Trouble in Pod-adise? 'Love is Blind' Episodes 4-6: Review and Reactions

Nick and Vanessa Lachey with contestants of Love is Blind Season 9 © Netflix

One of the things that annoys me about Love is Blind is that the editors always pace the pods wrong. Instead of focusing on the couples that actually seem fun and interesting, they get their engagements out of the way in the first couple of episodes, only to leave the annoying dramatic ones for the last few episodes in the pods. Part of this, I realize, is because reality TV always has a flair for the dramatic. A lot of people want to want to see the fights, the drama, and the pacing always delivers.

But as someone who loves love - I just wanna see the lovey-dovey couples more often!

I found myself wanting to skip episodes 4 and 5, even though I was invested in whether or not Sparkle Megan would choose Jordan over Mr. Red Flag Mike. Frankly, by the time they got to Mexico, I was lowkey annoyed with everyone and was glad to finally have something new. It's my opinion that Netflix should have at a max four episodes in the pods, and this season justified that belief for me. I think it would have been better to slim down some of the conversations and cut out an hour.

Now, there were still plenty of jaw-dropping and dramatic moments. We had someone get dumped hours after their first look proposal, one of the cringiest conversations to date, and six different engagements!

So, as usual, here are my live reactions:

Episode 4:

• We are back to Edmond and Kalybriah's first look. I have been so nervous since I had to leave off that something is going to happen with them. I hate when there are first-look cliffhangers on this show.

• There was no reason to be worried. These two are officially my favorite couple this season. These two feel like the real deal.

• I just realized almost all the people left in the pods are ones I'm not a fan of. Oh no.

• Nick, maybe you should listen to your friends who say you're not ready to settle down. You think Johnny Bravo is peak pickup lines.

• Nick and Annie are being homophobic on main together. Yikes on bikes.

• Kacie's ex told her to go on Love Is Blind. YIKES ON BIKES AGAIN. Honestly, girl it's good you dumped him for good, but the fact you broke up with him that recently is a red flag.

• I still don't think that Patrick actually likes Kacie. I think he was just so hurt by Anna that he is forcing himself to go through with it.

• Mike is clearly not handling Sparkle Megan and Jordan very well AT ALL. This man has jealousy issues and doesn't even REALIZE it.

• Nick breaking up with Kait after saying "I love you" is wild. He was definitely looking for a way to take it back without being the bad guy. But honestly, he seems like the bad guy.

• And the NEXT DAY, he pretty much proposes to Annie.

• Poor Brenden was about to give Annie a fancy and romantic gift, but she broke up with him instead. It was definitely a good thing he kept her from opening it, because he was about to propose to her.

• Brenden and Nick had to have figured out that they both were interested in Annie, and I want them to fight it out.

• Everyone being terrified of being ghosted is just a running theme for the rest of the pods.

• Patrick is so excited to propose to Kacie, and this is the most interest I have seen him have in her.

• Brenden did figure out it was Nick - and he also thinks he's completely wrong for her. He's fighting so hard for Annie, and that's where we are leaving off for this episode.

Episode 5:

• Annie saying Brenden didn't fight for her is comical because he clearly has been fighting for her the entire time.

• Ew. Mike. Honestly, it feels like he's trying to buy Megan's attention at this point since he knows he has the money Jordan doesn't. He's also trying to push her into cutting off Jordan.

• Disguised ultimatums are still ultimatums, and Megan, you DESERVE BETTER. AKA Jordan.

• Jordan thought he was Megan's only connection, and he's just so confident and reassured that even finding this out, he's trying to reassure HER. Megan, if you don't marry this man, I will.

• The "I love you" just slipped out, and girl, that's a SIGN. GO DUMP MIKE.

• Nick proposed. Annie said yes. I truly cannot get myself to care about them. They just feel fake, and I can't put my finger on why they give me these vibes.

• Nick comes in yelling, "We're getting married," and none of the men will celebrate with him because they're still trying to comfort Brenden. OOF. And then he sees Brenden having a moment and apologizes, but I DON'T BELIEVE YOU'RE ACTUALLY SORRY.

• Brenden is such a good guy, setting a boundary with Nick so they don't fight. But I was hoping for one anyway.

• Patrick and Kacie's first look time! Kacie does not seem as excited to see him as he is to see her. She keeps trying to find ways not to look at his face.

• Kacie is looking at this ring like it's a death sentence. She is not excited at all. The producers trying to get any excitement out of her and failing is not a good sign at all.

• Sparkle Megan is breaking up with Mike. GOOD. FOR. YOU. Of course, he thinks Jordan is a mistake - he's literally never respected Jordan at all.

• Nick really just keeps putting his foot in his mouth when it comes to the men, and it's lowkey hilarious.

• JORDAN IS PROPOSING, AND SPARKLE MEGAN SAID YES!!!!!

• Nick and Annie's first look. He's quoting the Kool-Aid man. This is not a good start. Annie's expecting a big buff guy. Also not a good start.

• I think her expecting a mountain man is going to cause problems later.

