular genre now, before it took over podcasts, there was Unsolved Mysteries. The series ran for years on network TV and it has proven to be as popular today since the show was brought back by Netflix. A new batch of episodes drops this week that will likely get people playing amateur detective once again.

The Franchise - October 6 (Max)

Everybody loves superhero movies, but how often do we really think about what goes on behind the scenes? The Franchise debuts on HBO and Max this week with what looks to be a very humorous take on the production of a superhero franchise movie. It’s got a great cast including Daniel Brühl and Richard E. Grant and should be lots of fun.

New Movies

Salem’s Lot - October 3 (Max)

Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot has been adapted for the screen more than once, but most King fans would likely argue that the previous versions have never quite captured the magic of King’s vampire tale. After a very long process and multiple delays, a new adaptation of Salem’s Lot will finally drop, as long as you have a Max subscription.

As October continues and we get closer to Halloween there will be even more great spooky content coming to streaming services. We’ll also see new seasons of hit shows like The Lincoln Lawyer and a new Tomb Raider animated series that fans are looking forward to seeing.

Only one month remains before 2025 TV officially sizzles up and ceases to exist, coinciding with the final season of Stranger Things and a slew of New Year's Eve specials. Thankfully, it'll lead right into the 2026 TV schedule, but there are still a slew of premieres, winter finales, stand-up specials and more to enjoy before truly calling it quits. (To say nothing of all the NCAA and NFL football.)

Be sure to bookmark all those upcoming 2025 Christmas movies airing soon, as well as Hallmark's holiday movie schedule, but save lots of room for all the non-Christmas fare coming as well. Also, get ready to bid temporary farewells to the bulk of everything airing on network TV, with midseason finales popping up all over the place. We've noted the full-on season finales lower down.

[Note that all times listed in the schedule below are for the ET/EST time zone, and that all brand-new series premieres will be listed in ALL CAPS.]

December 2025 TV Premiere Dates

One end-of-year holiday deserves some more, and December always delivers tons of family-friendly parades and specials to both celebrate Christmas and beyond, while also setting up to welcome in the new year, often with Ryan Seacrest involved in some way. (Not to mention the plethora of new made-for-TV Christmas movies debuting on Hallmark, GAF and more.) For all the yuletide cheer, December features some brutal debuts from TV creators like Kurt Sutter, Steven S. DeKnight, and...Rowan Atkinson, as well as the latest streaming retrospective for Taylor Swift fans.

December 2025 Biggest TV Finales

As much as we love to celebrate when new and returning shows arrive and start off their new seasons, attention should also go to the variety of shows that are ending (temporarily or otherwise) for winter hiatuses. So let's take a look some of the most noteworthy season and midseason finales that are hitting soon.

• Murder in a Small Town Season 2 (Fox) - Dec. 2
• Bel-Air Series Finale (Peacock) - Dec. 8
• All's Fair Season 1 (Hulu) - Dec. 9
• The Amazing Race Season 38 (CBS) - Dec. 10
• South Park Season 28 (Comedy Central) - Dec. 10
• The Kitchen Series Finale (Food Network) - Dec. 13
• IT: Welcome To Derry Season 1 (HBO) - Dec. 14
• The Voice Season 28 (NBC) - Dec. 16
• The Floor Season 4 (Fox) - Dec. 17
• Survivor Season 49 (CBS) - Dec. 17
• The Road Season 1 (CBS) - Dec. 21
• The Kardashians Season 7 (Hulu) - Dec. 25
• Pluribus Season 1 (Apple TV) - Dec. 26
• Mayor of Kingstown Season 4 (Paramount+) - Dec. 28
• Stranger Things Series Finale (Netflix) - Dec. 31

When you're done setting up your own personal TV lineups, be sure to check out everything hitting the big screen in the near future as well with our 2025 movie release schedule.

Love is Blind has been one of Netflix’s biggest reality TV shows since its premiere. It even became a favorite dating show amongst non-dating show fans. I have been a loyal watcher ever since the first season. However, the newer seasons of the show haven’t inspired the same level of excitement as in the initial seasons. I still watch, but with less enthusiasm. However, Love is Blind: UK may have restored my passion for the franchise.

It has been such a delightful romance reality TV show that it’s making me more excited for when the US version returns. Love is Blind: UK has the same premise as the original, with the only real differences being the hosts, couples and location. It’s fascinating how just these small changes can make a show feel fresh again. 

Love Is Blind: UK Regenerated My Intrigue In The Couples 

Love is Blind had so many couples that I adored in Season 1. Throughout the show, there have been many successful couples where I enjoyed watching their journey. However, with each season, there seem to be only a few couples who inspire interest. I think this is partly because not many seem to make it down the aisle. Plus, many of them don’t feel as genuine as they did in the first season.

The UK version has made me root for so many of the couples. I haven’t even seen the finale yet, but I know I will be distraught if some of them don’t make it work. Then, I will gladly tune into a reunion episode to see which couples remain together.

Because this is the first season, everyone involved seems authentically looking for love. This desire and belief in the experiment is refreshing. Obviously, some or many are there for television time, but enough couples are there who seemingly want love. This makes them charming and endearing. I want the couples to get a happy ending and prove that love is blind.

The Drama Feels Less Manufactured 

Reality TV shows always come with drama, and, sometimes, that’s what makes a reality TV show great. The Real Housewives franchise, for example, thrives on feuds and creating villains. Drama is a winning ingredient for most reality TV programming. LIB has had plenty of dramatic moments throughout its seasons. A few of them have even become iconic reality TV moments. However, the best Love is Blind drama came from a place of authenticity.

Of course, editing, cast interviews, and pushing for certain storylines are why reality TV shows often have great drama, and there is usually some truth to the created narratives. But as Love is Blind continues, some storylines feel very manipulated and faked only to create drama or repeat successful drama from past seasons.

There are a few dramatic LIB: UK storylines that feel a little fake or exaggerated for television, but, overall, the drama feels real. Many of the couples are dealing with issues prevalent in any relationship. The season has clashes of culture and values, money issues, worries about infidelity, and problems with sexual attraction.

These are all important and real issues that many couples face, but they become even more critical and heightened in a show like this because they’re trying to resolve and understand them in a short amount of time. These issues always are guiding factors in whether a couple should take their vows.

The Love Is Blind: UK Romantic Pairs Have A Full Journey That Keeps Me Guessing 

I have not seen the UK Season 1 finale yet, so I don’t know which couples marry. All season, I have swayed on whether I think a couple will marry or break up at the altar. My guesses change nearly every episode. Some couples seem too perfect to last; others have small issues but they seem like they may become just enough of a problem to end the relationship. Then there are couples with huge issues, but they seem determined to stay together.

Plus, some seem perfect together but could still break up for one reason or another. I am completely enthralled and have no clue who will survive that altar. This adds a level of interest that I haven’t had for at least a few seasons of Love is Blind. However, there are enough enjoyable couples that I will be satisfied if at least one of them gets married. 

It Feels Like A Back To Basics Season 

I really loved the first season of Married at First Sight. Then I watched the second season and it had already lost the magic of the first. This made me quickly lose interest. LIB has kept my attention, but I still prefer the first season because it’s when the experiment was at its strongest. The show hadn’t established its popularity and no one knew what could happen.

The daters who entered the pods had open minds and hearts. That’s how it became a success. Obviously, the original had been on for several years before LIB: UK became a show, so there was familiarity with it. Nonetheless, it still seems like most of the singles went on the show trying to find love.

They wanted to be part of the experiment and see if it worked. Some of the recent Love is Blind seasons seem like people go just for some fame or to enter the Netflix world and appear on some of the other dating reality TV shows. UK strips things back down to the basics. 

Love Is Blind: UK Makes Me Want To Watch The Other International Versions 

Before Love is Blind: UK, Netflix had already produced several international versions. Additionally, with the UK show came more international series. By August 2024, there are eight different international shows. I had some interest in them, but not enough to commit to watching more reality TV.

However, LIB: UK has been so fun to watch that I now plan to check out at least a few of the international ones. The premise just works in every language and country.

It Reminds Me Of How Enchanting The Show Can Be 

I don’t consider myself a fan of dating reality TV shows. Something about them just doesn’t click, but I have loved Love is Blind from the start. I think because the idea of falling for someone based only on their personality appeals to me.

It’s a very romantic notion that sometimes happens in real life but not often. UK has the same enchanting and wondrous quality of the original series. This spin-off has ben a reminder of what the American entry was and could be again.

I will gladly watch Love is Blind: UK again if and when it returns for another season. Now I am also excited for the original show’s return.

Stream Love is Blind: UK on Netflix.

With the massive amount of content that arrived on the best streaming services on August 1, there was certainly a lot to get through. Once you're caught up, however, you won't want to slow down, as there's plenty more where that came from.

The first full week of August is one that brings a lot of great content. What’s new on Netflix involves several new seasons of TV for a wide variety of audiences. What’s upcoming on Disney+ includes a new series that K-pop fans won’t want to miss. But the movie I'll be sure not to miss this week is on Apple TV+.

New Movies

 The Instigators (Apple TV+)

The friendship and regular business relationship between Matt Damon and friend Ben Affleck is well known, but in The Instigators Damon will team up with his friend’s little bother, Casey Affleck. The Instigators stars Damon as an ex-Marine in need of money so he plans a heist with an ex-con played by Affleck. This one looks like it has plenty of action and more than a few laughs, and considering it’s from director Doug Liman of the popular Road House remake, this one has the potential to be great.

The Instigators premieres August 9 on Apple TV+

 The Bikeriders (Peacock)

The Bikeriders wasn’t a massive theatrical hit, which isn’t a shock considering it’s a small character drama. But considering this is exactly the sort of movie that can become a massive hit streaming, it will be interesting to see if audiences if with a Peacock Subscription find it. Critics generally approve of The Bikeriders, so there's a good chance that those who watch it will feel the same way. With a cast that includes up-and-coming stars like Austin Butler and Jodie Comer, it’s worth checking out.

The Bikeriders premieres August 9 on Peacock

New TV

The Umbrella Academy, Season 4 (Netflix)

One of the more popular original series from Netflix, The Umbrella Academy debuts its final season this week. Once again the world is coming to an end, and a dysfunctional family of superpowered people are the only ones who can save it. Season 3 left fans with a lot of questions but we can only assume that throughout Season 4, all questions will be answered and the story will reach some sort of conclusion. Many fans will be sad to see this one go, but hopefully, they'll be satisfied by the end.

The Umbrella Academy Season 4 premieres August 8 on Netflix

Are You Sure ?! (Disney+)

BTS is still one of the most popular K-pop groups in the world and fans of the group, and music in general, would benefit from a Disney+ subscription. The new series Are You Sure?! Isn’t about their music, but it will likely be even better for fans. The series is a travelogue that follows two members of the group, Jimin and Jung Kook, as they travel the world before entering their required national military service.

Are You Sure ?! premieres August 8 on Disney+

Mr. Throwback (Peacock)

As of this writing, Stephan Curry is busy trying to win a gold medal at the Olympics. But before the gold medal game the question will be, can Stephen Curry act? He skipped out on Space Jam 2 but Curry will get in front of the camera in the new series Mr. Throwback. It features the NBA star as a fictionalized version of himself, who attempts to help out an old friend, played by Adam Pally who has fallen on hard times. It’s time to answer the question, is Stephen Curry as funny as Lebron James?

Mr. Throwback premieres August 8 on Peacock.

