pdlinda

Why am I not surprised. When I watched the evolution of their marriage it was like both of them were essentially miserable with brief respites of a "honeymoon period" where harmony prevailed. I did not see their marriage enduring and appreciate the fact that both of them are such devoted and loving parents to Laura. Hope there wasn't a "third party" involved.

I can't quote specifically but I recall my ears perking up immediately upon Brianna's being referred to as an "engineer." It was made very apparent that she was an "engineer" who works "in the field" as I recall because (unless I'm imagining it) she was shown in a "hard hat" and "work boots" ostensibly going out to a "job site." I recall thinking, "WOW!!" she must be a civil engineer, KNOWING the difficulty and complexity of such a career. I also recall many others referring to her as an "engineer" in the context of her being "bossy." When she was paired with Vinny and he made the remark regarding his ex-GF saying she dumped him because he didn't have a college degree and she didn't "have his back" a little light went off in the back of my mind regarding the professional disparity between a civil engineer and whatever entrepreneurial gig he was pursuing having to do with cars. MY POINT: Brianna must make a decent salary and she made an excellent choice of a career, one where with time and perhaps the acquisition of a graduate degree, will yield her a very successful career path; however, she's entry level in her field at this point and, from what the other poster said her previous work experience was not in cyber security so her salary must reflect that fact. On that basis, the $109K salary figure seems inflated. Oh, and BTW, we always refer to the handymen working at our apartment complex as "MAINTENANCE ENGINEERS." I admit they are highly skilled; HOWEVER, nothing would ever exceed the expertise and qualifications of a successful "DOMESTIC ENGINEER, AKA, HOMEMAKER!"😄

Knowing the demanding academic credentials and rigorous nature of obtaining an engineering degree (in my family-member's case electrical engineering from a highly-regarded university) I take extreme exception to anyone referring to him/herself as an "engineer" without going through such a bachelor's degree program as my family member did (and also continued to a Master's Degree). Yes, he DID make a salary well into the 6 figures for the entirety of his career and it was very well deserved! I'm confused and a bit frustrated by the lack of integrity on so many levels from the show this season. It was completely unnecessary to portray many of the participants in a light that simply did not reflect reality, and Brianna is simply the latest example. I'm sure she's a skilled professional in whatever capacity she serves; however, to classify her as an "engineer" seems disingenuous. If someone knows something to dispute that conclusion I certainly will retract it.

So, then, I guess the next question would be: What would any woman who looks like a Kardashian want WITH HIM????

I'm having to conclude there's a whole new group of producers "bright eyed and bushy tailed" to prove their creativity and "street cred" with different segments of the population. Unfortunately, the "gimmicks" you're describing seem very tired, hum-drum and weak. The show shined thrived with a format that was based on the authenticity of the concept and the profiles of the food and the contestants (all pulled together by the hosting of Ted Allen). Now, everything seems phony and "hyped" giving no credence or validity of what made the show great in the first place!! Martha Stewart never was nor never will be an asset to the show. My sense is she has some social connection with someone making decisions about casting for the show so they plugged her in. UGH!!!

OMG!! Sorry for the gender assumption! Thanks for clearing that up!

DITTO! 100%!! Lenny's post was GOLD!! Still laughing and shaking my head YES to everything he wrote!!

