“Love Is Blind” fans had to wait more than an hour Sunday night for what would have been Netflix’s second-ever livestream in order to catch the popular dating show’s reunion — but instead ended up with a recorded version that was aired after technical difficulties sent viewers into a frenzy.
Following a week of hype for viewers to catch up with the cast’s couples and singles (and drama) at 8 p.m. ET, the live reunion was met with a major delay before the streaming service officially posted at 9:30 p.m. on Twitter that the livestream would not air as intended. Instead, it streamed a recorded version that was filmed just moments before (with some viewers still unable to tune in).
“To everyone who stayed up late, woke up early, gave up their Sunday afternoon … we are incredibly sorry that the Love is Blind Live Reunion did not turn out as we had planned,” Netflix said in a Twitter post that has since amassed more than 12 million views. “We’re filming it now and we’ll have it on Netflix as soon as humanly possible. Again, thank you and sorry.”
The online service says a full playback of the event will be available Monday at 3 p.m. ET for those who missed the delayed stream of the recorded version on Sunday.
Many viewers noted that Netflix’s first live streaming event, “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” did not experience any apparent technical difficulties like this — nor did the live airing of the world’s first moon landing in 1969.
In a since-deleted tweet, Netflix initially acknowledged the delay a few minutes in without stating what caused it and said the stream would air by 8:17 p.m. This was followed by a tease post with a photo of controversial cast member, Irina Solomonova, and a caption that the reunion “will be worth the wait.”
The Seattle-based cast members were posting on social media to joke about the delay and keep the eager viewers entertained.
Co-host Vanessa Lachey went on Instagram to announce they were working on the delay and that the cast members, and her husband Nick Lachey, were on standby waiting as well. Before thanking fans for their patience, she said that viewers apparently “broke the internet” to tune into the special.