Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: One of Netflix’s leading reality TV franchises brings its brand of romance to the MENA region with its new show “Love is Blind, Habibi,” where 20 eligible Arabs look for their soulmate, “sight unseen.”
For those unfamiliar with the concept, in the show the men and women interact with each other via pods, where the participants can meet on dates while separated by a wall, so they can only hear each other. Over the course of a few days, those who manage to make a connection will propose to their chosen one, again before they meet face-to-face.
The show, which releases on Oct. 10, will then follow the couples as they get to know each other in the real world, meet their respective families and friends, and prepare for their wedding — scheduled to take place four weeks after they leave the pods.
Hosted by Saudi actress Elham Ali and her husband, Khaled Saqr — both charismatic and congenial, almost as a foil to the contestants we’ll soon get acquainted with over the course of the nine episodes — the series quickly introduces the audiences to contestants from the region, including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Morocco, Iraq, Kuwait and more.
When it comes to first impressions, “Love is Blind, Habibi” stands out for bringing what feels like a sense of familiarity to a foreign concept like blind dating. The value systems surrounding families, friendships, work and life goals represent the region, with a modern spin on it, of course.
There is a surprising amount of solidarity among participants, and as they start to pair off — inevitably disappointing some — everyone comes together to celebrate the new couples. Unlike other iterations of “Love is Blind,” the Arab version shows maturity, respect and an openness that is refreshing to see.
But those looking for drama and wild antics will not be disappointed. Early red flags from both the men and women are ignored to rush into less-than-ideal matches. In a standout episode towards the middle of the season the couples all come together at a resort to interact with each other face-to-face and tensions run high almost immediately, which makes for delicious television.
The episode where the contestants meet their future partners’ family and friends is particularly explosive.
Overall, however, “Love is Blind Habibi” does not reinvent the wheel in any meaningful way. Most of the contestants fail to dig deep, mainly due to the experience’s shallow design and not necessarily because of major personality flaws.
But if you are looking to spend a few hours indulging your guilty pleasures, “Love is Blind Habibi” offers drama, high jinks and intrigue galore.