S03.E11: Bianca & Brogan

[LilWharveyGal]

 

I think there have been at least a couple of subjects from prior episodes that could do it a whole lot better and would share Nev's "been there" credentials.

 

Loretta, please Loretta!  She could take over Nev's driving duty and be a snark partner for Max.

[Portae]

I generally like Selita Ebanks, but I thought that her tone was off for the episode. She was a little too jokey and giddy for my taste. Granted, she didn't bring that into her meetings with Bianca or Tia, but there were times when I just felt that she seemed a bit too excited about being along for the ride and needed to reign it in.

[Happycakez]

I generally like Selita Ebanks, but I thought that her tone was off for the episode. She was a little too jokey and giddy for my taste. Granted, she didn't bring that into her meetings with Bianca or Tia, but there were times when I just felt that she seemed a bit too excited about being along for the ride and needed to reign it in.

I won't fault her for that. I'd be excited to be around Nev and Max too, lol.

[LoneHaranguer]

Is getting pregnant really that likely a reason for a lesbian to have disappeared from the net for a while, or was Selita much worse than Nev and Max in hiding that there's a lot more known going in about what's really going on than the show pretends?

[jonesingjay]

Is getting pregnant really that likely a reason for a lesbian to have disappeared from the net for a while, or was Selita much worse than Nev and Max in hiding that there's a lot more known going in about what's really going on than the show pretends?

 

Could be both. I don't think the producers let Nev and Max know everything. They want to try and keep the reactions as genuine as possible, at least I'd think they'd like to but Selita guessing that Brogan was pregnant and that was cause for a disappearance came out of left field. Maybe, a little birdie whispered that into her ear. Out of all the things to guess, pregnancy wouldn't be the first one to come to mind for me. 

[Tara Ariano]

(a) Lesbians can get pregnant, but (b) I think Selita was guessing that Brogan might not be as gay as she was making Bianca think she was.

[jonesingjay]

(a) Lesbians can get pregnant, but (b) I think Selita was guessing that Brogan might not be as gay as she was making Bianca think she was.

 

Somebody should probably let Selita know lesbians can get pregnant. If she's going to be taking over for Max and holding that toy camera this is something she needs to know.

[Portae]

I thought that Selita's guess that Brogan was pregnant was more about the implication that Brogan had been hiding something pretty major from Bianca, and had possibly been in another relationship while leading Bianca on.

[Philyra]

I also thought the pregnancy could explain Tia's year-long absence as well. If the person she was stealing pictures from was pregnant, she couldn't update new photos as Brogan without having some explaining to do.

[tobia]

I also got the sense that Selita was kind of coming from the "maybe Brogan isn't gay" angle. Also, that's the first time I've heard the name "Brogan," and all I could think was it something an ultra stereotypical frat boy would name their son.

 

Bianca's lip piercings made it kind of hard for me to watch this episode (mouth piercings in general just gross me out), but she did seem genuinely nice. I agree with the person who called bullshit on Durham being a small town. Even though it is Southern,  it's also the home of Duke University, so it's hardly some tiny, insular, middle of nowhere farm town like they trying to portray it.

[jonesingjay]

I also got the sense that Selita was kind of coming from the "maybe Brogan isn't gay" angle. Also, that's the first time I've heard the name "Brogan," and all I could think was it something an ultra stereotypical frat boy would name their son.

 

Bianca's lip piercings made it kind of hard for me to watch this episode (mouth piercings in general just gross me out), but she did seem genuinely nice. I agree with the person who called bullshit on Durham being a small town. Even though it is Southern,  it's also the home of Duke University, so it's hardly some tiny, insular, middle of nowhere farm town like they trying to portray it.

 

She was living in smaller town Creedmoor. There was a title at the bottom when they first went to Bianca's house. 

Edited July 18, 2014 by jonesingjay

[adsj27]

I knew straight away the Selita ride along was going to piss me off. Every other cutaway was of her, we barely got to see Bianca in the first meeting because they kept showing us Selita's reaction. Then in every car montage scene Selita was constantly on her phone. Bianca was clearly not into Selita being there, her body language was pretty obvious about that.

Then we get probably one of the worst interrogations this show has ever had, Tia is clearly remorseful, and I mean she is being pretty forthcoming about her situation, and that's when Nev and Max would normally start being more understanding and gently coercing more out of her, but in comes Selita making it into a massive competition where because of where Bianca lives and because of her race, she's had a worse time than Tia, which maybe so, but has nothing to do with why Tia did what she did. Then here it comes, "I need you to dig deep and give us more", one of the most exploitative things this show has ever done; the producers clearly knew about the abuse, and instead of letting her off with the insecure about her weight reason, they crowbar 'rape' out of her. Then obviously Tia starts crying, to which Selita completely changes her tune; and what's the last thing a girl who is insure about her looks needs, a supermodel sort of hugging her and pretending she understands or cares a single iota about her.

