S02.E05: Friend or Boyfriend?

[Guest]

Airs December 8, 2020

Quote

Moriah decides that it's time to keep her promise to Max, and she introduces him to her family; Ethan and Olivia continue to mend their marriage, but Olivia is crushed when she hears some disappointing news.

 

[mmecorday]

I think Olivia just wants someone to drink with.

[DNR]

Damn Father Plath is VERY STRANGE

[marymary]

I’ll preface this comment by acknowledging the fact that I’m stoned.

But I thought that all of the Plath kids came off really well in this episode. Ethan seems ... wiser? ... than I’d previously given him credit for, though I think he was probably born about 100 years too late. Lydia genuinely seems like such a sweet person, and Isaac comes across as really good natured. 
 

my god, what has quarantine brought me to? I can’t believe I’ve learned their names. 🤦🏻‍♀️

[Madding crowd]

Olivia needs to realize she has a good guy and quit getting upset and trying to goad him all the time. I like Ethan and honestly, no guys want to talk about feelings all the time and no partner will always be able to guess what you are feeling all the time.

Still hate the parents. So the mom teaches ballet she learned on YouTube once every few months and that is a well rounded education? It seems like their idea of education is to imprison their children and teach them random things sporadically. And it was obvious they bought the expensive flight simulator so Isaac won’t seek out friends or someday want to go to flight school.

It mad zero sense for Max to insist on meeting Moriah’s parents in order to be her friend. That was all show created.

[Ziggy]

3 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

Olivia needs to realize she has a good guy and quit getting upset and trying to goad him all the time. I like Ethan and honestly, no guys want to talk about feelings all the time and no partner will always be able to guess what you are feeling all the time.

Overall, I really like Olivia.  I think part of the challenge they are facing is that they are both just so young.  They are in their early 20's, which is often a time in your life when you are officially and adult and feel like you should have it all together and sometimes think you do have it all together, and you just don't because you are just so young.

Ethan was completely sheltered and is stunted in some ways, but I don't think he is as emotionally stunted as she thinks he is.  He's goofy and can seem immature, but really that's just his personality.  He knows how to be responsible and serious when he needs to be.  And he really is trying.  He doesn't always know what to do or how to support her, but he is definitely trying to figure it out.

Taking everything at face value (which I probably shouldn't do, since this is reality tv), this is a couple that could probably benefit from couple's counseling.  They both really do want to see their marriage survive.  They just don't quite know what to do.  But the fact that they are both trying and really care about each other (and not constantly fighting) should give them hope.  They just need some direction.  That's my incredibly "not a professional" opinion.

[jaybird2]

3 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

Olivia needs to realize she has a good guy and quit getting upset and trying to goad him all the time. I like Ethan and honestly, no guys want to talk about feelings all the time and no partner will always be able to guess what you are feeling all the time.

Still hate the parents. So the mom teaches ballet she learned on YouTube once every few months and that is a well rounded education? It seems like their idea of education is to imprison their children and teach them random things sporadically. And it was obvious they bought the expensive flight simulator so Isaac won’t seek out friends or someday want to go to flight school.

It mad zero sense for Max to insist on meeting Moriah’s parents in order to be her friend. That was all show created.

the scenes with matt are very uncomfortable to watch.  in fact, i find any scene with moriah very uncomfortable, very stiff very plastic.

[OldButHappy]

13 hours ago, marymary said:

I can’t believe I’ve learned their names. 🤦🏻‍♀️

...while stoned! Color me impressed!

[Jeanne222]

So last night was interesting.  I think being on her own is hard and Moriah and her brother are trying to mend the relationship with mom and dad. A few hard knocks in the adult world will do that to a person. 
 

Olivia has been the root of all evil in that family. She has time on her hands now that she’s not stirring the Plaths so Ethan is her new victim!  Wait til she gets wind that Moriah went over to her family for a visit!  She thought she had that pretty well busted up!

 

Also did I hear her say Cairo folks say things about her?  Maybe they feel like I do. 
 

