For the first time, the majority of the couples on the U.S. version of “Love Is Blind” are Black, putting more skin in the game for Black viewers.
Spoilers ahead for Season 7 of “Love is Blind” ahead.
Netflix’s hit reality TV dating show, “Love is Blind,” which features contestants meeting and getting engaged to their partners without seeing each other, has returned for its seventh season — and may be on track to be the U.S. franchise’s Blackest season yet.
After dozens of singles plucked from the DMV region had a chance to meet and get engaged in the pods, six couples formed, out of which seven of the twelve contestants were Black. And yet, the Blackest season of “Love is Blind” to date has many of us on the edge of our seats — or, in some cases, just on edge.
With so much Black love at stake, there’s an unprecedented amount of skin in the game for Black viewers. There have also been many red flags on these couple’s journeys to potential success.
There have been prayers in bed, boasts of sexcapades, misguided discussions around race, fake smiles, fake happy voices, rumors of secret children, allegations of cheating, and more. From Stephen and Monica’s bizarre chats around their racial identities to the almost relationship-ending fight between Alexandra and Tim to the paternity rumors surrounding Tyler, we unpack the Black couples and any red flags surrounding their romances thus far.
Stephen and Monica
While still in the pods, Stephen and Monica began discussing race when he revealed he’d discovered his father had a slight percentage of African descent. From there, things continued to get worse when he casually called her a “mutt,” referencing her Black, Indigenous and Honduran identity. (Notably, she didn’t seem to flinch.) We also can’t look past Stephen stating he was “three-fifths Black,” given the context of the Three-Fifths Compromise once imposed on the enslaved in this country.
Out of the pods, Stephen continued to reveal “quirks,” as we’ll call them, including irrational sexual fears and, ultimately, an explicit text message thread with another unidentified woman, which he and Monica could not recover from.
Alexandra and Tim
In the pods, Alexandra and Tim had great chemistry. They demonstrated admirable vulnerability right away and shared an uncanny amount of similarities, including military family backgrounds.
However, outside of the pods and on vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the two began to banter in a way that felt almost combative and potentially escalating. Ultimately, the pair had a serious argument off-camera in which that saw Tim almost throw in the towel after Alexandra allegedly called him out of his name and attempted to cover his mouth. Without seeing the fight for ourselves, it’s hard to conclusively judge, but the serious nature of their discussion afterward has left many uneasy. Some viewers online even warned that Alexandra’s alleged behavior bordered on abuse.
However, as the next set of episodes debuted, things appeared to be going much smoother back in Washington, D.C. Meeting Alexandra’s family and seeing the quick wit she shares with her father also helped build context around her personality.
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Ashley and Tyler
Ashley and Tyler were atop many viewers’ lists this season as contenders for fan favorites. They had natural chemistry in the pods and interesting backstories, and both seemed deeply dedicated to the idea of marriage. While through more than half of the episodes, the two have remained almost boringly solid, drama built offscreen, as internet sleuths discovered Tyler may have been hiding three children.
As the second set of episodes wrapped, Tyler explained to Alexandra that he was a sperm donor, producing three biological children through that process. Noting how communication was, up until that point, their “superpower,” Alexandra understandably felt the news — and Tyler’s initial non-disclosure — was “a lot to absorb” and “something [she] should have known before agreeing to say yes.” She also noted that now, “it’s hard not to question everything.” It’s still to be determined if they will make it down the aisle.
Marissa and Ramses
Marissa and Ramses initially got along like a house on fire, but as their relationship evolved, they appeared to have very different value systems. After being clearly infatuated and lustful for the entirety of the Cabo trip, things took a slight turn upon their return to D.C. The pair have had tense discussions surrounding Marissa’s military background, an experience that Marissa acknowledged as controversial but still very important to her. Meanwhile, given his Venezuelan background, Ramses was staunchly against the U.S. military.
He also seemed to be staunchly against using condoms during intercourse, while Marissa was against getting on birth control. The lack of compromise on major aspects of life is very hard to ignore.
Additionally, meeting Marissa’s family was… interesting, to say the least. Her mother was extremely vocal about a lot, including Marissa needing a prenup, Ramses’ personal style, and her general disdain for marriage because “nothing is forever,” from her experience. To Ramses’ credit, he handled himself well. It’s still to be determined if the two are headed for success at the conclusion of the episodes.
With one Black woman out of the running and six Black folks left, so many questions remain concerning the odds of these Black love matches surviving. In a season where so much of the American Black dating experience is on full display, Black viewers are being given an opportunity to relate not just with the “ick” and the joy but also with the pain. Many of us are so invested because, for better or worse, we’ve been there, and can anticipate how many of these all-too-familiar scenarios are going to go. With a pivotal batch of “Love Is Blind” episodes yet to come, we’d love to be wrong.
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