S10.E16: "Until Decision Day Do We Part"

[Kareem]

11 minutes ago, KateHearts said:

On a superficial note:

-Meka has a great figure and looked amazing

-Dr. V has the gummiest smile I've ever seen

-Mindy looked wonderful. I don't think she's too skinny and I am glad she stuck with what is obviously a style she is comfortable with

-Pepper looked a little bedraggled.

Ya, I thought the Pepper looked pooped, too.  
Meka looked nice in pink.  
Mindy looked ok but the previews of the reunion had her looking a little scary.  
I think I have a special place in my heart now for Dr. V.  Her reactions to The Hairdo were priceless.  

[humbleopinion]

The whole season could have been different if Michael was able to tell the truth ...but as a compulsive liar, he refused to admit he what he said on the plane and it escalated to the biggest lie, declaring with fanfare he was offered to be a principal with the salary bump that goes along with the position....that quickly disappeared because of some unexplained “Catholic rules and reasons....”

With the rest of the season, Michael dug the hole deeper and deeper. The camera must have triggered his compulsion to take more outlandish risks and lie about the stupidest things....yoga teacher/yoga studio janitor, mileage on his car...lying for him is habitual and compulsive. He gained nothing by lying and Meka grew more and more frustrated..she easily debunked his lies.

He made several hollow promises to stop lying but his compulsion was too strong.

This explains his satisfaction with his performance on the show...he is able to completely forgive himself for his lying because he doesn’t see it as wrong...it is how he has gotten along in life.

He has already revised in his messed up head that his time on the show raised his profile...he has no shame, content to lie to himself.

[OnTime]

1 hour ago, KateHearts said:

On a superficial note:

-Dr. V has the gummiest smile I've ever seen

On another superficial note, Katie's gummy smile isn't much better and her bottom teeth are so crooked.

[OnTime]

Why couldn't the "experts" find a great girl for Derek?  Certainly, he deserved better.

[sasha206]

15 hours ago, Neurochick said:

I don't think anybody's career will be damaged by this show,  it's all about exposure.

Brandon and Michael are two young black men without criminal records and babymamas, and that might be attractive for some black women who want "nothing but a black man."  They'll put the blame on Meka, Taylor and Taylor's wig. 

By the time the next season starts most people would have forgotten the previous season as I usually forget the previous season.

It won't hurt their careers if they are hoping to parlay this into a reality TV career.  I think this could hurt Michael.  Brandon's outbursts could more easily be explained by "I had no idea what I was getting into; cameras are obtrusive, production blah blah blah..."  I think Michael will have a much harder time b/c as soon as you do a Google search and plug in MAFS with his name the first two search results are all about him lying.  One is "#MAFS: 10 Things Michael Said To Meka That Were A Lie Or ..."

Of course, he's probably smart enough not to ever acknowledge his reality tv stint, but he might end up using that as the excuse for the job gap.  Or maybe he'll make up a job he never had on his resume during that time.

Edited April 17, 2020 by sasha206

[sasha206]

1 hour ago, KateHearts said:

Derek doesn't realize that there are lots of other women out there who will accept him as he is and consider him an equal, not just someone who constantly needs to jump through hoops to keep them happy.

I admit, I was dubious to his "never been in love" claim and wondered if he was playing a reality TV role b/c he just seemed way too good to be true.  But he seems like one great guy.  Nice looking, great personality, kind hearted.  He's going to have women throwing themselves at him; it won't matter that he's married to Katie.  In fact, that will probably only entice women who found her so unlikable.

I hope that he checks out of that marriage shortly after the show.  He should be single and enjoy some of the notoriety. 

[humbleopinion]

I would be able to tolerate a shortened season (selection, wedding, honeymoon, 3 regular life, the Decision day/Reunion hour long episodes) if they cast 3 couples like Jess/Austin, Ricky Bobby/Danielle, Anthony/Ashley or Deonna/Greg instead of casting for maximum drama and bad behavior. 

The season may be bland like a Hallmark cookie cutter movie but seeing strangers fall in love without the producer driven conflicts and drama edited into each story line would make more than a few long time fans happy.

And give us a break from JamieO...let Jephte or Anthony sit in the Unfiltered interviewer chair.

But that is easier said than done...Jamie likes to feed off the Lifetime trough and they are the only ones putting her in front of a camera....try prying her gripping fingers off the studio chair...

Edited April 17, 2020 by humbleopinion

[Elizzikra]

Quote

So this may be an unpopular opinion but why should Brandon possibly lose his job over a fucking reality show!  He was a bit brash and unpleasant but I think if I watched this show from the inside I would probably be just as sarcastic and disrespectful.  I don’t know what his issue with Taylor was, but he knew she was playing for the camera and he decided to make a mockery of the whole show. Wish more reality show contestants would tell it like it is.

