[Season 8 Discussion]

The decals weren't that appealing to me. Having used decals on my walls in an apartment, this could be a safety issue with the baby. The humidity was high in our apartment and those decals came off randomly about 2-3 weeks after I put them up. I wouldn't want them to fall in a crib where a baby could try to ingest them. 

While Lawson should have been helping out if he is staying there during his "musical" pursuits, it would have driven me nuts to have all those kids underfoot. It would have made for a good (for this show) secondary story to show Gil watching his grandchildren while the others went to help do the nursery. Yes, we know that Katie and Carlin (if not at school or wedding planning) and the other kids would have done most of the work. 

Kelly Jo seems to be drinking the same thing as Michelle. Has she met Tori before? She seemed so clueless about the pregnancy and how far along Tori was toward her due date. If they wanted to be expository about the due date and all that, they could have left in the moment Tori says she's four weeks out from her due date or the one where Kelly Jo asks. We didn't need both within seconds of each other. 

22 hours ago, LongDenimFrumper said:

Unrelated topic but I also saw where Gil let the cat out of the bag on Carlin's venue. Castleton Farms... not a cheap venue either $9K base for just the venue. UP must surely be paying for that because there is no way Gil would fork over that kind of cash. They must be getting some freebies somewhere along the way. Carlin is getting the bourgiest wedding yet. I feel bad for the little girls. No way the show will be around long enough to pay for their weddings. 

2

I would bet they got a discount, but no way is Castleton Farms forgoing any money for the minuscule amount of money UP publicity would provide. I said it on another board, but the Bates haven't been very good to other stores and designers, etc. After the way they filmed Miss Renee basically calling out the designer of Josie's dress for not including a seam allowance and essentially accusing the consultant of lying about it, I would bet there will be fewer vendors willing to deal with them. 

Castleton Farms is not hurting for business, especially in April, May, or June. I just can't see them comping the whole thing. Maybe a 20%-30% discount or forgoing some of the normally mandatory charges regarding using non-sanctioned catering (no way are they actually using a legit caterer) or florists (Aunt probably isn't on the list either). 

[S16.E15: Finale]

Not surprised, but not a fan of Kelsey's by a long shot. Everyone I liked was eliminated earlier so I guess I will say congrats to being the best out of the finalists I didn't like. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

13 hours ago, sATL said:

One hour specials on any network... wasn't Alyssa's wedding featured by ABC night-line or something like that ?

1

Her wedding was shown in clips as part of a 17 minute story on Night Line's magazine show. Most of the footage from the family was from previous stories in the days when TLC was pimping them out to ABC for news prior to United Bates of America. There were essentially two stories prior to this that included Juju Chang (including her shopping for a bathing suit modest enough for them with Lawson judging) and I'm not sure if they got the extra story with the wedding included as a follow up to that or if ABC reached out to them for something for a now defunct show - Nightline exists but their  magazine format show doesn't any longer. It's still available on the ABC News website in two parts. 

The story was about the whole family and showed Alyssa's wedding and said that she was the first of the children to move out of state. I believe there was a small clip of family coming to visit in Florida and her saying she didn't want that many kids.

I can assure you that none of the Bates or Duggar kids are getting a primetime television special on a network. With how magazine shows are now almost exclusively dedicated to true crime, they probably would only garner one if they killed someone. Josie Duggar won't get much of a mention at all. NBC, ABC, and CBS are all still holding grudges that the Duggars went to Fox News to discuss the child sexual abuse reveal (in a highly controlled and featuresque setting) with Megyn Kelly. Note that they don't do the feature stories on Today any longer with family news. The media folks don't like it when they get lied to and certainly not by someone like Jim Bob. The Bates family got some good PR out of their TLC relationship, but UP doesn't have those connections. Given who does PR and media relations for the Bates, I would say they'd be lucky to get a local story in the Anderson County newspaper once the show is over. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

18 hours ago, Patricia07 said:

I guess it was Brandon or no one for Michaela. I wonder if getting her wish might have cost her a family. If she had the choice again of Brandon and no family, or another fundie guy and a family, what would she choose? 

