Why the silly slideshows in the Love Is Blind S11 reunion made me scream

Man, as a species, has not come off well on season 11 of Love Is Blind US. Rob’s outburst and John’s comments on women’s healthcare put me off ever entering the New England area. But the icing on the cake was that godawful reunion episode. Two light-hearted, seemingly harmless photo slideshows exemplified the problems this show seems to have with telling women’s stories. I screeched, audibly. Here’s why.

Exhibit A: The boat slideshow

His personality is ‘travel’! We get it!
(Image via Netflix)

Obviously, Love Is Blind is a dating show. Since the format excludes queer relationships, it’s perhaps inevitable that the women are going to spend a lot of time talking about men.

In the case of Blake and Erika, his unconventional career was clearly an obstacle in their relationship. Netflix viewers heard all about the ins-and-outs of Blake’s life on boats. On the other hand, Erika’s job was barely brought up. Although, during the reunion, Blake did suggest he never got round to sharing his life with Erika because “she got a big job promotion because she’s a baddie and we love her, and she did so good”.

After Blake and Erika were asked about their break-up, Love Is Blind viewers had to sit through a lengthy slideshow of Blake on boats. While photos showed Blake smiling in a series of beautiful places, Erika tearfully hugged Michaella.

This feels like satire
(Image via Netflix)

Why do we see how wonderful Blake’s life has been, but nothing of Erika’s? Why don’t we get to hear about her life without her fiancé? Are women only of interest when they’re next to a man?

Netflix had the opportunity to give us closure to Erika’s story, and show what she’s like as a person beyond Blake. They didn’t bother.

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Exhibit B: The bromance slideshow

What unfortunate intern had to make this?
(Image via Netflix)

I judge anyone who voluntarily spends time with John and Rob and the like. I also judge Netflix for devoting part of the Love Is Blind US reunion to a photo montage of the male cast members hanging out together after Love Is Blind. Aw, well the show didn’t find the raw milk-drinking losers brides to clean their homes, but it did cure the male loneliness epidemic! Huzzah! 

So many bits of the reunion seem to be characterising the male cast members as boyish/laddish/etc. The audience counted down Cam’s five best Dad Jokes. Well over a minute of the reunion is spent asking the boys silly, surface-level questions about their group chat. In the slideshow, the men are messing about, doing karaoke, and playing sports.

Strange stuff
(Image via Netflix)

Sarah told John during Love Is Blind season 11 that she was wary of relationships in which the women do all the “emotional labour” for male partners. The women from this season were still doing the “emotional labour” in the reunion. Aneha, Erika, Michaella, Sarah and Wilnie talked about their feelings, analysed their relationships, and shed tears. The men looked at photos of themselves having fun.

We know that several of the female cast member also kept up with each other after the show, and formed deep friendships. Why didn’t the reunion include a slideshow of the women, too? That’s, like, gender equality 101.

Love Is Blind is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.

Featured image via Netflix.