Brandon knew what the requirements were for taping when he went on the show. If he didn't think that he could balance his work commitments and his commitment to taping, he shouldn't have agreed to be on the show. At a minimum, if getting to work in the middle of the couple's retreat was that critical, he could and should have made his own arrangments for transportation. He could have rented a car or arranged for a ride from someone other than production. He could have swallowed his pride about whatever sort of disrespect he thought he was getting from production and unlocked the door so they could leave on time. He could have pre-arranged with Taylor (not that she would or should have agreed) to take him back on Saturday. He could have skipped the retreat. There are problems with all of these choices but he had choices. He handled this situation like he handled every other situation... badly.

[sasha206]

31 minutes ago, humbleopinion said:

I would be able to tolerate a shortened season (selection, wedding, honeymoon, 3 regular life, the Decision day/Reunion hour long episodes) if they cast 3 couples like Jess/Austin, Ricky Bobby/Danielle, Anthony/Ashley or Deonna/Greg instead of casting for maximum drama and bad behavior. 

The season may be bland like a Hallmark cookie cutter movie but seeing strangers fall in love without the producer driven conflicts and drama edited into each story line would make more than a few long time fans happy.

And give us a break from JamieO...let Jephte or Anthony sit in the Unfiltered interviewer chair.

But that is easier said than done...Jamie likes to feed off the Lifetime trough and they are the only ones putting her in front of a camera....try prying her gripping fingers off the studio chair...

I just binged watched Jephte's season.  I loved him.  And Shawniece!

[gonecrackers]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Brandon may have a point about the show, but he's like a stopped clock - only right twice a day.  It doesn't make up for the fact that he's generally a self centered, mean spirited asshole.  I don't even have any desire to see him lose his job when I say that either.  He's way beyond just being "a bit brash and unpleasant", sorry.  He didn't live up to his self-righteous attitude.  You can protest the show and the producers without being that immature and nasty about it.  I don't argue with how he feels about it but I do argue with how he handled himself in general.

I wish he had handled himself better. It would've been great seeing someone call out the show BS but also be an adult about it. It would be tough because they would not like him/her & the edit would be bad no matter what, but he gave them a ton to work with.

2 hours ago, KateHearts said:

-Pepper looked a little bedraggled.

Such an easy money gig; she barely shows up anymore.

1 hour ago, sasha206 said:

Meanwhile, I did feel like Austin's expected declaration of love almost felt Stockholm Syndrome.   He didn't seem as happy as I thought he would be.  

I'm convinced he had already said it to her privately & was just playing the show game waiting until the decision couch to declare it publicly.

1 hour ago, humbleopinion said:

This explains his satisfaction with his performance on the show...he is able to completely forgive himself for his lying because he doesn’t see it as wrong...it is how he has gotten along in life.

Yeah he's pathological. Hoping anyone getting involved with him in any way finds his behavior on this show & thinks twice.

39 minutes ago, sasha206 said:

I admit, I was dubious to his "never been in love" claim and wondered if he was playing a reality TV role b/c he just seemed way too good to be true. 

Yeah I wonder about that one too.

I feel bad for him having been repeatedly called names by his 'wife' on TV.

38 minutes ago, humbleopinion said:

And give us a break from JamieO.

YES!!

38 minutes ago, humbleopinion said:

.let Jephte

Nooooooooooooooo!!  No more rewarding cheaters with more screen time!!  He also mumbles so much I'd need subtitles if I was actually interested in what he had to say. Can't imagine how he teaches anyone when he can't speak clearly.

39 minutes ago, humbleopinion said:

or Anthony

YEEEEESSSS!!  Give him unlimited access to wine & watch him work! 😁

39 minutes ago, humbleopinion said:

But that is easier said than done...Jamie likes to feed off the Lifetime trough and they are the only ones putting her in front of a camera....try prying her gripping fingers off the studio chair...

Yeah... unfortunately. 🙄😞

[OnTime]

1 hour ago, sasha206 said:

I admit, I was dubious to his "never been in love" claim and wondered if he was playing a reality TV role b/c he just seemed way too good to be true.  But he seems like one great guy.  Nice looking, great personality, kind hearted.  He's going to have women throwing themselves at him; it won't matter that he's married to Katie.  In fact, that will probably only entice women who found her so unlikable.

The show "labeled" him "never been in love" and "labeled" everyone but really didn't let up on Derek. I can't even remember what they labeled the others. None of them deserve it.

