Love Is Blind

The Netflix reality series Love Is Blind, which premiered in 2020, plays matchmaker for single contestants in an unconventional social experiment. On the show, 15 men and women are put through a 10-day speed-dating process in which they are not allowed to see each other’s faces. Cast members go on dates in “pods,” learning about each other and developing emotional connections without superficial influences. Only after a marriage proposal is made can couples meet face-to-face.

The engaged couples put their relationships to the test on a romantic getaway before returning to their day-to-day lives and learning about the families and friends of their potential future spouses. Weddings are held after just four weeks, where the contestants decide whether to say “I do” or walk away.

While the show became an instant hit, it wasn’t immune from controversy off camera. In June 2022, season 2 contestant Jeremy Hartwell filed a lawsuit against Netflix and producers of the show, claiming cast members were underpaid and deprived of food, water and sleep while being isolated from the outside world. Season 5 alum Tran Dang filed a separate lawsuit in August 2022,  alleging she was sexually assaulted by her then-fiance during filming earlier that year. Delirium TV and Kinetic Content, the  two production companies named in the lawsuit, have denied Dang’s allegations.

As of October 2023, five seasons of Love Is Blind have aired. The series has received five Emmy Award nominations and has been adapted internationally in Brazil and Japan.