Michaela was getting a little old for a fundie without many guys beating down her door. She's very attractive, but isn't as flashy attractive as her sisters. She's also not as outgoing and loud as many of her sisters. That works for a wife, but not in landing a husband.

From their stories of Brandon and Michaela, she was interested in him for some time before he ever made any sort of move. When he did approach Gil about her, Michaela was not sure that it was him asking about her. Apparently, she told Gil and Kelly that there was only one person she was interested in when they approached her with the news, not realizing it was Brandon who was doing the asking. Again, I don't know if this is true since their stories about things tend to change each season. 

[S09.E05: The Abbie Gown]

Ms. Renee is the most annoying woman ever. I would have to slap her if I was trying to buy a dress. Girlfriend is not haute couture. She's a seamstress from Kentucky who must have tried out and been cut from the cheerleading squad too many times. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

1 hour ago, Sew Sumi said:

Kelly's mother isn't an IBLP follower. I think she's just mainstream Christian, if she's religious at all.

She's definitely not IBLP. I just included her because her willingness to adopt would certainly influence Michaela's feelings on the subject. They portrayed Michaela as being close to at least one of her aunts who was adopted (same age, etc.), so maybe she has positive feelings on the subject. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

5 hours ago, 65mickey said:

While I am sympathetic to MIchael's desire to have a child does she want to be a mother or just want to get pregnant? With their church connections adoption should be attainable. But maybe they are looking into this and just don't want to discuss it on camera. I don't blame them for this. 

2

While Michaela's grandmother (Kelly Jo's mother) adopted, IBLP doesn't look too favorably upon it. That means that unlike other megachurches that partner with Bethany or All God's Children, IBLP churches (usually home churches) don't have those same connections. 

Again, not saying they won't adopt. I just think it would be a thing of last resort since it would require going against their totally ingrained IBLP beliefs, as well as their practically sole source of income.

At this point, Michaela would probably go for it. Brandon...not so sure there. He seems to have been drinking the Kool-Aid by the gallon and spouts all the stuff about in God's timing. 

[S09.E04: Love and Loss]

28 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

That was James,and when Smuggar couldn't calm him down, Michelle whispered something into the poor toddler's ear that shut him up tout suite.

You are correct. She was pregnant with Jackson at that time. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

17 hours ago, Summer said:

Regarding the very real topic of these couples barely knowing each other before they get married, I've often wondered how uncomfortable or weird it must be to not only be alone FINALLY, but also sharing very intimate things.   And I'm not just talking about sex, but what about simple things like one likes to go to bed early, the other doesn't, etc.   Or how weird is it to change your clothes in front of your husband who you've never been alone with.  Not to mention, and sorry for TMI, but what about, ahem, bodily functions?  Do they burp and fart in front of each other, are they comfortable going Number 2 (sorry I had to go there lol!) ? Waking up with morning breath?  What if one of them is a bad kisser? 

I know it's a weird thing to ponder, but I really wonder what that first morning is like with two people who are essentially strangers.   

I have the same thoughts. I suppose none of them are really used to privacy anyway. Growing up like the Bates or Duggar families means bunking in a room with several others and always having someone around you. With the Bates, there was a little separation with the children sleeping 3-4 to a room rather than 9 or 10. However, that's still a lot of dealing with people on a daily basis. I'm an only child so that would drive me insane. When I lived with someone in college and then as an adult, I have always felt the urge to hang out a while and then send them some place else. 

I did laugh at your question about burping and farting. As a personal note, I was having breakfast with my major crush back in college prior to a mock trial competition we were both competing in that morning. Nerves were high. I felt sick to my stomach at both the competition and the fact that I was sitting there with him. I was in the middle of telling him that I thought we were prepared and I burped so loudly that other people turned and looked. I am not a praying person, but I was praying that the ground would swallow me up. Fortunately, he had a good sense of humor and told me it was good I did that then and not in front of the mock court. He also waved over the waitress and ordered the same omelet that I was having, saying it must be better than his own breakfast. It was embarrassing, but he made it less so for me. I'm not sure that any of the Bates girls would survive that embarrassment while dating or getting to know a guy. These girls are still in the sneak out of bed to put makeup on after sleeping with a guy (if they did that sort of thing) even when they are walking down the aisle.

