S01.E03: First Night Together

[Jane Tuesday]

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The twists and turns keep coming. Giannina redefines the rules, Barnett makes a surprising decision, and the engaged couples depart for paradise.

 

[aradia22]

I think Barnett has fuckboi tendencies but I'm not mad at him. First of all, this is a totally weird situation. But secondly, I feel like he has his own pain. The way he talked about all three women, it felt like he really needed their validation. He was always talking about how they felt about him. I think there's some insecurity there and it definitely fits with the way he deflects from feelings with humor. Amber seems strong but I worry he's going to wreck her because he's just not ready for commitment.

I'm worried Mark is too young. Yes, people get married young and sometimes it lasts. But those people are not virtual strangers. Jessica also seems more excited about ending this phase of the experiment with a partner and being engaged at her age than excited about being with Mark.

First night together and we never saw Rory on a date? RORY WAS A PLANT.

Damian seems more into Giannina than she's into him. I can't tell if that's because she's a typical reality TV person or she's just a normal person with walls up. Did she just want to go on TV and have a vacation or is she genuine? 

Lauren and Cameron were a little awkward at first... and then adorable by the time he tumbled her into bed. I'm too invested in this. Ages aside, these two somehow feel the most like adults who are taking this seriously. Maybe I'm being conned but I'm falling for it.

Carlton is weirdly antagonistic and leaning into his player vibes. I feel like he has unresolved issues about being fluid that make him play into masculine stereotypes. You aren't any straighter because you treat a woman poorly. 

Jessica's baby voice is stronger than ever with Mark. I think this is something she does with guys anyway (based on how much less we heard it when she was in talking heads or living exclusively with women) but I wonder how much she's dialed it up because she's insecure about the age difference. 

When Jessica was describing her type I was like... no duh. That's why she was gravitating towards Barnett. We didn't hear all their conversations but I feel like she had enough clues to know he was more of her type even if there was still an age difference. 

I feel like Amber and Barnett are the typical young idiots who go on dating shows to hook up with other people. As long as neither of them get emotionally hurt, I think they're fine. I don't see them going through with a wedding but they seem like they can have their fun without getting hurt if they're both on the same page. 

Carlton is being ridiculous. This is a big deal because he made it a big deal. He didn't give her a choice of how to feel until springing this on her now. 

[meatball77]

Carlton also lied to her about something that's important. That's something that should be declared before you are engaged.

I love the honest conversation about interracial dating.

[2727]

8 hours ago, aradia22 said:

Jessica also seems more excited about ending this phase of the experiment with a partner and being engaged at her age than excited about being with Mark.

She was very excited to marry a different guy two days before! You are second choice, Mark.

The point of marrying blind is slightly undercut when everyone's good looking, but then I wouldn't want to watch anyone's face fall when they finally meet each other, so it's probably kinder this way. 

The wiki shows 13 male and 15 female participants, so there were a lot we didn't see. Makes sense if nothing happened for them, but still. It says something about the isolation, reality TV pressure, and intense focus that so many of them did pair up.

Since this is produced by the same company that does Married at First Sight, I'd love to see the MAFS "experts" interview these folks and make their own matches. Would they get any of them right?

[aradia22]

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The point of marrying blind is slightly undercut when everyone's good looking, but then I wouldn't want to watch anyone's face fall when they finally meet each other, so it's probably kinder this way. 

I mean, no one ended up with someone wildly outside the norm of conventional beauty standards but there are degrees. If I were being harsh, most of these people wouldn't make the cut on The Bachelor/Bachelorette. The best you could say is that everyone is relatively fit. 

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Since this is produced by the same company that does Married at First Sight, I'd love to see the MAFS "experts" interview these folks and make their own matches. Would they get any of them right?

Lol, no. I hope this show doesn't push experts on us at some point. I think it's working much better so far without them. Besides Rory. 😉

[JTMacc99]

I’m glad that for the most part the first day/night was relatively awkward in one way or another for all of them. It makes it more believable that most of them are going to take a real stab at sticking it out. 

23 hours ago, aradia22 said:

I feel like Amber and Barnett are the typical young idiots who go on dating shows to hook up with other people. As long as neither of them get emotionally hurt, I think they're fine. I don't see them going through with a wedding but they seem like they can have their fun without getting hurt if they're both on the same page. 

I agree, but I also have this feeling that if they had connected in real life, that she would have got him to go along all the way through marriage and having kids before she finally figured out that infuriating her isn’t a healthy base for love.