Deonna hadn't been in a relationship in ten years and was matched with probably THE best guy ever on this show. 

Heck if the show could find a great match for AJ that would be hard, why couldn't they for Derek when it would be so easy?

 

[sometimesjennifer]

1 hour ago, Elizzikra said:

Brandon knew what the requirements were for taping when he went on the show. If he didn't think that he could balance his work commitments and his commitment to taping, he shouldn't have agreed to be on the show. At a minimum, if getting to work in the middle of the couple's retreat was that critical, he could and should have made his own arrangments for transportation. He could have rented a car or arranged for a ride from someone other than production. He could have swallowed his pride about whatever sort of disrespect he thought he was getting from production and unlocked the door so they could leave on time. He could have pre-arranged with Taylor (not that she would or should have agreed) to take him back on Saturday. He could have skipped the retreat. There are problems with all of these choices but he had choices. He handled this situation like he handled every other situation... badly.

All of this x10. I didn't mind him pointing out what he saw as disingenuous behavior on Taylor's part and being disgruntled about that. That's reasonable, because she sucks. However, no one forced him to participate. Even if he was recruited, he agreed to be on the show. He knew he'd be expected to be on camera pretty much every day and that there would be crew around a lot. His hostility towards them was unfounded. Realizing he hated the process he signed up for isn't an excuse. The fact that he relied on his new, flakey wife and the production staff to provide him with transportation to work every day is 100% his own fault. His behavior was not ok, no matter how manipulative and shitty this show is. Reality TV is not new. We all know how it works. There were several seasons of this shitshow available for him to review before agreeing to be a part of it. He should have been at least somewhat prepared.

21 minutes ago, OnTime said:

The show "labeled" him "never been in love" and "labeled" everyone but really didn't let up on Derek. I can't even remember what they labeled the others. None of them deserve it.

Austin was labeled as the mama's boy or something like that and they didn't pursue that storyline at all. I expected her to be at their apartment every day, interfering in their marriage or at least have him ignoring Jessica to FaceTime her. How many times did we even see her? Twice maybe? Useless lables. 

[KateHearts]

20 hours ago, Caseysgirl said:

So this may be an unpopular opinion but why should Brandon possibly lose his job over a fucking reality show!  He was a bit brash and unpleasant but I think if I watched this show from the inside I would probably be just as sarcastic and disrespectful.  I don’t know what his issue with Taylor was, but he knew she was playing for the camera and he decided to make a mockery of the whole show. Wish more reality show contestants would tell it like it is.

Taylor was definitely in this for her five minutes of fame. But I am sure there are lots of clauses in the contract they all sign about filming behavior, camera-time expectations, etc. He decided at some time to put up his middle finger to production and the fact that he agreed to play this out on television. As in any reality show, I am sure there are moments that the cast is annoyed, feels invaded, gets fed up.  Well, reality shows aren't a new concept. If he isn't into that he shouldn't have agreed to do it.

As for his job, he's in sales. Salespeople do well when they are engaging, personable, flexible, agreeable. He is none of the above. If he were representing my brand (remember when he described himself as "Mr Personality"?) I would think long and hard about having him as my sales guy. I'm sure there are plenty of moody, petulant, volatile sales reps out there- but that he can't contain his outbursts would not sit well in that line of business.

[DrewPaul2010]

20 hours ago, SnarkEnthusiast said:

I cannot believe how many people here are still blaming Mindy looking sloppy for Zach's lack of boner or implying that she walks around in a cloud of visceral body odor like Pigsty because we saw her skip ONE shower (and like you said, maybe she just doesn't shower at night).

Remember when Mindy was a nice, normal person? Remember how she just lost a sister to drugs? Remember her recent miscarriage? Remember her family abandonment? Isn't it funny how none of that mattered because some douche didn't want to fuck her and then everyone spent the whole season speculating about her stench and throwing out wildly unfounded theories that she had an eating disorder (and worse, that she's bulimic and Zach must "be turned off by barf breath" which...yeesh)?

We never really got to know Mindy as a person because she spent all her time decoding Zach's word salad and trying to respond to his endless vacuum of narcissism. And then to add insult to injury, people love shitting on Zach but still subtly imply it's Mindy's fault for not dressing sexily or wearing makeup 24/7 or having smaller teeth. I don't know what people want from her.   

I never indulged in the hygiene dialog. No matter how much its called Married at first sight in this set of circumstances both couples have something to prove. Trying a new hair do or having a professional make over at least shows you care about being attractive. Granted none of that would have helped it was a lost cause from week one. The drama about the ex was disingenuous I think he simply found her very unattractive. Everyone says just tell me the truth unless its a truth I don't want to hear. The entire episode was mostly traumatic for Mindy, I suspect she slept little and cried often.

