The fifth season of Love Is Blind premiered on Netflix on September 22, 2023, and concluded on October 13, 2023, with a reunion episode released on October 15, 2023. The season followed singles from Houston, Texas.[1]
| Love Is Blind | |
|---|---|
| Season 5 | |
| Presented by | Nick Lachey Vanessa Lachey |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Netflix |
| Original release | September 22 – October 15, 2023 |
| Season chronology | |
Season summary
edit| Couples | Married | Still together | Relationship notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lydia Gonzalez & James "Milton" Johnson IV | Yes | Yes | Confirmed at the reunion that they are still married |
| Stacy Snyder & Izzy Zapata | No | No | Split on their wedding day after Izzy said yes but Stacy said no. As of February 2024, Stacy is in a relationship and Izzy is said to appear in Season 2 of Perfect Match. |
| Taylor Rue & Jared "JP" Pierce | No | No | Got engaged in the pods but broke up at the end of the Mexico trip. As of February 2024, JP and Taylor are both in relationships.[2] |
Participants
editAll the participants lived in Houston at the time of filming.
| Name | Age | Occupation | Relationship Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lydia Gonzalez | 32 | Geologist | Married |
| James "Milton" Johnson IV | 25 | Petroleum Engineer | |
| Stacy Snyder | 34 | Director of Operations | Split at the wedding |
| Izzy Zapata | 31 | Sales | |
| Taylor Rue | 26 | Teacher | Split before the wedding[2] |
| Jared "JP" Pierce | 32 | Firefighter | |
| Johnie Maraist | 32 | Lawyer | Not engaged |
| Christopher Fox | 28 | Project Manager for Commercial and Retail Development | |
| Aaliyah Cosby | 29 | ICU Travel Nurse | |
| Uche Okoroha | 34 | Lawyer and Entrepreneur | |
| Carter Wall | 30 | Construction | |
| Connor Moore | 31 | Geoscientist | |
| Efrain Batista | 27 | Software Sales | |
| Enoch Culliver | 27 | Financial Advisor | |
| Erica Anthony | 27 | Marketing Manager | |
| Ernesto Solorzano Jr | 32 | Supply Chain Manager | |
| Estefania Garcia | 30 | Teacher and Dancer | |
| Jarred Gibson | 34 | University Director | |
| Josh Simmons | 32 | Sales Representative | |
| Justice Currey | 28 | Personal Trainer | |
| Linda Obi | 30 | Talent Acquisition Recruiter | |
| Maris Prakonekham | 30 | HR Specialist | |
| Mayra Cardenas | 25 | Minister | |
| Miriam Amah | 32 | Scientist | |
| Paige Tillman | 32 | Stylist | |
| Robert Martinez | 30 | Special Education Teacher | |
| Renee Poche | 32 | Veterinarian | |
| Shondra | 32 | Flight Attendant |
Episodes
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original release date | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | ||||||||||||
| 60 | 1 | "So, You're a Recent Cheater?" | September 22, 2023 | |||||||||
| 61 | 2 | "Can I Talk to You for Real?" | September 22, 2023 | |||||||||
| 62 | 3 | "Blindsided" | September 22, 2023 | |||||||||
| 63 | 4 | "She's Gone...?" | September 22, 2023 | |||||||||
| Week 2 | ||||||||||||
| 64 | 5 | "Don't Give Up on Me" | September 29, 2023 | |||||||||
| 65 | 6 | "Going Home" | September 29, 2023 | |||||||||
| 66 | 7 | "First Class Love" | September 29, 2023 | |||||||||
| Week 3 | ||||||||||||
| 67 | 8 | "Love Is a Battlefield" | October 6, 2023 | |||||||||
| 68 | 9 | "Love on the Rocks" | October 6, 2023 | |||||||||
| Week 4 | ||||||||||||
| 69 | 10 | "Big, Big Love" | October 13, 2023 | |||||||||
| Special | ||||||||||||
| 70 | 11 | "The Reunion" | October 15, 2023 | |||||||||
Unaired engagements and alleged sexual assault
editIn addition to the three engagements shown on the season, three additional couples got engaged in the pods:
- Renee Poche and Carter Wall got engaged in the pods and traveled to Mexico with the other couples, and cameras followed their relationship up to the altar, but the couple did not wed, and they later ended their relationship. According to Poche, she said "no" at the altar.[3] In an interview with PopSugar, Poche divulged that producers told her the story was cut due to limited airtime available and Wall's behavior towards her, but elaborated: "I really don't know the real reason, [...] I have my own opinions on why and likely what happened, [...] I don't know if I should get into it. I will eventually, but not now."[3]
- Paige Tillman and Josh Simmons got engaged in the pods, but producers chose not to film their relationship further. The couple returned to Houston and continued their relationship, though they ultimately decided to end their relationship and did not get married.[4]
- An additional couple got engaged in the pods and participated in the Mexico trip, but was never shown. The female contestant filed a lawsuit against Love Is Blind production companies Kinetic Content and Delirium TV, alleging that her fiancé sexually assaulted her during the trip. She said that her fiancé "forcefully groped her, exposed himself in the nude, and repeatedly made sexual contact over her express objections" and that producers prevented her from leaving and forced her to film a final scene. The production companies denied the claims and called them "meritless." All footage of the couple was cut and their names were omitted from the cast list.[5]
Reception
editSeason 5 of Love is Blind was among Netflix's Top 10 series worldwide during its premiere week of September 18–24, 2023, and remained in the top 10 the following week.[6][7]
Critics of the show noted the high level of emotional conflict in the season's story lines and remarked on the show's ability to stay fresh by focusing on a different group of people each season.[8][9][10]
References
edit- ^ Longeretta, Emily (6 September 2023). "'Love Is Blind' Season 5 Cast: Meet the Singles Looking for Love in Houston". Variety.
- ^ a b "'Love Is Blind' Season 5 Stars Taylor And JP Break Down That Shocking Moment". Netflix Tudum. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
- ^ a b Kim, Yerin (6 October 2023). "Renee Poche Reveals Why "Love Is Blind" Might Have Cut Her Love Story". Popsugar.
- ^ Nicolaou, Elena (5 October 2023). "These 'Love Is Blind' Season 5 couples got engaged – but didn't make the show". Today. NBC News.
- ^ Longeretta, Emily (6 October 2023). "'Love Is Blind' Season 5 Contestant Sues Production Company, Alleges She Was Sexual Assaulted During Filming". Variety.
- ^ "Netflix Top 10- Global". Netflix.
- ^ Polk, Milan (7 October 2023). "Why Renee and Carter Weren't Shown in Love Is Blind Season 5". Men's Health.
- ^ Bradley, Laura. "'Love Is Blind' Season 5 Is Already Going Off the Rails". The Daily Beast.
- ^ Abad-Santos, Alex (22 September 2023). "Love Is Blind season 5 is all about red flags". Vox.
- ^ VanArendonk, Kathryn (30 September 2023). "The Love Is Blind Experiment Finally Broke". Vulture.