Recapping "Love Is Blind" Episodes 8-9, new lawsuit alleging sexual assault

We're back with another "Love Is Blind" recap.

Driving the news: Episodes 8 and 9, which documented the couples before the big day, dropped Friday and furthered the train wreck that is Season 5. There's more drama with little heart.

🚨 Spoilers ahead!

Catch up fast: Episode 8 picks up at the cast reunion "party" (mostly — it's a lot of yelling and arguing).

• Uche is still trying to make his case against Lydia, but no one really cares. Meanwhile, Izzy is trying to persuade everyone that Johnie is super sketchy. Both arguments don't end well.
• The couples go wedding dress shopping. Stacy meets Izzy's mom and Lydia meets Milton's family. Milton's mom is prepared with questions and Milton's sister is skeptical.

Izzy and Stacy continue to have the same disagreements around finance and whether Izzy is living up to Stacy's expectations. There is also some off-camera argument about Izzy's credit and lack of communication.

Milton and Lydia are on different wavelengths when it comes to emotions. Milton comes across as dismissive of Lydia's emotions. He continues to say that Lydia shouldn't get so emotional and should instead adopt his "less emotional" way of life.

Of note: Participants Renee and Carter, who reportedly got engaged, can be seen during the wedding dress and suit shopping clips, but ultimately, their narrative was cut.

Between the lines: Viewers are criticizing what they perceive as Izzy's and Uche's willingness to belittle the women around them so the men can win.

What's next: Episode 10, the season finale, airs Friday, and we'll see if any of these couples say "I do."

Worthy of your time: Season 5 participant Tran Dang, who is not featured in the episodes, claims in a lawsuit that fellow participant Thomas Smith sexually assaulted her during the Mexico getaway portion of the series.

• The lawsuit against the producers of the Netflix show claims that producers acted with negligence, per Vanity Fair.
• Smith's attorney, Kip Patterson, said in an email to Today.com that Smith denies the allegations.
• 'Love Is Blind' creator Chris Coelen tells PEOPLE that production was "never told that she felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations that she made."
• This is the second suit filed by a contestant of the reality dating show in recent years, following a 2022 claim of "inhumane working conditions" and substandard pay. "Love Is Blind" producers deny those claims as well.