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'Love Is Blind': Netflix's dating show may be similar to 'Married At First Sight' but with higher stakes

The soon-to-be-couples will have to decide if they wish to be engaged with the man or woman they have been speaking with — before he puts a ring on her

Netflix's new reality dating show 'Love Is Blind' is a social experiment that aggressively tests the old adage — love is blind. Single men and women are holed up in joined pods that are separated by a screen of frosted crystalline as they interact with each other using audio devices embedded in their spaces. They don't know each other and haven't ever met them.

The concept sounds novel but appears to draw inspiration from Lifetime's 'Married At First Sight', except the stakes are much higher in the case of 'Love Is Blind'.

Here, the soon-to-be-couples will have to make a decision — whether or not they wish to be engaged with the man or woman they have been speaking with — before he puts a ring on her.

This is particularly difficult because there is no face to relate to. This is not to say that physical appearance matters to these people but there is a sense of uncertainty there, which makes it difficult to take a call. However, the funny bit is that all the singles are good looking and no matter who ends up with whom, everyone will walk home with eye candy.

The engaged couple will then get an opportunity to go on a vacation and have a month or less to plan their wedding (depending on the time they have taken to know each other before popping the question). But what if they find out they are a total mismatch? Only time will tell.

'Married At First Sight' gives the singles one last chance to run away from the wedding, albeit at the altar. However, most go for it because the uncertainty, nervousness and the whole idea of getting married to a stranger have them convinced that it could be a joy ride for the rest of their lives.

In 'Love Is Blind', you say yes to marrying much before you have met the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with. So, the stakes are higher here. The only way you can figure out if the person on the other side of the pod is for you is by picking on the honesty of their voice and words. This is difficult for people who are doing it solely for love, which makes it scary because each of them is putting her or his heart and soul out there. What if the other person does not reciprocate? 

However, there are light and fun moments too that make the show a delightful watch. The conversations are particularly interesting. Whether they are the ones where they begin to realize that they are eerily similar to each other or the times when the men choke up while proposing. It is all heartwarming and at the same time terrifying because you don't know what's coming next.

Episode 1 to 5 drops on Netflix on February 13.