This episode was a dud, Bianca wasn't a good choice for TV, I think the producers heard black lesbian alternative girl who lives on the bible belt and they started salivating. It was obvious straight away that Bianca had no attraction to the real Tia, which she has every right to feel, but she could have handled it a bit better. Let's be honest, this was probably one of the most mellow lies in the show's history, it was a girl in Iowa who was the right age, was interested in the same things (just without the tats and piercings), and had been talking to her for a year. Okay you're not attracted to the real girl, but you can still forgive and pretend to move on as friends for the sake of politeness.

C'mon Catfish, next season let's stick to ones that might work out, and ones with totally insane people, no more boring fat people ones. AND DEFINITELY NO RIDE ALONGS OR SORT OF FAMOUS ACTRESSES.

[jonesingjay]

It was obvious straight away that Bianca had no attraction to the real Tia, which she has every right to feel, but she could have handled it a bit better. Let's be honest, this was probably one of the most mellow lies in the show's history, it was a girl in Iowa who was the right age, was interested in the same things (just without the tats and piercings), and had been talking to her for a year. Okay you're not attracted to the real girl, but you can still forgive and pretend to move on as friends for the sake of politeness.

 

 

I don't think Bianca had any obligation to make nice with Tia. She was lied to and emotionally manipulated. Bianca made a point of saying how important trust is to her. Compared to other reactions people experienced on this show learning that they've been catfished I think Bianca handled it pretty well. She shouldn't have to pretend to forgive someone for the sake of being polite. 

[LoneHaranguer]

 

She shouldn't have to pretend to forgive someone for the sake of being polite.

What's different about Bianca that we should cut her more slack than the guys in prior episodes who tried to pull the "honesty/trust is important" card when confronted with the fat girl who was catfishing him?

[RealityGal]

I knew straight away the Selita ride along was going to piss me off. Every other cutaway was of her, we barely got to see Bianca in the first meeting because they kept showing us Selita's reaction. Then in every car montage scene Selita was constantly on her phone. Bianca was clearly not into Selita being there, her body language was pretty obvious about that.

Then we get probably one of the worst interrogations this show has ever had, Tia is clearly remorseful, and I mean she is being pretty forthcoming about her situation, and that's when Nev and Max would normally start being more understanding and gently coercing more out of her, but in comes Selita making it into a massive competition where because of where Bianca lives and because of her race, she's had a worse time than Tia, which maybe so, but has nothing to do with why Tia did what she did. Then here it comes, "I need you to dig deep and give us more", one of the most exploitative things this show has ever done; the producers clearly knew about the abuse, and instead of letting her off with the insecure about her weight reason, they crowbar 'rape' out of her. Then obviously Tia starts crying, to which Selita completely changes her tune; and what's the last thing a girl who is insure about her looks needs, a supermodel sort of hugging her and pretending she understands or cares a single iota about her.

This episode was a dud, Bianca wasn't a good choice for TV, I think the producers heard black lesbian alternative girl who lives on the bible belt and they started salivating. It was obvious straight away that Bianca had no attraction to the real Tia, which she has every right to feel, but she could have handled it a bit better. Let's be honest, this was probably one of the most mellow lies in the show's history, it was a girl in Iowa who was the right age, was interested in the same things (just without the tats and piercings), and had been talking to her for a year. Okay you're not attracted to the real girl, but you can still forgive and pretend to move on as friends for the sake of politeness.

C'mon Catfish, next season let's stick to ones that might work out, and ones with totally insane people, no more boring fat people ones. AND DEFINITELY NO RIDE ALONGS OR SORT OF FAMOUS ACTRESSES.

 

I definitely agree that the Selita ride along was just an awful idea.  Not only does it mess with the chemistry, but most of the catfishers have self esteem issues around their looks, which is why they choose to lie about how they look.  How in the world is it going to make them feel any better to have some snotty supermodel around?  And it didn't help that, IMO, she was annoying as fuck.

[jonesingjay]

What's different about Bianca that we should cut her more slack than the guys in prior episodes who tried to pull the "honesty/trust is important" card when confronted with the fat girl who was catfishing him?

 

I'm not saying that she should be cut more slack. What I'm saying is that from the beginning she stated honesty is important to her. Even before she laid eyes on Tia. Her reaction after meeting Tia, appeared on point with what she said.