This text comprises spoilers for Season 9 of “Love Is Blind,” together with the reunion particular.
The current season of “Love is Blind,” Netflix’s hit courting actuality sequence, was a whirlwind, to say the least. Or possibly whirled like a hen smoothie?
For the primary time within the sequence’ historical past, no {couples} mentioned “I do” on the finish of the experiment, during which singles date potential companions by particular person “pods,” during which they’ll communicate to one another however can’t see one another. Solely when {couples} get engaged do they see one another for the primary time by a theatrical reveal.
Season 9’s contributors hail from Denver, and over the course of the experiment, six {couples} obtained engaged, although that quantity would dwindle. Kacie McIntosh and Patrick Suzuki had been the primary to separate even earlier than the normal post-pods journey to Mexico, in a cringe inducing show of affection and rejection that left Patrick — and viewers — confused about whether or not or not she was breaking apart with him. Kacie, by kisses and embraces, informed Patrick she wasn’t going to Mexico after telling producers she didn’t assume her “attraction to him is gonna develop that a lot.”
In later episodes, we see {couples} Nick Amato and Annie Lancaster, and Joe Ferrucci and Madison Maidenberg break issues off earlier than even strolling down the aisle. Each {couples} argued incessantly after they left the pods, as clashing communication kinds and alcohol consumption fueled disagreements.
But when there was a central theme this season, it was about work and sophistication — and what it could imply if sure {couples} mentioned “I do.” Megan Walerius (a.okay.a. Sparkle Megan), who spoke incessantly about her wealth and work as an entrepreneur, ended up breaking issues off with Jordan Keltner, a service supervisor in transportation and logistics. Certainly one of their disagreements centered on job flexibility and tasks outdoors of labor, like kids: “I can’t play tennis at 10 a.m. on a Wednesday,” Jordan informed Megan in a tense dialog within the penultimate episode. (Jordan’s younger son was a spotlight of their relationship.)
Equally, Ali Lima and Anton Yarosh’s demanding jobs and monetary conditions had been mentioned incessantly. Each work evening shifts and lengthy hours — Ali is a nurse and Anton works in transportation and logistics, like Jordan. Ali requested Anton if he’d be capable of assist each of them whereas she pursued the next diploma, and he mentioned sure. “And I can nonetheless get Botox?” she requested, which Anton adopted up with a much less optimistic response.
Ultimately, Ali and Anton made it to the marriage, however she mentioned she couldn’t marry him on the altar. Edmond Harvey and Kalybriah Haskin had the identical end result. Their relationship sparked dialog on social media about how contributors are vetted, with some arguing that Edmond was not prepared for the emotional depth of the experiment.
Dialog has swirled on-line because the first batch of episodes had been launched earlier this month, with followers sharing robust emotions and theories about what occurred each throughout the season and after filming wrapped in 2024. Some imagine Nick and Annie’s on-camera break-up was staged, many have made armchair diagnoses and the rumor mill has been teeming with the speculation that Megan had a child with one other man after breaking apart with Jordan. (She confirmed she has a new child son, Brooks, together with her new associate, Paul, throughout the reunion.)
Hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, the reunion particular premiered on Netflix Wednesday. Opening with a efficiency from singer-songwriter Myles Smith, the particular was taped in entrance of an viewers of followers, like one who scoffed at Kacie’s remarks in an immediately memeable second, and among the contributors’ relations, like Kalybriah’s stone-faced mom.
Workers author Kaitlyn Huamani and tv editor Maira Garcia in contrast notes on the divisive season and the energetic reunion particular.
Jordan Keltner, left, mentioned he and Megan Walerius had spoken about her new relationship since they break up. And he or she confirmed that she not too long ago had a child. (Netflix)
Maira Garcia: I generally tend to dip out and in of “Love Is Blind,” however for a lot of causes, I get drawn again in and Season 9 was a spotlight for me. I do know the aim of the experiment is to finish with fortunately married {couples}, and for the primary time, that didn’t occur. However as a viewer, I’ve to say, I wasn’t upset. The messiness and disagreements between the {couples} this season stored me engaged and the discussions about matters like race and sophistication are all the time fascinating to me. I believe they’re revealing and essential to have if you’re contemplating a severe relationship with somebody — even when the conversations can turn out to be unhinged.
