Unlimited alcohol and dating for hours: Secrets of how the Love Is Blind pods actually work

The premise of Love Is Blind is pretty simple: A bunch of single people date in pods, and then agree to get married without having met one another. But, there are actually loads of secrets behind how the show runs and works so seamlessly.

Like, how long are the cast members actually dating in the pods? What are the pods even like? Why do they randomly have tacos, cocktails and even glasses of champagne in the pods with them sometimes? There’s a lot to take in.

So here is every question about the Love Is Blind pods you have ever had, answered. Here are all the secrets behind how this section of the show is put together.

Yes, the pods do truly mean you are dating blind

The pods in Love Is Blind really do mean the daters are doing it… blind. They really can’t see anything of the other person. Host, Nick Lachey, said: “You can’t see anything but a very vague silhouette of what’s happening on the other side. You’re truly flying blind.”

There are 20 pods in total

The dating pods are approximately 12 feet by 12 feet in size, and there are 20 pods all together – 10 for men and 10 for women. In between filming seasons, the pods are placed into storage and have been shipped across the country for filming in different locations.

At first the pod dates are short and like speed dating

So, how does dating in the Love Is Blind pods work? The first round of dates in the pods, with everyone involved, last around seven to 10 minutes each, and are like speed dating sessions. As time goes on, and people get to know each other, they then go up to around 30 minute dates, where cast members are speaking to up to eight people – at separate times, of course.

Dates then progress to have no time limit, but you can only be dating a couple of people. The show’s creator confirmed it is completely the cast member’s decisions who they chat to, and for how long.

The Love Is Blind pods are specially designed for purpose

Love Is Blind creator, Chris Coelen, has shared exactly how the pods are designed to get the most out of the experience. In basic terms, the pods are a series of small rooms. They are each kitted out with a couch, a rug and a shimmering blue wall that’s shared with another pod. Contestants can hear, but not see, one another as the get to know each other and date.

“We wanted to provide an environment for people where they would literally have no distractions,” he told Netflix Tudum. “We wanted it to be comfortable and conducive to conversation — a place where they could get cozy with each other.” Everything down to the wall in between the connecting pods being blue was a design feature. The blue wall having a slight shimmer is to make the wall feel like a “living, breathing presence.”

“The pods are designed so that all you’re focusing on are your emotions and your connections, and you’re not really even thinking about the fact that you’re in Atlanta, or Chicago, or LA, or wherever you are,” he added.

The pods are soundproof, and the Love Is Blind cast hear each other through speakers in the room

When the dates are going on, the cast members aren’t actually hearing each other through the wall between them, because the booths are soundproof to stop them hearing each other’s dates in the other pods. Instead, the rooms are hooked up with speakers in, so they can only hear the person they are on a date with.

They’re also each fitted with a glass roof, and Chris Coelen has said the studios are tall enough so contestants can look up and daydream. Cute!

The pod section of the show lasts about 10 days

If you’re wondering how long the daters spend in the pod section, this part of filming lasts around 10 days. It starts with the full cast of around 30 people and during the 10 days some singles are let go, which is why we don’t see them all dating. “There was a certain point where we did a whittling down of people just to focus internally on the people who were really connecting, to allow them more time,” Chris Coelen said.

The Love Is Blind pods are kept stocked up with drinks and food

The cast members always have alcohol on hand, should they want it. Chris Coelen confirmed the pods are kept fully stocked with drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, 24/7. There are said to be no restrictions on how much the cast members drink and they can ask for whatever they want. You’ve seen random bits of food in the pods for sure, and this is because the cast members can request any food or snacks they want.

No, there aren’t any toilets in the Love Is Blind pods

A big problem with having pods that are constantly stocked with drinks is the need cast members have to pee afterwards. Naturally. But no, there aren’t any toilets in the pods. If cast members need to go during their dates, they have to head back to the living quarters, where the nearest toilet is located next to the gym – yes they have a gym!

The longest date was between three and four hours and people have fallen asleep in the pods

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the show’s creator Chris Coelen confirmed the longest pod date was between three and four hours. “One of the things I was amazed by was that they didn’t want to leave the pods, ever,” he said.

“They just wanted to be in the pods and spend as much time as they possibly could in there because they took it seriously and were truly falling for people. I think they were having fun doing it. We, of course, had to take them out of the pods to go to the bathroom, or to do an interview, eat or sleep. Sometimes people would even fall asleep in the pods, and we’d just let them.”

Of course, that isn’t such a shock now, after watching Tiffany drop straight off during one of her dates.

The cast members are given talking points for their pod dates

According to Sal from season two, cast members are given suggestions of things to talk about during their pod dates. He said they are given “talking points” and “questions” before heading into their dates, but they don’t have to use them. Kyle from season two added: “There were kind of topics for the day. It was good if there was a lull in conversation, you just refer to the little notebook and you can drum up conversation.”

They are also allowed to talk about how they look, despite the show being about the complete opposite. Previous cast members have said they have described their celebrity lookalikes and have asked dates what they look like during the process.

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

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