She loves it when Ethan drinks. Something else she brought to the table. 
 

He’s great on the piano and seems to be able to fix anything. Things he learned at home?  He’s a nice young man just chose the wrong partner. 
 

Being alienated from the Plath family why don’t they move back by her family?  I’ll bet they don’t because she caused trouble there too. 

[Shelbie]

I don’t believe Olivia is evil at all.

She is a very young woman who was brought up in the same repressive way as her husband. Ethan and Moriah and Micah all enjoy her company and she had the brains and ability to change the course of her life. 

I think is wildly convenient for the Plath parents to blame Olivia for all their problems. That way they never have to look at how they raised their children. It allows them to go on their smug way as the children leave one by one.

[AryasMum]

I find it highly unlikely that Kim starting taking ballet in college, and was en pointe after four years.  Either she doesn’t know what en pointe means or she’s lying. 

41 minutes ago, Shelbie said:

I don’t believe Olivia is evil at all.

She is a very young woman who was brought up in the same repressive way as her husband. Ethan and Moriah and Micah all enjoy her company and she had the brains and ability to change the course of her life. 

I think is wildly convenient for the Plath parents to blame Olivia for all their problems. That way they never have to look at how they raised their children. It allows them to go on their smug way as the children leave one by one.

I agree. It’s also interesting that Kim points out that Hosanna never had a problem with their parenting style. Yep, she became a teen bride and got the hell out of town. There’s a reason eldest daughter is not on the show. 

[OldButHappy]

1 hour ago, Jeanne222 said:

So last night was interesting.  I think being on her own is hard and Moriah and her brother are trying to mend the relationship with mom and dad. A few hard knocks in the adult world will do that to a person. 
Olivia has been the root of all evil in that family. She has time on her hands now that she’s not stirring the Plaths so Ethan is her new victim!  Wait til she gets wind that Moriah went over to her family for a visit!  She thought she had that pretty well busted up!

Also did I hear her say Cairo folks say things about her?  Maybe they feel like I do. 

She loves it when Ethan drinks. Something else she brought to the table. 

He’s great on the piano and seems to be able to fix anything. Things he learned at home?  He’s a nice young man just chose the wrong partner.

Being alienated from the Plath family why don’t they move back by her family?  I’ll bet they don’t because she caused trouble there too. 

Kim?

[WahooLAH99]

1 hour ago, AryasMum said:

I find it highly unlikely that Kim starting taking ballet in college, and was en pointe after four years.  Either she doesn’t know what en pointe means or she’s lying. 

I agree. It’s also interesting that Kim points out that Hosanna never had a problem with their parenting style. Yep, she became a teen bride and got the hell out of town. There’s a reason eldest daughter is not on the show. 

Did she say she was a dance major? Or just she took dance? Either way I did not believe her. No way was she en pointe at 21/22 for the first time! And p.s. lady your kids are not well rounded because they can sign and dance! They don’t know what the 4th of July is, for God sake. You SUCK as a parent, and a person! Every time I watch this show I want to just get me my car and drive down there and save those poor uneducated children. And give Moriah a big hug!

[TwirlyGirly]

2 hours ago, AryasMum said:

I find it highly unlikely that Kim starting taking ballet in college, and was en pointe after four years.  Either she doesn’t know what en pointe means or she’s lying. <snip>

 

1 hour ago, WahooLAH99 said:

Did she say she was a dance major? Or just she took dance? Either way I did not believe her. No way was she en pointe at 21/22 for the first time! <snip>

No, she didn't say she was a dance major.

But I agree with both of you; no way she began lessons at 18 and was en pointe at 21. 

Watching her teach the girls, the first thing I noticed was her horrible posture. The girls posture was awful, too - and Kim didn't correct them! If she actually knew what she was doing, and wanted to appear at all credible on camera, she would have.

It was all about teaching them a few positions (sloppily) and how to pirouette and spot, but the foundational stuff wasn't there. She has no business telling them they're learning ballet. 