[sweetcookieface]

I’m also kind of obsessed with Cameron and Lauren. They’re both really attractive (Lauren reminds me a bit of Issa Rae), but  unlike a lot of the other contestants, don’t seem defined by that - they come across as smart, sweet, and kind of goofy/awkward. It’s the only relationship where I feel a genuine connection. And, as a black woman, I’ll admit it’s nice to see a black woman “win” on a dating reality show (I’m looking at you, Bachelor). 
 

I don’t really care much about the other couples. I like Mark way more than Jessica (and, while he may not be her usual type, I think he’s really good looking). I thought Diamond handled Carlton’s revelation in a mature and empathetic way. Barnett still seems kind of douchey. And the rest just aren’t that memorable.
 

 

[Jade Foxx]

6 hours ago, sweetcookieface said:

They’re both really attractive (Lauren reminds me a bit of Issa Rae), but  unlike a lot of the other contestants, don’t seem define

Lauren resembles Monique from Potomac Housewives to me;  both gorgeous! 

[JTMacc99]

On 2/13/2020 at 8:22 PM, aradia22 said:

Damian seems more into Giannina than she's into him. I can't tell if that's because she's a typical reality TV person or she's just a normal person with walls up. Did she just want to go on TV and have a vacation or is she genuine?

It’s a good question. I have this couple filtered as “very young”, she’s 24-25, right?  She acts younger. And he acts more like he is a teenager with a giant crush on her. 
 

On the other hand:

Damian: “I don’t want for force sex with you right away.”

Giannina: [to the camera] “I just want to tear his clothes off.”

Heh. Good for them. If a couple REALLY were at the point where they’re saying  I love you, wanting to tear clothes off is an acceptable sentiment. 

[Adgirl]

Carlton is such a jerk. He kept this big secret then acts like she's the jerk for being taken aback. 

Jessica and Mark aren't going to make it. She chose him out of desperation not out of any genuine feeling. If she cared for him at all she wouldn't be talking about superficial stuff like she's used to dating bigger guys.

Kelly and her dude are so normal I can't remember his name.

I'm really over Amber and Barnett.

Edited February 17, 2020 by Adgirl

[Angeleyes]

Amber and Barnett win for most awkward first kiss. “He was afraid to let me love him”. Sure, Amber. It totally wasn’t that he preferred Jessica and then she dumped him. I think this antagonist type relationship will burn out quickly. 
 

Jessica is definitely back-peddling her back up choice of Mark already. I don’t judge her for not immediately sleeping with her fiancé, but it definitely seemed like more was going on. 
 

Kelly and her guy have had such little back story. I remember last episode that both of them seemed seemed very sad and in need of a friend instead of a relationship. It’s hard to figure them out since we haven’t seen them as much. 
 

It definitely seemed like Carlton wanted to set the situation up for Diamond to reject him and then feel vindicated “because at least he was honest”. He insulted her most of the night and then didn’t give her any time to process the information. 

[BluBarbi98]

On 2/20/2020 at 9:11 PM, Angeleyes said:

It definitely seemed like Carlton wanted to set the situation up for Diamond to reject him and then feel vindicated “because at least he was honest”. He insulted her most of the night and then didn’t give her any time to process the information. 

This x 1000%! He was a jerk and refused to let her process and discuss her truth. 

[DearEvette]

Oh, Hey, Hi Lacheys. I forgot about them.  LOL.

Carleton.  Oof.  I was feeling bad for him last episode.  This episode, he was getting on my nerve.  "You lucky you pretty."  GTFOH!  Ugh.  Their first conversation over strawberries/champagne had a weird, off vibe to me.  He seemed like he was putting on swagger and came off as borderline abrasive.

And then came the revelation and the whole thing felt so manipulative on his part. Even after he told her, she still tried to comfort him. 

On 2/20/2020 at 9:11 PM, Angeleyes said:

It definitely seemed like Carlton wanted to set the situation up for Diamond to reject him and then feel vindicated “because at least he was honest”. He insulted her most of the night and then didn’t give her any time to process the information. 

Yes.  Yes.  Yes. 

First real impression of Giannina/Damian.  She reads as very young.  But I will say she and Damian seemed really comfortable together when they first arrived at the resort. Also she gave one of the most memorable lines:  "Day 325 I went to the beach just to remember how it feels to get my ass smacked."  I cackled. Damian let me down! Dude didn't even crack a smile.

In profile Kenny looks like Bradley Cooper. That's all I got for K&K.  I really am not invested in them, good or bad. I completely forget about they are even on this until they show up.