Gabby’s Dollhouse (Season 10) (Netflix)

If school hasn’t started yet then you may have kids who need something to do. The good news, if you have a Netflix subscription, comes in the form of a new season of Gabby's Dollhouse. The animated series has become so popular among the younger set that the character is now part of DreamWorks land at Universal Orlando Resort and will be part of the forthcoming Universal Kids Resort currently in development in Texas.

Gabby’s Dollhouse Season 10 premieres August 5 on Netflix.

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears (Max)

The NFL season is almost here. As fans get ready for the new season, and enjoy preseason action, fans with a Max subscription will also be able to watch the latest season of Hard Knocks, the documentary series takes a look at a different team’s training camp every year. This time around, it’s the Chicago Bears, one of football's most storied franchises, but one that hasn't been on top in a long time. If this is their year, this will be the beginning of the story.

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears premieres August 6 on HBO and Max.

Love Is Blind: UK (Netflix)

If you have a particular love for Netflix’s reality series Love is Blind, and you can’t wait for the next season of the U.S. show, the good news is there are multiple versions of the series in different nations so there is almost always a new one right around the corner. And the new one doesn’t even require subtitles as Love is Blind UK arrives this week

Love is Blind UK premiers August 7 on Netflix.

Yo Gabba GabbaLand!  (Apple TV+)

The original Yo Gabba Gabba children’s show ran from 2007 to 2015. Now, nearly a decade later, Apple TV+ brings the show back as Yo Gabba GabbaLand. Considering how popular the show was with the first generation that grew up with it, this new version has a lot to live up to. Having said that, there’s every reason to believe this one will be just as special.

Yo Gabba GabbaLand premieres August 9 on Apple TV+

This week will also see the end of the 2024 Summer Olympics, so if all you've been streaming for the last two weeks are sports, it's going to be time to pivot to something else pretty soon. Luckily there's even more great streaming content coming next week.

For many of us, reality TV is the ultimate guilty pleasure. Whether we’re watching people look for love, show off their talents or navigate challenges en route to a cash prize, one thing is always guaranteed — there will be drama. The biggest moments have a way of transcending their individual series to become a larger part of pop culture, and below are 32 of those iconic reality TV moments.  

Real Housewives Of New Jersey Table Flip 

Everyone’s heard of Teresa Giudice, and that’s thanks in part to the infamous table flip in Season 1 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. After being told by Danielle Staub to “pay attention,” as she addressed rumors and gossip being spread about her, Giudice went ballistic, banging her hands on the table and ultimately flipping it in rage. 

Tyra Banks Screams At America's Next Top Model Contestant 

On Season 4 of America's Next Top Model, Tyra Banks could not maintain her composure after contestant Tiffany Richardson appeared to have a blasé attitude about that week's challenges. After it was announced that Richardson had been eliminated, Banks gave her now-famous speech, shouting, "I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!"

Kim Kardashian Cries Over Her Lost Earring 

Kim Kardashian is the queen of reality TV, thanks to iconic moments like the 2011 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians in which her then-fiancé Kris Humphries threw her in the water during a family vacation, causing one of her $75,000 earrings to fall out. Not only did we get a great ugly cry face in this scene, but her sister Kourtney's iconic quote: "Kim, there's people that are dying."

Snooki Is Punched By A Stranger On Jersey Shore 

By all accounts, Jersey Shore has got to be one of the guiltiest of guilty pleasures, but things got serious in the first season when an altercation between Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and a guy in a bar resulted in him punching her in the face. MTV controversially showed the whole scene in its original 2009 airing but blacked out the screen during the assault on repeats. The man was arrested and reportedly got fired from his job when the episode aired.

Lauren Conrad’s Mascara Tear On The Hills  

Lauren Conrad was involved in plenty of drama during her time on The Hills, but one image sticks out more than any other. Her Season 4 fight with Audrina Partridge had L.C. in her feelings, with a single black tear falling down her face, leaving a trail that went unwiped and unforgotten.

Giannina Is Love Is Blind’s Runaway Bride 

On the first season of Love Is Blind, Giannina Gibelli was completely humiliated when, after saying "I do" to Damian Powers, he did not return the favor. Gibelli quickly walked up the aisle, straight out the door and took off running as a camera crew chased her. She trudged down a road, through some grass and ultimately got mud all over her wedding dress when she slipped in a ditch.

Real World: Seattle’s Stephen Slaps Irene

Stephen and Irene were a hot mess on Real World: Seattle. After Irene announced that she was leaving, the two exchanged some heated words, with Stephen throwing her teddy bear in the water and her outing him as a "homosexual" on national TV. As Irene's cab started to pull away, Stephen chased her down, opened her door and shockingly slapped her in the face.

William Hung’s Infamous American Idol Audition 

In the early days of American Idol on Fox, the show would sometimes feature "bad" auditions for the sake of humor. The most famous of these was undoubtedly William Hung, who became a laughingstock with his cover of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs." 

The Note On Jersey Shore 

In an attempt to anonymously clue Sammi Giancola in on Ronnie Ortiz-Magro's cheating on Jersey Shore Season 2, Nicole Polizzi and Jenni Farley typed out all of his transgressions in The Note. After an investigation within the house led right back to Snooki and JWoww, a huge brawl ensued between Farley and Giancola.

Justin Timberlake Cries On Punk’d 

In the very first episode of Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd on MTV, Justin Timberlake was told by a fake IRS agent (an unknown-at-the-time Dax Shepard) that his house, cars and even his dogs were being repossessed by the government because he owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes. The pop star cried and called his mom until the That '70s Show actor revealed himself.

Jonny Lies About Grandmother’s Death On Survivor: Pearl Islands  

Jonny "Fairplay" Dalton went full pro-wrestling heel on Survivor: Pearl Islands, crying as he told his castmates that his grandmother had passed away. He later revealed to cameras that it was all a ruse to gain an advantage in the game. 

Pedro Zamora Reveals He’s HIV Positive On Real World: San Francisco

The subject of HIV and AIDS was highly misunderstood by many in the '80s and '90s, and while divulging such personal information would take great courage even today, coming out as gay and HIV positive on TV was simply unheard of back in 1994. On The Real World: San Francisco, Pedro Zamora educated his housemates — and America by proxy — about the disease, making him one of reality TV's most important figures. He died at the age of 22, just hours after the final episode of The Real World: San Francisco aired.

Jessica Simpson’s Chicken Of The Sea Mixup 

Jessica Simpson has released pop albums, acted in movies, and started a fashion line, but she'll always be remembered for not knowing if her tuna was fish or chicken on Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. 

RHOBH Fight Becomes A Meme 

If you've never seen the above image before, I'm going to guess you've never been on any social media platform. This photo of Taylor Armstrong from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills crying and pointing her finger at Camille Grammer has become the go-to meme to illustrate anyone with a passionate opinion.

The Bachelor’s Colton Underwood Jumps The Fence 

Colton Underwood's time on The Bachelor was not easy, but things really came to a head after Cassie Randolph broke up with him, causing him to jump a fence to escape production. Chris Harrison was sent after him, calling out as he and the camera crew searched for Underwood down a pitch-black road.

Jon & Kate Plus 8 Separation Announcement 

It was clear to any viewer of the TLC reality series Jon & Kate Plus 8 that there was tension between Jon and Kate Gosselin, but that didn't make it any less shocking when they announced their split on a May 2009 episode. In separate interviews, Jon and Kate each revealed that they had decided to separate for the sake of their children.

Trading Spouses’ God Warrior 

Fox's Trading Spouses got more than it bargained for (or maybe exactly what it wanted) when Marguerite Perrin, thereafter known as the "God Warrior," moved into a Wiccan home. Upon returning to rural Louisiana, Perrin's tirade went viral — not an easy thing to do in 2005 — and that scream of, "She's not a Christiaaaaan!" is still ringing in our ears.

The Bachelor Airs Unedited Footage Of Arie Dumping Becca  

Shortly after Arie Luyendyk proposed to Becca Kufrin on Season 22 of The Bachelor, the racecar driver had a change of heart and chose to dump Kufrin in favor of runner-up Lauren Burnham. The breakup was filmed by ABC's cameras and then aired on what was, for obvious reasons, a controversial season finale. The footage was supposedly unedited, utilizing a split screen to show the incident from Kufrin and Luyendyk's perspectives simultaneously.

Dan Stages His Own Funeral On Big Brother 

Dan Gheesling knew he was a "dead man walking," so to speak, on Season 14 of Big Brother, so he concocted one of the wildest plans in reality TV history, staging his own funeral and falsely accusing his top ally Danielle of betrayal. His big swing paid off, as Gheesling survived not just the week, but all the way to the final two that season.

The Voice’s Adam Levine Throws His Team Member Under The Bus

In one of the most controversial moments in The Voice's history, Adam Levine played favorites on Season 15 when he found two of his team members in the bottom three. After DeAndre Nico performed to try to earn America's Instant Save, Levine shockingly asked viewers to vote instead for Nico's teammate Reagan Strange, who was sick and unable to perform. While many were confused by the move, it worked, and Nico was eliminated.

Flavor of Love’s Mess On The Stairs 

When you gotta go, you gotta go. Flavor of Love 2 contestant Tykeisha Thomas, aka "Somethin," simply wasn't able to make it to the bathroom, and it wasn't long before Flavor Flav and the other women became aware of the No. 2 she left on the stairs.

Top Chef: The Case Of The Missing Pea Purée 

Where were you when the Pea-gate Scandal hit Top Chef's seventh season? After fretting over what to pair with his salmon, contestant Alex Reznik was shown plating his fish atop a pea purée. Meanwhile, his castmate Ed Cotton was running around the kitchen looking for his own pea purée that had gone missing from a cooler. Coincidence?

Survivor: Cagayan's J'Tia Dumps The Rice In The Fire 

J’Tia Taylor secured her place in reality TV lore on Survivor: Cagayan, when she went on an epic rant and dumped all of the rice that her already-whittled-down and hungry tribe had left into the fire.

Abby Lee Miller Gets Slapped In The Face On Dance Moms 

Dance Moms was known for plenty of fighting but rarely did anything turn physical. During possibly the most intense scene on the Lifetime show, Brooke and Paige's mom Kelly Hyland slapped Abby Lee Miller and pulled her hair after the dance instructor advanced on her while gnashing her teeth. Hyland was arrested and charged with assault, and she filed her own lawsuit days later alleging assault, breach of contract and other offenses.

Love Is Blind’s Zanab Destroys Cole At The Altar 

It's always a big moment when someone says "I don't" at the altar on Love Is Blind, but Zanab Jaffrey went a step further by absolutely demolishing fiancé Cole Barnett in front of their friends and family. As far as wedding vows go, it's probably not a good sign when they start with: "You have disrespected me. You have insulted me. You have critiqued me. And for what it is worth, you have singlehandedly shattered my self-confidence."

Kourtney Kardashian Delivers Her Own Baby 

The Kardashian family members have made quite a few boss moves over the years, but possibly none of them was more impressive than when Kourtney Kardashian reached down during labor to bring her own son Mason into the world on Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

90 Day Fiancé: Danielle Calls Mohamed A User 

90 Day Fiancé couple Danielle Mullins and Mohamed Jbali seemed doomed from the start, with her family (and viewers) questioning the Tunisia native’s intentions. The bad vibes seemed to be warranted, as the couple became estranged after Mohamed got his green card, and things came to a head when Danielle confronted him in the streets of Miami with a binder of proof that, “You’re a user, Mohamed!” 

