Love Is Blind recently concluded its drama-filled fourth season with a 90-minute live reunion show, which was full to the brim of surprises. Setting aside the technical difficulties that changed the “live” reunion to a pre-recorded one, there’s another way the show didn’t quite go as planned. The hosts and the guests both clearly reveal the true villain of the season, and surprisingly, it isn’t the widely despised Irina.
RELATED: ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 4: Who Ended Up Being the Worst at the Live Reunion?
'Love Is Blind' Isn’t What It Presents Itself to Be
Reality TV isn't real. Who would have thought?
Throughout its first three seasons, Love Is Blind presented itself as a social experiment to determine whether love is truly blind or not. It took a group of single men and women and set them on rounds of blind dates—literally. In the “pods,” the contestants of Love Is Blind can’t see their date, leaving them to connect with personality rather than appearance.
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In theory, foregoing the emphasis on appearance in favor of communication leaves shallowness behind. But like many reality TV shows, especially those focused on romance, Love Is Blind thrives on drama and high-stakes scenarios. At the end of their time in the pods, the couples get engaged and must plan their wedding, and all that encompasses, in an extremely short amount of time. Their final answer will come at the altar in front of all their family and friends. They will either say “I do” or “I don’t” to determine if love is blind.
With all these other stressful factors to juggle in addition to the blind dates, the show doesn’t truly measure how much appearance has to do with love. Speeding up the engagement and wedding process actively meddles with the experiment; even though the rapid marriage process tests the couples in high-stress scenarios, especially when suddenly introducing their fiancé to friends and family, there are too many factors at work in the experiment for it to be an accurate representation of how much appearance has to do with love.
This isn’t necessarily a negative aspect of the show. Most viewers tuning into a reality TV show come for the drama, and Love Is Blind knows its audience well. Choosing to present the show as a social experiment about appearance and then adding in a bunch of other factors, however, can come off as disingenuous. As long as there’s plenty of drama, a viewer isn’t one to complain, but the audience is also aware that Love Is Blind isn’t exactly what it markets itself to be, and that’s especially evident in Season 4.
The 'Love Is Blind' Reunion Drama Doesn’t Come from the Cast
Season 4 included numerous surprises and shocking moments. From Zack and Irina’s messy breakup to Kwame’s “I do” to Bliss’s reintroduction to the show, this season is a goldmine for drama and blow-ups. The reunion placed almost all the guests (except for Josh and Jackie) in one room together, so the reunion should have had the expected amount of arguments. But the drama in the reunion this year was actually much subtler than one cast member yelling at another.
Nick and Vanessa Lachey, the two hosts of Love Is Blind, acted as the interviewers for the reunion, asking questions and keeping the conversation going. Their job wasn’t only to be moderators, but also miners. Though previous seasons clearly showcase Nick and especially Vanessa’s ability to go digging for drama, their eagerness to unearth deep grudges and bring them to light is most obvious this season. In particular, Vanessa seemed especially on edge as the show kept going without any major blow-ups, despite her best efforts.
The reunion’s guests came prepared for high stress and the uncomfortable environment, and most of them kept their cool. Whether by facial expression, implication, or even outright saying it, most of the contestants this year voiced their distaste for how each of them were portrayed on the show. The “editing” of the season was brought up numerous times by multiple contestants, with the main complaint being that the show focused mostly on the negative aspects of their character and relationships and left out most, if not all, the positive ones, making many of the couples looks unhappy when they were only going through the common struggles of relationships. Unfortunately for the couples, an everyday relationship isn’t as interesting as a dramatic narrative.
The Depths of Production Manipulation of 'Love Is Blind' Season 4
The heavy-handed manipulation of perspective this season included, among other techniques, reordering events for maximum drama, a process that made Jackie seem like a cheater. The show timed her meeting with Josh during the time she should have been picking out her wedding dress for her marriage to Marshall pre-breakup, when in fact the breakup came first and the meeting with Josh followed after. While Jackie still holds fast to some questionable behaviors, such as keeping Marshall’s engagement ring, she cleared the air about being made out to be a cheater when she wasn’t.
Following Zack and Irina’s breakup in Mexico, the meeting between Zack and Bliss was edited in a way that highlighted only the awkwardness of their conversation. And while meeting with the person who rejected you to marry someone else would definitely start out as awkward, Bliss kept meeting with Zack and dating him, even saying yes to his proposal and at the altar. All throughout the course of their engagement, the show only ever focused on Bliss’s hesitations about potentially being a second choice and Zack’s words taken out of context, complete with unflattering angles on his social interactions.
