Love Is Blind Reunion Recap: Reality Check

I’ve changed my mind. Miraculously, this reunion seems to have turned the entire season into a worthwhile experience for me. I was taken aback, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, and I find myself harboring an even greater mistrust of Minnesota men… Netflix truly saved the best episode for last. Is it that I prefer this to a more consistent season leading up to a dull reunion? There were only a few instances tonight where my focus wavered. However, I must commend the Lacheys for their hard work in preparing those questions and responses.

Prior to sharing the latest from our season eight cast, it’s important to note that this reunion serves not only as a catch-up but also as a celebration marking Love Is Blind‘s five-year anniversary! This special occasion is commemorated by revisiting some of the most memorable moments in the show’s history, as chosen by viewers – I seem to have missed the vote. A classic oversight on my part, I must admit. Here are the highlights:

Jess tells Jimmy to get an Epi-pen (season 6).
Lauren and Cameron’s reveal (season 1).
Laura knows Jeramey’s location (season 6).
Taylor acknowledges Garrett’s glow-up (season 7).
Chelsea tells Jimmy she looks like Megan Fox (season 6).

The focus seems to be on recent events in the franchise, disregarding earlier moments due to recall bias. It would have been more fair if Netflix organized a vote where fans could choose one top moment from each season instead of just selecting the most memorable ones that happened post-2024. I find it amusing that they made Jess (rather than Jimmy) record an acceptance speech for this victory, which adds a touch of humor to the situation.

Alright, with that out of the way, let’s move on to our current cast!

Taylor and Daniel

The eighth season’s check-ins are framed by updates from this delightful pair. Daniel sports a mustache now, and though he hasn’t yet fulfilled his promise of a matching lip tattoo, he did get a tattoo of Taylor’s “quizzical” eyes (his term) on his chest instead. Well, as long as Taylor approves, I suppose!

These enthusiasts of Christmas celebrations have devoted the past year to an assortment of activities ranging from sweet moments like sharing kisses beneath the mistletoe, to less appealing ones such as intertwining toes. They even procured an inflatable costume set featuring Uncle Sam and a Bald Eagle pair, adding another layer to their festivities. Their families have also been bonding closely during this time, though not without some challenging experiences. When Daniel’s mother was diagnosed with leukemia, his father moved in with Taylor’s hospital-working brother to provide support. It’s heartening to learn that Daniel’s mother has now beaten cancer and is preparing for a transplant, and I can only hope that the recent silence about Taylor’s father and his health means he is recovering well as well.

In my own words, Taylor and Daniel have recently become homeowners in the Minneapolis suburbs, which seems to be the main topic of conversation these days. It appears that when you’re contentedly married, life isn’t filled with as many dramatic twists and turns. On the other hand, their fellow cast members… let’s delve into that next!

Virginia and Devin

In an unexpectedly deep tone, Virginia shares that Devin discussed his deeply-held principles with her away from the camera’s gaze. Although she prefers not to voice his opinions, she makes it clear that she personally stands in solidarity with the LGBTQ community and champions their rights, as well as those seeking abortion services. Her mother, Mary – a Democratic state representative – gives a supportive nod from the audience.

Virginia also emphasizes the significance of respecting various religious beliefs, a sentiment underscored by her Muslim family members’ presence at their wedding. This explanation perhaps explains why Netflix chose to showcase the audience during the ceremony so frequently.

Devin proposes that he can overlook certain differences and maintains that it is possible to maintain a relationship without full agreement on every issue. As a Christian, he highlights the importance of extending love to all people, although he chooses to keep his specific beliefs private at this point in time.

In my humble opinion, this film had a few hiccups that were hard to ignore as a movie-goer. For instance, on the eve of his wedding, Devin received a note from his ex-girlfriend, which he claims was purely friendly. However, I must mention that Virginia encountered the mystery woman, unaware of her past with Devin until his mother shared the information. This revelation, intended to support Devin’s impending nuptials, unfortunately seemed to have an opposite effect on their relationship.

Moreover, it appears that Devin’s mother may have unwittingly played a role in the couple’s turmoil when she disclosed a $1,000 check that Devin had been keeping secret. He explains he was merely saving it for after the wedding, but this financial detail certainly added fuel to the relationship fire.

Lastly, the scene where Virginia went above and beyond with a personalized birthday gift for Devin, only to have him hesitate to help her bring it in, raised some eyebrows. Hearing “You coulda got that” from your fiancé is never a comforting sentiment, but if any of Devin’s high school basketball teammates happen to watch ‘Love Is Blind’, I can’t help but worry they might tease him mercilessly on the court.

