S01.E04: No Strings Attached

[Guest]

Airs November 26, 2019

Quote

Barry and Kim deny Isaac's request to join the band; Ethan and Olivia receive an olive branch from the family leaders; Moriah shares her desire to go to college.

[Nofo mom]

This show continues to be incredibly awkward, yet incredibly mystifying.  I am ashamed to admit that I look forward to this trainwreck.  The date with Olivia and her husband was so cringeworthy- he does not even have enough common sense to eat a dessert without guidance from his wife.  Yet, somehow she seems very into him.  

[charmed1]

4 hours ago, Nofo mom said:

This show continues to be incredibly awkward, yet incredibly mystifying.  I am ashamed to admit that I look forward to this trainwreck.  The date with Olivia and her husband was so cringeworthy- he does not even have enough common sense to eat a dessert without guidance from his wife.  Yet, somehow she seems very into him.  

You’ve articulated my thoughts perfectly. I don’t know how to feel about this show because I don’t know how much of it is real and how much is fake, so I don’t know if I’m supposed to feel sorry for these kids or not. I feel like that guy in Dumpwater, Florida when the Bundys were being stalked by the man who met Andy Griffith. “Poor lil white-haired girl. You’d think they’d throw some dye on it.”

The 15 year old girl looks like a Duggar and the 16 year old looks like Britney Spears. The 18 year old and 16 year old are allowed to drive to Atlanta and hang out with other kids. Is the 15 year old forbidden from doing so? Or is she not interested in going? And the 18 year old was introduced to the worldly kids by his 16 year old sister. Where did she meet them? In one instance, she seems to fear her mom and fear that she won’t get permission from her. In another instance, it seems she does whatever TF she wants and talks to her mom in a way that I wouldn’t dare talk to mine.

The oldest boy’s doofus like persona and uncanny resemblance to Kenneth the Page has  forced me to binge watch 30 Rock all over again. I’d totally forgotten that Kenneth was also from Georgia! I can’t believe I’m giving this show so much energy lol.

[judyjudyjudy]

8 hours ago, Nofo mom said:

This show continues to be incredibly awkward, yet incredibly mystifying.  I am ashamed to admit that I look forward to this trainwreck.  The date with Olivia and her husband was so cringeworthy- he does not even have enough common sense to eat a dessert without guidance from his wife.  Yet, somehow she seems very into him.  

And then thanks her afterwards for getting the dessert for him!

[materialgirl101]

I don’t mind Ethan. There is something endearing about his naïveté. He seems sincere, and I doubt he is acting. The mother on the other hand seems like she could be playing up her role. 
 

[Squirrely]

The mom started to win me over a little tiny bit, and then she goes on the "raised by an alcoholic single mom" thing again. I wonder how many times her kids have had to hear about that growing up. You don't bring kids into the world expecting gratitude for a home and family because your childhood sucked. Moriah thinks hers did too, and that is a valid feeling to have. 

Omg, that ship! What in the hell was that? They had to know Olivia would hate that. What a passive aggressive olive branch! But Ethan lit up like a Christmas tree, bless him. 

[camom]

It bugs me so much that the parents went to college, had their wild times, and then decide that their children need to be protected from all that.  It's kind of amazing that Mariah is so aware of how much she has missed out on (while Ethan seems completely clueless).  The mom says she sees the older kids pulling away and doesn't want that to happen to the younger ones.  Then she'd better change her ways, because there is a reason the older kids are wanting to get out.

[ChristyGreene]

Mom needs to get it together. Mariah needs to be taken out to the wood shed!! Its way past due to a good old fashioned butt whippin!! You are still her parent and she is still a child. She's extremely immature and if you don't get control of her now you will definitely regret it. Be her parent now so you don't have to parent her later. 

[Alonzo Mosely FBI]

This show's ship sailed from a creepy fascination to boring this episode.

Mom is the on w/major issues, omg  her whole spiel about her childhood she is bringing that shit plus her grief down on these children. It's sad and I feel sorry for all of these kids surviving through her control and rampant untreated mental illness. I don't like it. 

[Calibabydolly]

Mommy Dearest is very overweight, yet she doesn't allow her kids to eat sugar!? I saw those kids POURING honey in the lemonade one of the first shows! Newsflash; you gain weight (which is unhealthy) when you consume too many calories....doesn't matter if they are from sugar or honey or apples! What a bunch of horrible rules.

