Love Is Blind’slatest season received a lot of criticism for its location and predictable storylines, but I believe producers are making better decisions for season 9. Despite its unique concept of finding love without seeing your match, the show increasingly faced issueswith production and the contestants' stories. For instance, in season 8,Taylor Haag and Daniel Hastings’storyline closely mirrored season 5 contestant Lydia Velez Gonzalez, who almost dated her ex before realizing who he was.
However, the biggest issue I noticed—especially in this past season—was the location the producers chose to recruit from. TheLove Is Blindseason 8 contestants, particularly the men,faced scrutiny from an overwhelming number of past partnersdue to how small and interconnected the city is. That said,Love Is Blindappears to be taking steps to address these issues, and doing so could lead to a more successful and refreshing season 9.
Love Is Blind Season 8 Chose The Wrong City For The Experiment
Where The Pool’s Too Small For Love
Love is Blindseason 8 took place in the snowy city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, whose population was relatively smaller than previous seasons. Fortunately, casting director Donna A. Driscoll explained in aBackstagearticlethey ensure people know casting is happeningwithin at least a 50-mile radius of the chosen city. She said,“The big job for us is to make sure that everyone within a 50-mile radius is talking about the fact that ‘Love Is Blind’ is casting there.“Still, many locals of"The Twin Cities"claimed they dated a few of the contestants in the past.
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Like many fans, I began to question the show’s casting process and whether the producers made the right call in choosing Minneapolis. For example, TikToker Leah(@leah_bergy)revealed in a video that she dated two of the male contestants—and didn’t have great experiences with either. She also questioned the production’s choice of location, saying,“Everyone knows everyone here…everyone has an experience with someone on that show, or knows someone who does also. Everyone knows at least one person.”
Production may need to rethink future location choices to maintain the integrity of the experiment.
Leah wasn’t the only one who shared her experience with a few of the contestants. The location sparked controversy among the contestants, asthe city proved to be too small to avoid overlapping social circles. This affected cast members likeDave Bettenburg and Lauren O’Brien, who frequently argued about Lauren’s past relationships, which involved a few men Dave knew personally. With issues like these impacting the show’s authenticity, production may need to rethink future location choices to maintain the integrity of the experiment.
Love Is Blind Season 9 Is Taking Place In Denver
Finding Love In The Mile High City
In theLove Is Blindreunion special, it was announced that season 9 would take place in Denver, Colorado. However, much like in Minneapolis, Denverites had already spotted the production crew, and some fans took to social media to share their thoughts. One RedditorGroundbreakingEmu310said,“The dating pool here is small, but not as small as Minnesota it seems.“According toCity-Data,Denver’s population is 67% larger than Minneapolis, so it’s more likely the show will create an authentic experience and avoid contestants who already know each other.
MAFS & LIB Are Under The Same Production Company, Kinetic Content
Married At First SightandLove Is Blindare produced by Kinetic Content. Given the similarity in concept, I wasn’t surprised to learn this, but I did wonder ifLIB’snew location choice was influenced byMAFS’messy Denver season.MAFSseason 17 featured a controversial castthat focused on image rather than love. Still, based onLove Is Blind’s format, I believe the show has a better chance at sparking real connections, as it prioritizes emotional bonds over physical appearances.
If that’s the case, the production is making a smart move—both in choosing a more populated location and a city with potential for drama. SomeDenver locals already expect a wild season. One Reddit comment from a thread bya since-deleted usersaid,“Soooo excited for Denver. Notoriously one of the worst places to find love in the USA. The culture here, especially with men is..interesting.“With that said,Love Is Blindseason 9 is bound to deliver fresh storylines and complex relationships, not because contestants have history, but because the road to the aisle won’t be easy.
Love Is Blindseasons 1-8 are now available for streaming on Netflix.
Sources:leah_bergy/TikTok,GroundbreakingEmu310/Reddit,a since-deleted user/Reddit,Backstage,City-Data
Love Is Blind
Cast
Love Is Blind is a reality series where participants date and become engaged without seeing each other. The experiment examines whether emotional connections can outweigh physical appearances as couples decide if they will marry after meeting face-to-face for the first time.