Amazing Race’s Mika Won't Go Down The Waterslide 

Mika Combs and Canaan Smith saw their journey on The Amazing Race 15 end after Mika, who was afraid of both heights and water, was unable to go down a six-story waterslide in Dubai. She had an epic meltdown as Canaan tried apparently for 45 minutes to get her to complete the challenge, even grabbing her arms and trying to force her onto the slide at one point.

The Hills’ Final Shot 

There were a lot of questions about how "real" The Hills actually was, and the series finale provided an answer in epic fashion. After a tearful goodbye between Brody Jenner and Kristin Cavallari in the final scene, he appears to be standing in front of the Hollywood sign as he watches her limo drive away. The camera then pans out to reveal they're in a studio backlot, and the Hollywood sign backdrop is wheeled away as Cavallari — whose limo never actually went anywhere — exits the vehicle and hugs Jenner.

Survivor’s Rat And Snake Speech 

Dozens of seasons into Survivor, perhaps the most infamous scene hails from the very first finale when Sue Hawk made TV history with a speech comparing Richard Hatch to a snake and his fellow finalist Kelly Wiglesworth to a rat. She appealed to the jury to let it end the way Mother Nature intended: “For the snake to eat the rat.” 

RHOA’s NeNe Leakes Says, ‘Close Your Legs To Married Men’ 

Kim Zolciak and NeNe Leakes had some wild moments on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but one of the sickest burns was served up during the Season 1 reunion after Zolciak clarified her situation with “Big Poppa.” She told Andy Cohen that her on-off man was going through a divorce but was still legally married, ultimately prompting Leakes’ infamous line: “Close your legs to married men.” 

Phaedra Pleads ‘Not Ekin-Su’ On The Traitors 

Phaedra Parks has had plenty of noteworthy moments on reality TV, but she became an instant meme on The Traitors Season 2 with her reaction to learning that Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu had drunk from the poisoned chalice. Parks’ mouth dropped, eyes rolling back in her head as she pleaded, “Oh my Lord, sweet baby Jesus, not Ekin-Su. Lord, not Ekin-Su,” fanning herself with a napkin as if she were about to faint.

As long as there's reality TV, there will continue to be iconic moments like these, and I for one can't wait.

Love is Blind remains an addictive treat for reality TV fans. The show has become an annual event that often descends into chaos. The dating series unites us because we can come together and judge the nerves and audacity of some of the contestants. The series started as a social experiment with the intention of matchmaking. Now, it thrives on drama, social media-ready moments, and more altar “I don’ts” than “I dos.” However, for romantic reality TV show fans, seeing whether the many contestants marry remains an important piece to the show’s appeal.

There isn’t currently a great track record with the contestants who marry, as it’s rare for more than two couples to say “I do” during any given season. However, the show has a pretty big success rate with the few participants who stay married for more than a year. Only a few couples from the "blind" dating show have divorced. That alone calls for celebration. I believe that the couples who are still married are success stories just for making it work, because it’s hard to maintain a marriage and even harder with the pressures of public attention and falling for someone in an unconventional way.  

However, a few Love is Blind couples have, in fact, proven that love is blind, and help you succeed in big ways.  

Lauren Speed And Cameron Hamilton (Season 1) 

Lauren and Cameron may be the show’s most successful couple. They are the poster children for success on and off the series. Viewers were glued to their love story in Season 1. Some would even argue that Love is Blind wouldn’t have the same success without Cameron and Lauren falling in love. The couple represents the best the show has to offer and inspired others to audition. 

Five-plus years later, Cameron and Lauren are still happily together. Making talk show appearances, creating their own YouTube channel, and renewing their vows are just a few major events from the couple’s post-LIB life. They even wrote a book together. The Hamiltons remain the perfect example of the show’s success. Their relationship has been solid and allowed them plenty of financial and experiential opportunities. 

Amber Pike And Matthew Barnett (Season 1) 

Amber and Barnett are the other couple from Love is Blind Season 1 to say “I do.” Unlike Lauren and Cameron, things didn’t go completely smoothly during their road to the altar, because a sort of love triangle occupied their story. Amber’s debt and some personality differences seemed like they could halt their marriage. Their relationship had so much going on that it became one of the main focuses of the Love is Blind Season 1 reunion. Despite everything, the couple continues to enjoy married life.

Barnett and Amber often travel, work out together, and enjoy many common couple activities. In 2023, they launched Mana Naturals, a CBD company, but it’s unclear if the company is still operating as of March 2024. Amber and Barnett proved that their love story may not have been picture-perfect, but it was the best one for them.

Alexa Alfia And Brennon Lemieux (Season 3) 

Alexa and Brennon join Lauren and Cameron in that rare Love is Blind circle of couples who didn’t really have much drama during their season. By the Season 3 finale, most fans expected them to wed. A lot of attention was on Alexa and Brennon’s union because Alexa was the first plus-size contestant who made it to the proposal portion of the series. The lack of body diversity has been a major criticism of the show for years, especially because the series’ premise should ensure more diversity in looks and personalities.

Alexa and Brennon’s love story was exciting on its own but the plus-size representation made it even more of a celebratory event.  The couple has recently embarked on an exciting chapter in their lives and love story. They are becoming parents, and Brennon and Alexa are the second Love is Blind couple to announce their pregnancy. They announced it to People in January 2024.  

Zack Goytowski And Bliss Poureetezadi (Season 4) 

Zack and Bliss have one of the most complicated Love is Blind stories. Zack originally picked someone else. However, once he realized his mistake, he asked Bliss for a second chance. The pair then pretty much built a solid foundation. Even people who wanted to judge Zack for his initial decision, couldn’t deny Bliss and his adorable relationship and love story.

In 2023, they achieved a Love is Blind first when the pair became the first couple to announce a baby. Bliss and Zack also made the announcement to People, in November 2023. Much of their recent social media content has been documenting the upcoming birth of their child. Zack and Bliss conquered a lot during their time on reality TV. Therefore, their journey to parenthood seems even more special and exciting.  

Lydia Gonzalez And James “Milton” Johnson IV (Season 5) 

Lydia and Milton were the only Love is Blind contestants from Season 5 to end up married. Their ability to overcome all the problems surrounding them, and not many in their actual relationship, made their romance riveting. Lydia initially worried about marrying Milton because of their age difference. Then Lydia’s ex was also in the pods. He was painting her as a bit of a stalker and someone with nefarious intentions. In the end, Lydia and Milton proudly walked down the aisle and committed to forever. 

Years later, they remain happily together. The couple continues to build their life and enjoy their relationship. They aren’t the most public of the couples, but that seems to work best for them. This duo is an example of the best revenge being success. Lydia's portrayal on the show made her both a hero and a villain, but many believed that Milton was too young for marriage. They had a lot of criticism from audiences and fellow contestants.

The fact that they’re still together proves that they are the right partners for each other. Sometimes a big sign of success is just making it work. 

Despite many obstacles on and off the show, these Love is Blind contestants have made their relationship work and achieved success. That success varies, because for some it’s the popularity they gained, while for others it’s proving their relationship works, and for many it’s using the platform of the show to better their lives, including finding the right partner.  

We're six seasons into Netflix's reality dating series Love is Blind and yet many faithful viewers haven't moved past the picture-perfect couple that is Cameron and Lauren Hamilton from the show's inaugural season. Heck, even some of the show's cast members have said that Lauren and Cameron's success inspired them to sign up for it. So, fans were excited at the possibility of seeing them together on the recent Season 6 reunion, however, the power couple wasn't there. Now, they have opened up about why they opted out of this season's reunion. 

Hopeful viewers were disappointed by Lauren and Cameron's absence, the latter of whom took to social media to explain exactly why the couple "respectfully declined" producers' invitation to the reunion special. Cameron "cleared the air" via an Instagram video on Friday, March 15, saying:

Like the rest of the show's daters, the Hamiltons first began their relationship, sight unseen, in the pods, but unlike where other Love is Blind couples ended up, the couple got married on day 40 of the TV experiment back in 2018 and remain together to this day. Cameron pointed out how he and his wife have publicly supported the Netflix series throughout the years and genuinely believe in the premise of the romantic experiment. 

You can see his post in full below:

However, Cameron also noted how it's obvious now that, while there are still contestants who are truly "open to getting married," there are others who simply join the show "to get famous":

He also commented on how "the drama" and "the mess" of the oh-so-binge-able series has become seemingly more important to producers than the show's romance success stories: 

Do you agree with Cameron's critique? You can watch all of Love is Blind Season 6, which just finished airing on the 2024 TV schedule, as well as that drama-filled reunion special, now with a Netflix subscription. 

SPOILERS for Love Is Blind Season 6 lie ahead. (You can also stream all the latest episodes now with a Netflix subscription.) 

On this season of Netflix’s Love Is Blind, Chelsea Blackwell and Jimmy Presnell hit it off in the pods so well that they ended up getting engaged before even seeing each other’s faces. It’s the beauty of the experiment! However, before the couple could see one another, Chelsea shared with Jimmy that she’s often told by people she looks like Megan Fox. It left Jimmy a bit disappointed when he met her, as he didn’t see the resemblance right off the bat. The LIB moment has since gone viral and, now, even, Fox’s ex-husband, Brian Austin Green, has shared his thoughts on the backlash. 

Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green were married for 11 years and now, share three kids together and reportedly continue to share a healthy relationship based on co-parenting. When Green was approached about the Love Is Blind conversation, he initially reacted by saying “Oh my god, I heard about her” on social media and, when asked about it on a separate occasion, he said:

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum shared with TMZ that he felt Chelsea’s Megan Fox connection put the star in “a pickle.” He empathized with the reality TV star, considering the comment apparently stemmed from repeated compliments she's heard from others and wasn't her own declaration. The actor also said the following about the situation while speaking with the news outlet: 

Brian Austin Green also shared that he felt like the public should leave Chelsea alone about the Megan Fox viral moment amid her tenure on the show. When the interviewer brought up Chelsea previously sharing that she thought about reaching out to Megan Fox herself to apologize, Green said he didn’t think that was necessary. He even added that if Fox heard about the viral moment, she “would be flattered” about it, in his estimation.

This indicates that the veteran actor still has a lot of respect for his ex. Brian Austin Green confirmed his split with Megan Fox (who he married in 2010) back in 2020. Their divorce was ultimately finalized in 2011. Since then, both of them have moved on, as Green is engaged to Dancing With The Stars’ Sharna Burgess. Meanwhile, Fox is reportedly still making wedding plans with Machine Gun Kelly. Fox, for her part, as also been open about aspects of her relationships. She even recently wrote a poetry book about her experiences with romance, loss and trauma. 

As for LIB’s Chelsea and Jimmy, the relationship blossomed while they were in the pods. It, however came at the cost of a brutal breakup between Jimmy and Jessica. It remains to be seen if the couple decides to say “I do” or opts to go their separate ways following the experiment. It'll also be intriguing to see whether those Fox comparisons continue to be held over Chelsea's head moving forward.

Find out what lies in store for the couple when Love Is Blind returns to Netflix on Wednesday, March 6 as part of the 2024 TV schedule.

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind Season 6’s episodes 1-10. You can catch up now with a Netflix subscription. 

With the latest batch of episodes, this season’s stars of Love Is Blind are moving right through the experiment’s process with one particularly important part of the whole thing up next: meeting the parents. In these new episodes, some really emotionally moving moments between the couples and their parents seem to bring them closer to saying “I do” at the altar. When CinemaBlend spoke to Amy, she shared the story behind the moving first meeting Johnny and her dad had. 

