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‘Love Is Blind’ Season 9 Episodes 1-6 Recap: Catch Up on Everything You’ve Missed So Far

The pods are officially open!

Allie Hayes

Love Is Blind
Love Is Blind / Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images for NetflixDanielle Del Valle/Getty Images for Netflix

In case you missed it: the pods are officially open!

Netflix’s hit dating show Love Is Blind has returned for season 9, this time taking place in Colorado. On Wednesday, Oct. 1, the streaming service released the first six episodes of the season. And today, Oct. 8, they’re dropping three more.

So to get you all caught up before you check out today’s new episodes, we’re recapping everything you missed from the first six episodes!

Episode 1: A Love that Sparkles

In case this is your first time watching Love Is Blind—which, how?!—the premise of the show is simple: a group of men and women are separated on two sides of a building and are brought into cozy-looking “pods” to chat with each other over an intercom system, and the couples aren’t permitted to see each other until they get engaged.

As always, the first episode of the season was dedicated to getting to know the contestants who’ll be chatting in the pods (and also to remind us that Nick and Vanessa Lachey still host this show).

Names to remember

While 32 singles entered the pods, only a handful were featured as true players on the show. With that in mind, the following were the most important names to remember:

  • Ali is a 27-year-old nurse.
  • Annie is a 29-year-old hair salon owner.
  • Anton is a 28-year-old working in transportation logistics.
  • Anna is a 27-year-old hairstylist.
  • Blake is a 32-year-old accountant.
  • Brenden is a 30-year-old team manager.
  • Edmond is a 29-year-old realtor.
  • Joe is a 29-year-old working in sales.
  • Jordan is a 29-year-old branch service manager (and a proud father).
  • Kacie is a 32-year-old hair & makeup artist.
  • Kait is a 33-year-old registered dietician.
  • Kalybriah is a 27-year-old social worker.
  • Madison is a 28-year-old UX/UI designer.
  • Megan W (or as she introduces herself to the suitors: “Sparkle Megan”) is a 33-year-old business owner.
  • Mike is a 37-year-old real estate investor.
  • Nick is a 27-year-old luxury watch dealer.
  • Patrick is a 30-year-old construction manager.

Who’s connecting?

As with each season of Love Is Blind, there were a few strong connections early on—like, even as quickly as 20 minutes into the first episode. One of these pairs was Ali and Anton, who hit it off in the pods due to their many striking similarities. For instance, they are both English second-language speakers, and they both worked at McDonald’s when they were younger. Within mere moments of meeting, they were already trying to come up with their merged couple nickname (think “Bennifer”).

Another standout pair in the first episode was Kalybriah and Edmond, who expertly matched with their fun and flirty energy. Also, having grown up in the foster care system himself, Edmond immediately connected emotionally with Kalybriah due to her job as a social worker.

Madison and Joe also connected quickly, but their burn was a touch slower compared to the other two pairs mentioned. And as always, a few love triangles/love squares(?) began to emerge, including one between Megan W, Jordan, Mike and Blake, as well as Patrick, Anna, Kacie and Blake.

Who got engaged?

By the end of the first episode, Ali and Anton were engaged, and the final scene ended just before their reveal.

Episode 2: Love Me When I’m Blind?

The second episode picked up where the first episode left off, with Ali and Anton’s reveal. The two were nervous at first, but appeared happy to see each other in person, with the attraction still alive and well—though Anton didn’t hang around for the dramatic door closing moment at the end of the reveal, exiting and pouring himself a drink instead.

The connections grow

We started to see more of Madison and Joe’s connection. While their initial chats started playful and fun, they eventually turned serious, with Madison opening up to Joe about her degenerative eye condition, which may one day result in blindness. Joe was supportive of Madison, letting her know it didn’t impact his already strong feelings for her.

We also met Nick, who hit it off with both Kait and Annie, setting up another potential love triangle—though Annie also had another strong connection in Brenden. Elsewhere, all of the other aforementioned pairings deepened their connections, and the already established love triangles got even more intense.