It looks like three of the couples never had sex. Once things fell apart it was a moot issue.

Funny thing about Michael he's a liar but not much of a smooth talker. Meka would have been receptive to a genuine mea culpa from Michael. I don't believe he's ever told Meka I love you holding her hands looking in her eyes. He could have gotten down a knee and said I really want and need you Meka and I respect your decision to divorce me. While the divorce is in the works I want to date you with no cameras. I think she was hoping for something like that because she is a romantic...

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by DrewPaul2010
didn't finish post

[gonecrackers]

Brandon wasn't AJ. AJ was having trouble dealing with production in his face & handled it badly, but he was very happy with Stephanie. I believe Brandon, however, found out very early on that Taylor was a SM fame whore fake, which was just proven to him with her video & him finding out she applied for other reality shows. He also said she spent most nights out partying, & sometimes not even coming home. She was as big of a fucking fake as her stupid hair-mop. Brandon was pissed off, as he should've been. But, he also handled it badly. He could've played her just as much as she was playing him, but instead he got angry & became a temperamental man-baby. Again I say, too bad, because I would've liked to see him play the show right back.

I'm glad Michael wasn't a smooth talker, because that would've been infinitely more painful to watch Meka go through. At least she knew he was a lying loser & did nothing to endear himself to her, which made it easier for her to dump him which was good.

[spunky]

13 hours ago, LaLaLaLa said:

Unfortunately, the "experts" didn't call out Katie ...in fact, they provided cover for her. She was just as bad as Zach, Michael, and Brandon but because she somehow got Derek to say yes, she was safe.

I don't think Derek complained about her behavior as much as the others did about their spouses.  

16 hours ago, OnTime said:

I'm leaning towards the producers leading us on to think this really happened. They do it to drag us in to watch and it works!

I remember the reunion show with Dallas Amber and Dave, when they asked are you still married? Dave says "yes" **all the dramatic music** we are right now but it would be best if we divorced...

I missed that reunion show. I wouldn't be surprised if they are stringing us along. 

[NowVoyager]

4 hours ago, OnTime said:

On another superficial note, Katie's gummy smile isn't much better and her bottom teeth are so crooked.

Maybe, but I much prefer her smile to her near constant Stank Face. How Derek tolerated looking at that all day every day, I will never know. 

[DrewPaul2010]

I think a lot of us have suspected for a long time that production intentionally chooses people that are very dysfunctional just to create a train wreck. 

Not sure I'm ready to buy into that theory. Consider how cruel it would be to intentionally hook up one person with decent qualities to some loser causing considerable pain and heartache and then have other members of the crew have to pick up the pieces. I can't imagine they sit in their conference room and openly discuss who are we going to set up with someone we know is incompatible but will make for good drama? This would be a far more horrific scandal than the game shows of the 60's. I also think you're putting too much stock in the belief they can pick couples who will be successful. No matter how good their intentions are this situation of marrying at first site is going to cause drama more often than not. Its hard to imagine how difficult it would be to think you can pick out for someone a mate for life. Most folks (like me) don't realize how difficult marriage can be without the built in excuse I didn't pick her or him?

I'd love to be a fly in the room when they get together throw out thousands of applications and start narrowing down to first who they want to select, then decide who they think should marry. Actually it would be a blast to try to pick a perfect mate for someone. I would be crushed if it didn't work out...

[DrewPaul2010]

It is amazing how much personality influences our perception of beauty. I'd say that on a scale Katie and Jessica are very close. But I like Jessica her personality and style which makes her more visually appealing to me. My perception of Katie looks has gotten worse over time particularly when she frowns (which is often) all the wrinkles in her forehead and lack of chin come out. I also don't like her...

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by DrewPaul2010
Duplicate post

[Kiss my mutt]

And Zach just got uglier to me every week and I didn’t think he was all that to begin with. 

[gonecrackers]

I'm in the 'they pick mostly for drama' camp, because this is business to them. Ratings is what they need to keep going, & drama brings in the ratings. I also believe the 'experts' have little to nothing to do with the actual choices & are basically teevee people.

Not so sure they have many applicants either, so after throwing out anyone who isn't camera ready (among other things), they don't end up with too many, especially not many men. That's why they recruit. And given it's a TV show, that will always run the risk of attracting people with less than genuine intentions.

Makes it a lot easier for me to snark though.

