Crazy Bird Lady

No surprises with Molly, she very predictably made Jon out to be the villain and herself the innocent victim who wasn't ready for sex but really thought 'those feelings could grow'. Makes me want to puke!

Really looking forward to watching this. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions, in the last episode. It would be nice to see something *good* happen this time.

I don't pretend to have any idea what Molly thinks, but it's crystal clear that the producers of this (and pretty much every other 'reality' show) reward the participants who produce the most drama.

I agree. The difference between you and Molly is that when you talked to your now-husband about the timing and he was willing to be patient, you were both sincere. I think that's exactly what Jon thought he was trying to do for those first weeks, to be patient and wait for romance to grow and develop naturally. Of course, the difference between you two and Jon and Molly is the sincerity.

That must be an awful way to live. All the painful things that are said must be buried inside them, festering like wounds that can never heal.

Congratulations on your happy marriage.

I kinda agree with you, Scruffy, but I kinda agree with Rab01, too. Molly keeping up a charade that they're doing great as a couple in public, telling Jon in front of cameras that "attraction can grow" -- combined with her insincere attempts to touch or kiss him (even though Jon knew he was forbidden to do the same), apparently gave Jon the impression that something romantic/sexual might actually develop as long as he didn't try to push her. Molly really was giving him mixed signals, even if she thought he understood it was all just a fake act for the cameras and the experts. Clearly, no-one watching on TV was really buying into that "99% compatible stuff, but the so-called "experts" were getting all their feedback from Molly. Jon was afraid of rocking the boat and probably also too embarassed to tell them "That's not true! Molly and I don't get along very well at all! I have to stay silent and never touch her, or she'll really go off on me!" Should Jon have spoken up sooner? Absolutely. Would the 'experts' have believed him, instead of Molly? Good question... But either way, he should have bailed at least by the 5th week.

If you're married and you don't, it's not simple at all. Obviously. It's not like this is the first sexless couple on MAFS, and it's not like this is the first time both of them have hung in there for a long time anyway. Clearly, a lot of that has to do with the show itself... and with the expectations for marriage that the people involved had. Arranged marriage is nothing new. It's centuries, probably mellenia old. What is new, is the belief that arranged marriage between adults shouldn't necessarily involve sex, at least in the beginning. [In past centuries, once "the heir and the spare" had been provided, couples who didn't get along often took lovers but, of course, they stayed married. They didn't even have to be all that secretive about it, at least not at home, but they did have to put up a front of still being a married couple in public.]

I have no idea what generation Zanerazor is from, but (according to my adult children) there are pretty much 2 separate sets of rules for sex while dating (er... unless you're into the uber-Puritan 'courtship' concept). If you're deeply religious and conservative, you *might* decide to save the actual act of penetration until you're officially *engaged*. Otherwise, it's pretty much "only kissing on the first date, unless all you want is a hook-up," and (this one varies)"the second date you can get a little more into it, assuming you're 'into' the person you're with --but don't go all the way". By the third date --IF there's a third date-- there aren't really any rules, and the guy may not want a 4th date if you haven't had sex yet, (and/or he may be "friend zoned" by the girl). (Of course, there are individual variations on these 'rules'.) But if you're already married, it seems like the honeymoon would at least count as dates one, two, and three. So, what happens when the honeymoon is over and sex is still out of the question? At the very least, no sex weeks after the honeymoon is sure to cause confusion, frustration, and (eventually) anger --no matter how many times the woman tells the therapist that their 'marriage' is going great and that attraction 'can still grow'. Jon was getting mixed and confusing messages, hot and cold. He had given up his job and his apartment for this so-called 'marriage'. But, it appears Molly was getting bolder and cruder about telling Jon how un-attracted to him she really was (whenever the cameras were gone)! Jon still hung in there, for whatever reason, although you could tell he was just going through the motions --until finally, he'd had enough. I certainly don't see that as 'predatory' or 'creepy' on Jon's part. I do see it as foolish -- he should have had that confrontation a couple of weeks earlier.

I'm gonna get flamed for saying this, but: Ryan was pretty much paired with exactly the wrong person for him. Ryan is always on the go, either working or doing some sort of sports or partying. Jaqui... well, I don't really know what she does, besides talk, and dream of travelling to foreign lands. Clearly, Ryan is not the kind of person who likes to sit around and 'chat' about his feelings. That would be a problem even if they could resolve Ryan's drinking and the "gypsy soul" thing. (By the way, "having a gypsy soul" can be a real thing - my youngest daughter calls herself a "gypsy," works on a cruise line and/or finds a job at wherever she happens to be in port -- and she enjoys her free lifestyle). Honestly, I don't see a "gypsy soul" personality in Jaqui, but it's crystal clear that experiencing life in another country is on her bucket list, and it probably won't ever be on Ryan's. As one of the other wives said to her at some point: Jaqui probably won't ever be happy and fulfilled without having that experience. So, even if Ryan weren't such a jerk, those two people would still be a terrible match!

