Love Is Blindhas struggled lately with casting, especially with the male applicants.A number of male participants that have been cast in recent seasons were more interested in fame than in following through on the promise of matrimony. Hannah revealing at theSeason 7 reunionthatNick Dhad been scribbling in his notebook about hopes of becoming famous from the series is only the most recent example of this trend. If the show’s premise was more aligned with Netflix’s otherreality dating series, likeToo Hot To HandleorPerfect Match, this deception wouldn’t be so sinister. ButLove Is Blindis meant to be a “social experiment” about finding a life partner sight unseen, by bonding through deep conversations, never seeing each other face-to-face until they have already agreed to walk down the aisle together. The stakes are high.
When it’s obvious to the viewers that the cast are there for reality TV fame, rather than searching for a true love match, it feels like a betrayal of the premise of the series. In the latest seasons, there have been several problematic men chasing fame over love who have squeaked through the casting process,hiding secret girlfriendsand eventhe truth of their history as a parent. There have also been men who came on seemingly with no intention of ever walking down the aisle, who were simply looking forward to social media fame once the series aired. The casting problem has become so prolific, that it now seems inevitable that the ladies onLove Is Blindshould expect to deal with the same manipulations, lies, and gas-lighting they are trying to avoid in the typical dating world by applying to the series.
In 2023, the Netflix series cast its net for local singles in Minneapolis. Season 8 ofLove Is Blindwill debut on Valentine’s Day, July 29, 2025.It seems the production filmed so quickly on the heels ofSeason 7, there may have been little time for them to glean any lessons after the last few seasons have been so embattled with disappointing men. But here is what I would hope to see in the upcoming Minneapolis season of the series.
‘Love Is Blind’ Needs Fewer Red Flags From the Male Cast
Am I hoping for too much, asking for fewer red flags in Season 8 ofLove Is Blind? If nothing else, the last few seasons of the series have shone a spotlight on how exhausting and confusing the dating scene can be.Love Is Blindelevated itself beyond other more casual dating series by labeling itself as a “social experiment,” out to prove that similarly-minded singles who are looking for love in a specific geographic region can make a lasting commitment to each other on an emotional level before they have ever seen one another.If the ambitions weren’t so lofty, the disappointments wouldn’t hit so hard. Watching the hopeful brides-to-be suffer through a series of lies and manipulations once they have chosen their partner, ignoring potential red flags in order to trust theLove Is Blindprocess, seems like a betrayal on an even deeper level than when such circumstances arise on other more casual dating shows.
Season 8 of ‘Love Is Blind’ Already Seems Like More of the Same
The upcoming cast for Season 8 may yet prove me wrong, but the tease at the end of theSeason 7 reuniondid not ease my fears in this regard. The young man who co-hostVanessa Lacheyspoke to about his experience filming Season 8 was such a walking red flag, that I’m shocked the production chose to put him front and center. When Lachey asked new cast member Alex why he turned to the series instead of a more typical dating experience, he remarked that his priorities had gotten in the way of dating in the past, with work, friends, and travel taking precedence over the search for a partner. He also mentioned the local bar scene as the typical place he would look for dates.This doesn’t sound like a person who has given long-term commitment much thought.I could be rushing to judgment, and the youthful and smiling Alex may yet prove me wrong, but his cavalier attitude about dating does not scream “I’m ready to be a supportive husband.”
Monica on ‘Love Is Blind’ Breakup With Stephen: “I Think He Wants To Be a Good Guy”
Monica tells Collider she wanted peace after finding Stephen’s cheating texts on ‘Love Is Blind.’
More Care From Production About the Burden They Place on These Ladies
In a nuanced response toan interview inquiry fromThe Hollywood Reporterabout the vetting process for the series,Love Is BlindcreatorChris Coelenultimately shrugged off the series' responsibility to dig too deeply into the applicants' personal histories. He told the outlet:“Everyone in the world has a story, and we aren’t the police.“But given the recent record of men coming onto the series and lying about key personal details to deceive and manipulate their partners, is it so far-fetched to think the series might do more than a cursory questionnaire and psychiatric evaluation?
It seems a significant part of the casting process is about taking people at their word… but rather than putting the ladies in the position of having toconduct independent background checkson their new men, maybe it’s time for the casting process to introduce a polygraph test at the very least? The results may not be admissible in court, but the reason law enforcement still employ the technique is that it remains a reliable indicator of deception.Coelen’s response seems too terse to be coming from a place of genuine concern for the ladies being subjected to these young men who want to cos-play as mature adults for their time on the series, only to disappoint their partners after things get serious.
So, what I would like to see from Season 8 in Minneapolis would be more serious-minded men who are emotionally mature enough to put in the work for a committed relationship. Plus, an indication from the producers that they understand the duty of care they incur when it comes to the female contestants being coaxed onto the series with promises of developing a committed relationship within a social experiment, only to be met with more of the same lies and heartbreak found in a typical dating scene.Either way, I will be tuning in to Season 8 when it drops next Valentine’s Day, of course. I am eagerly waiting to see ifLove Is Blindin Minneapolis, and if the producers understand the adjustments the series should undertake to ween out fame-seeking egoists.
Love Is Blindis available on Netflix.
Love Is Blind
Singles who want to be loved for who they are, rather than what they look like, have signed up for a less-conventional approach to modern dating.
Watch on Netflix