Edited April 17, 2020 by gonecrackers

[Adeejay]

18 hours ago, OnTime said:

I'm leaning towards the producers leading us on to think this really happened. They do it to drag us in to watch and it works!

I remember the reunion show with Dallas Amber and Dave, when they asked are you still married? Dave says "yes" **all the dramatic music** we are right now but it would be best if we divorced...

It’s a ruse to get us to watch. Last season, they said that Deonna and Greg were expanding their family. I thought she was pregnant. To this day, I still don’t know what happened.

[Soup333]

Am I allowed to post in here something Taylor claimed regarding her Instagram post?

[Liberty]

1 hour ago, Adeejay said:

It’s a ruse to get us to watch. Last season, they said that Deonna and Greg were expanding their family. I thought she was pregnant. To this day, I still don’t know what happened.

IIRC they became Aunt & Uncle

Edited April 17, 2020 by Liberty

[OnTime]

11 hours ago, GettingGray said:

I agree about Meka.  On this year's show, I thought she had the nicest figure.

That's no lie!

I know!  But why didn't she look that good all season?

[retired watcher]

23 hours ago, spunky said:

I don’t know why Brandon acted offended when Taylor asked for a divorce. She has her faults, but he’s been a piece of trash the entire time. He didn’t even have enough respect for the experts to sit there for a few minutes. Dr. Viviana and Pastor Cal seemed ready to snatch Taylor up if she said she wanted to stay married. 

Michael doesn’t believe in honesty or divorce. Meka deserves better than this lying fool with his flavor saver beard and Mickey Mouse voice. I hope no one was expecting a straight answer from Zach. Derek is such a sweetie, I don’t know why he keeps trying with the annoyance that is Katie .

I’m glad Pastor Cal called Zach, Brandon and Michael our on their behavior. He looked like he was ready to throw Brandon into the next century. Taylor and Meka’s friendship reminds me of Amber and Iris, they seem to have a genuine bond. Michael and his pursed lips could have done like Brandon and not even show up at the final gathering. I’m leaning towards Taylor and Zach or Taylor and Derek as the couple that hooked up after.

I think Brandon was at the final gathering. Production just didn't give him any air time. Someone was sitting next to Derek. He held up a glass when they toasted. Look very carefully. By the way I didn't see this on my own. I think someone here commented.

[LennieBriscoe]

5 hours ago, Soup333 said:

Am I allowed to post in here something Taylor claimed regarding her Instagram post?

No. 

[DrewPaul2010]

6 hours ago, gonecrackers said:

Not so sure they have many applicants either, so after throwing out anyone who isn't camera ready (among other things), they don't end up with too many, especially not many men. That's why they recruit. And given it's a TV show, that will always run the risk of attracting people with less than genuine intentions.

Makes it a lot easier for me to snark though.

They get applications in the tens of thousands. Getting picked is like finding the proverbial gold ticket. If I was single in my mid 20's to mid thirties I'd put an application not expecting anything. Why not? Might be fun. I would be ticked if they selected a virgin like they did a season or two ago. Not just a virgin but one who made a issue of it a if it was an incurable disease.

Twenty seven was when I became comfortable in my own skin. I was in the Navy reserves and an apartment manager at that time. But now I get my kicks watching other couples realize marriage ain't easy.

[redpencil]

6 hours ago, Soup333 said:

Am I allowed to post in here something Taylor claimed regarding her Instagram post?

Not here, but you can put it in this thread.

[spunky]

2 hours ago, retired watcher said:

I think Brandon was at the final gathering. Production just didn't give him any air time. Someone was sitting next to Derek. He held up a glass when they toasted. Look very carefully. By the way I didn't see this on my own. I think someone here commented.

Interesting. I’ll look again 

[antfitz]

On 4/15/2020 at 9:07 PM, Racj82 said:

No, he could have not dragged her along pretending like he was going to try.

He could have just walked away.

He could have not spent more time opening up Mindy's friend than Mindy herself.

He could have stopped saying he wasn't attracted to her even when not prompted to say so.

No, he did not do his best and he is indeed an asshole.

Maybe he would be a better person with a better match.

But, he had this match and he did a shitty job of handling it. 

 I agree. Zakhar's ass hole or asswipe ...  He just dragged it up so he'd get more camera time. And I was too stupid to realize that is ugliness on camera wasn't going to help him but hurt him. 

