Contrary to popular belief, studies have shown that relationship satisfaction is not in any way related to the attractiveness of your partner. Of course, attraction can play an important role in the initial stages of a relationship – but over time, it’s factors like mutual respect and trust that really contribute to a healthy, long-lasting relationship.

That’s the premise behind Netflix’s new dating show Love Is Blind, which tasks its participants to find a potential fiancé and propose to them after just one week of dating. Yep, it really does that.

Described as an “experiment” by the series itself, throughout the show each of the single young adults spends time getting to know one another based on conversation alone. 

The series will be released over three weeks on Netflix – the first five episodes, which see the couples dating and getting to know one another, are available to watch now. The second two instalments will see the couples building on their relationships, with the final instalment made up of one episode simply called The Weddings.

Speaking to Variety about the thought process behind the series, the show’s creator and executive producer Chris Coelen explained why he wanted to make such a unique show.

“Across the world, everybody feels the same way: everyone wants to be loved for who they are on the inside,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you live, what you look like, how old you are, what your background is, which class you know, or social structure you feel like you’re a part of, everyone wants to be loved for who they are.”

He continued: “In today’s society we’ve got all these ways to find love through dating apps and technology. Those things sort of counterintuitively have made people feel disposable. They’ve made people feel like it’s all surface level. It does the opposite thing it was supposed to do. So we thought, what if we took everybody’s devices away, how could we get them to focus on connecting with other people?”

As is to be expected, the internet is simultaneously confused and enthralled by this completely bizarre concept.

“Even me, someone that loves love… thinks Love Is Blind is insane,” wrote Tolani Shoneye, co-host of The Receipts Podcast. “To engage after a couple of days and having never meet each other is madness.

“But I can’t stop watching it.”

“The title aside, I regret to inform you that I have been sucked into Love Is Blind on Netflix,” added presenter Kristi Chirico.

It’s important to note that, as Chirico identifies, the show’s title has come under criticism for being ableist in nature.

“In addition to having an ableist title two people just got damned engaged on the FIRST EPISODE of Netflix’s Love Is Blind after talking through a fucking wall for five days. I hate this,” one response read.

There were also those people who pointed out that the show is basically a glamourised version of arranged marriage.

”Love is Blind show: ‘This is literally the first time an experiment like this has ever been done,’ began one response. “Everyone who has ever had an arranged marriage and/or courted without meeting: …”

And in another response, one viewer called out the series for filling the cast with conventionally attractive people, in a show which is supposed to challenge the idea that looks matter.

“So #LoveIsBlindNetflix is testing the hypothesis whether love is ‘blind’ with a cast of conventionally attractive thin people, none of whom are visibly disabled, exclusively pairing up men and women together…” the tweet read.

As more people start to tune in to the new series, we’re sure to learn more about what the internet makes of this outlandish new dating show concept.

Images: Netflix