While I know they get dressed up for the cameras, I wonder if any of them are comfortable enough to put on a pair of sweats, an oversized t-shirt, ditch the bra, and watch movies or read a book on the couch with their husbands. It must be exhausting to always be on point and perfect for your man.   


 

[Season 8 Discussion]

37 minutes ago, Evagirl said:

Did TLC show John and Alyssa's courtship like they did Erin, Zach, Michaela, etc.?  I don't remember seeing any courtship shows with them.  I  might miss a show here and there, but not several covering one courtship.  I don't even recall the wedding.

Alyssa, Erin, and Zach all got through their courting stage and weddings without the family having a television show. TLC did show Erin's wedding and her announcing her engagement to the Duggars on their show. Alyssa's wedding was part a story on ABC's Nightline. 

UP showed Michaela's courtship, proposal and wedding. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

2 hours ago, BitterApple said:

The majority of Bobby and Tori's relationship was long distance, and I think they did a lot of double-dating with Kelton and Josie. I don't think Bobby got a true sense of who Tori was, especially given that she was likely in "best behavior" mode during the early phases of their courtship. Throw in hormones and desperation to get laid and it's easy to see why he overlooked a lot of red flags.

Tori's biggest problem is she has no filter. She just says the first thing that pops into her head without considering how her words might affect another person. IMO, that is a positively HORRIBLE quality for a Pastor's wife, where sensitivity and discretion are necessary traits.

It was very much long distance until he moved into the camper. However, even then she was on her "best behavior." If you look at her behavior pre-Bobby and post-meeting Bobby, there is a huge difference. She was loud, rude, and obnoxious. She and Carlin were judgmental twits who had no filter and thought their stupidity and ignorance were adorable. 

I think during one of their ATI visits or some other conference, Tori was probably thrown into one of the training sessions about landing a man. She suddenly became quiet and almost demure. She even mimicked some of her sisters' habits (Erin and Alyssa) with the way she would cover her face and say she was embarrassed (not actually blushing) when Bobby was mentioned. After the start of their courtship, she let the mask slip at times, but she was usually quick to put it back on until she started asking for that dang ring all the time. 

You are right about her lack of a filter. For a group that preaches about keeping it sweet, she certainly missed the memo. I've heard the excuses that she is shy and doesn't like large groups, but that doesn't fit the way she was before Bobby. Instead, she (like Carlin) seems to thrive on attention. The big difference is that Carlin does that church girl gushing a lot better than her sister. Genuine or not, you know Carlin will pop out with a compliment that puts herself in the center of things. For Tori, such behavior is an afterthought. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

2 hours ago, Evagirl said:

I've seen the sadness in her as well.  I wondered if I was just over-thinking it and maybe seeing something that wasn't there.  I know she loves children and was the primary care-taker of the little ones when she lived at home.  When she does come back to Tennessee, she grabs the first baby available, carries it and loves on it.  That's when my heart kinda breaks for this sweet young woman.  The yearning is there - it is so obvious.  But her husband seems to be in the mode of "Lets wait on God."  

Erin could at least get pregnant, but had trouble carrying a child to full term.  It came down to a matter finding out what was physically wrong with Erin and then fixing the problem.  Also, Chad was grieving right along with her, hurting because she was hurting and just wanting her to be happy and fulfilled in her desire for a child.

I don't know if Brandon has that particular kind of love for Micheala or not.  It's hard to tell.  Yeah, he puts he arm around her when they do the THs, and they kiss goodbye and hello when he's coming and going to/from work.  But that deep just-tell-me-what-I-can-do-to-help-you-through-this emotion is absent, IMO.  Maybe he tells her that in private.  I hope so.  I'd hate for her to feel alone in this struggle to have a child.