22 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I think a lot of us have suspected for a long time that production intentionally chooses people that are very dysfunctional just to create a train wreck.  Come on, they know how to pick people like Bobby, Danielle, Austin, Jessica, Greg, Deonna, etc. but they only choose to pick no more than a few of them each season because otherwise the show would be a snooze.  Think about it.  How many seasons have gone by with just one really successful couple, another not-so-compatible couple and the rest horrible people matched with either a nice "victim" or two horrible people together?  It can't all just be coincidence.  I believe production KNOWS it's picking losers when it chooses the Zachs, Matts, Michaels and all the other creeps and creepettes on this show.  The fact that they chose to nail Zach to his lie of not being so focused on appearance by matching him with someone he wouldn't find attractive based on stuff he told them is no coincidence.  The fact that they chose to match honest, straightforward Meka with Mr. lying, hiding, pants on fire Michael is also no coincidence.  I think they knew EXACTLY what they were doing.  It's too coincidental that they matched these people with exactly the OPPOSITE of what production had to KNOW they wanted based on all that they were told by the applicants.  Not that I think he's without his own problems, but I really don't blame Brandon for calling them pieces of shit, because these are people's LIVES they are playing with here.

 You may be right, but I tend to think that some of these people are very adept liars.  That they say whatever they need to say to get on the show, and appear to be very nice.

[Racj82]

2 hours ago, antfitz said:

 I agree. Zakhar's ass hole or asswipe ...  He just dragged it up so he'd get more camera time. And I was too stupid to realize that is ugliness on camera wasn't going to help him but hurt him. 

 You may be right, but I tend to think that some of these people are very adept liars.  That they say whatever they need to say to get on the show, and appear to be very nice.

You can't just put it on the people though. Not in a general sense. Reality TV of this nature stopped being reality a long ago. People are too aware of the cameras. People get awarded with attention or fame the bigger they present themselves on camera. So, of course people lie. They want the fame and attention.

Also, most people lie on things like job interviews all the time. Give all the answers employers want to hear. 

Nothing can be done to stop that.

On the producers side, they need to actually start checking these people out long term. How do you deliberately seek out people like Zach but can't see them him a fuck nugget coming.

I know it's fun to say this is what they want. But, there is also another side to this where they have to think about their credibility. They've had shitty people on the show before but this season is littered with people who don't give a fuck out marriage or making any real effort. Less and less real people will sign up for this because why would they?

[gonecrackers]

11 hours ago, DrewPaul2010 said:

They get applications in the tens of thousands.

If that were the case they probably wouldn't be recruiting, which we know they do (at least for the men).

11 hours ago, DrewPaul2010 said:

But now I get my kicks watching other couples realize marriage ain't easy.

I cringe a bit, given my own shitty experience. Hopefully the few successes will actually be happy long term.

[Retired at last]

Brandon may have been at the little gathering after the decision meetings, but it was the actual filmed Reunion he was not invited to (or uninvited), which takes place 90 days after D Day. I am really looking forward to that. I like how Kevin Frazier doesn't mess around or throw softballs. I can see Michael walking out.

[Jeanne222]

On 4/17/2020 at 8:23 AM, Kareem said:

Ya, I thought the Pepper looked pooped, too.  
Meka looked nice in pink.  
Mindy looked ok but the previews of the reunion had her looking a little scary.  
I think I have a special place in my heart now for Dr. V.  Her reactions to The Hairdo were priceless.  

Mindy looks terrible in the reunion clips.  That makes me think hair and makeup did a terrific job on her during the show.  I wonder if the reunion clips Mindy are what Zack couldn't fall in love with!

Michael looked quite dashing in his decision day outfit!  I noticed Meka glancing at him and probably thinking what if?

They should have never let Brandon back in after his bathroom break!  I never put up with that kind of nonsense.  I'm sure they knew Taylor was saying no so why allow his bad behavior.  They looked like dopes while Brandon held them all hostage!I

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Jeanne222

[Kira53]

On 4/17/2020 at 10:39 AM, Elizzikra said:

Brandon knew what the requirements were for taping when he went on the show. If he didn't think that he could balance his work commitments and his commitment to taping, he shouldn't have agreed to be on the show. At a minimum, if getting to work in the middle of the couple's retreat was that critical, he could and should have made his own arrangments for transportation. He could have rented a car or arranged for a ride from someone other than production. He could have swallowed his pride about whatever sort of disrespect he thought he was getting from production and unlocked the door so they could leave on time. He could have pre-arranged with Taylor (not that she would or should have agreed) to take him back on Saturday. He could have skipped the retreat. There are problems with all of these choices but he had choices. He handled this situation like he handled every other situation... badly.

He could have packed his work clothes and worn them directly to the job site.    Not complicated.  He could have let Michael in and not walked away delaying the car leaving.  Not complicated.  He never takes responsibility for anything.  It's always somebody else's fault. Taylor is responsible for his behavior even though he started acting out right after they walk the aisle. He's smushed the cake because he would later discover she was on Instagram?

