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Countless hours of personal revelations, breakthroughs about intimacy, and extensive notebook jotting: In its first six episodes, Love Is Blind Season 8 has already taken a brand-new group of hopeful Minneapolis singles on a journey of a lifetime. They’ve laughed, cried, and patiently pried, working to get to know one another while letting their guards down — all in the name of love.
The latest pod squad has taken the ultimate leap of faith to forge genuine connections sight unseen. Curiosity evolves into chemistry and crushes blossom into full-blown relationships, as five couples walk out of the pods engaged, preparing to enter the next phase of the experiment. But for some, a proposal just isn’t in the cards, with one love triangle — or a square, rather — leaving a certain group of singles out in the Minnesota cold.
Keep reading to check in with each of the couples, as their journeys unfold across the season, from the pods and the romantic getaways to the altar and beyond.
From their very first date in the pods, Joey puts Monica at ease with his “golden retriever vibes,” as the duo fall into hours of laid-back, laughter-filled conversation. Early on, the pair discover they align on just about everything — from a love of swing dancing to a shared dislike of cliché-ridden country music. Of course, nothing bonds a couple like verbally two-stepping all over a music genre, and it’s off to the races from there.
But their connection goes deeper than just a favorite song or movie (for the record, the latter is The Sound of Music), as they open up about both the painful and beautiful parts of their family histories. After just a few dates, it’s clear that the experiment has worked its magic. “It’s been absolutely incredible getting to know every part of you,” Joey tells Monica. “I would love to take the next step with you,” he continues, before getting down on one knee to propose. Of course, she accepts his proposal, as the two become the first couple to get engaged this season.
When it comes to meeting face-to-face, Joey naturally has his own anxieties. "Monica might not like my style, my hair. She might not like these bright shirts that I love to wear," he frets. But all those pre-reveal jitters turn out to be unfounded when the two lay eyes on each other. At their first IRL meeting, Monica and Joey are all giggles, sharing their first (and second, and third) kiss.
Air fryers. Religion. Dad’s steak. Sometimes, love isn’t about sweeping romantic gestures — it’s about connecting over real-life, even occasionally mundane topics that couples encounter every day. Sara and Ben cover these bases and more during their early dates, reminiscing about childhood pastimes (outdoor kid Ben enjoyed full summer days, Sara loved playing Xbox) and opening up about deeper, more intimate topics.
When Sara shares how having a gay sister challenged her conservative upbringing, the two sensitively discuss the ways religion has shaped both of their lives. “It’s like, love thy neighbor, but then it’s also like, LGBT is gonna go to hell,” she says. While they are able to work through their differences regarding faith, Sara isn’t exactly thrilled to hear that Ben claims to be ignorant about modern societal issues (particularly the Black Lives Matter movement and the killing of George Floyd). When she asks him about his political leanings, Ben admits that he didn’t vote in the most recent presidential election.
His answer doesn’t exactly cut it with Sara, who openly expresses her concerns. “What’s so important is to speak up for things that are happening around us,” she tells him. Ben eventually agrees, clarifying that he didn’t want her to feel burdened by having to educate him, while also assuring her that, at the end of the day, their beliefs align. Not long after this heartfelt exchange, Ben gets down on one knee, and Sara joyfully accepts his proposal. Meeting for the first time, the two share kisses and gaze at each other like a pair of heart-eye emojis, proving their bond is just as strong face-to-face.
Within moments of meeting, Dave makes a joke about Lauren’s age, setting this couple on a slightly uncomfortable start to their Love Is Blind. “Should this be the first date that I walk out on? It might have to be,” Lauren tells him in the pods. You’d think that’d be a wrap — grand opening, grand closing, right? Wrong. Lauren and Dave somehow manage to find common ground — from how they envision running a household to the ways they plan to care for their future children.
But soon enough, Lauren discovers she’s unwittingly part of a love triangle, as Dave is also pursuing a connection with Molly. Giddy about their budding romance, Molly speaks to some of the women in the lounge about how well things are going. Lauren overhears and confronts Dave, making it clear that, while she’s supportive of him exploring other connections, at some point he needs to make a choice.
Torn between two women, Dave eventually ends things with Molly, allowing him and Lauren to truly let their guards down. Once they both acknowledge an appreciation for their ability to overcome challenges together, Dave proposes and Lauren accepts. The two meet outside the pods and share some sweet lip-glossy kisses.
