Empress1

I assume Karla doesn’t wear a bra because she really doesn’t need to, so accidental flashes are probably not uncommon when she wears low necklines.

I hope someone calls Madison on the confrontational, smug “I got your man” way she speaks to Michelle. It looks like she does it in front of the group next episode. Michelle didn’t want David but that doesn’t make Madison’s actions appropriate. She was much more contrite with Karla and Camille than she was with the woman whose husband she was messing with, which is interesting.

The little girl who drowned wrecked me, as did her sister with the bear and the card. Dr. Robby is really a pro at delivering horrible news. I knew she wasn’t going to make it but still, when Dr. Robby said it, I lost it. The bright spot was Willie. I loved listening to him. (I said “white ones” along with him when he said the city took over the program and brought in new medics.) Dr. Robby’s mentor really must have been extraordinary. I think “Shut UP, Santos” at least twice an episode. The honor walk kid’s father’s face when Dr. Robby said the staff would like to attend the funeral was great acting. There was grief and sadness and pride all mixed in. It’s really weird. The idea that she’s a sexual surrogate for her boss’s partner makes sense. There’s got to be something to the pregnancy. When her boss said they had no secrets I was like “I have nothing but secrets from my boss.” And I like my boss. I had to look away for the finger stuff. It wasn’t even that gory, but I couldn’t do it.

I think this is what Camille will do, though she did say she didn’t buy that the text was sent in error. Even when she and Emem were talking to Michelle, Camille looked like she didn’t want to be there. I really appreciated Karla’s stance of “No, I don’t see or respect your side of this; there are any number of other men you could have been with besides the husband of someone you claimed to be friends with; I don’t want to be involved with this or be friends with you because it’s foul.” I think there was also some “if you’d do it to her, you’d do it to me and I’m not going to give you the opportunity” subtext there. She was the only one to point-blank say the situation was grimy and fucked up, and she also pointed out that they ruined the vibe of the retreat.

David dresses like he just woke up. I will give him credit for using hair products (as a curly girl myself, I know styling when I see it) but “metrosexual who dresses well” is not David’s vibe at all. Allen puts way more into his appearance than David does. People may not like how Allen dresses but he has a distinct cultivated style. David looks like he threw on whatever without thinking about it. Between David’s race and his lack of style, it doesn’t seem like he’s Madison’s physical type. I think the experts got Madison and Michelle’s matches right in terms of looks. Madison likes a metrosexual white guy. Allen is that. Michelle said she liked a light-skinned Black guy with edge - tattoos, facial hair, kind of scruffy. That’s David. The experts got that right in terms of what she said her physical type is (which they pointed out by showing David and Michelle a clip of her describing what she likes).

It doesn’t really make sense. Don’t we want people who have done wrong to recognize that they did wrong? If Tom were high-fiving David talking about how awesome cheating is, would that be better? Not to me.

I think it’s more of a punishment for her to have to sit with the notion that she’s the villain in their story and there’s nothing she can do about it. If he goes off on her, she could potentially look like the victim, which she doesn’t deserve. If he forgives her, she gets off easy. If he just doesn’t speak to her again, she knows he thinks she sucks and she has to live with the fact that she’s that sucky person to him. The time for them to talk was when she realized she had feelings for David. Having David tell him that was really disrespectful to Allen, and IMO it’s too late for her to try to save face with Allen now. They probably have to do the formal “I want a divorce” thing, but even then, in Allen’s shoes I’d be like “I want a divorce, and I’m not interested in anything you have to say,” thank the experts, and leave.

Yep. You can’t control how you feel, but you can, should, and in some cases must, control what you do. Even if this were The Greatest Love of All, and I don’t think it is (David seems more into it than Madison does), we’re talking about 8 weeks. In the show’s timeline, I think they’re a WEEK from decision day. Madison was going to say no; Michelle was going to say no. Wait the week, end your marriages, and THEN have the “I have feelings” conversation. (In the preview, Madison says “I think we know David and Michelle weren’t going to stay married,” I think as a way of defending herself, which IMO makes her look worse, because again, we’re talking about a matter of days.) Juan rightfully pointed out the lack of trust, and I would add “poor impulse control.” As Pastor Cal said, there’s a tactful way to do this, and this wasn’t that - and the tactful way isn’t complicated or long. These aren’t middle-aged people with mortgages waiting 5 years for their kids to leave home before divorcing. We’re talking about 8 weeks start to finish, with people for whom “moving out” means literally packing a bag and going home. Yep. Often when people demand closure from people they’ve wronged, they do so to make THEMSELVES feel better. I think that’s what Madison is trying to do. If Allen forgives her and hugs it out or whatever, she doesn’t have to feel guilty anymore. It’s eating at her that she’s denied that. She can’t control his side of the situation. And he’s right that nothing she could say would change anything. “I didn’t mean to hurt you…” well, you did. Next! Karla has annoyed me the entire season, but I really liked her here. She was clear in her position, explained it, and her expressions in that conversation were hilarious. “Eat what?” Emem looked gorgeous in that orange but the letter made her look petty. Camille and Thomas give me buddy vibes. I think they’ll say yes but won’t make it long-term.

Madison is not nearly as contrite as she should be in this first conversation with Michelle, and David chiming in in Madison’s defense isn’t helping. In Michelle’s shoes, I’d leave (as she did), tell the experts I want a divorce and why, and I’d be as done with them as my contract would allow, and just wash my hands of the whole situation once filming was over. Chalk it up as a mistake. David looks like SHIT first thing in the morning. I like that Karla isn’t letting Madison skate so easily. She won some points with me when she point blank said the situation was dirty and fucked up.

Typo on People’s part. It’s correct later in the article.

Sure. Why wouldn’t it be? It advances the relationship and it’s very vulnerable to say it first.

I do know, as an earth sign.

Yikes - if he works second shift and Michelle works standard business hours, they didn’t have a chance to get to know each other. He works 3-11 and she’s in bed when he gets home, and she likely gets up and goes to work while he’s still sleeping.

Yep, Gregory in particular is a really good communicator. So often I think “just ask,” and he always just asks. This was my interpretation too. I know the show is filmed in advance of current events but I REALLY hope they can work the Eagles winning the Super Bowl in somehow. Sheryl and Quinta were HYPE after the win.

Clutter. I don’t need texts from that guy I went out with twice two years ago (I don’t even store those as contacts), or my medical provider confirming appointments that have already happened, or the car salesman I met at that dealership that one time for that test drive but I didn’t buy the car, or notifications from my building’s package service telling me about packages I’ve already picked up, or “happy holidays” texts from, like, my insurance guy. I just see no reason to keep them, particularly for stuff that’s already happened. Like, the appointment is over, I have a record of it in the patient portal, I don’t need the text. Exactly.