WE’VE SEEN ENOUGH. Lawsuits against “Love is Blind” may lead some fans to turn off their screens.
By: Sam Simons
Media Writer
The Netflix reality show “Love is Blind” is seeing quite a bit of legal action instead of couples that don’t get divorced after the show. Specifically, the lawsuits that have been filed against the show highlight poor conditions for its contestants. These lawsuits have showcased how the series has turned a blind eye to the wellbeing of those who go on it.
First things first: if you are more of a “Love on the Spectrum” person, “Love is Blind” is a social experiment where 15 men and women go through a 10-day speed-dating process. But the catch is that they interact through pods where they can’t see each other and instead make emotional connections. I bet you didn’t see that coming! (Get it?)
When a marriage proposal is made, the couple can finally meet face to face. Then the couple is put to the test on a romantic getaway, and if they make it that far, they go back to their daily lives and meet each other’s families. Finally, the couple can get married or walk away if they don’t end up liking what they see.
Throughout the show’s five-year run, there have been three lawsuits filed by former contestants regarding poor conditions during filming. The first one came in June 2022 when a contestant from season two, Jeremy Hartwell, filed a lawsuit against Netflix and the show’s producers, claiming that members of the cast were underpaid and deprived of food, water and sleep.
In August of that same year, a contestant in season five, Tran Doug, filed a separate lawsuit regarding allegations of sexual assault by her then-fiance during filming. She alleged that she was attacked by her then-fiance while season five was being shot in Mexico, but that producers ignored this issue despite having knowledge of the incident.
Another contestant in season five, Renee Poche, discussed her experience on the show in dealing with her on-screen fiance whom she described as being abusive on and off camera. Just like Doug, Poche didn’t receive any help from production for ensuring her protection. While she didn’t file any lawsuits, Netflix and production company Delirium TV filed an arbitration against her for breaking her non-disclosure agreement by sharing her experiences from the show.
In 2023, season two contestant Danielle Ruhl came out to say that producers pushed her to keep filming even though she informed them that she was having suicidal thoughts and then asked her to leave. However, the show’s creator Chris Coelan denied Ruhl’s allegations and said that she could leave the show at any time.
Most recently, in December 2024, the National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint against the show’s production company for classifying the contestants as “participants” instead of employees. Due to this misclassification, the cast members of the show were subjected to unlawful terms and conditions. As a whole, the trenches are deep in regards to the treatment of some of the former “Love is Blind” cast members.
The fate of the NLRB’s complaint hasn’t been determined yet; however, if the judge rules in favor, then the reality TV scene could look very different. For instance, the hours spent filming would be reduced if the cast members are ruled employees, since they would then have limits on hours worked. A favorable ruling would mean that participants in reality TV shows would be seen as having an official job on the show.
To set the record straight, “Love is Blind” contestants do get paid for their time on the show. However, there are some shows – like the “Bachelor” franchises, for example – where contestants don’t get paid for their time at all. But still, even if they are paid, can they rely on the show to provide resources and support if they have an adverse or traumatic experience on set?
As seen with “Love is Blind” alone, many reality stars don’t have a happy ending, and filming can be an emotional rollercoaster. Even if the contestants “know what they are getting into” still reality television is always looking to push the bar to create a “never-before-seen season.”
Often, the case is that those who are working behind the scenes of a reality show aren’t always on the side of the cast members. Rather, it feels like they are working against the cast to create drama and thus get more views. If they really want to create a good show, they should be on the side of their contestants, without whom they wouldn’t have a show at all. It’s that simple.
If anything can be taken away from this, hopefully those that work behind the scenes of reality can see that there needs to be a change in handling the contestants with care so that we can see a brighter, more ethical future in the reality TV world.
