VioletNevermind

I definitely get it. I like the concept that Christine is feeling her oats for the first time and wants everyone to know it. I just hate it when Kody (during his couch interviews) chuckles at the camera and gives yet another soliloquy about how he never loved Christine and wasn't attracted to her. I feel like it gives him more opportunities to run her into the ground. Ugh, I cannot stand him and I'm so glad that Christine finally gets to be happy.

A better title for this episode is "This Could Have Been an Email." That face-to-face between Janelle and Meri was excruciating to watch and beyond unnecessary. I have always championed Janelle as one of the only true adults on this show, but that meeting did not have to happen. While I can admire Janelle's desire to ensure that Meri gets what she is entitled to, it's way past time to butt out and allow Meri to advocate for herself and what she wants. This is just yet another reason not to enter into these massive financial arrangements without the law behind you. Again, that's Meri's cross to bear and none of Janelle's business anymore. My only other note about this episode was when Christine put her head on David's shoulder while gazing almost defiantly up at Kody. Oh, girl, please stop. That was just embarrassing. I can certainly understand any scored woman's desire to make sure that the man who treated her badly sees her doing well, but she's laying it on a bit thick. TLC's decision to play the wedding before laying the foundation for their relationship was unfortunate. Like many of you, I am done with the Christine and David Show. I also feel really bad for little Truely. Speaking as a former sensitive child, she may be sitting there, reading her book in silence while everyone talks around her, but believe me when I tell you that she is seeing everything and hearing everything. She radiates discomfort with her mother's PDAs and it's wrong of Christine to continue to shove them down everyone's throats "whether they like it or not." Good Lord, woman, practice some self-control and sensitivity while your kids (especially the 14-year-old who will have to live with this day in and day out) get accustomed to things.

Allen and Allen's Bride (I'm terrible with names and at least two weeks from all of the names solidifying in my mind): He really does seem like a decent guy. A bit prone to dad jokes, but there are worse traits and I'm sure he was terrified. His aggressive beard shape-up situation was unfortunate. I gasped when he appeared in his tux, ready to be married. I hope that was just for his wedding day and he dials it back for everyday life. As for Allen's Bride, she left no impression whatsoever for now. Juan and Karla: Juan seems very impressed with himself, to say the least. I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him. Karla seems like just another simpering, up-speaking, cookie-cutter woman that this show is gravitating toward. She's very aware of the cameras and is playing a role. I have zero hope for them remaining together. Emem and Ikechi: I really like her attitude. She is easily the most genuine of the brides and seems to be truly ready to be married, but I think she's showing her hand a little too much. She's giving him a lot of power right off the bat and will be so hurt if Ikechi turns out to be an ass. Basement David and Basement David's Bride: She seems like the most superficial of all of the brides, with Karla at a very close second. David cleaned up nicely for the wedding and I still think that he has a very solid family/friend unit. As for his living situation, I found David's comment about how he "could move out at any time, but he didn't want to pay rent" interesting. Maybe my perceptions are clouded by the fact that I'm currently dealing with an adult daughter who refuses to grow up and accept the fact that she has to earn money in order to live independently, but still. David does work, but at least he acknowledges the fact that a 35-year-old man who lives in his childhood basement would be a massive red flag for many women for a whole host of reasons, both financial and psychological. I'll be watching his progression closely and I hope he ends up happy, but I suspect that he'll end up right back in that basement where he started (which will clearly thrill his mother). As for the aftershow, I already feel like I'm too damn old to be watching this show, so I can barely stay awake on these marathon MAFS nights. I may end up skipping the aftershow this season, but from what I saw last night, it was more of the same: the superfluous cocktail, the superfluous dresses, and the superfluous conversation. Blah.

The most interesting aspect of this season for me is that, instead of manning up and rising above the nonsense, Kody decides to rewrite history and claim that he never loved any of his first three wives. I have zero doubt that he viewed Christine and Janelle as nothing more than heavenly brood mares (at least at first), but Meri's situation is different. I have never been a Meri fan, but it makes me so sad for her when she casts that defiant look at the camera and talks about how she's making the choice to leave, formally end the marriage in the church, etc. Boo, that asshole left you a decade ago. Just pack up your LuLaRoe sweaters and hit the damn trail. He doesn't care where you spend your holidays, so please stop telling him as if it's going to impact him in any way. Continuing to appear in front of Kody to put on her neck-rolling "I am woman, hear me roar" performance does nothing but embolden him. He is enjoying this, no matter what he says. He can clearly see that she's flailing and he's loving it. Maybe he loved her at the beginning and maybe he didn't, but the best thing to do after decades of discontent is to move on. I also got married extremely young- and to a man who carries himself so much like Kody that it almost makes my skin crawl. We hardly knew each other when he "proposed" and love was most certainly not involved, but I went along with it because I had just turned 21 and knew nothing whatsoever about the world. So many marriages start this way. Shit happens. It's how you deal with it that shows who you really are in the end. The person with the biggest mouth, constantly disparaging the people of the past, ultimately shows their hand. Kody may not have loved any of his first three wives, but his pride and ego have been decimated and I'm here for every minute of it. I hope his soulmate is able to help him shoulder the load when she's finished weeping for the cameras. As for everything else, it will be nice to see the beginning of Christine and David's relationship fleshed out a bit. Other than that, Mykelti and Tony are beyond gross and that's all I've got. I can't wait until we're current, but I'm really not sure there's much more that justifies a show.

