Empress1

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.

I delete them manually because I don’t want to lose the ones from my late father. Before he passed, I had them set to auto-delete after a year. I’d find it more odd for someone to keep every text message ever. (I’m pretty quick to delete messages and contacts from men I’m no longer involved with, once we stop seeing each other.)

I would not be interested in living with a couple and their infant, as a young single person. I’d have a hard enough time with the baby there half the time.

It’s also further evidence that she doesn’t respect him or their relationship. Your new interest basically breaking up with your husband for you is nasty work.

Dr. Pia is a new mom. Congrats!

Yeah, it’s like that one who got caught on a dating app a week before decision day. He and his wife (I forget their names but she had bright red hair) weren’t a match and they were clearly going to part ways, and him getting on an app after decision day would have been fine. But as she said when she confronted him, you couldn’t wait a week? Madison and Allen and David and Michelle were already going to split, and the kinder thing to do would have been for one of them to speak their truth to the other privately (I feel so bad for Allen having to go through this on TV), and then start something up. Michelle would be on social media talking about “I knew it!” but it would be easier to ignore that. David opened this can of worms with the texting. I laughed at Tom’s “I’m too old for this shit.” I’m also not sure if Juan and Emem’s comments to Allen were helpful. They were stressing that he’d get through it, but it had JUST happened. He’s allowed to wallow a little bit. I think I’d have gone with “you’re right, this sucks” and a hug if he was open to it.

I don’t like Michelle but “do you need anything else from me?” with that “and?” look was hilarious. I’m here for Dr. Pia saying she’s not interested in pretending “this isn’t what it is” next episode, and I also hope Michelle curses Madison out. That “you want to start shit or have a conversation?” defensive posture Madison came in with is a bad look when she just admitted to inappropriate behavior with Michelle’s husband, when she herself is also married. Madison and David are the villains in this story and I hope people other than Michelle and Allen call them on it.

“Fuck her and fuck you.” I know that’s right, Allen. He didn’t deserve this. He probably feels humiliated.

Calvin’s Fred Sanford walk made me laugh out loud. There’s been some good physical comedy on the show lately.

I did, and they could use some whitening. But if he likes them and they’re healthy (bad teeth can lead to other health problems), so what? Also dental work is really expensive, so unless Madison plans to pay for it, she needs to shut up. It’s pretty insulting the way she finds new ways to tell him she’s not attracted to him each episode. … He was cute though. 😂 Yeah, to me this is a “they all suck.” Michelle for treating him like shit, David for not formally ending the façade and doing whatever with Madison, if that’s what happened, and Madison for doing whatever with David. Allen’s the only innocent party. Ikechi is a fucking clown.

Yes. There was a documentary called “Nursery University” set in NYC that looked at this. My friends with kids all started looking at day cares really early (like, while pregnant) because the good ones have so few openings. Also Tina kicking down the door. Tichina Arnold really is such a great comedic actress. Has been for decades.

And EMTs make surprisingly little.

Kaleigh is so dumb. No sympathy anymore. He told you what it was TWICE. Jakeema’s still not on the visitor’s list. Ugh. Her poor kids.

I think it’s her apartment building’s pool.