So many of my favorite shows originated across the pond: The Office, In Treatment, The Great British Baking Show and of course, Love Island. But Netflix's current #4 show is flipping the switch. Love Is Blind, which premiered in February 2020, is an American reality series that's since been adapted to eight international versions. The premise is simple...and crazy. Dubbed “a social experiment,” single men and women blindly date, fall in love and get engaged before seeing each other face to face. While I got burnt out on the U.S. version, I gotta say, the U.K. season 1, which premiered on Netflix earlier this month, is worth a watch. Here’s why.
Netflix’s #4 Show Right Now Is a U.K. Remake—But It’s Actually So Much Better Than the Original
Who's ready to jump into the pods?
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Published Aug 16, 2024
Netflix
The Premise, the Pods and the Plot Points Are Still Intact
Don't worry, things aren't that different in the U.K. The show still follows the original's structure: Pods, then honeymoon with all the couples, then IRL with families and moving in together until we get to the weddings. This worked great in the original since we not only care about the couples' story arcs, but there's also usually some petty B-story drama simmering between cast mates.
But the Hosts Are Less Annoying
Nothing against Nick and Vanessa Lachey, but they both seem kinda dead inside? I don't think either of them are that thrilled with the gig, and they don't seem to connect with the contestants or viewers at home during reunions. But the U.K. hosts, couple Matt and Emma Willis, are British celebs that just seem...I don't know, cooler? Less of a drag? They're a value-add for sure.
Most Importantly, the Contestants Aren’t (All) Wild Cards
Maybe there's something in the American waters (of course there is), but so many of the participants in the U.S. version are...wacky AF. And while on one hand it makes for good TV, the cringe got to a level of unwatchable for me. Long story short: I stopped streaming Love Is Blind because the people got too damn weird. And while the premise of marrying someone you've never seen before inherently invites strange bedfellows—and even though the fifth Law of Nature follows that any good reality program is peppered with a sprinkling of personality disorder—I've actually kinda fallen in love with the U.K. cast. Don't get me wrong, there's enough weird to go around, but they're also sweet, earnest and the English accents don't hurt.
OK, maybe it's just the English accents. So give it a watch. The season 1 finale hits the streaming platform on August 21.
