I just watched the beating50% episode (S15E06) and WOW these two are something. For two people so invested in making their marriage work, they hold a lot of resentment toward one and other. They stated in the episode that part of wanting to do the website/marriage blog was to learn what makes some marriages work. Well, though these two have picked up a great deal of psychobabble, they've apparently learned nothing actually useful.
I'll illustrate (sorry I don't have a clip). Jer and Auj have decided to host a gallery showing of photography/marriage stories to celebrate their launch of the beating50 website. Jer chooses not to express-ship the photos he took because he's worked with the company before and trusts that everything will be perfect. Evidently, he's never heard of Murphy's Law. Auj is (rightfully, in my opinion) stressed because the day before their opening the portraits have not arrived. She is irritated with Jer's lack of planning. She spends half the episode moaning and reminding Jer that he needs to fix the problem he created. Day of, he calls around and drives to the shipping center to pick the photos up.
On the way to the event that they are both clearly stressed about, Auj decides THIS is the perfect time to once again voice her irritation and demand an apology. Jer gives an "apology", basically saying, "Ok, fine, I'm sorry the photos weren't here on time." (note: he isn't actually taking responsibility or apologizing for his mistake here...) Then, they cut to a talking head where these two dolts decide that this is an experience of them handling their disagreements maturely and should be an illustrative example of how to work out conflict in a marriage. What a riot.
Let's review everything wrong with this:
1) Jer's lack of planning and lackadaisical attitude almost ruined a big event for both of them
2) Auj, with clear reservations about Jer's attitude/plan (regarding the shipping), did not voice her concerns and assert her opinion at the appropriate time (though who knows if Jer would have listened...)
3) Auj holds resentment and stress and takes it out on her husband despite her lack of asserting herself
4) Jer fixes the problem (that again, he created, I'm not letting him off the hook here) and Auj just can't move on
5) Auj decides that right before a big event is a great time to fight it out
6) They don't actually resolve anything and instead try to convince themselves that Jer's non-apology-apology is an acceptable admission of fault and making amends
No wonder every scene in present-day seems like they low-key hate each other. They are clueless when it comes to acting like mature adults, let alone two married ones. And yet they take credit/pride in how they approach their marriage. I suppose you could blame this episode's antics on the fact that they're young and barely married, but my husband and I have been married for about 2 years and we're both younger than Jer&Auj are in the episode. We'd still never, ever act as immature as they do. They're so desperate for accolades and accomplishments but don't have the slightest clue about how to put the work in to get them.