By way of "introduction" I lost 100 lbs 15 yrs ago and have kept it off by living by the "bible" of health and fitness. I never deviate. I eat what I eat and eat NOTHING I believe will harm me in any way. I am the "boss" of everything I put in my mouth. I consume no alcohol or caffeine and basically eat good, unprocessed food. Also, I married and lived in the Caribbean for several years. I stayed with my husband for over 20 years and am now blessedly and blissfully divorced. I am very sensitive to "weight issues" and, truth be told, the FIRST thing I automatically see when I meet a person is their weight and their eating patterns. Of course, this is in a most unobtrusive way. As I was weight "shamed" unmercifully during much of my life I am also very sensitive to "shaming" people due to weight issues. I also have an advanced degree in "Addiction Studies" that I practiced in a career spanning 30 years. OK...regarding Vincent, I noticed that he is quite sensitive to a lot of things, most especially his "dignity", his lack of education, his manliness, his financial prowess, and, yes, his weight. I noticed that when they were on that (very costly) honeymoon celebration, Vincent''s clothing (especially what I thought was a custom-made blazer), beautiful trousers and expensive shoes (I can't help it with the wardrobe assessments...please indulge me!). The clothes were tight on him and he seemed self-conscious about it. There's a certain way a person moves (ask me, I'll tell you) when an outfit is too small because of recent weight gain. Even in the salsa dancing episode, Vinny made mention of his sour mood being partly caused by weight gain. In his sales work, my assumption is that he eats MANY rich meals out in expensive restaurants and drinks freely. If he thinks that an occasional bike ride will offset that pattern of socializing, he's sadly mistaken. Of course, the fact that Brianna is so slender also bears on Vincent's weight consciousness as she MAY be one of those people (I don't know but my father was one) who burns up calories as they eat, regardless of what they eat. In the matter of cultural differences between Brianna and Vincent, I can only offer the fact that my husband and I moved back to the USA early in our marriage (before we had children) and awareness of "differences" were really inconsequential in those days. It was more or less him having to get a graduate education and then earn a living to the extent it would mimic the economic success of my parents. He had certain flaws that prevented the marriage from working and, yes, financial success was something he never could sustain. I wound up trying to "fix, rescue and caretake" him and that's never a recipe for marital success (in MY case). If Vinnie can earn a consistent living (to support the luxury lifestyle he constantly refers to) and defer to Brianna's cultural norms as equally as he expects her to defer to his, then I think the marriage has a great chance to succeed. If those factors don't occur, their marriage will probably suffer, just like mine did.

This truly seems like a match made in HELL!!! With that said, my bet is that they will opt to "stay married" on DD. That's the unfortunate nature of mixing reality TV considerations with the lives of participants who are clearly at a disadvantage trying to mesh their best interests with what is best for the show's ratings.

YAH....I noticed that too😄

He keeps changing his story so I guess we'll never know. It went from being a "...kind of arranged marriage because she wanted base privileges when he was active military) to him having a marriage with her that included "feelings" but , in the end, not working out. The impression I got from from Erik's explanations and use of his first marriage as a "teaching tool" for VA was that, OF COURSE, he was the "perfect one" (as he sees himself now) and she (the first wife) was the "problem." If I'm misstating Erik's position on his first marriage, please let me know🙂

I would second that opinion 100X! There is nothing "appealing" about Clara to Ryan; however, for purposes of the show, my inclination is that they will "stick it out together" after DD and then part "amicably" soon after the show ends. Same with Erik and VA, except that in their case, there is a simmering pathology seemingly imbedded in BOTH of them (especially VA) that is more concerning. I see their parting taking a great emotional toll on VA. Hopefully this experience will require her to connect with a competent mental health professional to work on her many issues. Erik also has a zillion "issues"; however, with his professional and social standing (apparently) he may choose to ignore what led him to another dismal failure with a prospective mate and keep repeating his behavioral patterns, or, he may choose to engage in therapy and, hopefully, fare much better in future relationships leading to marriage. On the other hand, I believe both Clara and Ryan will move forward with their separate lives without a severe level of emotional damage.

The foot-long false eyelashes did her no favors either.... DITTO!! It's called "denial and delusion." I still also insist that Clara looks much older than he does and I do NOT get any romantic vibe from him toward her. NONE....

Can't you see the production meeting where this "theme" was thrashed out among the producers? Some (or one) of them must have had some social "disruption" in his/her life that translated into this thunderously BORING theme that is being milked to death.

