”Love Is Blind” is Dystopian. So Why is it So Hard to Stop Watching?
I recently realized the cultural relevance of “Love Is Blind” when I stumbled upon a W Magazine interview where actors shared their guilty pleasures. A shocking number of them, including Zendaya and Harris Dickinson, admitted to being avid viewers of the reality show. Finding this clip made me feel much better about immediately dropping everything at any given time to watch a new season of “Love Is Blind”, because if Ryan Destiny can do it, so can I. But more importantly, it led me to question why the show has such a strong hold on so many of us despite its flaws.
The premise of the show alone is enough to question our loyalty to it. Putting 30 singles in pods for 10 days in hopes that they fall in love with someone, sight unseen, and marry them within a month is absurd. I often pause the show for a “what am I watching” moment in between clips. The show’s distinctive take on showcasing people finding love sets it apart from other reality TV shows, making it instantly intriguing. It attempts to answer the age-old question “is love blind?” in such a literal and manufactured way that it almost does answer it. The answer that the show presents is up to each individual viewer and what they decide to focus on. On the one hand, there’s been a handful of relationships that have flourished after the show. On the other hand, there have been instances where two singles are committed to each other in the pods, but as soon as they meet in person and either one realizes the other is not their type, they suddenly see that they made an irrational decision.
As much as there is humor to situations like these —another reason we keep watching — many have realized how starkly it represents modern-day dating, where online platforms have become a primary way of meeting people. “Love Is Blind” depicts the ‘swipe left, swipe right’ culture prevalent today, with cast members dating multiple people in a short amount of time and having to judge their marriage compatibility based on what their favorite movie is.
Throughout its 8 seasons of streaming, “Love is Blind” has been the subject of many Twitter chats due to its controversial production, cast, and subject matter. Netflix has received multiple lawsuits from previous cast members alleging violations ranging from inhumane working conditions to emotional distress. The streaming company never fully addressed these allegations but rather pushed a whopping 4 seasons of “Love Is Blind” between 2023 and 2024. As much as the lawsuits never felt like they came to a full resolution, they opened conversations around the impact of reality TV on those that are in it. The objectification of cast members—who are often edited to feel fictional—can have more harmful effects than many initially realized, a concern that extends beyond dating shows to reality TV as a whole. Watching the experiences of the couples in “Love is Blind” has also brought up discussions around topics such as healthy friendships, gaslighting, body positivity, and jealousy. This is another reason why many are hooked to their screens during “Love Is Blind” season. It feels like there is always an opportunity for a larger conversation to be instigated through the events on the show.
The most recent season of “Love Is Blind” featured real copyrighted music which is yet another testament to how popular and relevant the show has become. It will be interesting to see whether it continues to grow as years progress or whether its peculiarity will finally catch up to it, but for now, the Lachey’s will continue to be a staple on our screens.