Contestants could speak, but not see each other, in these pods.
Griffin Sendek | Photo Editor
03/12/2020
I had zero intention of watching Love is Blind, the new reality dating show from Netflix. When asked if I wanted to watch, it would be a lie to say that I was overly enthusiastic about the proposition. But I kindly obliged, got comfy in front of the TV with a big bowl of popcorn — then the unexpected happened, Love is Blind immediately hooked me.
This show likes to remind viewers that it is not just any dating series, but, as referred to many times by hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey, it is an experiment — an experiment with the goal to find if two people can make a connection and fall in love without ever seeing the other’s faces, and to find out once and for all if love is truly blind.
This show begins with isolating 15 men and women away from their phones and all outside contact, and the only time the men and women are able to meet one another is in what are known as the pods.
The pods can be best described as an amalgamation of Tinder and a Catholic confessional. Each member of the show goes on “dates” where they sit and talk to one another taking notes along the way.
Those who truly make a connection in the pods make a marriage proposal, after which they get to see each other for the very first time. After proposals are made the marriages are already scheduled only four weeks away.
If you think all of these people are crazy for jumping directly into a marriage after barely knowing one another, you’d be right, and that is exactly what makes this ridiculous show so compelling.
The drama in Love is Blind is played up to the absolute max, it uses every single reality TV convention in the book. Interspersing dialogue with intense close-up reaction shots, melodramatic music specifically tailored to guide the emotions of the audience and private interviews with each of the contestants.
If you think all of these people are crazy for jumping directly into a marriage after barely knowing one another you’d be right, and that is exactly what makes this show so compelling.
The nature of the sped-up timetable from the first meeting to weddings means many of these lucky couples didn’t get the chance to share certain “small” things about one another.
For the case of Amber and Barnett’s loving engagement, it was not until the ring was on the finger that Amber elected to divulge she has thousands of dollars in students loans from a degree she never received, hundreds of dollars in credit card debt, and a work ethic so poor it led her to be homeless on multiple occasions.
Love is Blind is not afraid to acknowledge the ridiculousness of the situation. A huge piece of the show is conversations with friends and family about who are very wary of the whole situation. Every step of the way the show is asking the couples if they are making the right decision if they are truly ready to be married.
Netflix traditionally releases shows in one big chunk, however Love is Blind was released in separate chunks which was a perfect decision for a show of this nature. The lack of commercials keeps the drama in the episodes nonstop, but the weekly breaks kept the audience hesitantly waiting for more.
Love is Blind is a ridiculous train wreck that is as dramatic as it is hilarious — I highly recommend a watch.