What did Moriah mean when she asked her mom if she ever wondered WHY THAT IS....regarding not liking her mother? Moriah does whatever she pleases but if she were my daughter....she would NOT be allowed to prance all over California with those Daisy Dukes on! Love me or hate me for it. That is not showing her daughter any love when she has set no boundaries for her. She is NOT 18 yet. This causes Moriah to run away even faster. I think she does most of this for attention???

Oh...we must not forget that a camera crew followed those 2 hotties around San Francisco. Mommy is just making a buck off the kids with this show. Way to parent mama, lazy, lazy and more LAZY!

[Morgalisa]

I have a serious question.  Creepy Dad has brown hair and Mom's roots are showing at times. So I guess she colors her hair. So how are all the kids so blonde. Recessive gene or something? 

[Calibabydolly]

1. I noticed that as well....about the hair color. If you look back on video of Ethan the oldest son his hair looks brown! I think he colored it before the show started filming. It looks pretty yellow and brassy at the scalp especially now. Natural blonds don't usually have that solid of blond from ends to root like his is now. I call bs on the whole blond stuff!

[Armchair Critic]

Ethan's hairstyle looks like a 1970's church elder, I am surprised Olivia hasn't had him change it.

[Morgalisa]

Thanks @Calibabydolly.  Ethan seems like a very nice guy but he is such a goober. His wife seems to really love him but she does treat him like a child sometimes. 

[Sew Sumi]

Well, he has the maturity level of a 12 year old. I wonder if Olivia loses her patience with him every now and again?

[jacksgirl]

15 hours ago, Calibabydolly said:

1. I noticed that as well....about the hair color. If you look back on video of Ethan the oldest son his hair looks brown! I think he colored it before the show started filming. It looks pretty yellow and brassy at the scalp especially now. Natural blonds don't usually have that solid of blond from ends to root like his is now. I call bs on the whole blond stuff!

Yes! He may have been that white blonde at 5, but it looks colored to me too.

[athousandclowns]

14 hours ago, Sew Sumi said:

Well, he has the maturity level of a 12 year old. I wonder if Olivia loses her patience with him every now and again?

No because she chases him around the house to tickle him.  You know like we did when we were 5.  
most the time I don’t listen to mom in her talking heads I’m so distracted by her lipstick/  lips 

[Kiss my mutt]

I just can’t imagine feeling any sexual chemistry with someone who is such a derpy babe in the woods. He’d be more like a dorky kid brother. I don’t know about those two. 

[sATL]

On 11/27/2019 at 10:21 PM, camom said:

It bugs me so much that the parents went to college, had their wild times, and then decide that their children need to be protected from all that.  It's kind of amazing that Mariah is so aware of how much she has missed out on (while Ethan seems completely clueless).  The mom says she sees the older kids pulling away and doesn't want that to happen to the younger ones.  Then she'd better change her ways, because there is a reason the older kids are wanting to get out.

ITA. 

On the subject of schooling" - a mini marathon ran this AM. Seems like the kids do alot of book reports. I spent a 1hr daydream trying to remember when was the last time my offspring did written book reports - I'm thinking middle school... HS was more of essays, acting out parts (I remember a goodwill run for something).. 

I manged to get a screen grab on homework that Mariah was doing.. I was shocked .. this is HS physics page ??  

I need to do some digging to find out which and how much college these 2 parents had.  Pa might needed a degree to keep and advance his city job.

Ma made another nasty comment about college on the preview for next week.. I do agree on the point on having some idea, that yes might change,  of what one hopes to study in college. 

[materialgirl101]

7 hours ago, athousandclowns said:

No because she chases him around the house to tickle him.  You know like we did when we were 5.  
most the time I don’t listen to mom in her talking heads I’m so distracted by her lipstick/  lips 

Me too!

[HaaCHOO]

6 hours ago, sATL said:

I do agree on the point on having some idea, that yes might change,  of what one hopes to study in college. 

Moriah should have had some plan in mind...even if it's fake...to present to her mother.  World Religions probably wouldn't cut it. 

[HaaCHOO]

10 hours ago, Kiss my mutt said:

I just can’t imagine feeling any sexual chemistry with someone who is such a derpy babe in the woods. He’d be more like a dorky kid brother. I don’t know about those two. 

