Author Spotlight
Madeline Funkey
Saying “I do”’ to someone you’ve never seen is unheard of — what if they’re not my type? What if they have annoying habits? What if I’m not attracted to them?
All these factors are tested on Netflix’s unique dating show, “Love is Blind.”
Renewed for a second season, this popular series follows 30 eager love birds, all looking for a connection beyond physical attraction. Relying on only intellectual and emotional connections, couples go through the ultimate test to seek out their future spouse — without ever seeing their face.
After audiences devoured season one of “Love is Blind,” Netflix renewed the show for another season to test their theory once again. Episodes one through five were released on Feb. 11, and six through nine on Feb. 18. The last episode, the weddings of the successful couples, aired on the 25th.
The couples are placed in pods separated by a thin wall, each contestant goes on dates with everyone to find the person they connect the most with. By slowly ruling out the people they don’t bond with, they all end up with another cast member to date seriously.
After watching two couples end happily married in the first season I was eager to see if this literal take on blind dating would be successful a second time. The couples seemed to connect on a deeper level than you could imagine in very little time, considering their circumstances. Dropping the distraction of what someone looks like and focusing on within was what most couples bonded over — conversing about anything from future babies to their favorite color. It was fascinating watching each persons guard drop once they got more personal in the pods.
Most of the cast went into this social experiment with open minds, but some immediately dropped the idea of dating any of these mysterious people without having a physical connection.
It took me by surprise when one of the guys was about to meet the girl he proposed to and said if she had a missing tooth he’d hit the road. I’m not sure if he truly grasped the concept of the show he was on, but he made it through in one piece.
Another questionable mistake took place when one contestant, Shane, was figuring out his feelings for two girls and accidentally called one of them the wrong name when he walked into the pod. Despite that misunderstanding, he proposed to Natalie, and they are now on their journey to marriage.
The connection that these contestants seemed to form within the first week almost seemed impossible. They seemed as comfortable and connected as couples in year-long relationships. After the first three episodes, six of the 15 couples left the pods engaged and were sent off to Mexico to grow their connection beyond just emotion.
Not only were they seeing each other for the first time, they were seeing all the other contestants that they could’ve ended up with from the pods — which caused some internal questioning between a few cast members.
Following Mexico, the six couples immediately traveled to Chicago where they shared an apartment, giving them an idea of what the reality of living together felt like. Making big strides such as meeting parents and seeing what life is like behind closed doors had its ups and downs with each relationship.
Each episode hooked me in, waiting to see if anyone cracked with pressure or if someone had a change of heart. They all stayed successfully committed to each other, even when they had a few fights about insecurities and moving too fast.
The next step was bachelor and bachelorette parties as well as wedding dress shopping. Watching all of the brides searching for their perfect wedding dresses with their moms by their sides had me convinced that they had fallen in love with someone’s personality and not their looks.
Whether “Love is Blind” is pure entertainment or genuinely a place to find your true love, I can’t wait for the last episode where we find out which couples say ‘I do’ and which run from the altar, breaking the other one’s heart.
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