[Madding crowd]

I am in the middle regarding Olivia. I don’t think she is evil but I do think she is pretty hard on Ethan and he is bending over backwards to try and make her happy. She said it bothers her that he can’t understand and have the same feelings as her, and I think that is expecting too much.

I think they will do better moving away but if she expects his family to be any different than they are she will be disappointed. I have been married 25 years and my mother in law has always hated me. It bothered me a lot when I was young, but it doesn’t bother me now because I just live my life. 

[Meowwww]

I’m pissed.  Stupid Ethan heard back from the realtor that they didn’t get the house.  Olivia had to ask if he heard.  
He didn’t tell her he heard back until she asked.  Urrrrrgggghhhhhh. Who does this?  

[jaybird2]

48 minutes ago, Meowwww said:

I’m pissed.  Stupid Ethan heard back from the realtor that they didn’t get the house.  Olivia had to ask if he heard.  
He didn’t tell her he heard back until she asked.  Urrrrrgggghhhhhh. Who does this?  

i thought the same thing....i would have been upset with ethan....i would have said 'i wonder why we haven't from the realtor'

[emmawoodhouse]

23 minutes ago, jaybird2 said:

i thought the same thing....i would have been upset with ethan....i would have said 'i wonder why we haven't from the realtor'

Ethan still has a lot to learn about open communication. I'm sure he held things very close to the vest when he lived under Kim and Barry's roof. 

I hope he learned a lesson about withholding important information from your spouse. These two could definitely benefit from some marital counseling.

[Ziggy]

9 hours ago, Meowwww said:

I’m pissed.  Stupid Ethan heard back from the realtor that they didn’t get the house.  Olivia had to ask if he heard.  
He didn’t tell her he heard back until she asked.  Urrrrrgggghhhhhh. Who does this?  

He probably made the same mistake many, many guys his age make ... he avoided telling her, because he didn't want to have to deal with her disappointment.  I'm not saying it isn't immature.  I'm just saying it's not uncommon for someone in their 20's to have that thought.  Heck, my husband is much older, and he occasionally makes similar decisions.

[Twopper]

7 hours ago, Ziggy said:

He probably made the same mistake many, many guys his age make ... he avoided telling her, because he didn't want to have to deal with her disappointment. 

I am guessing he had no clue how to deal with her disappointment.  If he were more mature, he would have said something to the effect "I was waiting because I knew you would be disappointed and I was trying to think of the best way to tell you, because I knew how disappointed you would be."  That would work if they had gotten called that day or within the last 24 hours or so.   If it was days later, then I am not sure how .Instead in his head he is thinking "she will be unhappy and I have no idea how to tell her so I better go fix the washing machine."    If it was several days later, she will be not only disappointed by not getting the house, but also mad because he didn't tell her. 

For some reason I find it funny that Cairo Ga is pronounced like Karo syrup.  I am weird that way.

The ballet scene reminded me of the episode "The Ballet" in the I Love Lucy series.  I just laughed at Kim's teaching.  Sorry, not sorry.  Those girls need to be put into real ballet classes.  Kim's teaching is a joke, and I don't believe her story about  her amazing progress in taking ballet for 4 years in college.

I didn't like Kim at first, and I am disliking her more and more.  I had no idea that would be possible. 

John David Duggar was interested in flying , and he got lessons and a license instead of a simulator.  These parents are nuts.

[AryasMum]

5 hours ago, Twopper said:

I am guessing he had no clue how to deal with her disappointment.  If he were more mature, he would have said something to the effect "I was waiting because I knew you would be disappointed and I was trying to think of the best way to tell you, because I knew how disappointed you would be."  That would work if they had gotten called that day or within the last 24 hours or so.   If it was days later, then I am not sure how .Instead in his head he is thinking "she will be unhappy and I have no idea how to tell her so I better go fix the washing machine."    If it was several days later, she will be not only disappointed by not getting the house, but also mad because he didn't tell her. 

For some reason I find it funny that Cairo Ga is pronounced like Karo syrup.  I am weird that way.