My scenario: She had some experience, so she talked him into sex before marriage and it was SO FABULOUS she can never let him go!  His first experience decided this is what he wants for life.  Dorky in the daytime; magic between the sheets.

[sATL]

7 hours ago, HaaCHOO said:

Moriah should have had some plan in mind...even if it's fake...to present to her mother.  World Religions probably wouldn't cut it. 

Agree.

True to fact - many of the highly known/ranking religious officiants of various religions are highly educated individuals .

I would love to know what prospective major(s) would Ma Plath approve of.

Oldest had to turn down a music scholarship ( which I guess would have been in violin) - b/c she is already doing music...What Ma should have looked up is many orchestral/classical musicians do hold bachelor or higher degrees. 

My 1st pass of googling which college the parents went to came up empty. Pa is originally from Minnesota, so I would like to know why (other than the weather) brought him to south GA.

Ma might needed to face the fact that she might have been lacking, as a young adult , the ambition and the intellect to stay focused in college. So, she fell into the "party crowd" and failed to come up out of it. That's her fault - not the university. Another fact - many of the college party crowd do manage to get to class come Monday morning and was attentive in classes like differential calculus - only to graduate 4 (ok maybe 4+) years later. The party schools boast a long lineage of graduates/alumni/degree pgms - generations.

Also - GA had a pretty low age drinking law ( link )  when she went to school. Not to say raising it to 21 stopped the party crowd - its just slower and "not as bad" as it used to be.

Ma Plath - must not know about the GA Hope Scholarship... if so she wouldn't be so worried about how much college in GA costs. Its not her $$ for tuition. 

Edited November 30, 2019 by sATL

[HaaCHOO]

Hmmm...I'll be 80 in June and "wood shed" has never been part of my parenting vocabulary.  I hated/feared an adult hitting me when I was a child, so I didn't hit children.  Moriah's seventeen during these shows; a little late to begin any different sort of parenting.

These children haven't been able to make decisions or "grow" like most American children.  The only way they'll mature is the hard way...away from home and learning by their mistakes.

[camom]

The first couple of years at college include a lot of basic classes.  If someone doesn't know what they want to major in, why not go to community college while they figure it out?  This would probably be especially helpful for the Plath kids, since their schooling seems to be lacking.  Maybe Mom didn't want the oldest daughter to go to college because the lack of quality homeschooling would become evident.

[sATL]

3 minutes ago, camom said:

The first couple of years at college include a lot of basic classes.  If someone doesn't know what they want to major in, why not go to community college while they figure it out?  This would probably be especially helpful for the Plath kids, since their schooling seems to be lacking.  Maybe Mom didn't want the oldest daughter to go to college because the lack of quality homeschooling would become evident.

depends on the major/university... my engineering offspring hit the ground running with calculus and organic chem - 1st semester freshman. Music majors start off with theory and piano.  Business majors usually have at least one class from that area as a freshman - accounting, econ, info systems,  etc. Pre-Med also starts as a freshman. Majors that require internships/co-op/etc  (nursing, teaching, journalism) also start early so that there is space later in the years to do the off-campus requirement.

[TwirlyGirly]

All the Plath kids are at a disadvantage in terms of deciding upon a field of study should they go to college. They've all been so sheltered from "worldly" things they have no idea what their options or individual talents are, or even what their interests may be. You can't know you're interested/have talent in "X" if you've never been exposed to "X" - nevermind knowing "X" even exists as a career!

I definitely wouldn't recommend a community college to them; they'd be better off going to the biggest 4-year college they can. One that exposes them to many different fields of study and that would allow them to learn about as many career options as possible.

While most incoming freshman declare a major in their freshman year, 80% change their major at least once; the majority of students change their major three times before graduation.

Does that mean they probably won't graduate in four years? Yep.

But only 33% of college students do graduate in four years. The average is five and a half years to earn a bachelor's degree.

[Hockey Addict]

Please tell me Kim doesn't have a secret or not so secret stash of oreos, candy bars, and Dr Pepper in her bedroom somewhere. Or a freezer in the closet full of Haagan Das.

[Loves2Dance]

I was catching up on this episode when my 11 year old sat down and started watching. It took approximately 5 minutes for her to peg Kim as the bad mom/villian and the family as out of whack. She kept getting annoyed and saying, "That is why your kids hate you!" at the TV screen. 

