S02.E09: Crossing The Line

[1011101010001]

34 minutes ago, Mothra said:

Ari says she's independent and ready to be married. 

And it’s her second marriage.  Him too lol.

[mamadrama]

I'm thinking back to when I moved abroad...At no point did I expect my mother to come and give her approval. Of course, when I moved abroad I had my own money saved up and I rented a place myself. I didn't leave that all up to my baby daddy (who I barely knew). I know Ari and Deavan  are expats and it can be hard manuevering the logistics but I have trouble wrapping my head around the idea of my livelihood being at someone else's mercy.

This forum is basically the only reason I still watch this franchise. I'd quit, but then I'd be left out of the conversation. I've tried other places, but it's just not the same. For instance @Angry MoldovanMOLDOVANMOLDOVANa and I just spent the evening fighting a troll on Twitter whose best comeback was pointing out my fivehead. At least here we get wit! 

(I swear the repeat of her name is a site mistake and not mine. Every time I backspace it writes "Moldovan" twice. Maybe the Karen Coven was right and the Moldovans ARE scary people!)

[DEL901]

8 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

I'm going to guess Ari has been sMothered since she was born.  She's never had to be responsible for her terrible choices!

If she forgot...sigh...to ask if he could support them consequences are on her!!!

Go home mom!  You're a pest!

I also believe that her family has been financing her travels.   I know she claims to be some sort of writer, but that requires a kind of personal discipline I don’t see her having.  

[mamadrama]

54 minutes ago, DEL901 said:

I also believe that her family has been financing her travels.   I know she claims to be some sort of writer, but that requires a kind of personal discipline I don’t see her having.  

And in a lot of her stuff she's trying to brand herself as this boho traveler, yet her pictures are of the Sheraton and Hilton resorts. She reminds me of this woman named Cassie on Naked and Afraid. She claimed to have lived in the jungle, to be a badass survivalist, and to have done all this solo traveling but it was later revealed that she was basically a sugar baby and rich men were paying her to travel around on their private jets. 

[configdotsys]

Grandma can be as concerned as she wants to be but the daughter she raised (to be a clueless dependent child) is the one who gets to call the shots. If Grandma wants to ensure her grandchild is not living in squalor, then she can send a check every month that Ari can use to pay rent on a nice apartment. 

[AZChristian]

14 hours ago, Mothra said:

I can understand Ari's mom, who is a nurse, wanting to be sure that the hospital Ari will use is up to snuff.  It was, and that should have been the end of her intrusion into their lives.  Like many of these young American women, Ari says she's independent and ready to be married.  It's obvious to us that neither of those things is true.  The idea that she hadn't thought about how they were going to support themselves until her mother brought it up makes me wonder about her relationship to reality.  That's a problem that didn't develop overnight.  I think it's too late now for mom to try to repair this deficit in Ari's upbringing--it's time for Ari to experience the consequences of her choices.  And who knows?  Maybe they'll be just fine.

Actually, I suspect Ari's reality is that Mom and Dad have given her a generous (salary-sized for most people) allowance for her entire life.  Ari doesn't seem to comprehend that most married people with babies don't continue to receive an allowance.  Her assumption is that the allowance will continue and in a less-expensive country, it will be enough to support three people.

And she's probably right.

[mamadrama]

14 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Actually, I suspect Ari's reality is that Mom and Dad have given her a generous (salary-sized for most people) allowance for her entire life.  Ari doesn't seem to comprehend that most married people with babies don't continue to receive an allowance.  Her assumption is that the allowance will continue and in a less-expensive country, it will be enough to support three people.

And she's probably right.

And I'm sure she dragged a kicking and screaming Ari into her nice hotel room with toilet seat and shower.

[Baltimore Betty]

On 7/29/2020 at 9:40 PM, mamadrama said:

Thank you. Between the strokes, heart attacks and my son's cancer this past year I'm afraid people are going to forget about me. I haven't written at all. But I DO have an idea for a new horror novel: woman from 3rd world country marries a greasy toad, only to reach the US to find there is a shortage of toilet paper and she can't return home because of the travel ban. I'm thinking of calling it "Mmmmmmm, May I Halik You: A 90 Day Pandemic Love Story."

 

 

I am so sorry to hear about the health issues you and your son are having.  Cancer is a heartbreaking diagnosis, never stop being your son's health advocate, I know how overwhelming it can be, reach out to the social workers and Cancer Society chapter in your area, there is a lot of programs that can help with every aspect of what you are going thru.  As for your novel...it will be so mach good!