[Lifesabeach]

On 4/16/2020 at 7:00 PM, spunky said:

I don’t know why Brandon acted offended when Taylor asked for a divorce. She has her faults, but he’s been a piece of trash the entire time. He didn’t even have enough respect for the experts to sit there for a few minutes. Dr. Viviana and Pastor Cal seemed ready to snatch Taylor up if she said she wanted to stay married. 

Michael doesn’t believe in honesty or divorce. Meka deserves better than this lying fool with his flavor saver beard and Mickey Mouse voice. I hope no one was expecting a straight answer from Zach. Derek is such a sweetie, I don’t know why he keeps trying with the annoyance that is Katie .

I’m glad Pastor Cal called Zach, Brandon and Michael our on their behavior. He looked like he was ready to throw Brandon into the next century. Taylor and Meka’s friendship reminds me of Amber and Iris, they seem to have a genuine bond. Michael and his pursed lips could have done like Brandon and not even show up at the final gathering. I’m leaning towards Taylor and Zach or Taylor and Derek as the couple that hooked up after.

The hook up couple, didn’t someone upthread mention this and if not, I’m going to now:  Brandon and Michael 😈🤣

[humbleopinion]

3 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

 

Michael looked quite dashing in his decision day outfit!  I noticed Meka glancing at him and probably thinking what if?

Maybe Michael got a job at Men's Warehouuse.

Meka's thought bubble....(Singing to herself.)..🎶Someone That I Used to Know🎶

[spunky]

1 hour ago, Lifesabeach said:

The hook up couple, didn’t someone upthread mention this and if not, I’m going to now:  Brandon and Michael 😈🤣

I don't think that would be much of a surprise to anyone.  Those two are perfect for each other. 

[MajorNelson]

On 4/17/2020 at 6:23 AM, Kareem said:

Ya, I thought the Pepper looked pooped, too.  

Seen a couple of comments, and not sure if people realize she is 74.  fwiw I thought she was present and able.  Advice-wise, when there are two messed up people pretty much no amount of advice is going to help.

[MajorNelson]

22 hours ago, retired watcher said:

Someone was sitting next to Derek. He held up a glass when they toasted. Look very carefully.

I rewatched carefully due to your comment, and I can report....that there is someone we never otherwise see with a portion of a leather jacket showing.  It's not Zach unless he donned one over his t shirt, but I note he arrived without one.  The mystery person (piece of a jacket) is seen just after Meka and Taylor hug after the group toast, and then seen a second time just afterward from another angle...is seated to the left of Derek.

Edited out, confirmed!

[LuvMyShows]

On 4/17/2020 at 3:08 AM, Yeah No said:

It's too coincidental that they matched these people with exactly the OPPOSITE of what production had to KNOW they wanted based on all that they were told by the applicants.  Not that I think he's without his own problems, but I really don't blame Brandon for calling them pieces of shit, because these are people's LIVES they are playing with here.

But the people he was being such a dick to, looked more like cameramen and lower-level production staffers.  I doubt they are the same as the folks actually doing the matching.

On 4/17/2020 at 9:05 AM, KateHearts said:

On a superficial note:

-Mindy looked wonderful. I don't think she's too skinny and I am glad she stuck with what is obviously a style she is comfortable with

And on a more superficial note, when they showed a view of Dr. V's dress from the back, it was not a good look...her behind looked absolutely enormous and also sort of oddly shaped/squished.

On 4/17/2020 at 9:18 AM, sasha206 said:

Meanwhile, I did feel like Austin's expected declaration of love almost felt Stockholm Syndrome.   He didn't seem as happy as I thought he would be.  

On 4/17/2020 at 11:21 AM, gonecrackers said:

I'm convinced he had already said it to her privately & was just playing the show game waiting until the decision couch to declare it publicly.

I agree.  I think both her original "I do love you Austin" and his ILY, were re-created for the show. 

9 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

Michael looked quite dashing in his decision day outfit! 

I agree.  I was surprised and a little nauseous that I felt that way!

[Lindz]

Austin. Being a stubborn little boy. They put the HEAT on him & he remained SILENT. Finally, relented & said he loved her. Baha. I mean, if you don't feel safe telling your SPOUSE how you feel, you should be single.

