Love is Blind: Everything you need to know about the Netflix show you’ll be binging this week

Everyone and their mother is hooked on Netflix’s latest dating venture — what is Love is Blind really all about?

Netflix seems to have a sixth sense sometimes for anticipating exactly what’s missing from our evening TV schedule. When we need a new crime docuseries, Don’t F*ck With Cats comes along. When we crave a stylish binge during Fashion Month, we have Tan and Alexa from Next in Fashion to soothe. And when the Love Island-shaped hole in our hearts was formed this week, along came Love is Blind.

Chances are you’ve heard everyone on your Twitter feeds talking about Netflix’s latest dating show. It’s kind of a cross between Big Brother, Channel 4’s The Circle, and 90-Day Fiancée — and yes, it’s as mental as all of that sounds. Released as a “three-week event”, many viewers have been waiting with bated breath for the final, which lands on Netflix tonight for fans of the show. If you want to know what has everyone so hooked, here’s what you need to know.

What’s the premise?

Love is Blind goes like this: 30 men and women come together to essentially speed-date each other, and find their perfect match. But the catch is, that they can’t see each other — the dating goes on from isolated pods, where the contestants can talk to each other, find out each other’s interests, personalities, histories etc, all with a wall between them. The contestants eventually pair off with the partner they find most suitable, fall further in love (apparently), and get engaged — and only then, a month before their wedding day, they finally see each other in the flesh.

Within the month from seeing each other to getting married, our couples go through all the major milestones — living together, going on holiday together, and meeting each others’ families. They eventually make their way to the altar and decide whether or not to say ‘I do’ in the final episode — which airs tonight on Netflix.

Who are the contestants?

Love is Blind starts out with 30 contestants but (spoiler alert) there ends up being six couples who decide to get engaged. If you want to watch the series from the beginning, look away now, but here are our six couples who may or may not be getting married in the final.

Lauren and Cameron

Cameron (29) is a scientist and Lauren (32) is a content creator. They seem to be the most compatible couple of the series so far, and are very smitten since they’ve come together outside of the pods. An issue that may affect their relationship is the fact that this will be Lauren’s first with a white man. “It’s my life to live, and I’ll just have to take whatever comes with that,” Lauren said. “If I have to make some people uncomfortable in the process, so be it.”

Damian and Giannina

Damian (28) is a general manager at an industrial company and Giannina (25) runs her own retail business. Their cutest moment so far has been their double-proposal, where they both asked the other to marry them, but since then, things have been a little rocky. They fight often, and their families are not very supportive of their relationship.

Kelly and Kenny

Kenny (27) is a professional lighting consultant and Kelly (32) is a health and empowerment coach. The couple have definite chemistry, even though we didn’t get to see much of them in the first part of the show, but a problem that keeps coming up for the fledgeling couple is sex — Kelly wants to take things slow and it has caused a bit of friction between the couple.

Barnett and Amber

Matt (last name Barnett) (27) works for a construction company, while Amber (26) is a cocktail waitress. Barnett had no problem playing the field in the pods, and had a bit of a love square going on between himself, Amber and fellow contestants L.C and Jessica. Amber has no idea about the relationships he built up in the pods, and we’re expecting a bit of a fall out after the show ends.

Mark and Jessica

Mark (25) is a sales manager and fitness trainer at a gym, and Jessica (34) works in tech sales. Their ten year age gap hasn’t caused a problem in the relationship, and the two have bonded over their religious sides — but Jessica has since struggled to match Mark’s obvious grá for her, admitting the attraction wasn’t there right away.

Carlton and Diamond

A consolatory mention goes to Carlton and Diamond, who broke up in the later episodes of the show. Carlton (34),  a social media and marketing manager and Diamond (28), a NBA dancer, had a great relationship, until he revealed to her that he has dated both men and women in the past. Diamond did not take the news well, and called off the engagement, in what was a difficult episode for both Carlton and the audience.

Why is everyone so addicted?

In a nutshell, because the show is batsh*t crazy. These couples are convinced that they have found the loves of their lives within a few days, and the subsequent love stories are absolutely ridiculous. But ridiculous reality TV makes for great viewing, and Netflix have nailed it here. Love is Blind is the ultimate trashy TV show — make-ups and break-ups, hasty relationships and subsequent scraps make it very addictive viewing.

What are people saying?

A quick look at Twitter tells us how obsessed viewers have become with Love is Blind. We’re all waiting with bated breath to watch the final after work, but here are some of the funniest latest tweets of the series.

Is this show real ? Or are these people getting paid ? honestly can’t believe what I’m watching #LoveIsBlind

— Yewande (@yewande_biala) February 20, 2020

I have watched some batshit reality tv in my time but #LoveIsBlind is breathtakingly batshit.

— Clare Monnelly (@ClareMonnelly) February 24, 2020

https://twitter.com/rudwinrandolph/status/1231853833795592193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Flyapalater%2Fmore-tweets-about-love-is-blind-because-i-cant-get

I’m now trying to get everyone I know to watch love is blind on Netflix. I have endured 10 hours of absolute hell and I’m dragging you all down with me.

— Alexandria Neonakis (@Beavs) February 22, 2020

Featured image: Netflix

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