When do new episodes of ‘Love is Blind’ Season 8 come out? Were there more breakups?
Editor’s note: Season 8 spoilers ahead!
As Season 8 of “Love Is Blind” comes under criticism for lack of diversity, the newly engaged couples of the show have been getting to know each other better, jetting off on a romantic retreat to see if their physical connections can match the emotional ones they formed in the pods.
However, “life in the real world isn’t all cocktails and cuddles,” says Netflix. “When they return home to Minnesota, new environments, dynamics, and future in-laws test the durability of their relationships. And for one couple, swirling social media rumors threaten to upend the very foundation they worked to establish in the pods.”
Of the 32 singles from Minnesota who entered the reality dating show’s first Midwest pod squad, we got five engaged couples and one couple who liked each other in the pods but couldn’t put a ring on it. There were no breakups in the latest batch of episodes that released Friday.
Here’s everything you need to know about the newest season of “Love Is Blind” and when the next set of episodes drop.
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Here’s a list of all the couples who are together after the first nine episodes of Season 8, as per Netflix:
The couples who got engaged in the pods and are no longer together include:
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New episodes of “Love is Blind” Season 8 drop every Friday at 3 a.m. ET. The series premiered on Feb. 14 and the first nine episodes of “Love is Blind” are now available to stream on Netflix.
Here’s a look at the complete schedule for “Love is Blind” Season 8 (episodes release at 3 a.m. ET):
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The first six episodes of “Love is Blind” Season 8 are available to stream on Netflix starting Feb. 14.
Previous seasons of “Love is Blind” are also available on the streaming platform.
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Season 8 of “Love is Blind” follows a “new set of singles from Minneapolis, Minnesota” as they “cut through the static of modern dating” and develop deep relationships without seeing each other.
Previously, Season 7 of the show was set in Washington, D.C., while Season 6 was set in Charlotte, North Carolina. Season 5 of the show was set in Houston, Season 4 in Seattle and Season 3 in Dallas.
“Love is Blind” Season 8’s pod squad is the “largest group to date” with 32 singles, ranging in age from 26 to 43 years old, according to Netflix. The group includes three nurses, several former cheerleaders and many world travelers, says the streaming platform, adding Sagittarius women and Taurus men are the most common astrological signs this season, setting the stage for audiences to discover “if opposites really do attract.”
Here’s a list of all those who were in this season’s pod squad:
Men
Women
The show is hosted by real-life couple Vanessa and Nick Lachey.
Netflix dropped the official trailer for the new season on Jan. 28.
Just as the new season drops, Netflix is celebrating the five-year anniversary of the global dating experiment and inviting fans to cast their vote for the “most iconic ‘Love Is Blind’ moments of all time.” Viewers can vote for as many moments as they want in six categories such as “Into the Pods” and “Break Ups that Broke the Internet.”
Results of the poll will be announced during the reunion episode of Season 8, says Netflix.
Contributing: Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Which couples are still together in ‘Love is Blind’ Season 8?
Which couples broke up in ‘Love is Blind’ Season 8?
When do new episodes of ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 8 come out? Date, time
How to watch ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 8
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‘Love is Blind’ Season 8 cast
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Watch the ‘Love Is Blind’ Season 8 trailer
Vote for your favorite ‘Love is Blind’ moment
Did Love Is Blind’s Daniel Follow Taylor on Instagram Before the Show? She Says…
Taylor Haag addressed how her accusation about Daniel Hastings’ past social media activity impacted their relationship
ADAM ROSE/NETFLIX
Warning: this story contains spoilers from the first nine episodes of Love Is Blind season 8.
While accusations flew on Love Is Blind season 8, Taylor Haag is setting the record straight on if her fiancé Daniel Hastings followed her on social media before stepping foot in the pods.
Episode 7 of the hit Netflix dating series, which dropped on Feb. 21, chronicled the aftermath of Taylor, 32, accusing Daniel of following her on Instagram — and consequently knowing what she looked like — ahead of taking part in Love Is Blind.
After Daniel, 30, claimed he “100 percent” didn’t recognize her from social media and Taylor struggled to find proof of his follow, the pair moved forward with their relationship, but viewers were left wondering if he actually did follow her at an earlier point.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Taylor says she remembers “scrolling” to find his name on the list of accounts that had followed her in the past, but “not seeing his name.”
“I came into that conversation so confident that I knew the answer without even speaking to him,” she recalled. “And so when I’m not seeing his name and not seeing his name, at one point, I think it was prompted that maybe I’d try and look at his Instagram page myself to see the picture that I’m trying to recall, and that’s the point where I was like, I see my sweet fiancé sitting across from me and he is saying, ‘Take your time. Do whatever you need.’”
“So patient, so understanding,” she said of Daniel in that moment. “I started to feel really bad and gross about not trusting Daniel’s word.”
She recalled thinking to herself, “’Taylor, what are you doing?’ I talked in my interview in the pods about, ‘Don’t mess this up. Don’t push away a good thing.’ And I think with insecurities from past relationships and too much overthinking on my end, that’s exactly what I was doing.”
As for why she initially thought he had followed her in the past, she explained, “I can still recall the mutual followers that we had from that original profile that I was picturing of his.”
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“So I do believe I had seen his profile at one time, but I never found him in my follow list,” she added. “He probably came up on my explore page and I clicked on him, and that’s how I remember the things I remember. But he never followed me.”