However, things took a turn in the story of Patrick, Anna, Kacie and Blake. As Anna got closer to both Patrick and Blake, it became clear she was struggling emotionally, and the episode ended with Patrick entering his pod for a date with Anna, only to find she wasn’t there.

Who got engaged?

Before the cliffhanger ending, Madison and Joe got engaged, though the couple would not see each other for the first time until the next episode.

Episode 3: Ghost Town

The third episode kicked off seconds after the cliffhanger, with Patrick poking his head out of his pod to ask the production team where Anna went. It was then revealed to Patrick, Blake and the audience watching at home that Anna had elected to leave the show without stating an explicit reason, leaving the two men wondering what had happened. Patrick chose to stay and pursue his connection with Kacie, while Blake also elected to stay and pursue a possible connection with Megan W.

The connections deepen

Madison and Joe met in person for the first time after their proposal. Once the doors opened and they were revealed to each other, they appeared a bit flustered, and Joe said he had difficulty matching Madison’s voice to her person.

The majority of the episode focused on Megan W and her budding relationships with Jordan, Mike and Blake. Megan W noted that Mike and Blake were her usual types, while Jordan was a departure from that, and she contemplated breaking things off with him. Still, Jordan opened up more about fatherhood and his son, and the two connected over his child’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, as Megan W’s late father also had Type 1 diabetes. Then, there was another plot twist when Blake also elected to leave the show, just as Anna had, making this love square a love triangle.

The other established pairings also continued to grow closer, with Kalybriah and Edmond remaining strong, while Patrick and Kacie also bonded more. Nick told Kait he loved her, but she wanted to move more slowly, and he continued talking to both her and Annie.

Who got engaged?

Kalybriah and Edmond ended the episode engaged, with the scene cutting to credits just as they were about to see each other for the first time.

Episode 4: The Dangerous Games We Play

Kalybriah and Edmond finally met in person, and their attraction remained as strong as ever, with the two sharing plenty of kisses and kind compliments. Edmond also gave Kalybriah a handwritten letter to better express his feelings.

The connections continue

The field started to narrow in this episode, as Nick broke things off with Kait—despite telling her he loved her—after the two had their first fight. Kait remained strong in her feelings around religion, but given that Nick identified as a religious person, he ended things, continuing to explore his connection with Annie.

Meanwhile, Patrick and Kacie also grew closer, and the two shared a very intimate conversation about some very intimate topics.

For Annie’s part, she continued to explore her connections with both Nick and Brenden. However, Annie let Brenden know during their conversation that she’d likely be choosing “someone else,” as she felt stronger toward Nick, given that he had expressed his feelings toward her more openly. Brenden was hurt by the news, sharing his feelings with the other guys, which Nick overheard. The episode ended with Brenden making a passionate plea to Annie not to end things, telling her he loved her and planned to propose.

Who got engaged?

Kacie and Patrick got engaged after professing their love for each other, but the reveal was teased for the next episode.

Episode 5: I Want You to Want Me

Beginning moments after the last episode ended, Annie struggled with Brenden’s revelation, wondering why it took him so long to share his true feelings with her. Despite Brenden’s efforts, Annie remained strong in her decision to choose Nick.

The final connections

Megan W had to decide between her thriving connections with both Jordan and Mike. She ultimately picked Jordan in an effort to move away from her usual type and any mistakes she had made in past relationships.

Nick and Annie cemented their bond, with the two moving full steam ahead toward their proposal, despite Brenden’s attempt earlier in the episode to convince Annie otherwise. Nick and Brenden also had a few heated moments, as Brenden knew Nick was Annie’s other connection.

Kacie and Patrick finally got to see each other in person after their proposal. While the two appeared affectionate and enamored with each other, everything came to a halt at the end of the episode, with Kacie in tears while speaking with producers, claiming Patrick “deserves somebody better” than her.