Including one other layer is the dialog round parenting and turning into a step father or mother between Jordan and Megan. As a father or mother, I perceive how demanding and time consuming it may be, and as a baby of divorce, I bear in mind these weekends being shuttled backwards and forwards between mother and pop. None of it’s straightforward, and as an grownup, I’ve a greater understanding of it. Kaitlyn, what about this season stored you hitting “subsequent episode” repeatedly?
Kaitlyn Huamani: I’ve to agree that the messier the {couples} are, the extra fascinating the season is for me, which suggests this one was enthralling. Irrespective of what number of seasons I watch, it by no means ceases to amaze me how robust the bonds type between {couples} over the course of a mere 10-day interval within the pods. I’m additionally all the time amazed by how rapidly it might probably all crumble in the true world.
I watched the primary six episodes of this season “blind” myself, not seeing any of the contributors till they reached the reveal. That made it fairly clear early on this season that there have been main incompatibilities between the {couples}, but it surely additionally added a little bit of intrigue to this season. The one couple I noticed as a long-term match early on was Kalybriah and Edmond, however clearly issues modified dramatically between them as soon as the pod bubble burst.
I’d been ready quite impatiently for the reunion as a result of I nonetheless had loads of lingering questions after the finale. Kalybriah mentioned she wouldn’t shut the door on a future with Edmond, so have they given their relationship one other shot since filming wrapped? Why did Kacie hold the engagement ring (and why hasn’t she returned it but)? And are the rumors true? Did Megan have a child?
What had been you hoping to get some decision on within the reunion, Maira?
Garcia: There have been a couple of issues. One, I needed to see if the rumors had been true, that Megan was now a father or mother. The episodes had been filmed in 2024, and lots can occur in that point span — and positive sufficient, Megan started a brand new relationship, had a child and managed to cover all of it from the web. It’s actually stunning and commendable how she was capable of hold her life non-public, and I’m completely happy for her. She additionally appears to know Jordan’s viewpoint higher about how you need to quit a few of your self to deal with a brand new life. And he shared his reservations, in hindsight, about doing the present and introducing his little one to a associate (“At his age, stability is essential”). Jordan and Megan additionally appeared to have a mature dialogue about transferring on from each other post-filming, and so they each struck me as essentially the most stage headed of all of the {couples}.
I used to be additionally dying to see how and if Kacie and Patrick — principally Patrick — would get some decision after their breakup. The problem about giving again the engagement ring — Ali rightly identified that Netflix foots the invoice for the ring, although upgrades come out of contestants’ pockets — was much less fascinating to me versus what Patrick actually needed: an apology. She was oblique about her emotions towards him and her awkward try at breaking apart might have magnified insecurities he had about his race and courting and what it means to be desired whenever you don’t appear to be nearly all of males in Denver. I nonetheless assume he deserved higher, and I can see why he needed a solution from her sooner quite than later concerning the standing of their relationship.
However I can also’t condone the venom she says she acquired on-line when Patrick responded to a TikTok of hers — “Folks had been sending me, ‘Go kill your self.’’’ That’s horrible; actuality reveals have lengthy been a criticized about whether or not or not they do sufficient to guard contributors from threats on social media, however I hope they’re taking some safety measures. As for the random shootout with Chris Paul of the Clippers to see who will get the engagement ring? Properly, I suppose it’s one method to get out of asking arduous questions — taking a look at you Nick and Vanessa.
Vanessa Lachey reaching for the engagement ring Patrick Suzuki gave to Kacie McIntosh, one thing he requested again.
(Adam Rose/Netflix)
Huamani: Sure, the CP3 look was definitely surprising. The misplaced hoops competitors was only one part of the night that actually caught me off guard. The dwell music, the flowery stage set-up and the unusual Ninja Creami product placement on the finish all made it really feel like an even bigger manufacturing than most years. Certain, it’s enjoyable to know the person who’s thought to be top-of-the-line level guards of all time is a fan of a courting actuality present, however you’re completely proper that these form of odd gimmicks simply sucked time away from the various issues I needed the forged to handle.
You’re additionally appropriate in mentioning that Nick and Vanessa typically fail to ship on asking the essential questions. They didn’t observe up on a remark Anton made about how “on the time” of filming, he would have a beer after work. The phrasing advised he not does that, and will even indicate he’s now sober, however the hosts simply moved on after he mentioned that. It was fairly disappointing for that to be an unanswered query contemplating how massive of a task his alcohol consumption performed within the demise of his relationship with Ali.
