‘Love Is Blind’ Embraces the Manosphere

Manisha Krishnan Culture Feb 27, 2026 6:30 AM Love Is Blind Embraces the Manosphere A show that started as an earnest if messy quest for love is now simply a mirror to the hell of modern dating. Courtesy of Netflix Save this story Save this story When Netflix dropped the first season of Love Is Blind in February 2020, it offered a reprieve from the washboard abs that normally seem like a casting requirement for reality TV shows . The premise—that couples get engaged “sight unseen” after talking to each other through pods, then, following a big reveal, decide if they want to get married—featured just the right amount of mess. Who can forget Jessica allowing her dog to sip wine or an insulted Carlton throwing his fiancee's engagement ring into a pool? Meanwhile Lauren and Cameron's unvarnished conversations highlighted the awkwardness that sometimes accompanies interracial dating. It was a reality show, but it seemed like a format that could actually allow people to fall in love without getting bogged down in superficial distractions and expectations. Maybe. Now in its 10th season, Love Is Blind is a cornerstone of Netflix’s reality TV cinematic universe. But while each cycle brings us standout women who earnestly buy into the show’s original conceit, it’s getting tougher to find any men to root for. With the latest US season featuring Chris Fusco, who voluntarily compares himself to Andrew Tate and derides a fellow male cast member for being “submissive,” and Alex Henderson, a Trump-loving crypto bro with an ever-shifting backstory, increasingly the men of Love Is Blind seem to have been plucked straight from the manosphere. Season after season, the women on the show (and viewers at home) are subjected to men who make shallow, body-shaming comments , struggle with anger and emotional regulation , and sometimes appear uncomfortable with their partner’s success. While race still comes up, it’s often in a superficial and offensive way. Contestants either find themselves...