During episode 10 of Love Is Blind Season 6, Amy and Johnny met Amy’s dad after the possible bride-to-be previously shared her concerns about their relationship going forward if her father didn't approve. Here’s what she told us: 

As the scene in episode 10 showcased, Johnny was warmly welcomed by her father after they had a chance to sit down and get to know each other and his intentions. While we don’t know if Amy and Johnny officially got married after the latest episode, it feels like they are on their way to becoming the latest successful couple from one of Netflix’s dating shows. 

Amy definitely got emotional during the scene between her father and Johnny. Knowing that they were not necessarily on board for her to be part of the show from the jump brings more context to the sweet episode 10 moment when her dad gives the pair his blessing to get married. Elsewhere in the interview, Amy told us she was convinced by her best friends to be part of the show. We’re on the edge of our seats regarding whether Amy and Johnny will really become husband and wife! 

Otherwise in Love Is Blind as its stars get closer to the wedding finale episodes, Amber spoke about her own emotional moment when her mom and Clay met for the first time. In her words: 

When CinemaBlend spoke to Clay, the Love Is Blind leading man told us that his own mom convinced him to be part of the series, but she hilariously referred him to the wrong show! 

As we get ready for the finale episode next week, it's worth noting that this season seems to be going much smoother and solid in contrast to where the Season 5 couples ended up. Next Wednesday, March 6, the finale will air and the week after that the reunion will happen. While we wait for more episodes, you can check out what other 2024 Netflix movies and TV shows are coming next on the streaming service. 

We're officially in Week 2 of Love is Blind Season 6, meaning the newfound couples have moved on from the pods, laid eyes on each other during their luxurious island honeymoon, and now have to contend with folding their fiancés into their everyday lives back home. Alas, as fans saw, many of the dating duos failed to follow in the successful, still-married footsteps of Season 1's Lauren and Cameron and ended up throwing in the towel before they could make it to the altar. (It didn't help that one Season 6 cast member wasn't even sure which Netflix dating show he was on.) 

But one viewer wasn't surprised by the shift seen among the contestants in the latest batch of episodes, which hit the streamer on February 21: former Love is Blind-er Marshall Glaze, who fans might remember from the show's fourth season, specifically his rocky relationship and subsequent breakup from Jackelina Bonds. (Remember when she wasn't even allowed to come to the reunion? Drama!) 

Given that Marshall and Jackelina's own onscreen romance crumbled once the pair reentered their real lives on the show, the reality star has firsthand insight into exactly why it seems like all of the Season 6 relationships detonated this week. Marshall took to TikTok to explain why he wasn't surprised by "the energy shift": 

He went on to detail how there are different "phases" of the Love is Blind dating experiment: 

He also noted how, while filming is full time while the daters are in the pods and in the honeymoon phase, once the engaged couples are back home, filming has shifted to part-time, as each cast member has to "make time for your new fiancé on top of assimilating back into your regular life." 

Being outside of the "fairytale-like environment" that the series creates makes each dater realize hard truths about their newfound significant others, Glaze revealed: 

It also doesn't help things that, along with finally being able to lock eyes IRL with your pod partner, cast members also get to see all of the other people that they were talking to and dating on the show:

There are still three more episodes to come in Love is Blind season 6, including two more editions on Wednesday, February 28 and the grand finale on March 6. (You can catch up with the romantic reality show with a Netflix subscription.) 

It will be interesting to see which pairs are able to weather all of the change that Marshall Glaze mentioned in his TikTok breakdown, or which ones will falter post-fairytale like him and Jackie. We'll all just have to stay tuned!

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind Season 6, now streaming with a Netflix subscription. 

Following the ending of Love Is Blind Season 5, it felt like one of Netflix’s top dating shows reached a plateau when only one of the couples said “I do” at the altar. However, this time around, as Season 6 centers on a handful of singles from Charlotte, North Carolina, there’s a lot more love in the air. Jessica Vestal, who didn’t make it past the pods with Jimmy when he decided to pick Chelsea instead, was an exception. CinemaBlend spoke to Jessica about how Love Is Blind has informed dating for her moving forward. 

One of the most intense moments in the new Love Is Blind season thus far happened in Episode 4, when Jimmy reads a sweet letter from Jessica while they are in the pods and it somehow leads to their downfall as a couple. The couple end up having a rather brutal breakup and Jimmy proposes to Chelsea shortly after. During our interview with some of the Love Is Blind ladies, Jessica shared how her participation in the pods affected how she approaches dating going forward. In her words: 

Jessica’s journey became a great conversation-starter for single mothers in the dating scene, who may struggle with at what point to tell a potential partner about their pride and joy. When it came to Jessica’s dating experience in the pods, she decided not to disclose the element of her life until she got to a more intimate place, because she wanted men to see her for her and not simply as a mother. Unfortunately for Jessica, Jimmy didn’t end up being the right fit for her and she never got to take Love Is Blind all the way to the altar. 

As she shared during our interview, she learned that “leading with vulnerability” is really important for her and to perhaps not hold her “cards” so close to her chest next time. It sounds like in the future Jessica is going to be more open about being a mother to those she’s looking at to be her potential husband! 

Elsewhere in the interview, Jessica also shared that she was inspired to go on the series after seeing the success of Cameron and Lauren from Season 1, who remain happily married over five years later. Prepare to see more of Jessica in future episodes of Love Is Blind, coming every Wednesday. And check out what other 2024 Netflix movies and TV shows are coming out next. 

SPOILERS are ahead for episodes 1-6 of Love Is Blind Season 6, now streaming with a Netflix subscription. 

Thus far, it’s safe to say that Love Is Blind has been a dating experiment with mixed results, but that doesn’t stop a new round of hopeful singles from trying their luck at falling in love and getting married sight unseen. When I spoke to three of the latest ladies on Season 6, they shared what inspired them to join the experiment, and a legendary couple from one of the past seasons is involved. 

When CinemaBlend sat down with Jessica, Amber “AD” and Amy from the brand-new season of Love Is Blind, I inquired with the ladies about their fandom with the series prior to being cast. Amber and Jess said they were both particularly hugely into the show before they signed on. When I asked if a couple from a past season inspired them at all, here’s what Jess said: 

Jess is referring to Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton from Season 1, who got married on the series in November 2018 after going through the entire experiment. The couple recently renewed their vows in celebration of their fifth wedding anniversary in Las Vegas back in November. They are by far the most successful couple on the series, and have been open about sharing their journey on social media, through their 2021 book and even once gave advice to the Too Hot To Handle cast on being part of one of Netflix’s dating shows.  

Check out the couple as they celebrated Valentine’s Day last week: 

While Jess was inspired by Lauren and Cameron, she unfortunately did not have a straightforward experience on the series considering Jimmy chose Chelsea instead. Amber, on the other hand, had this to say about picking favorites: 

Thus far, Amber has had a rather successful experience on the series, getting engaged to Clay after the pods before jetting off to the Dominican Republic with the rest of the engaged cast. Conversely, when CinemaBlend spoke to Clay, he said he had never watched the series and was convinced to by his mom, who hilariously referred him to the wrong show.  

Amy, who joined Amber and Clay overseas after getting engaged to Johnny in the pods, told us this about being part of Love Is Blind: 

While Love Is Blind has certainly been a mixed bag in terms of results, isn’t dating already? We’re excited to see what’s next for these couples when the next batch of episodes premiere in the coming Wednesdays. 

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind episodes 1-6, now streaming with a Netflix subscription. 

Among the new shows on streaming this week is the return of Love Is Blind for Season 6! With the six-episode premiere of one of Netflix’s best dating shows, do you ever wonder how the show’s stars decide to date in front of the world? Well, when CinemaBlend spoke to three of the guys from this season, they revealed what motivated them to star in the series, and it includes a hilarious mixup from one of their mamas. 

During the first batch of Love Is Blind Season 6 episodes, Clay shares that he’d never seen the dating series before signing on to the show, which is rather surprising when you think about it. So when I spoke to the 31-year-old entrepreneur, he shared what actually convinced him to join Season 6 of Love Is Blind. In his words: 

It’s pretty sweet that Clay put a lot of trust in the advice of his mama when it came to his future love life, and this mixup is hilarious! One can see how one might get the names wrong considering the titles are quite similar, but their concepts are quite different. While Love Is Blind has its stars dating and getting engaged without seeing their partner’s face, Married At First Sight has sociologists pairing up couples and having them meet for the first time at their wedding. 

Prior to being on Love Is Blind, Clay also shared with CinemaBlend that he would put a lot of weight in the physical appearances of who he dated, including being a regular slider in the DMs of their Instagram accounts. The Netflix series allowed him to date in a whole new way, and in effect he met a match in Amber. We’ll have to see if their relationship continues to thrive!! While speaking to the Love Is Blind guys, Johnny on the other hand shared why he joined the show: 

Johnny was attracted to the idea of only focusing on dating in the pods and making a decision within a month and a half whether he’d find his person. During the season, the 28-year-old account executive definitely makes a connection with Amy considering he gets down on one knee and proposes to her before they jet off to the Dominican Republic. 

Trevor, on the other hand, is one of the singles on Love Is Blind that does not make a match that ends in an engagement during the premiere. Here’s what the 31-year-old project manager said about why he decided to be part of Love Is Blind: 

Interestingly enough, all three of these men were not avid watchers of Love Is Blind before being cast in the series!! Perhaps that’s a good thing, as longtime fans are so into it that we’ve had a few ideas about how the series can make future seasons better and are up on some of the behind-the-scenes drama, including one star suing the show’s producers.  

After you’ve watched the first six episodes of Love Is Blind Season 6, you can look forward to another batch of episodes next week, on Wednesday February 21. You can also check out what other 2024 Netflix movies and TV shows are coming next to the streaming service. 

Ahead of Love Is Blind's new season reaching Netflix subscription holders in Feburary, a contestant from the most recent season, Renee Poche, is suing the streaming service and the reality TV show’s producers. While Poche was part of last season’s cast, she was not among one of the singles who decided to move forward with the experiment by getting engaged. As details of her lawsuit become public, it looks like her legal action could actually have some major consequences within the reality TV show world, depending on how it all shakes out. 

Renee Poche joined the Texas season of one of Netflix’s top dating shows, during which one of the Season 5 couples tied the knot out of the 30 singles who entered the pods. Poche was recently hit with a private arbitration from the Love Is Blind producers asking for $4 million after she allegedly violated the NDA she signed on the show and, now, she's pushing back with her own legal filings. Let’s get break down the details. 

Why A Love Is Blind Star Is Suing Netflix And Producers 

A Texas-based veterinarian, Renee Poche claims that during her time on the show, (which was not really in the Season 5 edit), she began dating another contestant, Carter Wall. Poche alleges that she was forced to spend long stretches of time with despite the contestant reportedly being “abusive” as well a unemployed, broke, homeless, violent and addicted to amphetamines and alcohol. Since her unfruitful LiB experience, Poche has spoken out about her on-air stint, leading production companies Netflix and Delirium to file a $4 million lawsuit against her. Poche, who was allegedly paid only $8,000 to appear on the series, said this to Variety about her time on the hit reality series:

Per her lawsuit against Netflix and Delirium, she is seeking to repeal her initial contract for Love Is Blind following alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress and violations of numerous California labor and civic codes. One of her lawyers, Bryan Freedman, called her contract “illegal” and shared that he has “hundreds of clients who are ready to assert their claims” on the same subject as well.

What Are The Ramifications This Love Is Blind Lawsuit Could Have On Reality TV’s Future?

