Love Is Blind: Habibi

If these men are representative of Arab men, I would advise any sane woman to keep their distance.

I found the men on the show to be aggressive and entitled, often belittling women. One even stated that his wife should put her life in second place after his. Some justified their behaviour by saying, "that's how I was raised." The borderline jealousy they displayed is alarming.

They exhibit traits of unchecked anger, disrespect toward others, and controlling behaviour towards women, coupled with an inflated ego. They frequently spoke about God, but their actions didn't align with their words.

I dove into Habibi expecting "Love Is Blind" vibes-with pods, romance, and emotional reveals. What I didn't expect was the intensity: cultural collision, rapid-fire commitments, and some jaw-dropping moments that made me rethink what this franchise can be. It's uncomfortable, raw, and... easy to binge.

✅ What Left an Impression

1. Cultural layers feel real Viewers noted how affectionate it feels: "Everyone is habibi... a very affectionate culture". Scenes of families, traditions, and respect toward elders grounded the show in a different reality than the US versions.

2. Fierce women pushing boundaries Some men came off controlling, but the women often pushed back hard. One Redditor called it "a season of strong women who stood their ground". That resistance made me respect a few contestants even more.

3. Wholesome structure (no sex) feels refreshing No couples sleep in the same room, no overshadowing PDA.

4. Binge format adds momentum All episodes dropped at once, so no waiting for cliffhangers-great for a quick, immersive watch.

❌ What Didn't Work for Me

1. Toxic moments hit hard Some men displayed controlling behavior-straight up bullies... expecting subservience. That tone made the show painful at times. It felt like embarrassing... cringe.

2. Choppy storytelling and odd editing Rapid-fire pacing, abrupt cuts, awkward dubbing-some scenes felt disjointed. The editing seemed choppy... pacing seemed rapid.

3. Lack of real conversations Many interactions felt surface-level or forced-"painfully boring... superficial". That left me doubting how real these connections were.

4. Narrow casting holds it back I need to point out the lack of diversity- light-skinned models... no hijabi women-which made the show feel less authentic to the region's true spectrum.

🌟 Final Thoughts

It is so bad it's good. It is every horrible stereotype about Arab men and women turned up to 1000 😂😂😂 but I am too busy laughing.

Love Is Blind: Habibi is a messy cultural experiment full of shock, tradition, and raw emotion. It's not the polished drama of the original-it's rougher, more vulnerable, and gets under your skin-sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. It's the franchise reimagined through a totally different lens.

If you're up for refreshing traditions, family drama, and moments that make you cringe and cheer, it's worth the watch. Just brace yourself.

🎥 If You Liked This, You Might Also Enjoy:

1. Love Is Blind: Japan - Culture clash meets emotional slow-burn

2. Marriage or Mortgage - Cultural expectations, big financial decisions

3. Arranged (Documentary) - Real-life view into cultural matchmaking

4. Perfect Match (Netflix) - Global dating chaos with high stakes

5. Indian Matchmaking - Tradition, family, and dating pressure.

I really want this show canceled and discontinued because it's traumatizing and offensive to watch women being manipulated and controlled. There is continuous disrespect towards the women. I cried for most of the show and it will continue to haunt me for awhile. The producers should be held accountable for choosing bad characters who are not there for a loving healthy and supportive marriage. Why would they not choose more good natured people for this show. It's unusual. I've never seen a reality show so dysfunctional. This is a show about love and marriage. Manipulation, control and emotional abusive is the opposite of love.

Unbelievable cultural differences in this version of Love Is Blind Habibi. Only saw 2 episodes so far ( so not considering this a spoiler but a precursor for a messy season to come) I predict the first couple matched won't last - we will see. Let's just say the man was way too controlling by moving way too fast making a "claim" on "his" woman to the "bros" that he has known for exactly 1 day (RED FLAG!) and telling them to cancel their date (if she picks them). Then the other guy who also likes her backs down out of "loyalty" to his bro? The whole concept goes down the tubes immediately - this is not about making friends or "loyal bros" but finding the best love connection. Which brings to the next point-the girl he claims clearly tells him she loves to dance from the beginning and he tells her "I don't like that" right from the get-go (RedFlag!). Then he moves fast and proposes (RED FLAG!), so she lets him know this and she succumbs to his pushing w/o insisting to see HER other date pick first! One note abt the show is that despite all the different regions and backgrounds, everyone speaks great English with no noticeable accents and whoever taught them did a great job.

The bad reviews comes mostly from the ignorance of the culture. Traditionnal values seem to be the key word here. Specially for the men. The women too but they have obviously embraced the some of the modern life style with a suprising element for me: Seeing how the strong and independent women in the western world are, being more and more masculine, I thought that this was the main reason that made them so unacttractive (understand not wife material). Here, most of these women are strong and independent but are still very, charming, feminine and thus very attractive even if physically most of them were arevage or slighty below. The men are traditionnal, demanding and strict, I guess that's in their culture and it seems to be the norm. I really appreciated watching the interaction between the men and the women: they were honest, very affermative in the boundaries they set. No surprises, better communication, less deceptive tactics, less hidden intentions than in the previous seasons. Concerning the women some of them have fallen in the trap of feminism. There is a very high probability that Hajar, Asma, Safa, Karma and Nour will have to drop their delusionnal views and face reality. They "hit the wall" already and their best fertile years are behind them. Same for their attractiveness. The older you get, your chances of finding your significant half gets harder. I could be wrong but the stats are not in their favor. As for Dounia, she has a good chance of having a great life. I gave the show an eight because I enjoyed the cultural discovery.