Essentially, Devin appears to be presenting himself as someone who’s choosing the moral high ground. Virginia comments, “The person I’m encountering today is quite intriguing because I haven’t felt love or respect for a year,” expressing surprise when he declares that he still wanted her after the wedding. As per Virginia, Devin stopped responding to her calls and later informed others that she was the one who ignored him first. Devin attempts to refute this, but Molly, a good friend of Virginia’s, counters, “He told me that, though.” When Madison supports Molly, Devin attributes their conversation to being highly intoxicated and intrusive. He admits that post-wedding conversations with Virginia always led to arguments, and it wasn’t working out. Now, he’s ready to leave the past behind and move on, implying that a new pair of exes is on the horizon.

Sara and Ben

After Sara points out Ben’s apparent lack of curiosity regarding her comment on his indifference towards new topics, Ben, speaking about himself in third person, admits he wished he could have jolted himself awake. When questioned about his ignorance concerning his church’s standpoint on gay marriage, he explains that since the issue didn’t directly affect anyone close to him, he hadn’t made an effort to learn about it. However, Ben clarifies that he acknowledges his past oversights and is not proud of them, as some of his friends were openly gay.

After that, we delve into fresh details. As Sara shared, she and Ben were still ironing out their post-wedding issues and even cohabited for a brief period. However, when Sara went to Nashville for three months due to work commitments, he ceased sharing his location and sent what she perceived as staged apologies that she chose not to acknowledge or reply to. Their next contact was initiated by him because a former cast member suggested he mend fences with her before the reunion. (Ben prefers not to implicate anyone; I owe gratitude to Vanessa for ensuring Jimmy from season six received his Regina George treatment nonetheless.)

Ben denies ever asking for a rehearsal about discussing “values”; Sara counters by saying he did because she found it absurd and shared this with the female cast members, her family, and friends. He further states they had already broken up before Sara left, but Lauren interjects by asserting that Sara never believed this – during their drive to Nashville, she reportedly informed Lauren and Taylor over the phone that Ben would stay with her.

According to Ben, it was Sara who failed to address his apologies, leading him to believe she had abruptly ended their interaction (or “ghosted” him). On the other hand, Sara feels she was subjected to an overwhelming display of affection (or “love bombed”) by Ben during their experiment, and doubts the authenticity of his feelings throughout that time.

Monica and Joey

The duo, reminiscent of characters from “Friends,” never progressed beyond the confines of a friendship. It was known that Monica had some strong feelings towards her physical bond with Joey, but it wasn’t until now that we understood the intensity of those feelings – she now finds his lack of romantic interest “humiliating” and revisiting the show is a “punch in the face.” Joey attributes Monica’s sister as the primary reason their relationship remained platonic. (Notably, Monica’s mother and Joey’s sisters are present, and their expressions convey their opinions throughout this discussion.)

Once more, we discover some behind-the-scenes turmoil. Approximately a month ago, Monica discovered that Joey had sent a message to Madison on social media following their brief reunion with the podcast group. The content of the message remains unknown, but the mere act would have been unacceptable for Monica. However, rest assured, Joey merely checks in on people. In the past, he did date Madison within the podcast and claims he reached out to express friendliness and compliment her pink hair. Upon reflection, he now understands how this action may have upset his former fiancée.

Monica admits to spending time with Joey even after their wedding. They can’t seem to agree on how often they got intimate, but Monica claims that during a period of ambiguity in their friendship, Joey informed her that Madison was making advances towards him at various bars. Later on, Madison learned about this and vehemently denied it. It appears there were several discussions following this about what Joey actually said. Notably, Molly supports Joey’s claim that Monica was just joking when she made certain statements. One might wonder if the cameras should have stayed in Minneapolis after the weddings because it seems the real drama unfolded post-season. Furthermore, it appears everyone frequented the same bars.

Monica realizes that Joey still has much to grasp when it comes to being a partner, despite his exceptional qualities as a son, sibling, and companion. Joey, in turn, expresses his affection for her, regrets their inability to form a romantic bond, and wishes her well. A subtle smile from Monica signals the shift to our next pair.

Lauren and Dave

Nick initiates the conversation by inquiring about Dave, “What’s been going on with you?” Intriguing. Lauren and Dave seem to revisit their argument regarding her past encounter. They acknowledge that she has a higher emotional maturity level than him, and she clarifies the situation so he acknowledges his inability to move past it. It appears that Dave has recently understood that the individual involved was spreading “false information”. According to Lauren, he sent her a “very considerate and mature” message a few weeks back about his newfound clarity. Clearly, she didn’t require it as she already knew the truth. Nick manages to get everyone to agree that one can have a casual encounter and meet their soulmate the next day, then proclaims “Laurengate” closed.