Renee Poche is working with Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos, who are collaborating on a number of cases within the reality TV industry. These suits reportedly deal with alleged exploitative practices, not only on Netflix's part but NBCUniversal's as well. Based on how Poche’s case along with others of its kind shake out, there could be major changes to how contracts are written up for talent moving forward. Geragos shared that he and his team expect “thousands of claimants to come forward” once more realize their contracts are “illegal.” 

This latest development arrives in the aftermath of Season 2 star Nick Thompson alleging that the Netflix series contributed to his financial struggles. In addition, Season 4’s Jackelina Bonds dropped claims about having her skip the reunion last minute due to her “mental health.” Only time will tell how the plaintiffs, defendants and the entertainment industry as a whole are impacted as Renee Poche's lawsuit and the others move forward. 

All the while, Netflix is getting ready for Love is Blind Season 6 to premiere on February 14. As it stands, it remains one of the most anticipated entries on the 2024 TV schedule.

SPOILERS are ahead for The Golden Bachelor. You can catch up on Gerry Turner’s complete journey now with a Hulu subscription.

As congratulations are in order for Mr. Gerry Turner on being the successful first subject of The Golden Bachelor, I’m ready for seniors to take over reality dating shows. That opinion is coming from me, a 27-year-old, who seemingly has a lot more in common with the singles on every other season of The Bachelor franchise. I can honestly say that I’ve never been more glued and invested to a dating journey on a TV show than I was with The Golden Bachelor, and looking ahead, I want to talk about some other dating shows that I watch that’d I love to see go in this direction next. 

Let’s be honest here, for years, dating shows like The Bachelor have had us tuning in to primarily make fun of its contestants as we watch them be placed in the impossible scenarios dating shows create. However, the tone was instantly different when it came to The Golden Bachelor. I can recall catching myself crying just minutes into turning on the wholesome season premiere when Gerry opened up about losing his wife of over 40 years before meeting a group of hopeful women all looking for a chance at lasting love in their 60s and 70s. Hearing the “time we have left” on its own got me misty. Anyway, now that The Golden Bachelor has clearly proved fruitful with Gerry and Theresa’s upcoming wedding, here’s the other dating shows I want to see be overrun with seniors. 

The Bachelorette

The natural followup to the success of The Golden Bachelor is, of course, The Golden Bachelorette. And actually, it seems like this could very well happen following Gerry’s journey being a runaway hit. While the spinoff has yet to be announced, I did notice  a call for grandpas looking for love during the finale, so I imagine the ABC executives are mulling over the creation of the show as I write this. Even so, I have to talk about why I want to see The Golden Bachelorette. 

One of the big reasons why The Golden Bachelor was so moving for so many was because it showed off a group of ladies in their 60s and 70s who are absolutely thriving (and looking good while they do it). Each of the ladies’ stories really worked against the type we often see on screen that at a certain point, life stops. I would love to see a group of senior men do what the single women did in The Golden Bachelor, and to see a bunch of grandpas try to win the love and attention of one woman, of course. 

Bachelor In Paradise 

Back in 2014, ABC found another The Bachelor-related pivot when it created Bachelor In Paradise, which is a more chaotic form of the series that has a mix of men and women who share a space in Mexico and all vie for each other’s love. While I admittedly tend to skip out on this dating series, oh what I would give to see the senior edition of this premise. I’m honestly not sure what it would even be like with older contestants, I just know I want to see it. 

Love Is Blind 

Then there’s Netflix’s flagship dating series, Love Is Blind, which has become a real stinker in the past couple years, as it seems like the experiment is just no longer working on its stars. After seeing where Love Is Blind Season 5’s couples ended up, with just one couple getting married of a huge mix of singles, I think this series is ready for a shakeup, and rounding up seniors might be the answer! 

While I can imagine keeping up appearances isn’t necessarily as important to older daters as it is in one’s younger years, I’m absolutely sure it still comes into play and is the subject of a series of roadblocks when it comes to older people finding love. The Golden Bachelor proved to bring more maturity to a dating show, and I’d be curious to see how the experiment could work on another age range of hopeful singles. 

The Ultimatum

Another one of Netflix’s popular dating shows is The Ultimatum. In this show, a host of couples who have been together for sometime, but have not gotten married yet come on the show and pair up with new people. Each person spends some time seeing if the grass is greener on the other side with another partner or if they are ready to commit to the person with whom they came in. As you can imagine, things get dramatic. When it comes to bringing seniors in for this one, I have a twist from the original premise.

I think The Golden Ultimatum would be focused on longtime couples (married or not) who are dealing with problems, and their “ultimatum” is they work on their relationship or they separate/divorce. So it's the same thing, but in reverse. While I think it would be very messy and wild, I also think it has the potential to get into some great subjects regarding long term relationships and why/how they last or fizzle out. 

While I’m not sure that every dating show is going to take the same note from The Golden Bachelor and cast older stars, I do think it was incredibly refreshing to see Gerry Turner’s dating show experience, not only for the franchise, but for the representation of different age groups in the dating world. 

As a 27-year-old, it was refreshing to me to see people in their elder years dealing with being in love, experiencing heartbreak and so forth as a reminder that one’s life isn’t contained to figuring it out in one's 20s and 30s; the highs and lows of relationships is a lifetime journey. Plus, The Golden Bachelor became the stage for profound conversations about grief and loss too. No matter the age, here’s to more reality dating shows being genuine and making us feel things rather than simply point and laugh. 

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind Season 5! All episodes are available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

Of all of the rollercoasters Love Is Blind has taken us on, Season 5 might be the most twisty of them all. From unexpected love triangles to perhaps the most awkward breakup we’ve ever seen on the show, there is a lot that went on this time around for the Houston, Texas singles. Season 5 might actually go down in history as the most unsuccessful season of the Netflix dating show, especially now that we know where each of the couples ended up. 

Following the Love Is Blind season finale and reunion (which took place about a year and a half after the events of the season), let’s talk about all the updates we know regarding each of the couples this season. Where are they now?

JP & Taylor

The first couple we watched get engaged in the pods during Season 5 of Love Is Blind was 26-year-old Taylor Rue and 32-year-old Jared "JP" Pierce. The pair had a cute time in the pods, but it was all downhill after their blind engagement. During their idyllic vacation in Mexico, the fiances had a rough time moving forward with their relationship, especially on the communication front, and ultimately split rather than continue the experiment at home. 

Since then, JP and Taylor remain exes. In fact, during the reunion, they confirmed that they did not speak to each other at all between their awkward split and coming back for the final episode. A few weeks prior to that, Taylor told CinemaBlend she’s been in a “really good place” lately, and she has “gotten past” the breakup, but it definitely took her “some time to get over it.” At the reunion, JP said he’s been in a relationship for about a year, and Taylor is dating someone new too. Neither of them have gone public with their current relationships. 

Chris & Johnie

Christopher Fox and Johnie Maraist never got engaged during the pods after dating one another, but shortly after their time in the experiment ended, the pair showed up at a Love Is Blind BBQ full of the other contestants all coupled up again. They shared that after leaving the experiment, they unexpectedly found each other at the airport and decided to try dating in the real world. Since they were out of the experiment at that point that was the last update we saw from Chris and Johnie until the reunion. 

At the reunion, we learned that their second chance didn’t last for very long. Chris apparently ended up dating someone else at the same time as Johnie, and she found out about it from a friend. Chris shared that he has since apologized to her for the situation, and he continued to date the other woman for over a year and currently lives with her. Johnie on the other hand has found love herself. She debuted her new man (in the above Instagram post) as they celebrated their one-year anniversary. Chris and Johnie had a rocky time during Love Is Blind, but they seem to be separately happy with new people!  

Aaliyah & Uche 

Then there’s Aaliyah Cosby and Uche Okoroha's tumultuous time on Love Is Blind. Things got messy in the pods this season when we learned that two contestants on the show had actually dated each other before they started dating other people in the pods. Those people were Uche and Lydia, which turned into a complicated situation when Uche and Aaliyah were headed toward engagement all the while Aaliyah and Lydia had become best friends. 

It was an unfortunate situation that led to Aaliyah unexpectedly leaving the pods. Aaliyah and Uche later met in person but it led to them breaking up.

Over a year later, Aaliyah revealed at the reunion that she’s currently in a great relationship with someone who treats her like a “queen” after meeting the mystery man on an R&B cruise. Uche on the other hand, opted to not go to the Love Is Blind reunion reportedly due to being on a business trip. He shared the update following the episode along with saying he was planning to address it “soon,” (via People). I guess we haven’t heard the last of Uche yet! 

Lydia & Milton 

Although Lydia Velez Gonzalez found herself in the middle of the drama between Uche and Aaliyah in the pods, the 32-year-old geologist came out of the experiment with a husband in 25-year-old James “Milton” Johnson IV. Many had doubts about these two, but they ended up becoming the only successfully married couple on the fifth season of Love Is Blind. The couple said “I do” in front of the cameras during the finale, and now, they have been married for almost two years. Check out this sweet post from Milton about their relationship: 

Wow, they are so sweet! Lydia and Milton’s relationship is great proof that the experiment can work. The couple faced a lot of adversity throughout the season, including their sizable age gap, but came out on the other side happy and in love. At the reunion, they looked as solid as ever, and Milton shared that he’s been doing long-term planning on their 401K! 

Izzy & Stacy

Lastly, let’s talk about the fate of Izzy Zapata and Stacy Snyder’s relationship. The couple completed the entire experiment right up to sharing a wedding day, Love Is Blind style. At the altar, Izzy said “I do” to spending the rest of his life with Stacy, but she was not on the same page. She decided not to marry him, claiming the pair needed more time to work through her doubts before becoming husband and wife. However, as we learned during the reunion, the couple did not last long following their defunct wedding. 

During the reunion, the couple shared that they met about a week following the wedding to talk things out, but ultimately parted ways. Izzy shared he was really angry and hurt, and they didn’t speak for a whole year. 

They reconnected after accidentally running into one another and have since become friends. In a funny story the couple shared during the reunion, they also ended up doing a double date cooking class by chance. Following the reunion, Izzy revealed his new girlfriend, who is apparently the woman from the cooking class. It must be pretty serious too because they have matching “yes, chef” tattoos (above). It sounds like Stacy might be in a relationship now too, but she hasn’t gone public with it. 

And there you have it! Another Love Is Blind season is on the books! Following a season pretty wanting in the actual “love” department one has to wonder if the series will make any changes to the format. You can find your next show by checking out the 2023 TV premiere dates here on CinemaBlend. 

This story includes spoilers for Love Is Blind Season 5, Episode 7, which is now streamable with a Netflix subscription.

The latest batch of Love Is Blind episodes see each of the new season's couples navigating life in the real world for the first time after their blind engagements and idyllic vacations. And amid that, one shocking surprise took place in Episode 7, “First Class Love.” During a heated reunion between many of the stars from Season 5, viewers learned Chris and Johnie actually got back together after their breakup in the pods! Following the big reveal, CinemaBlend spoke to Chris about his "surreal" encounter with his partner outside the pods as well as what happened next.

During the BBQ reunion meet-up, Chris and Johnie showed up together as boyfriend and girlfriend. As shared, the two magically ran into each other at the airport after their time in the pods. When we spoke to the 28-year-old project manager, he candidly discussed his first encounter with Johnie outside the pods, saying this:  

As the couple shared in Episode 7, Johnie was trying to take a nap at the airport when she heard Chris taking a call at the same time and recognized him. During the episode, Chris revealed both he and Johnie realized they were meeting each other in such a spontaneous way, and he ultimately decided to give her another chance. 