Brandon does seem to be in the wait and trust mode that is typical of people in this particular group. Michael's reactions are much more internal too, at least on camera. I would like to think that she can express her frustration to someone, hopefully, him. Otherwise, I'm sure those are some long trips back to Chicago with the unspoken words about whichever sister just announced another pregnancy. If I have their back story right, he was that way from the beginning. Michael saw and liked him, but did not want to approach him. So she waited, waited, and waited. It was his sisters who pointed out to him that Michael was a nice, good, girl who was interested in him. The other Bates sisters all talk about how the guys they married were pursuing them (except in Carlin's case) and it was an instant attraction thing. 

Chad has that fixer gene in him that a lot of guys have. It drove me insane with my ex. I would come home from a bad day and just want to vent. He wouldn't listen all the way, as he was already plotting and planning how he could fix the situation. It's not a bad thing that Chad is that way, though it can be exhausting. He has been this way all along with Erin, even giving her the shots of heparin. Much like Kelly Jo, if Erin wants it, Chad gets it for her. That said, they still act like two people who are sort of figuring out if they should date. 

Add in there that Erin is much more vocal about things than Michael. Other than a few moments like telling Tori to keep her hands off of Brandon, Michael rarely has been seen voicing a strong opinion on anything. One of the most telling parts of the newlywed game thing they played was that Brandon assumed that SHE disliked the chair that Carlin and Kelly Jo had disliked. That seemed odd that he would assume that and still hold onto it (yes, I know most couples don't agree on decorating and furniture, but it is such a minor concession for her). When Erin and Kelly Jo were helping Michael redecorate, Michael's opinions were always, but Brandon likes... Even when planning the wedding, there was the issue over the date and the church she liked. Erin was all, get a new groom. 

Michael comes off as very passive on things. That's got to be frustrating for Brandon, who doesn't seem as in tune with his emotions or as intuitive as say Chad. Brandon may just be one of those guys who has to be asked before he even realizes a problem. I'll admit I can be one of those people sometimes. It drives co-workers insane because I will be sitting doing my work while they struggle with something and am oblivious to their issue. As I tell them, "just yell out to me that you need help and I'll be right there."

There is one other possibility that could be at play. Brandon may be embarrassed about his own manhood or prowess in not getting Michael pregnant. Where she has dealt with the cameras for a long time and is somewhat more comfortable than him in front of them, he may not want to be seen broadcasting the news to everyone. It's an old fashioned way to think but not out of line with this family. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

15 hours ago, sATL said:

I also hope she has gotten the opportunity to grow as a young woman in her 20s. Find out who Michealla is an adult married woman. Find new friends, explore hobbies.. what happened to all of the little side gigs that she had before marriage? I also thought she was trying sell her handmade creations online - something like little girls clothes.  I thought she went to some kind of EMT training with Zack, people still need day nannies/caretakers/daycare/preschool , should be some role of role a minister's wife can take on . I also hope they do other trips as a couple besides traveling to see the next relations baby or marriage.

She's actually one of the only ones to attend college outside of Crown. She took online classes from Roane State. In the episode where the boys attend basketball camp, she mentions this to Carlin and explains she was studying health science because of her EMT training. I think she said she graduated in the spring after she got married, but I could be wrong on that. The rumor was that she was allowed to study at Roane State because she was least likely to stray from the parents' teachings. 

She does have her online store and sells clothes, baby blankets, etc. Given the right training and education, she could really do well with it, as she is doing this well now from her own self-education. 

While I would not a child to be raised in the super fundie environment that would be Brandon and Michael's style, I do feel for her not being able to get pregnant. There is such a sadness to her that I cannot help but think she is internalizing so much of this as a failure on her part to not live up to the status of her sisters and mother. Sometimes she could just use a good screaming session about how unfair it is, but I doubt that happens. 