The ballet scene reminded me of the episode "The Ballet" in the I Love Lucy series.  I just laughed at Kim's teaching.  Sorry, not sorry.  Those girls need to be put into real ballet classes.  Kim's teaching is a joke, and I don't believe her story about  her amazing progress in taking ballet for 4 years in college.

I didn't like Kim at first, and I am disliking her more and more.  I had no idea that would be possible. 

John David Duggar was interested in flying , and he got lessons and a license instead of a simulator.  These parents are nuts.

I’ve always been amused by southern pronunciations of certain cities.  There’s a town in Southern Missouri, Hayti,  pronounced Hay-Tie. Then there’s DeKalb, Georgia, pronounced De-Cab. 

[nytonc]

I really loathe Kim and her superior attitude.  I sit here cursing the parents the entire time I’m hate-watching this show.  This episode reminded me why I don’t like homeschooling.  There’s little to no accountability and shitty parents can get away with imprisoning their children and denying them a real education.  I realize there are parents who do a good job with it but too many of them are just like these two.

Like everyone else, I’m not buying Kim “studying” ballet and going en pointe. I bet the only reason she’s teaching the girls ballet is to make them graceful enough to snag a man at a young age. She probably thinks learning science and math is a waste of time for the girls and it’s more important they learn how to look good and cook and clean.  She shouldn’t worry about college because I doubt her “teaching” has prepared any of her kids for higher learning. 

Someone needs to buy Mariah a new lipstick. 
 

 

[Spencer Hastings]

2 hours ago, AryasMum said:

I’ve always been amused by southern pronunciations of certain cities.  There’s a town in Southern Missouri, Hayti,  pronounced Hay-Tie. Then there’s DeKalb, Georgia, pronounced De-Cab. 

I was thinking of Hayti when they kept saying Cairo.  My family is from Hayti and people always look at me like I’m crazy and ask 1. Why I’m pronouncing it like that, and 2. How I plan on driving to Haiti.

It’s hard not to compare this family to the Duggars, especially when they feel like a gateway drug/alternate universe version of each other.  These parents creep me out so much more, but the sibling relationships are more genuine. Especially amongst those siblings who have left and the older two who were left behind.  I think that even if Ethan, Moriah, and Micah stray further, Lydia and Isaac will still want to have a relationship with them. 

Watching these oldest kids try to awkwardly navigate emotions and communication within their relationships is rough. It’s clear that they were never taught how to communicate what they were feeling or how to deal with other people who have feelings. Such a disservice. 

Edited December 11, 2020 by Spencer Hastings

[bichonblitz]

On 12/10/2020 at 12:21 AM, emmawoodhouse said:

Ethan still has a lot to learn about open communication. I'm sure he held things very close to the vest when he lived under Kim and Barry's roof. 

Moriah is the same way. 

It's nice to see how the siblings all love each other. 

Olivia seems very cold to me. I have a feeling if they move away she will still find fault with Ethan. 

[Madding crowd]

I thought the parents acted like they never had a visitor before when Moriah brought Max over. Saying they were saving the little girls until “phase two” was just weird. Moriah always looks scared when she is around her parents, something isn’t right. I also despise Kim who threw her daughter out of the house but asks people to spy on her kids and send her screenshots of what they do.

[AryasMum]

13 hours ago, Spencer Hastings said:

I was thinking of Hayti when they kept saying Cairo.  My family is from Hayti and people always look at me like I’m crazy and ask 1. Why I’m pronouncing it like that, and 2. How I plan on driving to Haiti.

It’s hard not to compare this family to the Duggars, especially when they feel like a gateway drug/alternate universe version of each other.  These parents creep me out so much more, but the sibling relationships are more genuine. Especially amongst those siblings who have left and the older two who were left behind.  I think that even if Ethan, Moriah, and Micah stray further, Lydia and Isaac will still want to have a relationship with them. 

Watching these oldest kids try to awkwardly navigate emotions and communication within their relationships is rough. It’s clear that they were never taught how to communicate what they were feeling or how to deal with other people who have feelings. Such a disservice. 