But of course, their relationship reveal was followed by some drama. Izzy questioned the relationship at the BBQ and confronted the two. Since he dated Johnie too and sensed some shadiness from her, Izzy warned Chris. Now, Chris and Johnie didn't get engaged like the other ones, so the stakes are significantly lower in this case. They did, however, seem rather serious, considering Johnie shared that she already introduced him to her mom. 

What happens next with the relationship has yet to be divulged but, following the surprise reveal, more insight should arrive in the three additional episodes and reunion. (Hopefully, that latter event will air on time, unlike the last one.) Love Is Blind reunions are always packed with surprises, and we’ll soon learn whether the couple is still going strong or broke things off again. We kept things spoiler free in our interview, but Chris did share that there’s “nothing” he would change about his experience on LIB and that he found it to be an "incredible experience.” He also alluded to experiencing “heartbreak” during the experiment, but we’ll have to wait to find out what he means. 

Did he leave the experiment with a meet-cute with Johnie that blossomed into lifelong romance? We'll see when more Love Is Blind episodes arrive this Friday, October 6 ahead of the finale, which airs on October 13! You can also look over the 2023 TV schedule for premiere info on other majors shows.

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind Season 5, Episode 6, now streaming with a Netflix subscription. 

Every season Love Is Blind seeks to answer the question in its title, and every season the  Netflix dating show proves that for every fairytale love story there’s a cringey breakup to be seen. During the latest batch of episodes in Season 5, one major breakup was just revealed when Taylor and JP called it quits on their picturesque vacation, and wow, this one really got awkward. 

While Taylor and JP looked to have made an instant and deep connection in the pods, things really fizzled out from the pair almost as soon as they met one another in person. During Episode 6 “Going Home,” Taylor confronted JP’s quiet approach to their relationship ever since they laid eyes on each other during a private moment in their hotel room and she really didn’t like what she heard. As JP shared, he was really not into her “fake” makeup look and that was holding him back. 

After Taylor’s baffled reaction to the whole thing that led to the pair to break off their engagement, the 26-year-old teacher spoke to CinemaBlend about her current thoughts about what transpired in the experiment. In her words: 

From the start of the season Taylor was clear that self love is very important to her and throughout her season on Love Is Blind she stayed true to herself. The teacher seemed to notice right away the vibes were off with JP and once their conversation didn’t pan out as she wanted it to, she went her own way. Taylor continued, saying:

While it’s a bummer that Taylor couldn’t find true love in the pods that could last outside in the real world, the Love Is Blind contestant sounds level-headed about the whole thing and not willing to settle. We’ll be excited to see what other updates she and JP have during the reunion, that is if Netflix doesn’t have another failed live event. There were plenty of surprises during the Season 4 reunion and we expect nothing less from this season’s batch of singles and couples.  

Although Taylor and JP didn’t make it past the first few steps of the experiment, there’s numerous couples left to follow to the altar. You can look forward to Episode 8 and 9 hitting the streaming service on Friday, October 6. In the meantime, check out what other 2023 Netflix TV show premiere dates are on the way. 

Love Is Blind Season 5 has premiered – and boy, do I have thoughts. 

For those who know me, I'm not the biggest fan of dating reality shows, just because they have never been my cup of tea. I'd rather spend my time watching the best fantasy shows because my mind likes to immerse itself in those fantastical worlds. But there are specific dating shows on Netflix that I like to watch – one of which is the famous dating show Love Is Blind. 

The series has been running since 2020 and is quite popular on Netflix. It places singles in pods where they can't see the other, but they date and get to know each other. By the end of the experiment, some couples get engaged, and they meet face-to-face. The experiment is to test if love is truly blind. 

Love Is Blind Season 5's first four episodes have premiered. As someone who has watched this show – and found issues with its recent seasons  – I decided to give Season 5 a try to see if they made Love Is Blind better. And I have plenty of thoughts. 

I Like The Diverse Range Of Ages, Nationalities, And Ethnicities

A big issue that Love Is Blind had is that it felt as if we weren't getting that much range when it came to who their participants looked like. There wasn't a huge range of ethnicities or nationalities or even ages, as most people tended to be on the younger side. It was aggravating and made watching some of the other seasons a bit more tedious. 

However, as the seasons have progressed, Netflix and Love Is Blind seem to have tried to improve on the diversity of its participants, including the range of ages. At first, it felt as if the people who were brought in weren't aware of what they were doing and weren't mature enough to handle the heavy idea of marriage. But now, we have wider variety of ages. 

I also love that you can clearly see the push to try and include more ethnicities and nationalities. While not everyone featured on this Netflix Tudum article was one of the featured stars on the show, you can tell there were so many different ways they went with making sure there was more representation. It could be better, but it's a push in the right direction. 

But It's Still Lacking in Diversity Of Body Types

Body diversity is still a problem that we need to address. 

I don't think the experiment is accurate when everyone seen here could be a stunning model. And while I believe that anyone, regardless of their body, could pull off modeling, we all know these people are exactly what clothing companies look for.

There needs to be more body diversity. The closest we really got to someone looking slightly different from the typical person in Love is Blind was Alexa during Season 3, but even then she was utterly beautiful and not what you would imagine for a regular dating experiment with seemingly ordinary people. I did love her reaction to the Raven and SK cheating scandal though.

Regardless, there has to be more of a change. 

Is It Just Me, Or Did These People Talk Way More About Intimate Stuff In The Pods?

I felt very uncomfortable with some of this pod talk. I'm not sure why.

In the best way possible, some of the stuff that was revealed or spoken about in the pods almost felt like something that shouldn't have been shared on television. I feel like I'm intruding on a private conversation. There was talk of drug overdoses, cheating, and so much more. 

Maybe it's just me trying to show respect for people, but the cast members chose to do this, so it's not that big of a deal at the end of the day. It's just how I felt -- not sure if they went deeper or I'm just forgetting stuff from previous seasons. 

I'm Glad They Showed Way More Indecision This Time Around Rather Than Someone Instantly Going For One Person

Something that always bothered me with other Love Is Blind seasons is that it felt like some people rushed into marriage so quickly. J.P. and Taylor were the only two that got engaged early in the episodes.

But this time around, these participants are faced with some heavy tasks and we are thrown right into the thick of indecision, which makes for not only good drama but will most likely lead to some fun moments later. I may draw the line at listening in on conversations that feel super private but for the drama like a love triangle? That's the kind of stuff I'm into. 

Am I... Actually Invested In Some Of These Relationships?

Truthfully, I'll say that I don't think most of these relationships are going to work out incredibly well. Plenty of miscommunication is already happening, and it feels like a lot of stuff will go downhill fast for particular couples. 

But I am invested in these relationships. I enjoy a lot of their dynamics, as interesting and dramatic as they may be, and it certainly kept my attention.

Something else I find myself loving is the friendships that have formed. Those kinds of relationships I'm really invested in. I mean, just Lydia and Aaliyah's friendship and the downfall of that just reeled me in instantly. 

Izzy Is My Least Favorite Of The Bunch

Truthfully, most of the men here don't set off a red flag at all. Thankfully, we don't have any Bartise-type people this time around. Bartise called himself out after the fact, so he's not that bad anymore, but still. 

But there's one person I'm not a massive fan of: Izzy. It's funny because I did like him at first, but as he started to break up with Lydia and Johnie, in a pretty emotionally detached way, besides shedding a few tears, I got a significant ick. It felt like he wasn't affected that much, considering we saw him build these relationships very quickly. 

I wish him and Stacy the best, but I'm not feeling him that much. This is still just a TV show, so cuts are likely made to emphasize the drama, but he's not my favorite. Out of all the men, J.P. honestly stands out. Who wouldn't want a firefighter? 

But Overall, I Think This Season Might Be A Fun One - At Least More Than Season 4

Despite the few nitpicks I have, Season 5 caught my interest. I enjoyed watching it throughout the first four episodes, and I am excited about what's coming next. 

Is it going to become the dating show it once was in Seasons 1 and 2? No. I think those seasons of Love Is Blind are my favorite, and replicating the binge-ability from them is hard. But I will say that it's at least made strides in the right direction – and I'm eager to see where it goes.  

I mean, just from the preview trailer, it looks like there is going to be a lot of drama -- which means a lot of fun wine drinking parties while I gossip with my friends about it.

What are you looking forward to with Love Is Blind Season 5? The episodes premiere weekly, so September and October are about to be dramatic. Let's hope there isn't another live reunion after Love Is Blind's failed attempt at one. 

Love is Blind (which can be Netflix subscription holders) has featured a plethora of contestants since it premiered back in 2020. When a season is completed, fans are mostly treated to developments regarding a person’s relationship status. That was the case for Season 2 alum Nick Thompson, whose divorce from fellow series star Danielle Ruhl was widely reported on near the end of 2022. Now, almost a year later, Thompson is revealing that he’s suffering from significant financial issues. He also blames the previously mentioned streaming service for his inability to find a job. 

38-year-old Nick Thompson participated in a wide-ranging interview in which he was candid about his current financial and professional situations. He also accused the Love is Blind producers of keeping a tight leash on participants and claimed they’re “in control of you 24 hours a day” when you’re on the show. Thompson was particularly critical of his salary, which he says was “$7.14 an hour.” All in all, his 10 weeks of filming (which included After the Altar) apparently amounted to a $10,000 paycheck. He went on to share more critical thoughts about his returns and why he believes he can’t find steady employment: 

The former software VP was apparently unable to leave the show amid production as well. He claimed to Daily Mail that per the specifics of his contract, he could’ve faced $50,000 in damages had he dropped out. All in all, he’s unsatisfied with the manner in which reality TV stars are treated. He alleges that he and his Love is Blind co-stars “were manipulated” by producers and that their “triggers were utilized against [them].” On that note, he supports the formation of a union for reality show talent, which was recently called for by Real Housewives alum Bethenny Frankel. Thompson was later asked if he would’ve joined the show that “ruined his life completely” if he’d known how it would affect him and said the following: 

Netflix doesn’t release viewership numbers, but LiB has proven to be a massive success for the streamer. As such, it’s likely that the program has brought in a considerable amount of income for the company as well. Four seasons of the show have been released so far and a fifth is reportedly set to premiere later this year as part of the 2023 TV schedule.

Studio-amassed revenue has been a major topic of conversation in recent months due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA writers strikes. Both of those situations don’t directly impact the reality TV shows, as they don’t feature actors and are unscripted. That doesn’t, however, negate genre veterans’ desire to unionize for themselves. Nick Thompson aired more thoughts on how media companies are allegedly able to benefit from the content he and others help create:

As of right now, Nick Thompson – who contributed to some major LiB Season 2 moments – hosts a podcast called Eyes Wide Open. It was also reported earlier this year, that he’s one of the reality show’s many series alums who offers personal cameos. His seems unclear at this point but, at the very least, it sounds like he wants nothing to do with the “brutal, brutal, brutal industry” that is Hollywood.

Alright ya’ll – I’m sick of it. I’m sick of Love Is Blind. 

Okay, maybe that’s jumping a little too far, but yeah, I’m getting close to the edge right now, not going to lie. I remember I was so excited for Love Is Blind Season 4. After the mess that was the Season 3 finale and reunion, with so many moments that made me literally jump in shock and dramatic cast members that cause the whole internet to go into a tizzy, I was ready for a less-dramatic Season 4. 