I also find it to be an interesting dynamic between Michael and Kelly Jo. Kelly Jo spends a lot of money to travel to be present at the births of her grandchildren. Travels to be present for engagements. Spends a lot of money (since they aren't aired I assume it is the family's money) traveling with Gil to conferences and on vacations. And yet there is her daughter who has admitted on camera and off that one of the obstacles to her getting more testing and treatment is money. Maybe Gil and Kelly have offered to help and Brandon/Michael have refused, but it just seems that a parent as involved as Kelly would be more helpful in terms of finances to a daughter who is clearly struggling emotionally. Additionally, Kelly just doesn't seem all that warm toward Michael in comparison to the other girls. It's just a strange dynamic and vibe altogether. 

Michael talks a good game (especially around her wedding) that her mother was her best friend. But that's not the vibe I get at all from her when they interact now. 

That being said, Brandon and Michael seem to travel a lot (ski trips, etc.) too. That doesn't scream to me that they are sinking every dollar they have into trying to have a baby. 

 

[Season 8 Discussion]

1 hour ago, sATL said:

Katie is 17/18, which makes her very close to "marrying" age. She better take a crash course in cooking. Sad to say,I would be praying for a beau to show up in a hurry just to get the hell out of the house and let Kelly raise the last 1/3 of her children. Bobby/Kelton/Evan don't have any more college buddies, who have a brother 1-3 yrs younger ?

Micheala not wanting or allowed to speak on camera anymore ? at least according to preview I think she will be playing in the newlywed game next week,.

Katie has been cooking some, but Kelly knows that if she is like her sisters that she won't be around much longer. Got to get those young ones trained before they are left with no girls at home who can do anything. 

Michael's one of the few on the show who I actually believe really is painfully shy. Tori claims that, but I think that was part of the act to snare Bobby because her rude and loud style weren't demure and sweet enough for an aspiring minister to consider as wife material. Even before she got married, Michaela has always been all about being in the background. She was always the one holding the newest baby and doing the menial tasks that nobody else wanted to do. I think it was Erin's wedding where she asked not to be a bridesmaid because she didn't want to be up there in front of everyone. But then Callie (I think) didn't want to walk down the aisle and she ended up having to carry her up front and hold her. I just don't think she seeks out the camera for interviews like some of them (Carlin, Lawson, Erin). If she's asked, she seems to do it, especially with Brandon. I would bet they do the one or two episodes that feature them a year simply for the paycheck. If she's still seeking answers or treatment about infertility, the money from UP is probably helpful. 

That being said, I think that was what I liked about this episode and dislike about the Duggar weddings. They didn't do 10,000,000 on the spot interviews and talking heads with every single sibling to repeat the same lines about how they can't believe Josie is getting married, going to miss her, and how excited they are about "this journey God has planned for them." I know UP! filmed that because there were snippets just after the wedding of all the congratulations messages. But we didn't need to see that. I preferred seeing the getting ready and Josie really seeming to take charge on things (like time). I think that UP made a good decision to show more of Kelton's story and what he was thinking versus the usual drivel we get about kissing with each of the other couples waxing nostalgic like they are 80 and sitting on the front porch in rockers. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

17 minutes ago, sATL said:

RE; Kelton's dad walking alone - Is it against their beliefs to remarry if the spouse dies ? IE "death they did part..."

Yes - there is no one going to take the place of his 1st wife and mother to his children, but him walking alone after 10 years, shows his  single side . after all he is a man.. an fairly young-middle-aged man.. and a nice looking, too. 

In many cases in the fundie world he would be remarried so that he was not saddled with raising children alone. It's a role that some of the fundie girls who don't get married in their late teens or early 20s would want. That way they could raise children as these people interpret that God has ordained and maybe have a few more too. 