[slaterain]

 

On 7/29/2020 at 5:43 PM, John M said:

OK, did anyone follow the fish thing? Aren't they staying at a hotel? They didn't talk about cooking the fish, or bringing it to the parents house to cook, they just said Dracilla wanted a decapitated fish and for some reason that request needed to be obliged. 

As for the Ethiopian hospital, it did look well equipped except for the fact that, nobody seemed to be giving birth in the hospital, it looked like the entire OB/GYN wing was completely deserted, which seems unusual for a hospital that is set up to regularly deliver children.

These were my two big questions too! 

Regarding the hospital - I wonder if they moved people or showed an empty section to not have privacy issues with the video taping. 

[John M]

On 7/30/2020 at 12:54 PM, AZChristian said:

Actually, I suspect Ari's reality is that Mom and Dad have given her a generous (salary-sized for most people) allowance for her entire life.  Ari doesn't seem to comprehend that most married people with babies don't continue to receive an allowance.  Her assumption is that the allowance will continue and in a less-expensive country, it will be enough to support three people.

And she's probably right.

She may have a trust fund, it's more common that you might think. I work in the non-profit sector and it is crawling with people not doing their jobs for the money, like, literally they don't need the money, because either a trust fund or a spouse that earns much more money. 

[Kangatush]

Father Jihoon remains delightful.  

I don't understand how Ari is such a princess.  Didn't she say she was married for 10 years?  She's 28, so how freaking new is the divorce?  Unless she married at like 12.  And she should already be more independent, unless they lived with her family the whole time.  Ari found Bini, so he wasn't trolling for Americans.  

 

[Scout Finch]

On 7/27/2020 at 2:47 PM, DVDFreaker said:

Good point! 

However, if you're a conspiracy theorist and an anti-vaxxer you'll be golden with her mother.

[Hotel Snarker]

My review of S2 E9:

Brittany and Yazan: I really liked Yazan’s uncle, he seemed very patient and understanding of this situation. I agree that Brittany should be given time to think through this situation, whether or not she wants to convert to Islam (she will probably not). But let’s not forget, she is also still married. So I wonder how the Family Yazan will react when they find that out.

Deavan and Jihoon: There is no way that that Korean restauranteur “accidentally” served some Americans bondegi, when it’s obvious that they don’t speak Korean.

Man, that translator was horrible. Literally everything Jihoon tried to say to Deavan just translated into something completely different. 

I don’t think Deavan should forgive Jihoon. We all know he lied, now how are you supposed to move forward? She should go back to the US.

Cheesedick Tim and Melyza: I cannot stand Tim, but Melyza is a fool for staying with him. If Melyza is going to forgive Tim, then she needs to start fresh. She cannot keep bringing up the cheating again and again or else there will not be any trust in the relationship.

[Mrs. Hanson]

18 hours ago, Hotel Snarker said:

Cheesedick Tim and Melyza: I cannot stand Tim, but Melyza is a fool for staying with him. If Melyza is going to forgive Tim, then she needs to start fresh. She cannot keep bringing up the cheating again and again or else there will not be any trust in the relationship.

First off, I happen to love cheesesticks in real life.  Thank you for ruining that, TIM!  Secondly, (and this is very subjective, I know) who wants to know all the details of the cheating?  "Well, I poured a glass of cold pino for her, then I ran my fingers through her hair.  We began kissing, her hands went......" yeah.....no.  We all know what cheating is and she should have just ended it there and asked for her cat back.

Then he posts about the cheating on social media???  Asking to get caught, this is his way of wanting out the relationship.  He may not realize it, but that is his end game.

Edited August 2, 2020 by Mrs. Hanson

[DVDFreaker]

8 hours ago, Scout Finch said:

However, if you're a conspiracy theorist and an anti-vaxxer you'll be golden with her mother.

I am going to pass on the mother, she is a loud mouth nutcase 

[lightninggirl]

This episode was the first that I watched. It was such a trainwreck that I've completely forgotten which couple in a TLC preview compelled me to watch the show in the first place.

I'm chiming in to say that as an administrator at a large university in the US, I've been tits-deep in Jihoons for years. In fact, I've had to deal with two that were actually named Jihoon. I threw one Jihoon (actually named Jihoon) out of two separate programs; he actually was able to con his way into the second one after being tossed out of the first (and Jihooned his way out of that program, too). TLC Jihoon's mother is absolutely fucking ridiculous and I felt so awful for his dad in this episode. TLC Jihoon a total fucking drama queen and I just want to kick him through the television because I'm having flashbacks of my university Jihoons. My god.

