Entertainment
Netflix’s ‘Love Is Blind’ Experiment Is Completely Broken After 10 Seasons
Evolution in reality television is natural. In fact, it’s necessary. To establish longevity in the industry, shows need to evolve to avoid staleness while maintaining their integrity. For the hit Netflix series Love Is Blind, the evolution of the reality TV genre has been on full display within its ten seasons, as it’s gone from a fascinating experiment to mindless entertainment.
The Ohio season marks Season 10 of Love Is Blind. When it began in 2020, it served as a groundbreaking series that not only shaped reality TV dating shows but also how we examine dating in the real world. The premise of the experiment was to truly test whether men and women could remove sex and attraction and find their person through emotional connection. At first, we learned it was possible. But 10 seasons later, we’ve learned the experiment is broken. Between Jessica Barrett dumping Chris Fusco because he tends to go for “pilates girls” to Priyanka Grandhi and Alex Henderson knowing each other pre-pods, it’s just not the same anymore. Love Is Blind needs a hard reset.
‘Love Is Blind’s Participants Are Missing the Point of Netflix’s Experiment
Like in any reality show, casting is key. Not only do we have to care about the characters, but they have to be engaging. For a show like Love Is Blind, finding genuine individuals who want to explore the depths of the dating experiment is crucial. Recruiting via LinkedIn to fill a gap will destroy the experiment. While each season is geographically specific, the casting appears to detract from the series’ mission.
Maybe the casting team is being snowed by the prospective Pod Squad, who claim they’re all in on the experiment, but the number of individuals who prove to be looks-only and deal-breakers ruins the optimism the show once had. In the first two episodes, it was shocking to hear Chris tell Jessica that he needed more in the bedroom and explain how her physical attraction didn’t match the women he would be into. Jessica, a beautiful woman, cut ties because Chris’ admission was a slap in the face. But Chris wasn’t alone. Other participants doubled down on their shock when meeting their match based on physical appearance. It’s a trend that is taking over more and more each season.
‘Love Is Blind’s Mission Has Been Completely Lost
Not every couple is as fixated on physical appearances, thankfully. We have some incredible characters this season, including Emma Betsinger, who felt like her scarred arm from precancerous birthmarks on her body may have hurt her with dating in the past. She revealed to Mike Gibney that, as someone who was adopted, she was unsure of having kids because she didn’t know if her health history would affect them. Mike and Emma have had strong conversations about the family matter, which makes this experiment work. But the overwhelming chatter online continues to be about how the men on Love Is Blind this season are very fixated on appearances.
‘Love Is Blind’ Season 9 Is Incredibly Cringey for Many, Many Reasons
‘Love Is Blind’ Season 9’s couples are giving very strange energy.
While we have a celebratory couple in Christine Hamilton and Vic St. John — the most promising pair to head to the altar, who had a random solo honeymoon — the focus is not on the promise, but on the drama of the other couples. The Pod Squad’s meet-up once again led to individuals who did not pair up trying to break up established couples. (At least Bri McNees shut Chris down, even after he slid into her DMs.)
Netflix’s ‘Love Is Blind’ Needs One Stellar Season ASAP
Love Is Blind has a brilliant premise, but the show that it used to be is no longer what is being presented. The individuals the casting department pick must be pre-compatible. We know hard conversations about politics, faith, and family occur, but that part of the social experiment has become second fiddle. Gone are the days of our perfect couple, Lauren Speed-Hamilton and Cameron Hamilton.
Perhaps, instead of two seasons per calendar year, the focus should be on generating one solid season where “I do” actually happens. Coming off of Season 9’s marriage-less season, our anticipation of success is waning. Season 10 is once again leaning on the drama rather than the excitement of how we, as a society, can find our person sight unseen.
- Release Date
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February 13, 2020
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Chris Coelen
- Directors
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Chris Coelen
- Writers
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Chris Coelen
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Nick Lachey
Self – Host 1
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Vanessa Lachey
Self – Host 2