I can appreciate that he hasn't and that he didn't just throw the rehearsal dinner responsibility on someone else. From the little we have seen, he seems to love his children and want to provide them with a life all the same that if they had their mother still alive. That's quite admirable when many men in this group tend to brush off parenting responsibilities that aren't specifically male. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

It was a lovely wedding and nobody truly overshadowed it with histrionics (looking at you Carlin) about losing a sister or drama about the first kiss. Josie was a beautiful bride who remained calm even there was the slight delay. I appreciated that she really did take charge and told her bridesmaids when to get dressed and tried to keep things on a timetable rather than letting them rush about aimlessly. I'm not a fan of the giant yard clipping bouquets, but it did fit the theme she was going for and worked out fine. Bobby's speech at the rehearsal was a bit awkward, but it wasn't the worst in the world. If he's going to successful in the ministry, he needs to step up his storytelling a little bit. I now get the waterworks from Kelton a bit more after the explanation that seeing his father walking alone would be a hard thing.

The main things I am grateful about are 1. Tori was seen but we didn't have 1,000 mentions of her pregnancy and the heat of the day. We all get it. I didn't need her sourness. 2. There weren't 1,000 mentions from Carlin about her being next. 3. There wasn't an overkill on decorating/trashing Kelton's vehicle or other childish stuff.  

Edited to add: Someone asked about Michael. She was in the audience and shown at one point holding someone's baby. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

And there went my hopes for her...

https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/pregnant-josie-bates-reveals-she-and-kelton-balka-are-expecting/?fbclid=IwAR2sZvBSilG1PAYBUpkMcWc1Sgh_I49pI-wn-2Vdi7dIcmlTUGKsykx86BY

[Season 8 Discussion]

On 2/11/2019 at 4:31 PM, cereality said:

What Kelly wants, Kelly gets by any means necessary including guilt. She’s always depended on her older daughters to raise the younger kids, though she’s not entirely checked out like Michelle Duggar. But still she went from having 6 older daughters to watch and entertain Jeb, Jud and Callie to just Katie. Carlin’s pretty much out as she’ll be married in 3 mos. I imagine Addy (or Ellie?) is 12-13ish now and has to step up. And in that house it’s not gender role rigid as the Duggars so I imagine Law, Nathan, Trace, Jackson, Isiah and Warden help if they’re around. But my strong sense is that the guys are welcome to come and go as they please and their help isn’t “required” as it was from the girls. So yeah I bet Kelly is looking to pawn off the 3 younger kids to Erin or Josie when she can - I doubt she cares if Josie is interested or not.

In terms of the boys...Lawson, Nathan, and Trace specifically...their responsibility at this point is to become financially stable enough to enter a courtship and marry. It's doubtful that you would see Gil and Kelly Jo requiring anything of them that would interfere with building stable careers at this point. In addition to taking the burden off of Kelly, the family and all IBLP followers see the girls cooking, cleaning, and raising children as preparing them for their husbands and children. Crown College is an opportunity for them to go off and meet potential husbands, etc. However, it will always come in second to subservient mindsets. 

Katie's about to get the brunt of it, but I have no doubt that we'll be given an episode soon where Ellie and Addallee are somehow convicted to learn to cook. After all, Alyssa and Michael were suddenly so interested in cooking at those same ages. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

22 hours ago, EVS said:

I noticed that she looked a lot bustier in her wedding dress after Miss Renee altered it. To me, it looked like Miss Renee completely changed how the top of the dress fit. I don’t know much about sewing or fashion, so I don’t know how to explain it well, but it looked much more fitted under Josie’s chest after the alterations. I was wondering if all the talk of lack of seams etc. was to justify Miss Renee taking the top apart and changing it. (I don’t know if that was her idea or Josie’s or Kelly’s). I thought the dress looked much better originally, including with the original lining. 

ETA: I’m referring to how the dress looked during the wedding, not in this episode. 

Leanne Marshall's designs are usually flowy and meant for very petite women with small busts. When she was on Project Runway, there was always a petal like look to her work that was whimsical and soft. Granted that was 10 years ago or so, but I remember her having a very soft style. If it had problems, it was always around the bust because she (like most designers) design for very thin and tall models. I remember liking her stuff, but thinking girl didn't know what to do with boobs. Back in the day it was always funny to watch these designers when they were tasked with a real woman rather than a model. They would freak out. 