Chelsea and Kwame weren’t spared either. Following a blissful honeymoon phase, Kwame’s doubts about moving away from Portland and leaving his lifestyle as a bachelor became the main focus of his and Chelsea’s relationship. Their screen time was mostly eaten up by arguments, so much so that it came as a genuine shock when Kwame said yes at the altar and he and Chelsea ended the show as a married couple.
For the most part, the contestants had each other’s backs during the reunion and defended each other, with Brett and Tiffany behaving especially supportive. Though they were seemingly the happiest couple this season, the show even managed to cast doubts onto their relationship, leaving conversations only halfway finished. One scene ended in quiet and cut away right after Tiffany tearfully confessed that she might not want a wedding; in context, she goes on to explain in the reunion that she was only voicing how overwhelmed she felt by everything happening so fast, and all at once. Brett and Tiffany’s relationship was never actually in danger at that moment.
The hand of the show is much more obvious in this season upon looking back, and during the reunion Kwame brought up how the show’s meddling even went as far as pressuring Kwame into using “Alex” as his name. He had to fight to keep his name as it is for the show, a strange and concerning glimpse into just how much the experiment is tampered with. When Love Is Blind tries to alter the identities of its contestants in the name of preserving the experiment (their stated concern was that using the name “Kwame” would give away certain aspects of his appearance), the very integrity of the experiment, and the show's premise, has already been compromised.
The Cast of 'Love Is Blind' Season 4 Choose Forgiveness Over Fighting
The hosts served not just as the interviewers but as extensions of the show’s stilted perception when it honed in on Jackie accusing Marshall of calling her a derogatory term. Even after Marshall confirmed that he did not say anything derogatory and instead apologized for the ill-made joke, the hosts kept attacking and pushing him, even baiting him into looking into the camera and giving Jackie a message. For the most part, Marshall didn’t fall into the trap of letting his frustrations get the best of him, instead choosing to move on and bury the hatchet.
In fact, forgiveness was an unintentionally big theme for the reunion, driven completely by the contestants in spite of the hosts. Though not all contestants left with their friendships in good standing (Micah and Paul, Jackie and Marshall, and Irina and everyone else are still not fond of each other), the overall agreement to leave with no hard feelings and to move on, prevailed.
Even Zack and Bliss, both of whom were deeply hurt by Irina’s actions, publicly forgave her. Zack’s mention of “receipts” led viewers to his Instagram post, where there was surprisingly no mention of Irina; rather, Zack shared a testimony about forgiveness and understanding, a message that isn’t usually seen on drama-centric reality TV.
The Worst Villain of Love Is Blind Season 4
It’s very telling that for much of the reunion, Vanessa Lachey squirmed in her seat, seemingly itching to unearth those hard feelings and run with them. But still, not even Nick or Vanessa are villains in this instance. They have a job to do, after all.
Viewers and contestants alike go into a reality TV show with some sense of what it’s all about: ratings and views. The more people talk about the show, the better the show fares, and that’s just the nature of the beast. Love Is Blind, and many other similar shows, survive by starting drama and keeping it going, so the manipulation of the editing in Love Is Blind Season 4 should be no big surprise.
The strangeness of this particular season of this particular show comes from the fact that all the contestants seemed to agree on ending the drama then and there. The hand of the show is so obviously heavy-handed in this season, especially watching it back after the context given in the reunion. And the fact that the contestants all decided to move on and not let that manipulation harm them or their rivals on the show anymore speaks volumes.
Manipulated scenes in a TV show can lead to real backlash from viewers and can actually impact the contestants’ lives. This season’s worst villain of Love Is Blind isn’t Irina. It isn’t a member of the cast, and it isn’t the hosts either: it's the skewed perception through which the show is presented.
FAQs
'Love Is Blind' Season 4's Live Reunion Confirms the Show's Worst Villain? ›
Manipulated scenes in a TV show can lead to real backlash from viewers and can actually impact the contestants' lives. This season's worst villain of Love Is Blind isn't Irina. It isn't a member of the cast, and it isn't the hosts either: it's the skewed perception through which the show is presented.
What does Paul on Love Is Blind do for a living? ›As he revealed on the show, Paul is an environmental scientist. Specifically, he works as a policy consultant at Blue Environmental, which helps businesses ensure they have the right environmental permits, per his LinkedIn.
Who created love blind? ›The first five episodes of Love Is Blind season 4 landed on Netflix on Friday 24th March. Episodes drop each Friday until the finale.
What channel is love blind? ›Love Is Blind contestant Paul Peden didn't marry Micah Lussier at the end of the season, but that doesn't mean he didn't find love in the pods. The environmental scientist revealed that he connected with another pod flame after breaking things off with his fiancée.