Devin has two significant connections in the pods: Virginia and Brittany. The latter bonds with Devin over their respective college basketball heydays, as well as the wild coincidence that both of their fathers are named Willie Jr. Meanwhile, Virginia connects with Devin after learning they’d graduated from the same high school. She’s also drawn to Devin’s kindness, something that has felt absent in her past relationships.
Over the first few days, the two budding relationships seem to mirror each other in pace. Devin shares his addiction struggles with both women, who open up to him in return. A tearful conversation with Virginia (in which she and Devin agree they both want a relationship built upon a foundation of faith) seems to catapult their connection, just as Devin’s relationship with Brittany begins to fizzle out after a bumpy conversation about her sexuality.
“I don’t think I’ve ever dated a nice guy in my entire life,” Virginia reveals. The two trade meaningful gifts — Virginia gives Devin a generations-old ring, and he presents her with a necklace. After waking up in the middle of the night and writing down his racing thoughts and feelings for Virginia, Devin turns them into a letter that he reads aloud to her the following day. Then the ex-basketball player takes the biggest shot of his life: He proposes, Virginia agrees, and the two meet in person, where their chemistry flows freely without a wall in between. “I was sure days ago,” Virginia says when they’re finally face-to-face.
Every good love story has some sentimental foreshadowing — and when Daniel jokingly proposes within seconds of meeting Taylor in the pods, it heralds the romance to come. Plus, Daniel immediately catches Taylor’s attention in a way only a fellow Minnesotan can. He uses comforting phrases like “I’m right there with ya,” when they agree on something, and makes his intentions known by referring to his future partner as “the mother of my kids.”
Their conversations flow effortlessly, filled with laughter and deep discussions about their biggest insecurities: Daniel shares his experience of being a “late bloomer” and his anxieties surrounding his height, while Taylor opens up about her own struggles with body image. Of course, it isn’t all heavy — the pair also discover a mutual passion for Christmas, and Daniel gifts Taylor the exact Christmas stocking she had growing up. Their only real worry is that their connection might be “too good to be true.”
After exchanging heartfelt letters, Daniel proposes for real, and Taylor accepts. But after meeting face-to-face, Taylor can’t shake the suspicion that Daniel had followed her on Instagram before the experiment. “I have this overwhelming feeling that when the doors opened last night, that was not the first time that he saw me. All of the things we talked about are all on my Instagram ... Taco Bell, registered nurse, family, faith … It just really scares me.’ ” Questioning everything about their connection so far, Taylor confronts Daniel, leaving their engagement hanging in the balance.
Madison and Alex both lead with vulnerability in the pods, immediately becoming each other’s safe space. She opens up about her rough childhood and how her mother's addiction struggles have impacted her romantic relationships. In return, he shares stories of getting bullied, struggling in school, and being kicked out of his house at a young age. Early on, Madison also develops a competing connection with Mason. The two bond over working in creative fields and the importance of family, which especially hits home for Madison, who shares that one of her siblings died in an accident.
As Madison and Alex continue to invest in their budding romance, some cracks begin to show. When he brings up attachment styles, Madison says she self-identifies as “avoidant.” Having dealt with similar personalities in past relationships, Alex voices serious concerns about how they could solve problems together, saying, “I think that could lead to some issues.” But their feelings deepen with every date.
Meanwhile, Madison and Mason continue to have meaningful conversations, while also acknowledging that they are pursuing other connections — he’s been hitting it off with fellow pod squad member Meg. Still, Mason assures Madison that he’s committed to her above all else. But his declaration of love strikes the wrong note, making Madison immediately lose interest and realize just how much Alex means to her. During their next date, Madison and Alex agree to become boyfriend and girlfriend, while Mason tries and fails to recoup his losses with Meg.
On the cusp of engagement, Madison and Alex have another disagreement when he defends Mason. Madison is shaken, feeling “invalidated” by Alex’s empathy for a guy she believes did her dirty. “We’re not at a point to get engaged,” Alex responds. Both leave the experiment single — and regretful that their once promising future together has been extinguished. “See ya on the outside, I guess,” Madison says as they exit the pods and head back into the real world.
Want to hear more from Madison? Check out our interview with the Season 8 single to find out about her approach to dating in the pods and her splits with Alex and Mason.
Love Is Blind Episodes 7–9 come to Netflix on Friday, Feb. 21.