I really don't think Kim foresaw how she'd come across or I don't think this show would exist. That said, I did some digging on Micah because this whole 'model' storyline seems contrived and O.M.G. that boy is ripped. Like, I felt guilty looking at him---not sure the model thing ever took off or would take off, but from the neck down he's pretty hot.  

Edited December 3, 2019 by Loves2Dance

[Horrified]

I've only watched bits and pieces of this show, and whether its faked or not, I just feel like those parents are really odd and bordering on doomsday preppers.  Do they expect to keep their children on the farm forever?

And Mom, that coppery red lipstick is awful.  And its applied awfully.  And the colour is awful on you.  And your devil child daughter has terrible skin.  How is it that these families want to shield their offspring from the evils of the outside world, but have all the girls slapping on makeup like tramps?  And wearing short shorts.  Is the Dad a perv?  He disturbs me while the Mom simply annoys me.

I have so many questions because I just don't understand these people.

[EastCoast4Life]

Lydia has certainly been drinking her parent's koolaid. She will be the one who takes care of them in their old age, perhaps never marrying, in order to do so. 

I find it odd that Kim is basically just writing off Moriah as a failure as a daughter, and doesn't want the younger kids to follow suit. Is she really admitting that the first four kids are too worldly? 

Their views on college are bizarre. I've never seen parents actively encouraging their children not to go. I also find it sad that the kids have been so sheltered that going to California felt like being on another planet. 

[retired watcher]

On 11/28/2019 at 12:09 AM, ChristyGreene said:

Mom needs to get it together. Mariah needs to be taken out to the wood shed!! Its way past due to a good old fashioned butt whippin!! You are still her parent and she is still a child. She's extremely immature and if you don't get control of her now you will definitely regret it. Be her parent now so you don't have to parent her later. 

Great idea, not. Take a girl who just wants an independent life and beat her into submission. If Mom would loosen up a little her daughter wouldn't be so eager to leave. Hitting a child under any circumstance is abuse.

[suzywallis]

On 11/29/2019 at 6:06 PM, sATL said:

ITA. 

On the subject of schooling" - a mini marathon ran this AM. Seems like the kids do alot of book reports. I spent a 1hr daydream trying to remember when was the last time my offspring did written book reports - I'm thinking middle school... HS was more of essays, acting out parts (I remember a goodwill run for something).. 

I manged to get a screen grab on homework that Mariah was doing.. I was shocked .. this is HS physics page ??  

I need to do some digging to find out which and how much college these 2 parents had.  Pa might needed a degree to keep and advance his city job.

Ma made another nasty comment about college on the preview for next week.. I do agree on the point on having some idea, that yes might change,  of what one hopes to study in college. 

It's a book series called "All the _________ you need to know."  It's a basic covering of the subject matter but definitely not deep enough in my professional opinion as a teacher.  I really detest that her parents have the attitude that "well, we went to college and we don't think you should go."

[sATL]

11 hours ago, suzywallis said:

It's a book series called "All the _________ you need to know."  It's a basic covering of the subject matter but definitely not deep enough in my professional opinion as a teacher.  I really detest that her parents have the attitude that "well, we went to college and we don't think you should go."

I haven't kept up with this show... something didn't set well with me regarding the parents and the oldest son- creepy like.

Maybe when the son becomes a father, he will look a little less like deer in headlights.

Did the one rebellious daughter make it to any kind of accredited college ?

[suzywallis]

On 8/24/2021 at 11:05 AM, sATL said:

I haven't kept up with this show... something didn't set well with me regarding the parents and the oldest son- creepy like.

Maybe when the son becomes a father, he will look a little less like deer in headlights.

Did the one rebellious daughter make it to any kind of accredited college ?

I am at the end of season 2, and will start season 3 soon.  At the moment in Season 2, she had spoken to another fundie girl who finally went to FSU, despite her mother's disapproval and that gave her hope at going away to school.  

[sATL]

56 minutes ago, suzywallis said:

I am at the end of season 2, and will start season 3 soon.  At the moment in Season 2, she had spoken to another fundie girl who finally went to FSU, despite her mother's disapproval and that gave her hope at going away to school.  

well that is hopeful.. from the k-12 preparation they do in this crowd to actually get into FSU. 

Edited August 25, 2021 by sATL