I absolutely agree. Also, the little girls don’t seem to have been poisoned against their elder siblings, and I pray that continues. 

[kylies-lips]

I hate that  I am so into this show hahaha.

How did Olivia get so "wordly"? She grew up in the same type of weird fundie situation like Ethan right? She seems alot more comfortable being in the real world and seems to have more experience with normal life, especially in comparison to Ethan who seems like he showed up from another planet! Olivia also talks like a person who has undergone therapy at some point in her life, very reflective and expressive. I know she comes across kind of haughty to some folks but I think we are just seeing a young woman who is discovering her voice  for the first time. She's finding herself and probably having the realization that she signed up for a life before ever getting a chance to see what else is out there for her. She wants to experience new things and have the same experiences as an other 22 year old but she feels restricted, I suppose.

Ethan is a sweet young man but he seems very content with a life in Cairo, tinkering around with old cars, playing music and hanging out with his siblings. That life will likely never make Olivia happy. She is always going to want more than what he can give her. He needs another small town girl on his same level.

I know Kim did not fix her mouth to say that she was dancing en pointe after a few college classes? Girl please. She should have never said that shit on national television. And furthermore, does she think it messed up that she got to experience things like college, and dance classes and friends and her kids are confined to their house and whatever the parents feel like exposing them to? *eyeroll*

Moriah always seems so scared of her parents, her mom especially. She is a fragile girl who probably should be in intense therapy because as evidenced by her relationship with Max she is going to cling to whoever shows her an ounce of attention.

I see in the next episode they talk about the child that was killed. I'd be curious to see what the family was like before that tragic accident. 

 

 

 

[ethalfrida]

Does anyone just say "sisters and brothers" anymore? 

[charmed1]

14 hours ago, kylies-lips said:

How did Olivia get so "wordly"? She grew up in the same type of weird fundie situation like Ethan right? She seems alot more comfortable being in the real world and seems to have more experience with normal life, especially in comparison to Ethan who seems like he showed up from another planet!

Olivia’s parents were a little more mainstream before they went full-on fundie, so she’s old enough to remember somewhat of a normal life. She said her mother was a school teacher. 

[Twopper]

2 hours ago, ethalfrida said:

Does anyone just say "sisters and brothers" anymore? 

yes, we do. 

 

2 hours ago, charmed1 said:

Olivia’s parents were a little more mainstream before they went full-on fundie, so she’s old enough to remember somewhat of a normal life. She said her mother was a school teacher. 

okay, that makes sense.  I like her and Ethan, but I don't think being on tv is helping their relationship.  And if she thinks the geographical cure of moving to Thomasville will improve her life....well, I rather doubt it as they will take their issues with them.  I am sure Kim can get people to stalk them wherever they may go.

 

I wonder whose idea it was to pitch this to TLC for a series.  I doubt TLC just dropped in one day and asked them.

Georgia is the biggest state east of the Mississippi, and I think Kim may have one of the biggest EGOs in the state.  took ballet as an elective in college and, voila!  she dances en pointe?  is there any history of her taking ballet from age 3 on up?  or starting in elem school?   We don't know who gave the children music lessons, do we?   I am surprised we haven't heard Kim claim to have taken piano and guitar as electives one term and then gone on to play Rachmaninoff's Piano concerto #3 with the National Symphony Orchestra.  And she teaches multiple students at various grade levels and of different ages each year.  What a Wonder Woman!! I am sure she told one of her dance pupils to remark about how lucky they are to have her as a school teacher and dance teacher.  Barf!!🤢

[readheaded]

On 12/10/2020 at 4:58 PM, Twopper said:

I am guessing he had no clue how to deal with her disappointment.  If he were more mature, he would have said something to the effect "I was waiting because I knew you would be disappointed and I was trying to think of the best way to tell you, because I knew how disappointed you would be."  That would work if they had gotten called that day or within the last 24 hours or so.   If it was days later, then I am not sure how .Instead in his head he is thinking "she will be unhappy and I have no idea how to tell her so I better go fix the washing machine."    If it was several days later, she will be not only disappointed by not getting the house, but also mad because he didn't tell her. 