I think that the added white underlay emphasized her breasts and midsection, as the dress style was not intended to look that heavy on top. In costumes the nude material on dresses is called illusion fabric and gives the illusion that the dress is sort of floating around the woman rather than being one solid piece of material. Additionally, Josie (or Kelly Jo) wanted the waist taken in on the dress. When you add a heavier looking material to the top and take in the waist so that the skirt doesn't flow as naturally, you're going to look heavier on top. Leaving it as the nude illusion material would have helped to define the shape of her torso and bust without weighing it down. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

On 2/9/2019 at 1:50 PM, Lisa418722 said:

I thought I remembered last week that the NYC dressmaker said she had left 1/2" seam around the arms, not sure about anywhere else in the dress, but I would think she would.  I think this was drama manufactured so they could go visit Renee.

That was clearly manufactured drama. The consultant who works for Leanne Marshall, Kourtney, specifically said that there was a 1/2 inch seam allowance in the sleeves. That was the scene where she told Josie she would want to let that out to let Josie dance. Kelly Jo quickly said to hug people. Kelly Jo immediately says Renee can fix that when Josie mentions taking It out a little. Note Josie says it is a little tight but move more easily there than at Renee's shop. 

It is truly bad editing that came off like Renee was criticizing Leanne Marshall's brand and work. Because when she and Josie come out to show the dress his week, Kelly Jo asks about the seam allowance only for Renee to say there is not one. She even deflects to Josie to confirm that she looked. Josie didn't confirm or deny. 

Why would either lie about something easily provable? Maybe it was an ego stroke for Renee who got to sell Tori her dress and all the bridesmaids dresses and was only doing alterations this time?  We got the theme of there being problem with dresses bought elsewhere.  

Katie said her mother bought the potato dress online from China. The others got their own dresses with the instructions as to color and floor length. Why was Kelly Jo buying Katie's? If Katie wasn't comfortable with the decision making, why not have Whitney, Josie, or even Carlin help?  

It seemed like a commercial for Renee the wedding saver. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

On a positive note, Josie has been much more polite and pleasant through the wedding planning than Tori (apathetic) and Michael (a bit on the nervous/anal side). While I wouldn't go to Renee's, I did like that she walked in at the lead of the girls and spoke directly to Renee to thank her fitting them in that day. When she and Kelton were looking at apartments, she thanked (as did he) the leasing agents. She seemed very practical about wanting something smaller and looking forward to not having so many people around. She was also diplomatic with the "drama" about Katie's potato dress. 

I think Katie is a good example of how I wish Carlin was in terms of personality. She is bolder than say Michael, Erin, and even Alyssa. She and Josie are both opinionated. But she doesn't seem to have the need for all the attention or the need to insert herself into everyone's business. She honestly seems like a pleasant person and is very pretty. While she wasn't happy about the dress and vocalized that, she didn't treat it like it was the end of the world. She also clearly stated that it was Kelly who ordered the dress - not the first time Kelly Jo's online shopping was an issue (flower girl dresses for Tori's wedding?). I'm also glad they did celebrate her birthday. If I remember correctly, Josie and Kelton got married on her actual birthday. 

[Past Seasons Talk: The Stew Room]

On 2/3/2019 at 9:33 PM, suebee12 said:

I just finished the 5th season and I was really not happy with the finale! When they brought back Jeff, Leah and Jamie, I was so glad that Jeff won! (I still think that he should not lost to Fabio when he did.) Yes, sometimes he let his ideas get away from him but overall I thought he was a really good chef. So when he, Carla and Hosea were the top three, I was really hoping he would win! When he didn't and they had to choose who to PYKAG we had to settle for a "loser" to make the finale! Stefan had lost a lot of momentum and I never really thought Fabio was all that.....When this episode aired, were people upset that this happened? Does anyone remember?

I was also a bit upset with Carla listening to Casey. I think she would have been in the running if she had cooked "Carla style" instead of doing things in a way she wasn't comfortable with.