In a recent turn of events, Dave claims that Lauren is the one who slipped through his fingers, not him trying to find an excuse. However, when prompted to express his feelings towards her, he becomes shy and evasive. Fortunately for him, Lauren seems unconvinced; they’ve crossed paths at various bars, and she even has his phone number. As for the letter? Dave asserts that Lauren discovered it in his jacket prior to giving it to his sister, but he maintains that he did eventually deliver it. According to Dave, his sister didn’t respond because her decision was already set in stone.

Lauren is being extraordinarily kind towards this man. She emphasizes that while he has areas in his life requiring growth and healing, it’s unfair for the internet to label him as a narcissist or manipulator. “We’re dealing with some heavy stuff up here,” Dave underscores.

Lastly, here’s a brief update: Molly expresses that she holds no grudge against Dave, however, she struggled with some of the falsehoods he stated in his podcasts (he acknowledges her as his top priority when she mentions it). She also believes that Dave’s friends are less than ideal if they truly didn’t want to meet Lauren. When questioned about her first committed relationship, Molly admits that she’s had a tough year with men. Vanessa inquires if Molly has any girlfriends, to which Molly responds negatively but hints at the possibility of considering it in the future. So, my speculation about Molly and Lauren forming a surprise relationship, as suggested at the start of the episode, seems to be unfounded.

Madison, Meg, Mason, and Alex

The narrative began to move a tad slowly for my taste here, as we delve into topics that have already been discussed during the mini-reunion and subsequent episodes: Mason felt overly validated by Madison, and both he and Meg recorded their own post-show revelation, while Madison suspects Alex of putting on a false persona in front of the camera.

The setup suggests a trio against one individual dynamic. Following some attempts at dating, Mason and Meg have chosen to become close friends instead, with Meg preparing to challenge Madison’s labeling of Mason as manipulative in an interview. Mason counters by saying he isn’t smart enough for such tactics. In the meantime, Alex is casting a skeptical glance at Madison due to her inconsistencies in relationships. He also disagrees when she claims he pleaded with her to stay in L.A., stating it would be illogical for him to belittle Mason.

Following a pattern we’ve seen before, the drama didn’t end with the show itself – it carried on at local bars. Much like Joey, I find myself in a situation where Mason alleges that Madison was flirting with him. She maintains she went to the bar to clear up matters with Mason, who apologized upon their meeting; however, Mason insists she admitted her feelings for him that night and that his apology was for not heeding the warning signs that had been there all along. Later on, Meg brings up “the bar incident” and accuses Madison of distorting the truth about how things ended with Alex.

Madison is frustrated that people doubt her genuine emotions towards both of her podcast exes. She also accuses Alex of lying and displays printed screenshots where he admits to confiding in her information not intended for others, feeling like a “bad guy” now. “I have more, but I could only fit this much in my sleeve,” Madison says. Although the text messages and emojis are suggestive, I wouldn’t describe them as definitive proof. If someone had sneaked in physical evidence, it would have been Sara presenting Ben’s apology messages and his suggestion to rehearse for the reunion.

Promo, a proposal, and a performance

Moving forward, let’s discuss what’s next in this reunion segment. Was a sock bin challenge truly necessary? Does Netflix really crave people to download the Love Is Blind game that much? My enthusiasm is fading as the commercial for season six appears, featuring AD alongside Ollie from Love Is Blind U.K., teasing their new podcast. It turns out they are the unexpected couple and will both appear in the upcoming third season of Perfect Match on Netflix. They were filmed promoting it before Ollie escorted AD down the beach and proposed. Aww! I might not be shedding tears like Virginia, but I’m genuinely happy for her. We’re left to wonder if this means they were the last couple on Perfect Match — personally, I find it amusing to imagine one of them winning with someone else.

Following the news that season nine is set in Denver, Colorado, it’s now time for Alex, who resembles the character from season eight and shares his name, to debut the first musical performance on Love Is Blind. However, please note that this isn’t actually the same Alex we know. This appears to be Alex Warren, whom I have not encountered before. My apologies to this gentleman. I’m certain that some viewers will find this performance significant due to the popularity of his song “Ordinary”, as indicated by Spotify statistics, and because he has been well-known for quite a while as one of the co-founders of TikTok’s Hype House.

In the eighth season’s finale, the cast toasts love, suggesting it’s a family gathering now. We end the episode with a musical jam reminiscent of “Love Is Blind.” As they all pick up their instruments, we see brief clips from some heartwarming success stories of “Love Is Blind” spanning over the last five years, featuring couples like Kwame and Chelsea, Lydia and Milton, Brett and Tiffany, Garrett and Taylor, Alexa and Brennan, Amy and Johnny, and Zack and Bliss.

2025-03-10 05:58