Did Micah and Paul get married? ›The answer seems to be no. Micah Lussier and Paul Peden were not one of three couples who got married in the Love Is Blind season 4 finale. Public court records from King County, Washington, where Seattle is located and Love Is Blind season 4 was filmed, also confirmed this.
Do Love Is Blind get paid? ›But rest assured, the contestants on the dating series are still paid a small salary. According to a lawsuit filed by season two contestant Jeremy Hartwell in July 2022, the Netflix show pays Love Is Blind stars $1,000 per week, up to $8,000 for the length of filming the show, per Variety.
Who pays for the ring on Love Is Blind? ›“Whatever they choose, we pay for. Whatever we pay for, they keep, regardless of engagement ending,” the rep said. Coelen told Entertainment Tonight in 2020 that the men are provided a collection of rings because they can't leave the pod and lounge facilities.
Does Love Is Blind pay for the weddings? ›No, the 'Love Is Blind' Couples Don't Actually Pay for Their Dream Weddings. And other gems from the show's master wedding planner.
Is Love Is Blind scripted? ›
So, is Love is Blind staged or scripted? The official answer is no, according to series creator series creator Chris Coelen. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said the show is so real they were even worried no one would get engaged during season one.
Are Kwame and Chelsea married? ›What happened at the reunion? Chelsea and Kwame are still happily married, and living together in a Seattle apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows and a special pink corner for Chelsea.
Who is still together on Love Is Blind Season 4? ›In an interview with Entertainment Tonight after the Love Is Blind season 4 finale, Tiffany and Brett confirmed they were still together, and that Brett had met Tiffany's family from Houston, Texas. “He's come back to Houston with me and my entire family, they just call him, 'Yo, handsome husband!'
How much do Love Is Blind contestants make? ›According to sources, the stars of Love Is Blind are paid a small salary of $1,000 per week! That's right, they get paid to try and find their soulmate. But that's not all - the show pays for everything from the engagement rings to the apartments they live in during filming.
Are SK and Raven still together? ›Raven revealed SK cheated on her and they broke up
It all started with rumors on social media that SK was cheating on Raven. Raven confirmed those rumors during After the Altar season 3. She filmed a confessional-style update that ended the three-episode special released in February 2023.
What Is Adam Alfia's Job? Adam is described as a “serial entrepreneur” based in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area. He received his BBA from Southern Methodist University in 1992 and went on to create an empire in the “hospitality industry and technology sector,” according to his LinkedIn profile.
Are Paul and Torrey still together? ›However, in July 2013 it was later revealed that the couple had decided to divorce after two years of marriage, with one of Paul's reps confirming the news to People. The official comment stated that "Paul and Torrey have decided to amicably split. They will continue to remain good friends."
Are Micah and Irene still friends? ›It was more in the sense of realizing the connection I had with him, I want that with my future husband. And I didn't have that with Zack." Irina also confirms that she and Micah have moved on with their friendship. "Micah still is my best friend today," she says.
Who was Micah speaking to? ›According to Micah 1:1, Micah prophesied during the reigns of the kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, who ruled from about 740 to 697 B.C. Therefore, he was likely a contemporary of the prophets Amos, Hosea, Jonah, and Isaiah. Micah addressed his words to the kingdoms of Judah and Israel.
Did Kwame propose to Micah? ›Kwame, a 33-year-old sales development manager, and Micah, a 27-year-old marketing manager quickly fell for each other, with Kwame even revealing he wanted to stop the experiment early and propose to Micah. However, things came to a sudden end when Micah broke things off with Kwame in favor of moving forward with Paul.
Who gave birth to Micah? ›
Sarah Drew gave birth to son Micah Emmanuel Lanfer Wednesday evening in Los Angeles, a rep for the Grey's Anatomy actress, 31, tells Us Weekly. Weighing in at 7 lbs, 4 oz and measuring 19 inches long, Michah is the first child for Drew and her husband Peter Lanfer.
Who is mother of Micah? ›An anonymous midrashic tradition mentioned by the medieval commentators posits that Micah's mother was Delilah. This tradition is based on the wording “eleven hundred shekels of silver” that appears in two Biblical narratives: in Jud.
What happened to Deepti and Kyle? ›On September 19 2022, Kyle confirmed on Instagram that he and Deepti aren't together. Their relationship lasted a couple of months. "Since After The Altar was filmed, we had decided to go our separate ways in early summer," Love Is Blind's Kyle wrote.
Is Cameron from Love Is Blind rich? ›1 Cameron Hamilton ($2 Million)
They are still going strong and have started many media ventures together. Their book Leap of Faith is a hit among their fans, and the book doles out practical advice on romance and relationships.
Are they still together now? Yes! During her interview with TODAY.com, Bliss confirmed she knew that Zack was her person when they saw each other for the first time face-to-face. “I didn't come into it with any sort of expectation,” she shared.