I thought I was going to get that, but it seems Season 4 had even more shocking, thought provoking moments, marriages that I was surprised ended up happening, and a reunion that truly made me roll my eyes and turn off my laptop because why? 

Unfortunately, Season 5 for the show is filmed already, so it’s not like my suggestions could be put towards the next season – whenever it comes out. But, judging from how the series is received and how many people tune in to watch it, I think Season 6 isn’t that far off. So, let’s get into ways that Love Is Blind could improve for the future. 

Picking More Diverse-Looking Cast Members

At first, when watching this show, I really didn’t think that it was a big deal that people looked conventionally attractive. It was a dating show and most dating shows have been like that, so I wasn’t that surprised by the amount of “pretty people,” as I call them. Then the hosts, Nick and Vanessa Lachey, said that they were going to have a more diverse range of people. 

So, I was really excited for Season 4 specifically for that change, because that’s something new – until I saw just regular, conventionally attractive men and women who looked the same as previous seasons. 

Look, I’m not saying that the current cast isn’t fine. It is. But I’m also saying that any of them could be featured as a model so it’s not that surprising that most of them find each other attractive as soon as they step out of the pods. If you really want an experiment, there needs to be a better range of people who look different that can really test the connections. That’s the whole entire point of this show – is love truly blind? But, you can’t ask that when literally everyone here looks like they could be walk a runway during fashion week. 

Also, Casting People On The LGBTQ+ Spectrum

As someone who is a part of the LGBTQ+ spectrum who has seen plenty of great representation of that in TV in general recently, I wouldn’t mind Netflix taking part in that and adding people who are a part of that spectrum. 

The Ultimatum, another popular Netflix dating show which is also hosted by the Lacheys, is doing a whole season dedicated to queer love stories, which is really freaking cool. Most popular dating shows don’t have that kind of representation and it’s super awesome for one like this to be doing a fully queer season. 

Heck, even in The Perfect Match, there were people who were on the LGBTQ+ spectrum and ended up dating each other. Why can’t Love Is Blind do that, too? They are one of the biggest – if not the biggest – dating shows on the streaming site. It’s time to do something like that. 

It Also Needs Cast Members Who Actually Seem Like They’re Looking For Love

I won’t name names – but sometimes, it feels like these people are just coming onto the show to get famous, or to get followers, or something else. It does not feel like they are looking for love. It feels as if they are just there in order to get their name out to the world. 

What I really liked about the first two seasons of Love Is Blind is that it felt like many people were taking the experiment seriously – aside from Shake, but we don’t need to talk about him. Either way, I still really enjoyed most of those relationships because they felt like they were giving it an honest attempt, and I enjoyed the heck out of that. Season 3 – and especially Season 4 – did not give me that vibe at all. 

That’s why I’m saying that the pool of cast members needs to be diversified. People who don’t have a following online, people who don’t care about their social media profile. Just normal people. Maybe that’s why I liked Zack and Bliss from this season as one of the few couples I genuinely enjoyed – they just felt real in comparison to many of the others. 

The Show Needs New Hosts

I’m sorry but Nick and Vanessa have to go. 

I’m sure they are a very lovely couple who have a great love story, and I know they also host The Ultimatum, but they are not great hosts, at all. Maybe in the first season it was fine, but in Season 4? They need to be removedf. It feels like they are barely there – and even when they are, they don’t make an impact. They’re just sort of there to be there. 

When they actually have to do something – such as host a reunion – their questions are really not that good, and they clearly take sides in situations when you’re supposed to remain unbiased in stuff like this. The reunion for Season 4 was enough proof of that. Someone needs to go. 

Making Sure That The Cast Members Are All From The Same Town

Some of the biggest problems from Season 4 stem from this issue – namely Micah and Paul, and Kwame and Chelsea. Kwame at least lived mildly close to Seattle, in Portland, but Micah split her time between Seattle and Arizona. That is literally hundreds of miles away. That is insane for casting purposes. 

I know that the experiment is supposed to be about the strength of a relationship based on love and personality, but you can at least make the transition easier. Casting people who were so far away was specifically just to cause drama related to distance and in no way made this easy for these people. 

They may not be here to find love, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it a little easier on them by having everyone in the same city – or at least closer than Arizona. 

God, No More Live Reunions

I’m over it already. 

I know that most people would say they don’t want a live reunion anymore because of the snafu they ran into when it was supposed to air live, but truth be told, I have nothing against live events. The stand-up special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage went off without a hitch. Clearly, they were not prepared for the amount of people that would tune in for Love Is Blind, and if this were to continue, something would have to be changed. 

But, I say no more live reunions because there were so many parts of this show that should have been cut and edited. There were moments where conversations lasted way too long, fights that shouldn’t have even happened, and instances that made me want to pull my hair out. 

I’d rather see a taped reunion than this because it was too much. This should not be an hour and a half of just pure talking. If you’re going to give me a reunion, give me something good so I’m not wasting my time. 

That may sound a little harsh, but I really do enjoy Love Is Blind. There's a reason I sit down every time to watch it with a glass of rose in my hands. That doesn’t mean it’s exempt from criticism and there are ways it can improve. I only hope that they do see the feedback that fans have given, so we can move into a better show – where the love is real again. 

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind Season 4, now streaming with a Netflix subscription.

Well, another Love Is Blind season is in the books and it’s time to talk about it. A lot was certainly going on this season, between multiple love triangles, Zack actually changing his mind about who he wanted to marry after Mexico, and more actual marriages than any other single season the Netflix dating series has ever seen. Following the events of the finale, the Lacheys sat down with all the stars of the show for the reunion, and tea was spilled! 

The reunion took place one year after the events of Season 4 actually happened. We learned that all three married couples are still going strong and adjusting well to merging their lives, and those who left single didn’t rekindle any fires for the most part, but Jackelina and Josh are still together! Time to break down all the biggest surprises that happened during the Love Is Blind reunion.  

The Live Reunion Getting Cancelled

First off, of course we have to talk about the whole live fiasco that had Love is Blind fans confused and disappointed. Two weeks prior to the reunion, it was announced that, for the first time, Netflix would broadcast the post-finale episode live on Sunday evening. It was a great idea in theory, that would pull in a ton of viewers to the same event at the same time. However, it failed to air on time and the internet was not happy about it. It left viewers feeling stood up following the announcement and lead up to the special event. What a disaster for Netflix. We wonder if the streamer will try to go live again anytime soon after seriously dropping the ball! 

Zack Claiming Irina Only Went On Love Is Blind To Get Famous

Once the reunion finally arrived on Netflix, fans were treated to an hour and a half of catching up with the stars following the events of Season 4. The first 20 minutes were definitely focused on the happy couples, but things first started heating up when Zack’s ex, Irina, was brought on stage and she owned up to her actions on the show, which she later admitted was a “difficult experience”. There was especially a lot of tension when Zack spoke to his thoughts on their relationship before calling her out for apparently going on the show only to “get famous.” 

Irina refuted Zack’s claims, sharing that she was looking for love on the series, but realized that she acted “selfish” during the experience and treated her ex-fiancé poorly during their relationship. Both Zack and Bliss shared that they “forgive” Irina for her actions, but wow, that was intense! 

Irina DMing Bliss In Mexico That She ‘Dodged A Bullet’ 

Staying on the subject of the whole Irina/Zack/Bliss situation, it was also surprising to hear that Irina actually messaged Bliss while she was in Mexico with Zack, to say the other woman “dodged a bullet.” The point was brought up by host Nick Lachey, and Bliss confirmed it happened whilst she was not being truthful to Zack about her true feelings about him. 

Irina owned up to sending the text and apologized for it, admitting she’s “never treated someone so poorly.” Irina also gave audiences more of an insight into what was going through her mind when she met Zack for the first time and claimed she actually had a panic attack in Mexico because she was so uncomfortable about telling her fiancé at the time that she wasn’t feeling it. 

Zack Defending Paul, And Saying Micah Looks Like She’s ‘Out For Blood’

The conversations at the reunion regarding Paul and Micah’s breakup at the altar were rough! Vanessa Lachey spent a good bit of it asking Paul why he said he didn’t see his ex-fiancé as a mother. Micah was very emotional as she shared how heartbroken she was about the whole experience and questioned why Paul didn’t let her know how he was feeling about their relationship before they arrived at the altar. 

During the segment of the reunion, Zack is seen whispering something in Paul’s ear, which Vanessa clocked and asked him about. In response, Zack said he felt like Micah looked like she was “out for blood” when it came to Paul, because he was owning up to his mistakes but she was not forgiving him. Micah didn’t seem happy about Zack’s comments and snapped at him, asking if he was there during their intimate conversations. Zack also said that he’d heard from other women on the show that Micah never spoke seriously about marrying Paul. 

 Jackelina Saying Marshall Called Her A ‘Derogatory Term’ Ahead Of Breakup 

Another couple that had a dramatic conclusion were Jackelina and Marshall. She ended things with him after he learned she was not wedding dress shopping at the same time he was suit shopping with the boys. Shortly after she broke up with her fiancé, Jackelina met with Josh and as the reunion revealed, they are still together today, living together and share a dog. The couple did not attend the reunion in person, but rather gave an interview with Vanessa Lachey over video chat the day before the event was filmed. 

During the interview, Jackelina claimed that Marshall hit her with a derogatory term or “bad joke” during their relationship that rubbed her the wrong way and they ended up fighting about it and then he left for three days. Marshall then revealed that the joke had to do with him saying she had a “strong jawline” and she could have been a man, which she took offense to, but cleared up he didn’t say a specific “derogatory name” to her. 

Why Jackelina Wanted To Keep The Ring Marshall Gave Her 

Another surprising moment about the Jackelina interview was the moment when Vanessa asked her about keeping the ring Marshall proposed to her with. During the season, there was a scene where Marshall asked for it back and she refused. In the reunion episode, Jackelina claimed that she didn’t give it back because she thought he was going to use it to propose to someone else from the Love Is Blind pods. Josh then jumped in and said Marshall and the other girl broke up two weeks after the production of Season 4 ended. 

All the while, Marshall’s reaction box showed that it was perhaps news to him. Marshall then shared that he went on a date with another cast member after his breakup with Jackelina, but he wasn’t in the right headspace to jump into another relationship. 

That Bartise And Baby Cameo

Our last surprise is more random than particularly shocking. Toward the end of the reunion, Season 3’s Bartise was brought on to deliver a video message question to the Season 4 cast. In the video, Bartise was shown holding his baby boy, Hayden, and asking the couples who will be the first to have children. We all have so many questions about Bartise suddenly becoming a father, but hey, good for him. The baby pressure segment was pretty awkward for all the couples who’ve only known each other for a year, but sure! 

That’s a wrap! Now we wait for the After The Altar episodes and can look forward to the next Netflix dating series, The Ultimatum: Queer Love, premiering on May 24. 

Stream Love Is Blind on Netflix.

SPOILERS are ahead for Love Is Blind Season 4, if you haven't seen the finale yet, you can watch the reality show with a Netflix subscription. 

The latest Love Is Blind season is a wrap, but as fans of the series who were anticipating the live reunion on Sunday know, the fact that the Netflix dating show didn’t air on time caused a big stir. That, plus one of the key contestants, Jackelina Bonds, was not present at the reunion itself to give Marshall closure after breaking up with him, and starting a relationship with another man she met in the pods. Apparently, Jackelina and Josh skipping the reunion for an awkward Zoom interview instead was Netflix’s decision, not Jackelina’s, and she's opening up about it.