I don't think she would ever be comfortable in his condo among his expensive furnishings that he keeps in a pristine condition. Everything about VA seems to emphasize sloppiness, disorder, lack of personal care and impulsivity. To think she would be able to be responsible for doing her part to maintain the order and cleanliness of Erik's place would put a lot of pressure on her, especially given her lifestyle choices of partying and drinking to excess. As Erik has taken a more-or-less paternal role in the relationship, I think VA anticipates him lecturing and scolding her for any behavioral habits she has that don't meet his standards. We'll have to wait and see; however, presuming they stay together on DD (not too much of a stretch) they will certainly part soon afterward (IMO).

I agree with every word you said!! Every. Single. One!

Agreed: however, in at least SOME of the scenes they touched up her hairline (although in certain other TH scenes, the black roots are apparent). Not sure why this bothers me so much except (like Ashley from Anthony and Ashley season) her natural hair color is so drastically different than the platinum blond she has chosen, and that looks good on her, it's a full-time job to keep it up. Ashley, perhaps after having her baby, decided to give up her blonde persona and go "natural brown." Perhaps Clare will eventually decide the same thing because the look she displays with the dark roots peering out of her part line certainly give her a "trashy appearance" IMO.

Everything you're describing would cost the show $$$$ so I'm not seeing anything like that materializing, unless someone can see the situation differently? To me, Dr. Now's son owns the production company and the show is a cash cow (for sure!!) so, from their perspective, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." That's how I see their attitude at this advanced stage of the show's success.

Sorry to respectfully disagree🤤 How can a RENTAL CAR be repossessed....

After watching and enjoying the show from the beginning, it appears the producers have brought in a new "bright eyed and bushy tailed" creative team to "juice up" the show. It's obvious they are trying to appeal to the millennials whom they think will support their advertisers. In fact, the "new format" (all the hype and overproduction of the intros that seems to diminish the bios of the contestants and the interruptions of the judges while the contestants are cooking) is removing one of the most endearing parts of the show for the sake of "showmanship." If they would focus on the enhancements mentioned above with the equipment, it would do far more to draw an audience (of all ages) than the ill conceived hoop-la they've introduced. I also note that the recent use (overuse) of so many "prepared foods" in the baskets doesn't enhance the show in my eyes. I would much rather see the chefs creatively deal with fresh ingredients.

So, then, the next question becomes: WHO, at the top (or medium) level management at FN decides to operate the show that way??? With all the "social justice" promotions everywhere on the network (the contestants have always come from infinitely different backgrounds YAAAA with wonderful stories about their family history), wouldn't the next step in the evolution of the "culture" of the show be to jack up the compensation for the contestants and pay for their expenses?? How can management be so selfish, short sighted and self-absorbed???

Isn't everything you're describing (accurate as far as I'm concerned) regarding the issues that are challenging Jake an Haley things that THE EXPERTS are supposed to hash out and guide the couples to resolve????

That is very disconcerting and disappointing as the show makes TONS OF MONEY (the banks of commercials that I FF through are IMMENSE) AND I casually researched (very easy to do) the financial circumstances of the Judges (and Ted Allen) and they're ALL multi millionaires. I understand many of the judges have other lucrative income streams; however, not all, so I am surmising that the show pays them handsomely! From what I see most of the contestants (with very few exceptions) come from humble circumstances. How can the producers be so CHEAP when the entire success of the show depends on the CONTESTANTS! If future contestants demanded better compensation, I believe the show would have to respond favorably; however, there's no way for any of them to connect beforehand so I guess that's what the producers depend on to continue this practice. HOWEVER, it doesn't make it right!

I can't speak for him (obviously); however, I cannot get beyond the black roots on hairline and part of the platinum blonde hair. Also, Clara has a cute figure; however, consuming donut after donut after donut (and more) I can see the projected effect of that type of "junk food" preference (she rejected the mere mention of vegetables) on her figure as the years go on. I said it before and I'll say it again: I do NOT see Clara and Ryan as a romantic couple. Friends maybe (based upon what, I ask myself?) Maybe not even that, on second thought. Regardless of what happens on DD, I see no future for this couple.

I was surprised Dr. Now didn't immediately sign megan up for sessions with Lola (in 2020 that's who he used for his patients). No reference was ever made about going for psychotherapy.