Who got engaged?

Nick and Annie got engaged, with the aftermath leading to an awkward moment between Nick and Brenden, as Nick entered the room celebrating without realizing Brenden was still mourning the end of his relationship. The couple also had their reveal this episode, as well, and their attraction to each other remained strong.

Megan W and Jordan also got engaged, and their reveal took place a few moments later (at least, it did in the literal timing of the episode). There was a lot of flirty banter and jokes about Jordan’s many tattoos. Jordan also showed Megan W photos of his son, and the two appeared to be in a strong place as they headed to Mexico.

Episode 6: Coming in Hot

Honestly? Buckle up, because this episode should’ve just been titled Mess. The couples were officially out of the pods and headed to Mexico for their romantic trips together. As a reminder, the six engaged couples to start the episode were:

  • Ali and Anton
  • Madison and Joe
  • Kalybriah and Edmond
  • Kacie and Patrick
  • Annie and Nick
  • Megan W and Jordan

An awkward breakup

Picking up where the last episode left off, Kacie struggled to break things off with Patrick, initially telling producers that it was not due to a lack of attraction on her part; however, footage played later during the segment suggested otherwise.

As Kacie tried to end things, her wording led to a miscommunication that caused Patrick to believe she didn’t want to go on the trip to Mexico, not that she was breaking up with him entirely. Kacie also remained affectionate during this chat, kissing and hugging Patrick multiple times.

The two parted ways with Patrick joking that he’d be willing to go to Mexico alone, and kindly thanking he crew for the experience. However, he then asked producers if they knew Kacie’s reason for leaving, which was when they revealed footage of Kacie telling producers: “I unfortunately just don’t think my attraction to him is gonna grow that much—and it sucks.” She went on to add, “I just don't think I can get there with him, like, period.”

One-on-one time

The rest of the couples spent the first half of the episode enjoying some one-on-one time together, getting to know each other in person while exploring the physical nature of their relationships. They also each went on several dates, ranging from yoga to boating.

While hanging out in the pool with Madison, Joe made a comment that he was usually into “thinner women.” Meanwhile, Kalybriah and Edmond had a couple of disagreements after Edmond refused to kill a bug in their bathroom, and later, when he refused to step up to protect her in a hypothetical situation where she asked what he’d do if another man got aggressive with her at a bar.

A messy pool party

The second half of the episode saw the couples reuniting to attend a pool party together, where plenty of chaos ensued. While Ali and Anton, as well as Annie and Nick, remained mostly on a steady path forward during the shenanigans, the other couples each had their own hurdles during and after the gathering.

Megan W got frustrated with Jordan, as she found his constant back-and-forth joking with Joe and the other guys “annoying.” He agreed to change his behavior, but continued to frustrate her, with Jordan eventually saying, “I’m in trouble.”

Madison was hurt by Joe’s lack of attention during the party, as he spent most of the time hanging out with the other guys before he left to lie down. She later went to check on him, and the two argued after she woke him up, as he continued to ask her the same questions, which she’d already answered.

Finally, Edmond struggled after the event when he learned he was the only member of the cast who had yet to be intimate with his partner, as Kalybriah wanted to wait until after their wedding. The episode ended with an emotional argument between the two while they were in bed.

New episodes

Three new episodes of Love Is Blind drop today, Oct. 8. Then, two new episodes drop on Wednesday, Oct. 15, with the final episode dropping on Wednesday, Oct. 22, followed by the reunion.

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Allie Hayes
ALLIE HAYES

Allie Hayes is an experienced pop culture staff writer and editor specializing in movies, TV and celebrity news. Before joining the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit team as a Breaking/Trending News Editor, she worked at several outlets including BuzzFeed, The Daily Dot, and Newsweek. When she’s not writing for work (or writing for fun), you’ll find her curled up on the couch reading yet another romance novel, obsessively watching pro wrestling with her friends, or taking blurry photos of her two adorable cats.

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