Edited August 2, 2020 by lightninggirl

[DaphneCat]

REALLY late to the party here.  I just wanted to mention that the second apartment Bibi showed Ari and Janice was under construction.  It didn't look like squalor, it looked like something in the middle of construction - especially since no one was living there.  Mr. Cat and I remodeled our house several year ago and chose to live in it during the process (LOTS of fun I can assure you - I think only the fact that there was a bathroom that remained untouched kept us from killing our contractor.)  The dangling electrical wires?  Pretty normal to me.  One night we came home to discover the electrician was in the middle of rewiring several rooms.  He very kindly strung trouble lights (those lights on extension cords) around the house so we could see.  We came home one day to discover our hot water heater was in the middle of the dining room connected by garden hoses.  We were grateful for the fact we still had hot water.  We literally had a tarp over a hole in the roof while they were building the dormer.  It was late October, in Pennsylvania, before we actually had heat.  My very rambling point is OF COURSE the 2nd apartment looked like shit - no one lived in it.  Poor Bibi was showing her the apartment and (I could be projecting here) expecting her to be excited about the possibilities and how great it would be when it was finished.  Instead he had judgmental people telling him how unacceptable it was.

The first apartment was supposed to be temporary - I don't think he planned on living there with the baby.  He really thought Ari would suck it up and deal while he finished the 2nd apartment before the baby came.

[jnymph]

On 7/28/2020 at 12:17 AM, DVDFreaker said:

Yeah, Jihoon’s dad is really cool, he even apologized about the small apartment which he did not have to do that 

Deavon and Dad should run off together; and dump horrid Mom and son. Just kidding. Sorta.

[Stinamaia]

On 7/29/2020 at 9:30 AM, Neurochick said:

This is understandable.  If Ari's mom wants to step in, then she should wait until the baby is born, go to court and get guardianship for the baby and then she and her husband can raise the child.

However, I have seen parents who do that, who step in because they want to help the baby and many times the daughter goes out and has another baby and then the grandparents want to help THAT baby and on it goes.  

A good thing about coming from a poor family is that you know there’s no one stepping in to save you.  
But watching people from better off families, I know that parents give down payments for houses , buy cars, trips overseas, etc.  Their children seem just fine.  They are still responsible adults even though their lives are cushioned. 

Where I look askance is at the mother actively planting seeds of doubt in Ari’s mind.  I suspect their are many strings attached to mom’s “help.”
 

[Kid]

On 8/2/2020 at 10:22 AM, lightninggirl said:

I've been tits-deep in Jihoons for years.

Best line I have seen in a long time!!!!  🤣🤣🤣🤣

Edited August 4, 2020 by Kid

[Hotel Snarker]

Oops, posted on wrong episode thread.

Edited August 5, 2020 by Hotel Snarker
Wrong episode thread.

[Hotel Snarker]

On 8/4/2020 at 4:01 PM, Stinamaia said:

Where I look askance is at the mother actively planting seeds of doubt in Ari’s mind.  I suspect their are many strings attached to mom’s “help.”
 

I bet they’ll be on Smothered pretty soon.

On 8/3/2020 at 6:01 PM, DaphneCat said:

REALLY late to the party here.  I just wanted to mention that the second apartment Bibi showed Ari and Janice was under construction.  It didn't look like squalor, it looked like something in the middle of construction - especially since no one was living there.  Mr. Cat and I remodeled our house several year ago and chose to live in it during the process (LOTS of fun I can assure you - I think only the fact that there was a bathroom that remained untouched kept us from killing our contractor.)  The dangling electrical wires?  Pretty normal to me.  One night we came home to discover the electrician was in the middle of rewiring several rooms.  He very kindly strung trouble lights (those lights on extension cords) around the house so we could see.  We came home one day to discover our hot water heater was in the middle of the dining room connected by garden hoses.  We were grateful for the fact we still had hot water.  We literally had a tarp over a hole in the roof while they were building the dormer.  It was late October, in Pennsylvania, before we actually had heat.  My very rambling point is OF COURSE the 2nd apartment looked like shit - no one lived in it.  Poor Bibi was showing her the apartment and (I could be projecting here) expecting her to be excited about the possibilities and how great it would be when it was finished.  Instead he had judgmental people telling him how unacceptable it was.

The first apartment was supposed to be temporary - I don't think he planned on living there with the baby.  He really thought Ari would suck it up and deal while he finished the 2nd apartment before the baby came.

Living in squalor was definitely a sorta condescending thing to say. 