I additionally discovered among the responses from the contributors felt rehearsed — particularly Nick’s contributions. That’s not as a result of I believe Netflix coached him or the opposite contributors (they couldn’t even coordinate a constant costume code!), however as a result of many individuals defaulted to remedy communicate. Peppering in phrases like “love bombing” and “disassociative” feels insincere. Possibly Nick simply cared deeply concerning the influence of his phrases and spoke with cautious intention, however the learn I’m getting on him is that it was extra of a crafted disaster response than real apologies or weak ideas.
Fortunately, some individuals had been nonetheless fairly chaotic of their communication. Thanks Joe and Kacie for being unfiltered (form of to a fault). That’s a minimum of extra fascinating than Nick persevering with to parrot that he’s taking accountability.
Garcia: Agreed, if there’s something they’ll’t be faulted for is telling their viewpoint. However what’s it about Joe? Is he actually that charming in actual life? I believe after the bizarre second when he was half asleep, half inebriated in Mexico that I wrote him off. Joe and Kacie admitted that they dated for a couple of weeks after he and Madison broke up, and Madison mentioned she felt that the flirtatious encounters between Joe and Kacie led to the demise of her engagement to Joe. Madison additionally tells how Kacie “had the audacity to inform me we’re Eskimo sisters” — an extremely crass approach of claiming that they had each had intercourse with Joe. All I need is for Kacie to know why her actions and feedback might be seen as deeply problematic. Sigh.
Talking of accountability, Kalybriah tried her finest to take accountability for the place her relationship with Edmond went flawed, even pulling out a bit of paper to boost the factors she needed to make. I get it, I’m nervous in entrance of a crowd too, particularly if I’m making an attempt to say one thing essential. However she raised an essential level about how she didn’t wish to be portrayed merely as an indignant Black girl — an onscreen stereotype — and that her causes for getting upset with Edmond had been legitimate. She felt manipulated as a result of he would typically cry and was dismissive of their points and her emotions. It simply felt like they had been residing in several realities watching them travel. Finally they had been capable of depart on seemingly good phrases — they apologized and embraced.
Edmond Harvey and Kalybriah Haskin embraced after hashing out their breakup.
(Netflix)
Huamani: That hug was good to see, particularly with how damaged up Edmond appeared to be on the day of the marriage. However sure, it’s all the time fascinating when there are two solely totally different accounts of conflicts between {couples}. It’s clear that much more unfolded between them that wasn’t captured by the cameras, and I’ve all the time questioned how a lot of the reality we get within the edit about who the contributors are in actual life. Are they behaving in a different way when they’re involved with how they’ll be perceived after the present airs? I’ve to think about somebody in a forward-facing place like Edmond, who works as a realtor, is cognizant of that, a minimum of on some stage. I’m glad Kalybriah had the chance to make clear that their relationship was extra complicated than what we noticed on display. They do each look like they got here out on the opposite aspect of the experiment in an excellent place, possibly with a stronger understanding of what they need and wish in a partnership.
I do know some followers have mentioned on-line that this season turned them off of the present due to the incompatibilities or the failings of the contributors, and a few have even known as for the present to finish with this season. (It’s already renewed for Season 10, don’t fear.) However to me, these deeply imperfect, considerably problematic and unintentionally humorous individuals who participated this season are what makes this present so nice.
What’s “Love is Blind” if not meals for considered your personal needs and must-haves in a relationship? And if not that, on the very least, the present is a superb watch with a gaggle of mates. Maybe with an enormous golden wine glass in hand, a la the manufacturing’s signature beverage vessel.
Garcia: As an elder, married millennial, I typically joke about how I really feel like I obtained the final copter out of a warfare zone earlier than the rise of on-line courting — I simply hear lots concerning the challenges individuals youthful than myself face within the courting world! I perceive making an attempt various things to hopefully meet your match, so this experiment to me seems like a extra fruitful journey in comparison with different courting reveals as a result of the premise is to power individuals to have arduous conversations rapidly, sight unseen. That’s what retains me as viewer, and as somebody who covers tv, . I’m not fazed by the truth that not one of the {couples} ended up married, however I additionally hope it’s not a pattern.
There are all the time debates about whether or not individuals who take part in actuality courting reveals are “doing it for the precise causes” — in different phrases, they’re not simply chasing web clout. Some would possibly, however not all and that’s why I’ve caught with this present as a result of there have been some profitable relationships. So whereas choking down a Crystal Gentle hen smoothie won’t be anybody’s thought of romance, a minimum of we get an actual take a look at the way it might be for somebody on the market.