The Love Is Blind star has revealed that Netflix actually asked her to skip the reunion and even cancelled her booked flight pretty last minute. As Jackelina shared: 

In an interview with The Wrap, Jackelina spoke to why she was not at the Season 4 reunion. Apparently the producers had concerns over her mental health after a psych evaluation, and it was decided she would not be physically joining the live taping.

Jackelina wanted to be there and had plans to do so, but she believes that Netflix didn’t want her to voice her criticism of the way her storyline on the show was edited. She previously took to Instagram to dispute how Love Is Blind presented her breakup with Marshall. She explained that when the series presented her getting coffee with Josh before she broke up with Marshall, that was not how things happened, thereby making her look like a villain in the reality show. In regards to the timeline of learning she would not be attending the reunion, here’s what else she said: 

Despite Jackelina not being physically present for the reunion, she and Josh did appear during the show during an edited Zoom call with host Vanessa Lachey, who tens of thousands of fans have sent petitions to get her off the show. During the interview filmed prior to the reunion, Jackelina clarified the circumstances around the breakup, and she shared that she kept Marshall’s ring because she thought he was going to propose to another woman he met on the show. 

Sounds like some drama is brewing behind the scenes of Love Is Blind, regarding Jackelina and the Netflix producers. What happens on the reunion stage can be very emotionally taxing, as Irina opened up about after showing up and owning up to treating her ex Zack poorly, and admitting she was selfish during the airing of the show. 

The cast of Love Is Blind are filmed while looking for lifetime partners in a matter of weeks. The Netflix show certainly sees its stars at their worst as they deal with the emotional pressure of going through the rushed experiment and deciding whether not to say “I do” in a real-life binding marriage. 

During this season, three couples out of the five who got engaged without seeing each other’s faces actually got married. One couple, Micah and Paul, broke up at the altar when Paul said no, while Jackelina broke up with Marshall before their wedding day came. She did however connect back with Josh from the pods and has since been in a relationship with him. 

For four seasons now, Vanessa and Nick Lachey have been the happy couple hosting the Netflix phenomenon Love Is Blind. The former 98 Degrees singer and NCIS: Hawaiʻi star help keep the dating experiment moving, especially when it comes to moderating the Love Is Blind cast reunions. But apparently a lot of fans are not satisfied with the Lacheys' role in the series and are taking action to get them replaced. 

A Change.org petition asking Netflix to remove Vanessa and Nick Lachey is collecting signatures, and it’s in the tens of thousands! At the time of this article’s publication, the number is close to 26,000 people who agree that the Love Is Blind hosts need to change. The petition organizer, Libby Cross, started it five months ago, but it’s particularly gaining traction now after the Love Is Blind Season 4 reunion didn’t air on time. 

The petition calls the hosts “pretty useless and out of place” and accuses them of being more concerned with “directing as much attention at themselves and their personal lives” rather than focusing on the contestants looking for love in the experiment that has couples get engaged before seeing each other’s faces. From there, they move in together for a few weeks and decide whether or not to marry at a wedding in front of their friends and family. 

In the description for the petition, the Lacheys are called a particularly “cringey” part of the series, and a few examples are listed of their past behavior. For example, Nick was called out for shading ex-wife Jessica Simpson in a previous reunion, while Vanessa was called “domineering.” Plus, the fan takes issue with the hosts not guiding its cast through the show’s emotional rollercoaster experiences. 

Clearly the petition organizer is not the only fan who feels this way about the Love Is Blind hosts, and the reunion was a motivator for thousands who are not feeling love toward the Lacheys. After a dramatic season that included love triangles, breakups and real marriages, the hosts moderated the delayed reunion where we learned more about what we didn’t see from the pods and received updates on how the cast is a year after starting the experiment. 

Outside the show, Nick Lachey was also ordered to attend AA and anger management last month after a scuffle with the paparazzi. Vanessa Lachey apparently has been standing by her husband amidst the incident, though believed he “behaved inappropriately.” 

Will the petition actually affect Love Is Blind going forward? Time will tell. You can watch all four seasons of the series with a Netflix subscription. The next Netflix dating series to look forward to is a new version of The Ultimatum, which is focused on queer couples and hosted by JoAnna Garcia Swisher rather than the Lacheys. 

Even if you’re not a big dating show fan, there are probably few people with a Netflix subscription who don’t realize that the romantic shenanigans featured on Love Is Blind every season nab lots of attention. In Season 4, viewers have been talking about the ‘ride or die’ friendship between Bliss and Chelsea, how the latter and her fiancé, Kwame, don’t seem to have actual chemistry, and a host of other topics. A big point of conversation now is the live reunion that, well, mostly wasn’t actually live, but Irina has now opened up about her emotional moment during the taping and why she was “hurt.”

What Did Love Is Blind’s Irina Say About Being ‘Hurt’ And Emotional During The Reunion?

There have now been four cast reunions for this dating show, and I don’t know if any of them have gone off without at least one person tearing up while talking about their experiences. The Love Is Blind Season 3 reunion saw Cole positively sobbing about how he’d made his one-time fiancée, Zanab, feel, and when Entertainment Tonight spoke with Irina about her Season 4 reunion appearance, she revealed that she had a pretty emotional moment during the taping, but doesn’t think fans would have seen it: 

Myself and many other viewers were left in the dark during Sunday’s reunion, as technical difficulties kept the special from starting on time, and when it did, only a select few were able to actually watch. The pre-recorded episode wasn't available at the time of this writing (it's set to hit the streamer on April 17 at 3 p.m. EST), so, I’m not sure if those who were able to watch it live actually saw Irina cry during the proceedings, or if she’s correct that cameras didn’t catch her.

However, seeing as how many people watch this and other reality shows for the messy drama, her thought that fans wanted to see her “hurt and laughed at” does make some sense. Irina and her pod-buddy, Micah, both apologized publicly after the season began airing, when viewers complained about their mean-girl behavior toward the other women. I had many thoughts while watching the first five episodes, including whether or not my fellow viewers saw how callous the duo was when it came to others’ feelings.

Not only were they both shown laughing as other women returned from dates crying (like with one of Jackelina’s emotional moments), but Irina did a piss poor and somewhat cruel job of revealing to her fiancé, Zack, that she actually wasn’t into him once they met and were face-to-face. It all caused strong feelings from viewers, who very well might have wanted to see Irina get her comeuppance during the reunion, with members of the live studio audience actually booing her. She continued:

The reality star admitted that having her behavior on TV and then sitting through the reunion was “pretty tough,” she seems resolved to “work on myself” amid the backlash, and noted that she’s “not going to let these three weeks filmed in my life define the rest of my life.” Here’s hoping that she really does learn from the backlash and continue to grow.

It’s tough out here in these streaming streets, y’all. And that means that every service you can think of is trying to find just the right content to keep people handing over their dollars on a monthly basis. Well, folks with a Netflix subscription who have helped make one of the streamer’s dating shows, Love Is Blind, a hit across four seasons are doing anything but singing the site’s praises now. The Season 4 reunion was set to air live on April 16, but failed to get going when promised, and you can bet the internet has lots of thoughts about what happened.

What Did People Have To Say About The Love Is Blind Season 4 Reunion Not Airing As Planned?

Honestly, when it was announced in early April that viewers would be able to watch Jackelina and Marshall interact after their breakup during a live reunion episode, it seemed like a very good idea. Few dating shows get the kind of attention that LIB has continued to nab, so a live special with lots of unexpected drama should have been a boon. Unfortunately, the episode didn’t begin taping in front of its in-studio audience until after a delay of over 75 minutes, and fans on Twitter were definitely not feeling that:

There was, as is usual, quite a bit of romantic messiness on Love Is Blind Season 4, and eager viewers wanted to see how the not-so-chemistry-deficient Chelsea and Kwame were doing after their big finale reveal, and maybe get some more insight on things we didn’t see from the pods, and without anyone being able to deliver spoilers because of the show’s live nature. That wait time was also a killer, and while the streamer did apologize for the extended and disappointing delay, that didn’t stop viewers from making some LIB appropriate jokes:

However, the show being able to eventually stream for some (one user mentioned being able to watch on TikTok, which was likely courtesy of someone in the studio audience), but not those attempting to watch on the streamer, left many severely disappointed, with one fan tweeting that Netflix should “leave the live shows to the major platforms that can clearly handle them” and noting that the reunion mess up “was not the disappointment I needed to start my week off with.”

As you might recall, this is not the first time the grandaddy of all streaming has attempted a live special. In fact, it was just in early March that Chris Rock: Selective Outrage hit the service as its first ever global live stream, and that went off without a hitch. People are already having a hard time with Netflix, as it continues to cancel beloved (but, as it turns out, not widely watched) shows, and you can likely imagine what the LIB snafu led some subscribers to say:

With any new idea as big as the live Love Is Blind reunion, you can bet that other streamers and networks were watching to see how this experiment in reality show TV would go down, and, uh, well, the good folks at some of them absolutely had snarky things to say when it was clear fans would be waiting for a long time. For instance, those at Bravo, which is a network known for blockbuster reality show reunion reveals, posted the cheeky note “We would never keep you waiting for a Reunion” followed by a winky face emoji, while Hulu’s Twitter post went with something a bit less obvious to those not monitoring the live reunion situation:

If you are still interested in seeing how things are going for the Season 4 couples, the Love Is Blind reunion will now air (not live) on Monday, April 17, at 3 p.m. EST.

SPOILERS are ahead for the finale to Love Is Blind Season 4, now streaming with a Netflix subscription. 

Last week, Love Is Blind fans were left wondering at the altar of Chelsea and Kwame’s wedding when the penultimate episode ended on a cliffhanger right before the groom’s answer. While waiting nervously for an “I do” or very awkward “I don’t,” fans flocked to the internet to share their stresses for Kwame and Chelsea’s relationship, with many even claiming these two weren’t it. Now that the finale has revealed their relationship status, Kwame is addressing the criticism. 

As the beginning of the finale episode reveals, Kwame and Chelsea do indeed get married and become husband and wife as a result of the Netflix dating show experiment. Following the reveal, Kwame took to Instagram to share more of the relationship that fans didn’t see. Check it: 

Kwame shared a series of photos and videos of the now-married couple in the in-between moments the series itself didn’t show. You can tell the pair of Love Is Blind contestants are very happy together here, especially when they are singing in the car together. Kwame said the couple moments were all taken during their engagement when the cameras were not on them. 

The contestant also took a moment to share that he doesn’t “blame” those who thought he and Chelsea didn’t have “chemistry” or real love for each other. He said that the pair had the “MOST fun together falling in love” rather. It’s all in the editing, and it’s likely Netflix chose clips of the pair struggling to add to the dramatic narrative and keep us guessing about whether they would say “I do” or not. Chelsea on the other hand, took to her Instagram story to post this: 

Chelsea posed with a bottle of Coca-Cola and reminded fans of the show that the Love Is Blind cast are not characters in a show, but real people. It looks like she’s been exposed to some of the comments and many of them were very “hurtful.” Chelsea promoted positivity on her social media feed as fans chatter about the Love Is Blind finale on its release day. 

Kwame is certainly not the only Love Is Blind contestant who has spoken to the differences between the reality show and real life. Following Jackelina and Marshall’s breakup, Jackelina disputed how the series handled the order of events of her leaving Marshall and meeting for coffee with Josh. Additionally, when CinemaBlend interviewed Bliss recently, she spoke to aspects of the pod experience the series left out when it comes to her relationship with Zack.  

Next up, we’ll see where all the couples are now during the reunion episode, streaming live on Netflix this Sunday at 5 p.m. PT.