This season feels gross and pointless already. I dislike most of the women with the exception of Emem, who seems like a classy lady. As for David (Basement), I remain puzzled at the decision to cast him except for the obvious reason: drama. I don’t know any woman who would feel comfortable dating a 35-year-old man who lived in his parent’s basement (yes, I’m absolutely judging), no matter how awesome his family seemed (which they really do). I don’t see any of these marriages lasting and I think I’m getting too old for this show. 😂

The 35-year-old Basement Daddy is a hell no. If they choose him, I’ll have to learn his name, but that’s my only takeaway on him so far.

This was a rough episode for me from a personal standpoint. My family is as splintered as this one. My parents had four children and I'm in contact with one of them, my younger brother. The TL;DR version of the story is that my two older sisters live their lives in ways that my dad didn't agree with, so a rift was created over 30 years ago. It's something I'm just now starting to truly understand in my late 40s. My sisters both contact my parents maybe once a year, but my parents make absolutely zero effort to reciprocate and so the separation persists year after year. There have been times when my dad sounds exactly like Kody. He believes that kids should bear the entire weight of the responsibility of remaining in contact and fostering adult relationships with their parents. My sisters are adult teenagers who are still mad at mommy and daddy because they are unable to fully process the events of decades long past and so many years have passed now that my parents view it as pointless to even try. At the end of the day, regardless of whom may be to blame for what, my sisters have no parents and my parents of four are really parents to two. This is what Kody is in for if he continues to act like a petulant pre-teen with his adult children. He'll have nothing left but his fleet of vehicles, his art, his sour-faced "love of his life," and his almighty pride. If this is the hill he wants to die on, I hope he enjoys his later years when he's universally hated and in contact with 27% of his 18 children. I do have to wonder if he's changed his tune since Garrison's passing (something that I largely blame Kody for). I hope he takes a good, hard look in the mirror following that tragedy. As much as I enjoy the weekly drama and nonsense of this show, it is way past time for it to end and for the sperm donor to tend to his family- the whole family- before much more time passes and it's too late. His poor sons are begging for his attention and it's already too late for one of them, bless his heart. Also, you know what I'm really enjoying this season? The fact that Janelle is acknowledging that Meri has been treated like shit for the past 10 years, but still maintaining her boundary with her, is a classy move. Please note that I am most certainly not a Meri fan. I have no doubt that she was a holy terror to Christine and Janelle back in the day, but it's very mature of Janelle to look past that and stick up for her. In my opinion, Janelle is one of only a handful of adults on this show (most of whom are the kids). As for Robyn's tears this episode, they may be genuine this time, but much of the blame for this entire situation lies squarely on her shoulders. She knew exactly what she was doing from the very beginning. She wanted a hubby and a financial safety net after a bad marriage and racking up a bunch of credit card debt. I wanted to throw my coffee cup through my TV screen when she made that comment last week about how she made different choices with her money, which explains the fact that she's in a better financial situation than the other wives. She's a crafty bitch and the only thing she doesn't have is an Academy Award for Best Actress.

I agree with every word, but I just had to point out this choice of phrasing! So perfect for this bunch!😅

Whew, this dinner is embarrassing to watch. It’s way past time for Naeem to stand up and handle his family.

God, I loathe Garrick. And I just have to point out that every time these people are on my screen, all I can think is- Don’t you guys have TWO YOUNG SONS at home, one of whom is 14-years-old?! Dannielle, WTF are you doing here? Speaking of Dannielle, girl, why are you basically tattling on Nathalia to her own friends the first time you meet them? You can see the irritation all over Nathalia’s face any time Dannielle speaks, much less cries, so not talking with her about the wedding plans needs to be the least of Dannielle’s concerns.

Man, to think that Nathalia’s mother is present for this insanity. If she were my daughter, I would have thrown her over my shoulder and carried her to the airport long before this point. I just do not understand. And I loathe Garrick. Every time I see his dumbass face, I want to punch it.

Stephanie tells them that she doesn’t want to be with them (AGAIN) and they get a hotel “to be sure?” You know they won’t leave her alone. It’s restraining order time for Stephanie.

These two take a 12-hour road trip to see someone who expressly told them not to come?! I realize that this is reality TV, so who knows what's actually true, but does anyone else find that really creepy? If I were in Stephanie's shoes, that would be the last time I ever saw these people, right after informing them that my very next move would be a restraining order. And they pay for her gym membership and "buy her things all the time," even as her communication with them dwindles? Man, this guy clearly has NO pride (or discernment) whatsoever.

Damn. Pastor Cal looked like he wanted to grab Michael up out of that chair by the seat of his dress shorts and take him to the parking lot. (Still, you dodged a bullet there, Michael. Good choice.)

I feel like Michael is trying to let her down easy. Even if he decides to stay married tonight, I don’t think this will last. I don’t even blame him either. Chloe is a lot and there’s no way I could withstand it.