I adore Carla and rooted for her in both season 5 and the all star season. She seemed to be at her best mid-competition. I was annoyed with how the other cheftestants treated her in both seasons she did. They were kind of dismissive to her abilities and seemed overly shocked when she did well. I remember in the challenge at the US Open she was ridiculed by the others on her team for her African Peanut Soup. She was about to present her dish and the game was on the line. If she won, her team won. If she lost, the score would be tied. Mike Isabella would have been next to present and walked away from her saying that he better get ready to plate. He said it so rudely and dismissively like she had no chance at all. She ended up being the overall winner of that challenge. 

With Season 5 I was disappointed in her decision to follow Casey's lead too. Hosea was not my pick, as he never came off as particularly talented or driven. He spent all season on camera whining about "Team Europe" or flirting with Leah. There was just nothing remarkable about what he did or what he plated. Stefan, while cocky and a pot stirrer was competent and consistently won challenges. He seemed a bit over it and out of juice in the finale though. Fabio seemed to have gotten by for as long as he did by his personality rather than his cooking talent. 

[Season 8 Discussion]

And of course we have yet another moment of Kelly Jo musing about being late with something. At least she didn't insert herself into the bike ride like she did with Kelton and Josie in the jeep thing in Utah where she screamed like a banshee at every rough spot. What ever happened to a proposal being a private thing and coming back to announce it to family? A friend of mine is watching past seasons to catch up. She just saw the episode with Bobby proposing to Tori. Same thing...Gil, Kelly, and Bobby's parents spreading out rose petals and lighting candles in daylight while Kelly Jo breathlessly tells everyone again and again that they are running out of time. 

And can Erin's next project please be to update Kelly Jo's wardrobe? The denim skirts and flannel tops/cotton tops are not flattering at all. She stood out for the wrong reasons on the trip to New York with Josie, Carlin, and Whitney. They all had cute black dresses, including Whitney who went sleeveless, but not Kelly who looked like she was running down to the store for a gallon of milk. I'm all for comfort and not being a slave to fashion. So you know if I notice that she's getting frumpier, it's an issue.  

[Season 8 Discussion]

My mother and I love seafood. My father's not a fan. But even he has better manners than Carlin when it comes to such things. He would graciously say no thanks or he would take a bite just to see. There would be no theatrics or drama involved. 

Carlin and the others in previous episodes act as though you are asking them to eat poison and they have only seconds to save their lives. My question is where were these dramatics when we have seen them on fishing piers at the ocean trying to catch fish or on the beach trying to catch fish?

I'm still waiting on an honest proposal from these guys..."Dearest....I may never have kissed you, copped a feel, or been alone in a room with you. Our conversations may have been the subject of nightly dinner with your parents. I don't know anything more about you than your favorite Bible verse and that your hair color changes weekly. But all that aside, your father tolerates me and your mother will probably pee her skirt if I don't propose soon. So how about it? Won't you marry me so we can get to know each other and decide together if this was one big mistake? #seasonsoflife #journeytogether #threemonthstoolong #ifnotmehowabouttheother12guysthatlooklikeme"

[Season 8 Discussion]

4 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

The only nice thing I have to say is I'm grateful they didn't drag it out for an hour.

The whole proposal was so staged and disingenuous. I could picture a director off-camera feeding Carlin and Evan their lines and yelling Cut!!! if the lighting wasn't right.

I guess this is just the world we live in today, but shouldn't a moment like that be personal and a true surprise? The cello player looked like he was trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the whole thing.

As far as Carlin, it wouldn't surprise me if she eventually becomes a baby mill like Erin. She's going to experience a lot of highs in a very short time (engagement, wedding, honeymoon) but real life will mellow out eventually. Between her desperate need for attention and her addiction to the constant adrenaline rush, spitting out a kid every year is the only way she'll be able to keep that going.

She's totally going to be another Erin with the wanting every single one of her siblings to come to the hospital for the birth, photo shoots every week, and treating each chance to be on camera like an audition for her own HGTV/Food Network show.