Cameron and Lauren rubbing arms, holding hands!  Holy cow. I feel like I am watching something I shouldn't.  It feels almost too intimate.  I like them... I, surprisingly, really want them to work.  But I am also afraid for them.

I am so turned off by Amber/Barnett.  It comes off like she sees him as a trophy to hold up as something she won.  They are just as overtly sexual as Cameron and Lauren, but whereas C&L comes off as romantic, A&B come off as kinda porny.  LOL.

Jessica.... Jessica.  She is already trying to walk it back.  I could see it.  Poor Mark.

 

[Empress1]

On 2/27/2020 at 4:22 PM, DearEvette said:

I am so turned off by Amber/Barnett.  It comes off like she sees him as a trophy to hold up as something she won.

They both just seem like assholes to me. Suited for each other, but I don't like either of their personalities.

Lauren and Cameron are really adorable.

I have a hard time telling Damian and Kenny apart. I always have to think "Right, Kelly and Kenny are together, their names sound alike," but sometimes I see one of them and get confused. It doesn't help that Kelly and Kenny are pretty boring.

Giannina has been celibate for a while and is now engaged, so damn right she's ready to get down! I laughed at the "I want to go at your pace"/"I just wanna tear his clothes off" scene.

I cannot stand baby talk so Jessica's baby voice gets on my last nerve. She totally doesn't want to marry Mark. When she was telling him that she didn't want to sleep with him yet, I was like, right, she's regretting this. (Mark is good-looking.)

When Diamond said she'd never seen this side of Carlton, I thought "You haven't seen any side of him at all until yesterday, so ..."

[dbell1]

Why is Mark always carrying a guitar around?

Why does Jessica’s voice always drop an octave when she isn’t turned on by a guy? It dropped when she told Mark “nope”. 

Poor Diamond. She deserves so much more than Mr. Passive Aggressive, truth hiding, Hugh Hefner wanna be crap dresser. 

Barnett’s nose zit needs to be popped. Either he and Amber are going to be together 60 years or 3 weeks, not sure which.

[Meedis]

Run Mark, run!   Jessica is tiki boom boom.

I'm also loving Cameron and Lauren separate and together.    Out of everyone I feel like I'd want to be friends with them in real life.    I really hope they go the distance.

[Ilovepie]

On 2/29/2020 at 12:42 PM, Empress1 said:

They both just seem like assholes to me. Suited for each other, but I don't like either of their personalities.

Yes to this. I can’t stand either one - they deserve each other. No way they make it to the altar. Ditto Jessica and Mark, although unlike Barnett and Amber, I feel sorry for Mark. He should have listened to his first instinct that he didn’t want to be second choice rather than mom’s tired cliche of letting something go.....

On 2/14/2020 at 2:40 AM, 2727 said:

Since this is produced by the same company that does Married at First Sight

No! Say it isn’t so! I am watching this to get away from MAFS! 😱

No matter - I am here for Cameron and Lauren. Most adorable reality TV couple since.......I don’t know???

[Paloma]

I never watch the bachelor/bachelorette type shows because I hate the concept, but I decided to check this show out after reading a post-show interview with

Spoiler

Cameron and Lauren

(plus I was looking for something that didn't require too much thinking to watch on the treadmill). The first episode was interesting, probably because it spent a lot of time with Cameron and Lauren, who seem to be the most mature and intelligent people there; I was rooting for them and actually cried when they declared their love and when he proposed. But as the second and third episodes spent more time with other couples, my eyes started rolling back in my head. Granted, I am decades older than the target audience (I have a daughter who is mid-30s), but most of these people talked and acted like high schoolers. If there were deep conversations that led to real emotional connections (as they claimed), they weren't shown. The majority of what we saw and heard was superficial conversations by adults who (again, other than Cameron and Lauren) seemed incapable of forming a complete sentence or saying anything (even declarations of love) without using the f-word (and the s-word, and various combinations of 4-letter words) nonstop. And then after just a week or so of this high school drama, six couples (I think) commit to getting married! Yeah, that's likely to work out well. (Not a spoiler, I don't know what happens.)

Oh, well, I will have to find something else to watch on the treadmill, but even though I don't plan to watch more, I may read the comments on the rest of the episodes to see if it continued to be ridiculous.   

[anniebird]

Barnett is a jerk and Amber tries too hard to be "that girl." And, like most of you, the only relationship I cared about because it looked genuine was Lauren and Cameron.