Taylor also explained the pair likely had common connections from their hometown, sharing, “I think a lot of people forget that Minnesota is a really small place — it’s like a really big small town.”
“There’s a lot of connections, everyone knows everyone, so it’s entirely possible [that we crossed paths before],” she said. “There was also a moment in the pods we talked about how had we never crossed paths before, because everyone’s circles are related somehow in Minnesota.”
Despite Daniel never following her, Taylor said her concerns were “valid.”
Without revealing what happens in the rest of the season, she said, “We were deciding if we were marrying this person in a very short period of time, so any concerns should obviously be voiced. Would I have done it on camera? Probably not. But it’s a part of our story. And it was a building block in our foundation, so I don’t regret it.”
“Everything between us had been so picture-perfect and harmonious leading up to that conversation,” she continued. “For us to experience conflict on some level and see how each other works in that situation, with the added stress of the experiment as well, and be able to talk through and move through it without having weird feelings towards each other or second-guessing our relationship, was really important for us.”
“To have that situation happen, I really think did give us a lot of momentum and confidence going forward.”
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The first nine episodes of Love Is Blind season 8 are now streaming on Netflix.
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Love Is Blind Season 8 Recap: Who’s Still Together, Gets Engaged, Breaks Up, Sara Ben Dave Lauren Joey – Netflix Tudum
Countless hours of personal revelations, breakthroughs about intimacy, and extensive notebook jotting: 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.
In the second batch of episodes, five couples, who got engaged sight unseen, jet off on a romantic retreat to discover whether their physical connections can match the emotional bonds they formed in the pods. But life in the real world isn’t all cocktails and cuddles. When they return home to Minnesota, new environments, dynamics, and future in-laws test the durability of their relationships. And for one couple, swirling social media rumors threaten to upend the very foundation they worked to establish in the pods.
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.
Outside the pods, the couple continue to learn more about each other: Joey opens up about his struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder, while Monica makes it clear that a sleep sound machine is non-negotiable in her household. It’s smooth sailing for the duo on vacation, but they encounter slightly rockier waters back home. Monica’s sister, Nicolle, doesn’t walk away with the best impression after meeting Joey. “[Joey] knows what people want to hear, and he’s really good at delivering it,” she tells Monica. Joey, meanwhile, senses that Nicolle isn’t his biggest fan and wonders whether jealousy is a factor among the sisters. Monica does her best to bridge the gap, assuring Nicolle that the connection formed in the pods is genuine, and encouraging Joey to make more of an effort. “I want you guys to, like, talk one-on-one,” Monica tells him. Joey agrees, and the couple move forward with the understanding that getting her family’s blessing before their wedding day is a priority.
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.
The two cuddle and smooch their way through a lovely time in Honduras before returning home, where Ben’s friends assure Sara of his steadfast faith and strong communication skills. But the pressures of real life disrupt the duo’s pre-marital bliss when a TikTok about Ben’s past comes across Sara’s feed. While he says his memory is foggy, Ben admits to ghosting a woman who is now claiming he “manipulated her.” A slightly skeptical Sara agrees to take Ben’s word and believe in his growth, but warns that if additional details come to light, she won’t be able to trust him. “I’m just telling you now, I need to know everything,” she says. “I need you to tell me everything.”
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 experience. “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.
If only life outside the pods was as sweet. Learning how to cohabitate is one thing, but getting approval from their families while also fielding rumors derails the couple’s progress. After learning that she hooked up with a guy in his circle shortly before entering the experiment, Dave is reluctant to immediately introduce Lauren to his loved ones. She clarifies that the connection was purely casual, plainly stating, “I didn’t call either of them my boyfriends.”
Dave, however, remains dubious, even after meeting Lauren’s friends, who corroborate her story. With their wedding weeks away, the couple is at a crossroads, as Dave tries to figure out who (and what) he believes while Lauren grows weary of defending her character.
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.
Their certainty in each other only grows during the romantic retreat in Honduras. “I feel really comfortable with Devin,” says Virginia. “I just feel like I know his heart.” The connection they developed in their early dates proves to be just as potent outside the pods, with the two frolicking in the water and playfully teasing each other about their five-year age gap.
When Virginia and Devin return home, a discussion about their career goals (she has aspirations of becoming a millionaire, while he wants to be head coach of a varsity high school basketball team) sparks some tension. After Virginia reveals that her vision of marriage includes a pre-nup and separate bank accounts, Devin needs a moment to process. “I never really thought about that, so I’d have to think about it more,” he tells her. Financial planning aside, the two continue to inch closer to the aisle, with Virginia meeting and winning over Devin’s family. “She checks all the boxes big time,” his mother says.
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, but ultimately finds no evidence that he followed her prior to the show. The two agree to take the next step in the experiment together and jet off to Honduras. On vacation, the couple immediately finds their groove, relishing their romance and becoming so intimate that they adopt a code word — “papaya” — to announce bathroom breaks. While the speed of their relationship might concern some, Daniel has zero reservations. “I’m living with my fiancée, who I’ve known for three weeks,” he says. “Regardless of how crazy that sounds on paper, it feels very natural and easy.”
Meeting each other’s parents only strengthens the couple’s faith in each other, with Daniel’s dad calling them “a perfect match.” Both families meet collectively, and all the parents mutually agree to support their children and their blooming romance, joking about deciding whose house they’ll go to for Christmas.
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 Episodes10-11 come to Netflix on Friday, Feb. 28.