• Sparkle Megan and Jordan's first look. Mike lowkey sabotaged it, which is why Megan didn't deserve him. He would have ruined her sparkle.

• They are both OVERJOYED to see each other. As they should be. BEAT THAT, MIKE.

• He gave her such a sparkly ring - as her nickname deserves.

• The fact that Kacie made Patrick come to the hotel is not a good sign. I've never seen them go to a hotel before, and then they LEAVE IT THERE?

Episode 6:

• Kacie is not obsessed with him, not attracted to him, and has decided to go home and break up with Patrick. Patrick assuring her they can leave the show and take it slow is so sweet. But I'm pretty sure Kacie's going to ghost him the moment they get home to Denver.

• Oh, she's straight up not attracted to him - she just didn't tell him that. In fact, she said the producers were trying to make it about how she didn't like what he looked like when she straight-up told them she's not physically attracted to him at all.

• We are OFF TO MEXICO! Goodbye pods! Hello drama!

• Edmond got Kalybriah a present is ADORABLE. He just loves her so much. And matching couples' shirts is their vibe.

• It's been so long since we've seen Ali and Anton, and he's an open-eye kisser, and it's freaking her out. She's also mad that her ring only cost $5k and that it should be at least $10k. Like yikes. Here I was thinking the show provided them. - UPDATE: I looked it up, and the show does pay for the ring unless you bring your own or use an heirloom.

• Joe's struggling to connect Madison's looks to her personality has me worried, especially since she's not his usual type. But with how intensely they're making out, I think he's getting over it quickly.

• Edmond refuses to kill bugs without giving them a chance at life. He's so sweet.

• Everyone is loved up with their partners...FOR NOW. We all know that drama is on the way.

• Cute date montage. Mexico is such a pretty place, and I'm jealous of everyone's amazing vacations. Does someone want to pay for me to go to Baja?

• Edmond is not confrontational at all. I think that's going to be their biggest sticking point, but I think they're going to work through it. They're good at communicating things out.

• Alright, first couple's party. LET THE DRAMA BEGIN.

• "Nick has lizard eyes." Thank you, Ali - I didn't know I needed this description in my life, but I will be stealing it.

• Nick immediately knows the brand of Sparkle Megan's bracelet. I'm pretty sure Annie is about to get crazy jealous

• Girl time and Bro time. Time to get the DEETS.

• Annie thinks it's weird that she and Nick are basically the same person - even to the point they lowkey look alike.

• Edmond and Kalybriah haven't slept together yet; they decided to wait until they get married.

• Megan is VERY happy with Jordan's bedroom prowess. Madison's also VERY happy with Joe.

• Edmond is not really sure about waiting with Kalybriah, especially when everyone else is sleeping together. He's very worried about it.

• Jordan and Joe's bromance is rubbing both Madison and Megan the wrong way. YIKES. Also, these jokes are so cringe that I had to pause for a moment.

• Joe left the party early and set off an explosive fight with Madison. The fact that he's having memory issues, I can't tell if it's actually from him waking up or if he really did drink this much.

• Edmond and Kalybriah debating the other couple's compatibility is a MOOD.

• Edmond's crashing out because he feels like Kalybriah isn't as emotionally invested in their relationship as he is - and honestly, I wonder if this is coming from his childhood trauma from being in foster care.

List of Engaged Couples:

• Ali and Anton

• Madison and Joe

• Edmond and Kalybriah

• Patrick and Kacie

• Nick and Annie

• Sparkle Megan and Jordan

Couples I'm Rooting For:

• Edmond and Kalybriah - the cutie patooties are going to go all the way to the altar. I'm calling it now. I really think they can get past these setbacks they currently are in, and become an adorable couple.

• Sparkle Megan and Jordan - I cannot believe how hard I am rooting for them. I want them to be happy together. They both deserve it. Jordan just needs to rein in his cringey jokes.

• Ali and Anton - the fact that they haven't had a ton of screen time so far shows they aren't the drama llamas I expected them to be so far. That being said, the previews have me slightly concerned over the fact that she seems to be pushing for expensive gifts that there's no way he'll be able to afford.

Couples I Want To Break Up:

• Nick and Annie - I think if Patrick and Kacie hadn't broken up within hours of the proposal, they would have been told by the producers that they weren't going to follow their love story further. I don't like either of them, and they both just seem like they're going to be boring and awful the rest of the show.

• Madison and Joe - I wanted to root for them, but the way that their after the pool party fight went down made me think they aren't going to be able to make it. They're having full communication breakdowns, and I don't think they're going to figure out how to fix them. They need to go to "how to talk to each other and resolve conflict" bootcamp before I will think about putting them in the "rooting for them" category.

Breakup Count: 1

• Patrick and Kacie - I'm not surprised at all. But seriously, Netflix, you need to pay for Patrick's therapy. Kacie literally pulled the exact thing he had trauma over on national TV.

The next three episodes will be available this Wednesday, October 8th, and I cannot wait to see what happens next! And maybe if I'm lucky, Nick and Annie will actually break up!