[Brishen]

On 7/28/2020 at 8:27 PM, humbleopinion said:

Mando is thinking when the cameras are gone and his neighbors who do not need to know that they are gay and who may be verbally abusive of them in front of or to Hannah.

Cranky Gramps needs to think about the big picture instead of getting into a snit because he can't  walk around fingers entwined with his bf like middle schoolers...

I was really surprised by Ken’s stupidity with this. No, the worse thing that can happen is not being “called a name.” There is still violent gay bashing in many parts of the US, why he wouldn’t trust Armando who has lived there his whole life is beyond me. Maybe their and Hannah’s safety (not to mention her being harassed at school) is more important than holding hands right now? His whining about it reminded me of Nicole in Morocco, and that’s not a good look.

[Brishen]

On 7/29/2020 at 10:51 PM, Jeanne222 said:

I'm going to guess Ari has been sMothered since she was born.  She's never had to be responsible for her terrible choices!

If she forgot...sigh...to ask if he could support them consequences are on her!!!

Go home mom!  You're a pest!

While I appreciate the sentiment, and admittedly didn’t know the family for long, during that period Ari was the opposite of Smothered, more like borderline neglected. Mom Ari may be making up for lost time and past mistakes.

[Quof]

 I think it's really inappropriate that you are sharing things you learned about the family while caring for their minor child.

[DVDFreaker]

On 8/4/2020 at 12:12 AM, jnymph said:

Deavon and Dad should run off together; and dump horrid Mom and son. Just kidding. Sorta.

That made me laugh but imagine Deavon and Dad having sex, yuck!!!

[KateHearts]

On 8/5/2020 at 6:02 PM, Quof said:

 I think it's really inappropriate that you are sharing things you learned about the family while caring for their minor child.

To whom are you referring?

I think the worst storyline this season is Tim and Meyliza.  First of all, it's kind of boring. Not to mention kind of unrealistic... who in their right mind moves their entire life to another country for someone he cheated on, and who says has not forgiven him or moved on? Oh right- it's Tim, the personification of the slack-jawed Yokel.  In his talking heads he pauses after making a not-so-interesting declaration ("I hope her Mom doesn't kill me") and just sports a blank, open-mouthed stare.  The moaning and groaning over scrambled eggs (I didn't even see her season them) was either really bad acting or his real personality, which leaves a lot to be desired. I give him points for being able to communicate some in Spanish. But the crying... it's every conversation. I think he has some mental health issues.  

I am not sure what to make of Ari and Baby.  That dance was...more than extra. Mom looks older (near 70 to me)- as does her dad, which leads me to believe she is the late-life baby and has been treated as such by her financially comfortable parents. It's one thing for mom and dad to pay for a post-college graduation trek to Europe for a few months; another thing to be still this involved in decision-making for a 30-year old now pregnant woman who can't seem to take responsibility for her own life. Add to that that her mother is a nurse, it's obvious that Mom feels okay inserting herself into every aspect of Ari's current life. Mom wasn't overtly, Angie-like critical- but her skeptical gaze and comments about "living in squalor" (no, that would be a crack house with needles on the floor and a bucket for a toilet) and "I want Ari to be living in the comfort she is used to" (this is not the suburbs of NJ) are barbed. 

I'm so sick of Jenny and Sumit- all she does is whine about "paperwork" and how she's never going away.  She needs to do just that. His brother was kind but it was obvious he was fed up with it all.  And her comment about "society!! They keep saying that society won't approve! What about him being happy! Don't they care about that?!" reflects that again, the dumb American doesn't understand that in many, many cultures it's about so much more than attraction and happiness.  It's about extended family, financial responsibility, social status, religion and yes, society.  In America, we are fortunate to be able to pursue whomever we love and are attracted to. In other cultures, that may not be the case.

[Jeanne222]

I can't believe Tim told Mel all the details of his cheating!

I've been married many moons and so far hubbys lips are still sealed on any past girlfriends!

Looking at Mel and her mom and dad sitting in judgement they look so dark and judgemental.

This is not going to end well.

I kind of sense Sumit not really into Jenny like he was before.  Maybe he wants mom and dad to end it!

Ken seems to be showing us why he could not find a partner in the US.  He's a different man and I feel sorry for Armando.

[Uncle JUICE]

4 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

I can't believe Tim told Mel all the details of his cheating!

 

I keep wondering what PURPOSE do these details serve their relationship? He fucked someone else, do any details make the main point of the story materially different, or the outcome more acceptable? You either accept it and move on or you don't. BTW these two fucking suck, whoever said they were the most boring is right.