Do Love Is Blind contestants wear their own clothes? ›The contestants didn't have racks of options or clothing stylists on set—every outfit you saw on screen, they picked themselves. Here's how to shop like the women of Love Is Blind season 4 because before they were reality romance stars, they had to become pro shoppers and packers.
Did Jessica and Mark sleep together? ›A big topic of conversation for all the engaged couples on the show was when to have sex. You and Jessica talked about it a lot in the beginning because she said she wasn't ready but we find out in episode 9 you two did start sleeping together before the wedding.
What is with the metal cups on Love Is Blind? ›It likely comes down to continuity. Since the glasses are opaque, the show's editors can splice together scenes without worrying about how much liquid is left in the cup. The glasses appeared during the couple's family visits, a clue that Netflix production had a hand in set design.
Does Love Is Blind pay for dresses? ›A Netflix representative told POPSUGAR that the Love Is Blind cast doesn't have to pay for the rings. And series creator Chris Coelen told Variety in 2022 that the men are given “10 or 12 different styles and colors” to choose from.
What does Amber Pike do for a living? ›Pike soon became a social media influencer due to her large fan base, and she now posts sponsored content for numerous brands on social media.
What does Alexa from Love Is Blind do? ›
Alexa Alfia is a 27-year-old from Dallas, Texas. She listed her job on Love Is Blind season 3 as an “Insurance Agency Owner.” Her Instagram handle is @alexaalfia. According to her Linkedin, she's an agency owner at Allstate in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, where she's worked at since 2017.
Does Paul on Love Is Blind have autism? ›Brief Outline: Paul had developmental delay as a child, and was diagnosed with an array personality disorders before he received his autism diagnosis at the age of 21. He is currently working at a support organisation, where he gives talks about life on the autism spectrum.
How much do you get paid for being on Love Is Blind? ›But rest assured, the contestants on the dating series are still paid a small salary. According to a lawsuit filed by season two contestant Jeremy Hartwell in July 2022, the Netflix show pays Love Is Blind stars $1,000 per week, up to $8,000 for the length of filming the show, per Variety.
Do Love Is Blind cast members get paid? ›According to sources, the stars of Love Is Blind are paid a small salary of $1,000 per week! That's right, they get paid to try and find their soulmate. But that's not all - the show pays for everything from the engagement rings to the apartments they live in during filming.
What does Barnett do for a living Love Is Blind? ›Business Owner | Engineer | Real Estate.
Does Danielle from Love Is Blind have mental health issues? ›She shared that she was having “suicidal ideations” with her then-fiancé and the crew. “To the producers, I said, 'You know what, I'm not trusting myself right now. I've tried committing suicide in the past. I haven't had these type of feelings since high school.'
What disorder does Danielle have on Love Is Blind? ›She had a panic attack that was documented on the show and said that initially, her experience on "Love Is Blind" had a negative impact on her mental health. But when she began speaking out, her fans and followers "changed my life" by sharing that they've had similar mental health issues.
Does Shayne have ADHD from Love Is Blind? ›The TV personality, who struggles from “severe ADHD,” previously denied using drugs while filming “Love Is Blind.” “Have I [used drugs]? Yes.
Did Love Is Blind pay for weddings? ›No, the 'Love Is Blind' Couples Don't Actually Pay for Their Dream Weddings. And other gems from the show's master wedding planner.
Do Love Is Blind contestants buy their own ring? ›A Netflix representative told POPSUGAR that the Love Is Blind cast doesn't have to pay for the rings. And series creator Chris Coelen told Variety in 2022 that the men are given “10 or 12 different styles and colors” to choose from.
Does Love Is Blind have a contract? ›
Contestants on Love is Blind sign a contract in which they agree to waive many rights that we otherwise consider a given- privacy, accurate representation of self, and freedom to speak freely about their experience, among others.
Is Love Is Blind scripted with actors? ›So, is Love is Blind staged or scripted? The official answer is no, according to series creator series creator Chris Coelen. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said the show is so real they were even worried no one would get engaged during season one.
How staged is love blind? ›Love Is Blind is not scripted, and the show is real — at least to some extent. Everything surrounding the couples and their engagements were completely real, according to the show's producers and contestants.
Did Barnett and Amber have a baby? ›Love Is Blind's Amber & Barnett Just Revealed the Real Reason They Haven't Had Kids Yet. Warning: Love Is Blind: After the Altar spoilers ahead. Those who have seen Love Is Blind may be wondering where the cast is now. Does Jessica's dog still drink wine?
What is Mallory from Love Is Blind Job? ›Strategic Communications Consultant
-Develop and implement strategic communications programs.