For some reason I find it funny that Cairo Ga is pronounced like Karo syrup.  I am weird that way.

The ballet scene reminded me of the episode "The Ballet" in the I Love Lucy series.  I just laughed at Kim's teaching.  Sorry, not sorry.  Those girls need to be put into real ballet classes.  Kim's teaching is a joke, and I don't believe her story about  her amazing progress in taking ballet for 4 years in college.

I didn't like Kim at first, and I am disliking her more and more.  I had no idea that would be possible. 

John David Duggar was interested in flying , and he got lessons and a license instead of a simulator.  These parents are nuts.

It fills me with rage that Kim and Barry think it's just fine that THEY got to go to college, but that their kids shouldn't.  And, don't get me wrong, it isn't just about college to me, I mean any vocational training that would allow each of the Plath children to be able to support themselves so they're not forever beholden to their parents and/or in the case of all the daughters, their husbands.  

[emmawoodhouse]

Ethan works as a mechanic. Hopefully, his employer is helping him get proper certification. That could make him much more employable. 

[spacefly]

On 12/10/2020 at 10:39 PM, AryasMum said:

I’ve always been amused by southern pronunciations of certain cities.  There’s a town in Southern Missouri, Hayti,  pronounced Hay-Tie. Then there’s DeKalb, Georgia, pronounced De-Cab. 

and Houston GA is pronounced How-Ston.

 

[Mothra]

On 12/10/2020 at 12:21 AM, emmawoodhouse said:

Ethan still has a lot to learn about open communication. I'm sure he held things very close to the vest when he lived under Kim and Barry's roof. 

I hope he learned a lesson about withholding important information from your spouse. These two could definitely benefit from some marital counseling.

I think Ethan knows plenty about withholding information from your spouse.  I think he was terrified of Olivia's reaction and was hoping that she would forget all about it (yeah, Ethan, real likely) or that another house would come along that she liked better.  Poor guy is frightened to death of negative reactions from his wife.

[HahYallDoin]

On 12/16/2020 at 6:43 PM, spacefly said:

and Houston GA is pronounced How-Ston.

 

Gautier, MS is pronounced Go-Shay. 

[TwirlyGirly]

On 12/12/2020 at 5:34 PM, Twopper said:

And [Kim] teaches multiple students at various grade levels and of different ages each year.  What a Wonder Woman!! I am sure she told one of her dance pupils to remark about how lucky they are to have her as a school teacher and dance teacher.  Barf!!

I am certain the Plath kids use Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) for their schooling. I'm basing this on my knowledge that ACE is the most popular curriculum amongst homeschooling Christian fundamentalist families, and the fact one of the kids said in an earlier episode their schooling consisted of just filling out workbooks.

The ACE curriculum requires NO teacher, and is used by both homeschooling families and many private Christian schools.

ACE is comprised of a series of workbooks for each grade and subject area. Each workbook is one unit for its subject. The students work through the workbooks by themselves - there's no teaching involved. If a student doesn't understand something, or has a question, their parent or "teacher" is supposed to just tell them to refer to their workbook. At the end of each workbook, there's a test. If the student fails the test, they're given another copy of the same workbook and have to go through it again from the beginning. 

It's all Bible-based, which means the history and science aren't exactly...accurate. I e., no evolution, humans and dinosaurs co-existed, etc.

It's also mostly multiple-choice. 

Here are some examples of questions from the workbooks:

https://leavingfundamentalism.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/33-jaw-droppingly-bad-multiple-choice-questions-from-accelerated-christian-education/

More interesting information about ACE:

https://leavingfundamentalism.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/top-5-lies-told-by-accelerated-christian-education/

Students who attended Christian private schools that used the ACE curriculum:

https://leavingfundamentalism.wordpress.com/2012/08/03/top-3-ace-school-of-tomorrow-survivor-stories/

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by TwirlyGirly