Ever heard of a little kosher bungalow place called "Sunny Oaks?"

You have an excellent point. Supposedly, the 'experts' are 'monitoring' these 'delicate marriages'. But if viewers picked up on the false dialogue and cold body language -- if viewers knew who was faking ---then those 'experts' leaving Jon and Molly without intervention because Molly kept lying and saying everything is fine, etc. are either incredibly inept, or (much more likely) their main motivation is to create maximum drama for TV.

My guess is that legal documents are signed prior to their participation in MAFS, which most likely include a commitment by the producers to pay all and any costs for a "no-fault" divorce at that 2-month point, if that's what the couple chooses. If they stay married past that point, however, they will probably have to pay for their own divorce... and as most of us know, that can be very expensive!

The 'grinding on him' part may have been an exaggeration, but I guess they had been dancing. [I think Jon was already fed up with Molly's sexually teasing -but-don't-ever-touch-me-because-you-make-my-skin-crawl- public behavior.] And then, according to what Jon said to Dr. not-Pepper, a moment later some other guy (at the bar) said something to Molly and she started talking/flirting with him as if Jon didn't exist... If that's what happened, I can see why Jon decided to tape it to show the 'experts'.

Well said, Empress. I noted that (after she'd seen the proof of Molly's lies) and after she heard both of them rate their relationship at 1 and 2, the therapist herself said 'NO-ONE should have to live with someone they feel that way about.' Then she indicated approval when Molly said she was leaving town, and Jon nodded.

That's possible. My sister-in-law is like that, she's beyond belief. So I think I kind of 'get' Molly. Like my sister-in-law, she's probably told lies and gaslighted the people closest to her since she was a toddler. I bet she's almost always gotten her own way. Interestingly enough, the only people my sister-in-law actually likes or respects are dominant people who absolutely won't put up with her BS, and don't hesitate to beat her into submission to make that point.

Yeah, I liked Dr. Pepper's remarks that Ryan seems to want to keep his marriage 'in a frame'. But the stupid dork didn't even understand what she meant!! In fact,I think he took it as encouragement to keep on doing what he's been doing --whatever the hell he wants! And then he thinks he's "keeping his wife happy" in bed!! Sure, sex is part of a happy marriage, almost always. But any idiot who thinks good sex is enough to keep his wife happy, deserves to live alone forever.

I pretty much agree with every word of that. Well said! I know it's not a popular impression, but I still think Jephte handles frustration and anger badly. He was even talking (again) about 'he doesn't know her and doesn't trust her so he doesn't want to know her'... " Shawniece is an emotional woman, who definitely wears her heart on her sleeve and sometimes blows things out of proportion, but she's for real and she's "all in". That! She's been lying since the first day she met Jon, and my guess is that's how she lives her life. I think they're the only couple that even has a chance to make it past Decision Day. But I totally agree --I doubt it would last beyond the year. Unfortunate, they're a likeable couple usually. She could have starred on "Mean Girls"... if she were prettier.

That couple is very easy to love. Shawniece won me over in the first episode. She's pretty much my favorite MAFS person, ever. Maybe that's why I'm concerned any time I see Jephte ignoring her like she's not even there, or walking away from her... Even so, most of the time they seem genuine and truly loving as a couple, and it's heart-warming to watch them together.

It could certainly be part of what's going on between those two, although it's a bit surprising Molly didn't notice it when they first got married. After all, when the preacher says "You may kiss the bride," the couple moves close to each other. But maybe she didn't get a whiff until later. If that's the case, honesty would probably have been the best policy --and Molly hasn't exactly been honest!

Well said! I think Molly is a liar and out of touch with reality.

Maybe you are right, that Jephte's issues are mostly about being filmed and being told what to do by the show's "experts". I'm sure it can be a huge source of frustration for any couple participating in MAFS. Maybe editing is used to make it appear that Jephte gets furious and stomps off (away from Shawniece) at the slightest provocation. We all know the show has used editing to create false impressions before!! I really don't see Shawniece being the one who "needs to calm down," though. Best wishes and happiness to both of them.

I hope you're right and I'm wrong, Neurochick. It would be great if that couple could live happily ever after. If it's 'just' the "very immature" way Jephte responds to being told "no" or to being told he needs to do something, maybe Shawnice has the patience and the inclination to 'raise him right' until he eventually becomes a mature, reliable adult husband. [Jephte is a teacher, but right now I'm wondering if he's even the most 'mature' person in his 2nd grade classroom.]

The 2 somethings on Jon's lip at Universal were probably just fang marks. I really hope Jon is "over it" with Molly... finally.

I agree, Claire, that Molly probably shouldn't have been matched with a man. (Or anyone!) We can only hope that Jon will get "away from that nasty, nuthatch sooner than later". I wish I didn't, but I agree about Jephte too. He and Shawniece are so adorable together that it really makes me want to believe they can make it work. But you're right, Jephte has said over and over again (in various ways) that if he gets, pushed, he'll push back. And sadly, that is a big red flag.