Love is Blind season 9 tests what it means to fall in love…again. Do looks, money, and other things matter when it comes to matters of the heart? Or can you fall in love with someone sight unseen? Again, we are watching a bunch of hopefuls navigate these questions in Love is Blind Season 9, Episodes 1-6. And since we can’t control ourselves (as evidenced by Love is Blind breakdowns of multiple seasons), here is our breakdown of the first 6 episodes of season 9!
1. How does this season compare to the last 8 and the international spinoffs?
Lizzie: Does it feel way more fake or is that just me? Am I a cynic now, only watching this to poke holes at it and see how it’s all going to break down? I don’t know, but I trust these people even less than I trusted the people from Minneapolis, and that’s saying a lot.
Look, this was always going to be a thing where people were gonna come in looking for fame more than anything, but this doesn’t even feel like that! It just feels off all around, and I don’t know if I’m just saying that because Netlix’s “love is blind… unless you are blindsided” logline is throwing me off, but I just don’t have any warm and fuzzy feelings this season, at all.
Lyra: I think we’ve finally got to a point where Love is Blind has lost any charm that it had when it comes to actual romance. In my heart’s heart I know that this is reality TV. But every season there is at least one couple that gives you the butterflies and keeps you around as everything else turns to garbage. There is no one like that in Season 9 of Love is Blind.
I would even say that season 9 of Love is Blind is taking a beat from our current political climate… a little too much. Because have they ever been this right leaning? Or just even political at all? They always cut that out in the final edit, letting things be discovered after the show and away from the romantic experience they’re trying to build. But for some reason, the conversation between Nick and Annie about how being LGBTQ+ is just a fad while hammering on about being Christians, feels a little pointed. Choices were made. And I don’t know what that means for the future of the show.
2. Is there any couple that makes you feel like love is truly blind and why?
Lizzie: Eh, not really. I think Ali and Anton are probably the most compatible, but no one’s making me go awww. Instead, I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Lyra: None. The least problematic so far have been Ali and Anton. And I think that’s just because they’ve minded their business more than anything. But no one has given me any sort of spark where I think they’re going to make it to their wedding day. In fact, after finishing episodes 1 through 6, I don’t want any of them to end up together. Well, besides Ali and Anton. Because again, they mind their business.
3. Which couple do you feel IS NOT going to make it and why?
Lizzie: Madison, run away girl. Run fast. Hell, I’m sure the girls will help you. Just run and don’t look back.
Lyra: Like I mentioned in the previous question, I don’t really think any of these couples will make it to the finale. But I’m especially hoping that Madison does not end up married to Joe.
Everything that happened with him drinking that much, that was scary. That was someone whose inhibitions were gone and who was scaring their partner. And if someone can do that on a reality TV show with a bunch of cameras, they’re going to do it when the cameras are gone. What Joe needs is some grace and time away from the show to get himself together. And Madison needs to choose herself and back away.
I also wanted to talk about the cameras in Love is Blind. It was really shocking to see the cameras so blatantly during this whole moment between Madison and Joe. I personally think Love is Blind did that on purpose. They have always been very careful to keep this illusion of intimacy within the experience. But the one moment where something could be slightly concerning or scary, the cameras are shown. It honestly feels like something shifted for the show and they were a little bit more aware of how the viewer could perceive this moment.
So they showed they were there and Madison wasn’t confronting this situation with Joe alone.
4. Who is the drama of this season?
Lizzie: Everyone! What’s up with Edmond? And Joe? And Kacie?! Can someone NOT be the drama, please?
Lyra: Honestly, Edmond. On the surface he looks like this really nerdy guy who loves what he does and is unapologetically himself. And I was really excited when Kalybriah saw him and wasn’t thrown off by his appearance, even though he’s not the kind of person she usually goes for. My problem with Edmond is what happened during the vacation when it came to sex.
Point blank period, I feel like those tears were manipulative.
Here is Kalybriah with her line in the sand. And he knows this is her line in the sand. But he whips out the tears and goes on and on about being the nice guy, implying that he deserves sex. That had my alarm bells going. Good men don’t cry about how they’re good men and they deserve all the delights of living this life. Good men respect the boundaries of their partner and lead with action and intention above anything else.
That’s not what I’m seeing with Edmond and I hope Kalybriah sees that and breaks up with him.
5. How did Season 9 of Love is Blind rate when it comes to diversity?
Lizzie: I mean, better than Minneapolis, which isn’t saying much. Not that great, anyway. Where my POC be at? I’ve never been to Colorado, but I’m starting to get a little concerned about Colorado.
Lyra: It was ehhh. I thought we would do ok because the Love is Blind cast always looks diverse. But we didn’t see most of contestants of their love story. By the end of Episode 6 I was like LIzzie, concerned for Colorado. Because the US is a diverse country. But sometimes you forget that this country is huge and that there are places that aren’t diverse at all.
6. What was your biggest red flag moment this season?
Lizzie: I wish I only had one, but it’s between Edmond trying to emotionally manipulate Kalybriah because she didn’t want to have sex until marriage, and Joe gaslighting Madison after HE was rude and awkward with her. The men this season aren’t it, even the ones that seemed okay in the pods. I’m scared about how this is going to get worse.
Lyra: The biggest red flag of Love is Blind Season 9 was the production choices and editing. This season feels more aware of the world we live in, breaking the #1 rule of reality TV: the illusion of it all. And it also feels like they’ve had some sort of internal meeting, seen the backlash from previous contestants, and proceeded with caution.
Love is Blind Season 9 Episodes 1-6 are available on Netflix.
