Married at First Sight: Back To Reality
[WARNING: Spoiler Alert for Married at First Sight, Season 10, Episodes 7-8]
The honeymoons are over (finally!), and now we see the couples begin to settle into their real lives. Just like last season, the show provided housing for the couples, which – for all intents and purposes – is a glorified extended-stay hotel. I actually prefer the good old days when the couples would have to decide on one of their own, REAL abodes in which to cohabitate for the length of the experiment. I think that more accurately represents reality. Couples do have to navigate challenges like merging lifestyles, decorative styles, commute time, chore management, pet living/care (shouts out to Bobby Dodd, the reigning pet caretaker of MAFS history), etc.
“We’re all entitled to our preferences, but I think when you submit yourself for a show such as this, you have to be more open minded...”
Anyhow, things did start to get real for the couples, as they got a chance to see their partners’ respective living quarters and help them pack for their new place. Also, they were tasked with having their first seemingly real discussion about finances. Additionally, they each had sessions with Pastor Cal, which is always entertaining. In Episode 8, they all had an opportunity to meet with family and friends. Here’s a hint: Pretty much all existing wounds were reopened.
Austin and Jessica
These two are still at the top of the leaderboard, although I’m not sure that’s saying very much this season. As they visited each other’s homes, Jessica was fairly judgmental about Austin’s cleaning habits. I think we can all agree we’ve seen worse in terms of cleanliness, particularly as it relates to bachelors. That’s just Jessica being Jessica, though. I detected mild irritation on Austin’s part in response to her comments, as he became slightly defensive and somewhat snippy. I don’t think he minds a strong woman but draws the line at perceived nagging…understandably.
Later, Jessica unintentionally (I hope) insulted Austin during the conversation with Pastor Cal regarding finances. When asked who the breadwinner was in the relationship, she told Pastor Cal that Austin’s salary was “much lower than hers.” Ouch. You could see his countenance shift at that moment. So far, I like Austin and he seems genuine, so it’s tough to watch someone get their feelings hurt on national television.
She doubled down on the statement in her confessional, saying that she would have ultimately preferred that her husband be the breadwinner. We’re all entitled to our preferences, but I think when you submit yourself for a show such as this, you have to be more open-minded when it comes to these matters. He does do thoughtful things, like prepare dinner. I mean, who doesn’t want to come home to a hot meal after a long day at work? During dinner, Jessica hounds him about how many times he pushed snooze this morning. Seriously? Then, she balked at the idea of having to unload the dishwasher. Austin went ahead and did it, albeit begrudgingly. If these two are to make it long term, I think Jessica will have to stand down on the dogma, at least a little bit.
Derek and Katie
Derek and Katie were doing well up until now, but I think they finally may have come to a major, perhaps insurmountable, bump in the road. Their issues of Derek never having been in love before, and Katie possibly being in love with someone else, have come back to haunt them. While Derek’s heart may be in the right place, I question whether or not he is emotionally mature enough to handle marriage, to a perfect stranger, with baggage, no less.
In a session with Pastor Cal, Katie admitted that she wasn’t over her ex. Before marrying Derek, the ex apparently expressed his love for Katie, and she got very emotional just talking about it in the session. Derek, as you can imagine, was extremely uncomfortable. He said during the session that he didn’t know if he could fall in love with her within eight weeks. Hurtful, yes, but a fair and certainly honest statement. Her energy then shifted, as she looked annoyed and disappointed. It’s ironic though, considering that she seems to have stronger feelings for her ex than she may even be capable of developing for Derek.
Katie later brought up Derek’s statement in a conversation with her mother (along with every other thing that annoys her about Derek), and the Mom was sympathetic to Derek’s cause. Katie must have been irritated by this because she then became somewhat rude and insulting towards her Mom, in regards to her Mom’s first marriage ending in divorce. Katie uttered something about not being willing to settle, marrying the one you love the first time around, blah blah, and so forth. This is fairly righteous talk from someone who decided to take a gamble with their life on this show.
The Mom’s advice was sound, in that she wanted Katie to simply be patient and manage her expectations. Katie’s naivety really showed in this conversation. She doesn’t see the fallacy in her having strong feelings for another man but is put off by the fact that Derek may take his time falling for her. I don’t see these two working out.
Meka and Michael
Meka and Michael seem to be on an upswing. They are improving their communication and getting to know one another. I still see don’t see the chemistry, but at least they are getting along. It doesn’t seem like Meka is ready to let go of the “ultimatum” debacle, as she brought it up again during their session with Pastor Cal. I do think that if they are to move forward, Meka needs to stop rehashing this.
Additionally, they go back and forth with wearing their rings. That’s concerning this early on. There are always going to be problems couples have to work through, but if the rings come off during the slightest sign of trouble, that doesn’t bode well for their future. It’s nice to see them actually enjoy each other’s company though, so hopefully, they will find their way to putting the rings back on permanently.
Zach and Mindy
Zach must still be trying to “build an attraction” towards Mindy, as he has yet to even move into their marital home. When asked by anyone, Zach launches a flurry of words, and when it’s over, there’s still no proper explanation for his actions. Mindy, bless her heart, remains hopeful that Zach will give the marriage a chance and at least get to know her.
He frequently uses terms to describe their time together as “hanging out” or “working on the friendship.” She reminded him during one of their meetups that he is her husband. He too has trouble keeping his ring on. Mindy’s friends gave her a reality check about the state of her marriage, and they gave some of that energy to Zach when he “stopped by” their house for a get-together. Mindy’s friends are about as optimistic her relationship as us viewers.
If I were Mindy, I would definitely cut my losses at this point. Someone who won’t put forth the effort to even move in (which, is atypical for the show’s participants, historically speaking), isn’t worth the time. From a marriage standpoint, there’s nothing to see here. Once we as viewers find out about the inappropriate relationship that Zach apparently had with one of Mindy’s friends, we can really skip ahead to the reunion on this one.
Taylor and Brandon
Brandon also decided against moving in together right away, following his meltdown on the way back from Panama. If I were Taylor, I don’t know that I would be all that upset about it, given his short fuse. Brandon eventually comes to the apartment with flowers in hand, as if they’d only had a minor disagreement. This guy! He had a sit down with Pastor Cal, who tried his hardest to set Brandon straight. Personally, I think Brandon is beyond reproach and that a “straighten up, fly right” conversation with him is futile.
After some one-on-one conversations with each other and Pastor Cal, they decided to try to move forward in their marriage and Brandon moved in. Later, they had family and friends over, and we saw Taylor secretly coach her friends to give Brandon some much-deserved heat about his recent behavior. Her friends did scold him about his treatment of her, and his Aunt came to his rescue. Brandon’s Aunt said that he told her about his actions and that he was regretful. She also said that’s not the Brandon she knows. I understand she was just trying to take up for her nephew, but maybe this is part of the issue. He seems to have a problem being held accountable for his actions. He comes across as someone who feels that real change on his part is not necessary…you should just accept his apology (take it or leave it, basically) and move on. If I was Taylor, I would run, not walk, to the nearest exit.
The drama continues next week, as the couples approach the halfway mark. They’ll still be limping along, and I’ll keep watching and providing updates!