[Lindz]

HELLOOOOOOOO SWEATY PITS McCRAZY MAN! He got his apology, that's why he's there? He's smiling cuz he got what he wanted, SO WHAT?! They showed your sweaty pits, so did you really win? 😂 Looks like he washed his hands of the show & didn't attend the reunion, yet got Taylor's handsy dumbass ARRESTED?!! BOUNDARIES GIRL!! When someone says, "DON'T TOUCH ME!" DON'T TOUCH THEM & GIVE THEM PLENTY OF SPACE. WALK AWAY & SAY NOTHING. Who seeks interaction with an agitated person?? He figured it out BEFORE her, he can figure it out WITHOUT her. Ready for the LAST of them!

[Lindz]

On 4/15/2020 at 6:37 PM, MyTwoCents said:

Why does Zack still have that stupid smile?

He thinks he's being a charming lady-killer & they'll go easy on him. Like, "Look! I'm smiling, I look like a good guy." ☺ Or maybe he's smiling because he's uncomfortable. Too bad it makes him more hated because we find it DISGUSTING & DISTURBING.

[Lindz]

On 4/15/2020 at 7:00 PM, Myrtle Urkele said:

Yeah, Mindy handled it well. But Zach handled it horribly... look at Will from season 8 and Keith from season 9. They weren't attracted to their spouses but they weren't jerky about it or didn't embarrass their wives on TV. Zatch was there for the exposure  and at the end of the day it backfired. I hope he learns from this.

Will & Keith absolutely embarrassed their wives, even WORSE than Zach because they played along & MISLED them. They didn't check out COMPLETELY & OBVIOUSLY so their wives were unsure of what they were doing. At least Zach started low & STAYED low. It was CLEAR he wasn't interested in the marriage the WHOLE TIME. 😂

[Lindz]

On 4/15/2020 at 7:01 PM, Ohwell said:

I think Zach handled it as best he could, so we'll just have to agree to disagree.

How did he handle it as best he could? How is COMPLETELY separating on the honeymoon NOT the best? He should've stopped "participating" since he wasn't trying to build his marriage. 

[Lindz]

On 4/16/2020 at 7:59 AM, seacliffsal said:

It's hard to protect against lies other than taking time to try and really getting to know someone before jumping into a "forever" relationship.  

EXACTLY! Time reveals the TRUTH & when it's shown, it must be dealt with, NOT ignored. Some lies CANNOT be tolerated. So. Everyone should just slow down & wait for the truth.

[Lindz]

On 4/16/2020 at 11:05 AM, sasha206 said:

Did Michael really suggest that he needed to have trust to be vunnerable and by vunnerable mean be honest?  That he couldn't trust Meka to be his true self so he lied?

 

On 4/16/2020 at 11:16 AM, sometimesjennifer said:

Yea, it realllly felt to me like he was trying to blame Meka for his lying. That if he'd been able to trust her he would not have felt the need to lie. He's repeatedly said that he didn't trust her, but has he ever explained why? 

I also loved his weird line about how he realized "the habits that I had as an individual that were comfortable for me" didn't work in the marriage. The habit of constantly lying? I guess he's right - that habit doesn't really work in a marriage. Does he even listen to himself when he speaks? It's all nonsense but he really seems to think his behavior was justified.

 

On 4/16/2020 at 11:17 AM, princelina said:

Yes!  Basically "I'll lie to you until you prove that YOU can be trusted - so get busy!"  And normal people don't have to be "vunnable" to tell others what they do for work - that information can be divulged on a blind date.  But Meka still doesn't know! 😄 

I think he chose to lie, going forward, when his honeymoon ultimatum (truth) EXPLODED in his face. Maybe he was going to be honest, but decided it wasn't safe to. Just a possible explanation, NOT a defense. Yes, he lied to EVERYONE else, but maybe he intended on telling the truth to his WIFE. Too bad his behavior was also terrible.

Zach actually explained he nonsensically rambles because the truth isn't received well.  Who knows how Mindy received that he wasn't attracted. Couldn't have been all that bad since he kept telling her. 😂 It's a terrible feeling when you fear the other person can't handle the truth, but that's THEIR problem. People still MUST tell the truth, regardless. ESPECIALLY to their SPOUSES! Lies bomb too! Zach just disorients who he responds to so he can escape answering with an "unpleasant" truth. Michael got BEAT DOWN when he got caught lying, but his lies were received well & accepted at the time. These cowards FEAR REJECTION, so they lie. If the lie is rejected, well it wasn't true, so that's not as bad.

Edited April 20, 2020 by Lindz

[Lindz]

On 4/16/2020 at 2:53 PM, retired watcher said:

That being said Brandon and Michael are both trying to get legal annulments even though that is not supposed to be an option.

My goodness, THREE couples didn't consummate their marriages!! That's the ENTIRE CAST of earlier seasons! 😂😂