Last month, the reunion episodes of Love Is Blind Season 4 were released on Netflix. It’s safe to say that this season was one of the most controversial to date. The internet certainly had a lot to say about certain cast members.
Four couples made it to the altar this season– Chelsea and Kwame, Micah and Paul, Tiffany and Brett, and Bliss and Zack. Three of the four were married, as Paul ultimately said no to fiancé Micah on the day. Following the reunion episodes, it was revealed that all the married couples were still together almost a year from their wedding day.
However, the reunion exposed much of the drama that went down across this season. All cast members were placed in one room with each other, bar Jackie and Josh. With controversies and outright sarcastic moments, there were plenty for viewers to sink their teeth into.
The Mean Girls
Perhaps the most obviously drama-orientated moments of the season were the interactions between Micah Lussier, Irina Solomonova, and the other cast members. Branded as this season’s ‘mean girls’, the two women have caused much controversy during their time on the show.
In the show’s early episodes during the ‘pods’, the pair were seen laughing at the other girls. During a particularly emotional moment, cast member Amber Wilder was extremely upset after being dumped by Paul Peden to pursue Micah. The villainous pair watched, out of view, and were seen smirking and giggling in the kitchen.
In another embarrassing incident, Bliss was seen baking cupcakes for future husband Zack’s birthday. Irina painfully asked her for a candle as she completely forgot about her date’s special day. The exchange was extremely uncomfortable and even humiliating for Bliss, who was dumped in favour of Irina. Only later did Zack realise his mistake when he discovered Irina’s true nature.
Later on, as the couples honeymooned in Mexico, Micah was seen flirting with Kwame, who she previously dated in the pods. Though both engaged to other people, it didn’t seem to stop them. And even better, Irina tried it on with her fellow mean girl’s fiancé, Paul. When confronted in a later episode, the exchange showed just how unremorseful Irina was.
An Explanation?
The reunion also provided an opportunity for both to explain themselves. Whilst Micah came across as slightly more apologetic, Irina was booed by the live audience. She has received the majority of the backlash online since the show aired. Also in the reunion, Zack accused Irina of simply seeking fame and exposure through the show. Though Irina denied this, we can’t help but wonder whether this could be true. Her reaction when meeting her fiancé and rash behaviour could certainly make it so.
Explaining their behaviour in a joint interview with Entertainment Weekly, Irina explained their behaviour as a ‘coping mechanism’. Micah claimed, ‘Being able to laugh and make light and make jokes and, well, maybe sometimes the jokes didn’t land or maybe it didn’t look the best, but we needed that in that moment to feel like a normal person. Because you’re a part of this experience that is so beyond words. To be able to make a little bit of light out of such a hard thing was really helpful’.
Irina went on to say she did not mean to hurt anyone intentionally. She intends to have conversations with her fellow cast members to mend some broken ties. She also went on to post an apology video in April, apologising to the viewing public and the other couples. The comments on the video were far from impressed.
A Controversial Future?
This season’s controversies again beg the question of reality TV’s ethical nature. Should bullying such as this be shown on such a wide scale? After all, it is clear that the pair greatly impacted many cast members and their relationships.
Their interview alludes to the mental toll on the cast mates during filming. Does more need to be done to ensure their wellbeing is maintained? How can the show ensure the cast won’t turn to mean methods to cope with the show’s stress?
Though responsible for much of this season’s drama, perhaps the public can be satisfied as both women ended the show as they started – single.
Within the last couple of days, it has been confirmed that Season 5 of the show has already been filmed. We can only hope there are no sour mean girls in this season too!
