Netflix and Get Married?

Posted on March 4, 2020
love is blind tv show

I was hesitant with The Circle, I fell for Cheer, and now I am here to tell you that Love is Blind pushed me over the edge and deep into the new reality TV world of…Netflix? Gone are the days of only watching The Office and Parks and Rec on repeat (though I still do) and enter shows that are the topic of pop culture podcasts and Buzzfeed articles formerly dedicated to the likes of Bravo or the Bachelor. I never thought I would turn to Netflix for my reality TV fix, but I was glued to my TV for the Love is Blind finale last Thursday.

How is Netflix capturing a piece of the reality TV market? Love is Blind is a perfect example of Netflix creating the meeting point between popular shows like 90 Day Fiancé or Married at First Sight, mixed with a Bravo show, with a sprinkle of The Bachelor. By taking elements from reality shows that are wildly popular in cable and melding them into a three-week event, Netflix created major BUZZ that echoed through every corner of the internet. I’ll admit, I was a little late to the game, but the show is so binge-able that it really didn’t matter, as long as you were ready for the finale weddings! We watch reality TV because we love to see other people’s stories- whether it’s just day to day life, dating adventures, or competition shows, we LOVE to see what other people are doing! Netflix set up an experiment where men and women begin dating without seeing each other (dating via pods), and if the relationship progressed, a blind engagement would ensue all within a mere 10 days. The idea truly sends a shiver down my spine having dated my husband for 10 years before getting married (granted we were in college when we met, but STILL!). The show was wildly successful! More successful than Netflix even anticipated, with 8 couples getting engaged in a matter of days, but the show could only follow 6- and even that was more than they had planned (but we lost one couple before we made it back from Mexico, so 5 couples in the end). The show was filmed in 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia, meaning any happily married couples would have to hide their relationships for over a year!

Let’s meet the couples. Jessica and Mark, GG and Damien, Amber and Barnett, Kenny and Kelly, and Cameron and Lauren took the world by storm. Not only do the couples live together after getting in engaged and spending time in Mexico, but they all also live in the SAME apartment complex, and occasionally socialize together. A wild concept considering they all dated each other. The show then follows the couples as they tell friends and families their great news, visit their own apartments and houses (seeing Mark’s brown sheets, comforter, and pillow have scarred me), and finally shop for wedding outfits and have bachelor/bachelorette parties. Mind you, these moments are randomly led by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, both of whom felt wildly out of place and completely unnecessary, but we appreciate Netflix reminding us of our early 2000’s roots.

As the show follows these 5 couples, some feel like the closest thing to the real deal you will find (Kelly and Kenny, Lauren and Cameron), while others feel so wrong and cringey, I can’t believe they even make it to their wedding day.

Spoilers ahead! It was truly an iconic experience.

We rooted for Kelly and Kenny:

But it all came crumbling down (poor Kenny). Kelly’s mom was maybe the most devastated:

We rode the rollercoaster that is GG and Damien:

We screamed at our TVs that Mark deserves better!

But Jessica, well she gave us years’ worth of reality TV greatness in 10 episodes. First came the wine:

Then, she showed us all real perseverance for the man you want:

And finally, she quoted the Olsen twins, game over:

We watched Amber swindle Barnett:

And Lauren and Cameron gave us the fairytale we never knew we needed:

We bow down to the new royal couple of Netflix who have, in fact, been legally married for over a year! Are you missing these chaotic couples now that the show ended like I am? Fear not, the reunion will air March 5th and if the previews are any indication, we are in for a REALLLLLL treat!

Did we mention SNL already parodied the show, adding a special twist?

By Ali
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