S01.E03: The Honeymoons

[Bella]

No description!

[Francesca007]

Aww...I find myself rooting for Doug and Jamie. Monet and Vaughan aren't going to make it. She's too independent for him. Jason and Courtney are a cute couple. But they are going to fall in love too quick.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Francesca007

[againstthewind]

I'll be damned. I am also rooting for Doug and Jamie. He seems to be incredibly easy going and patient, and it seems to be working for her. His sense of humor is huge. She looks to be a bit of a smitten kitten. It was almost like a sequence in a cheesy romantic comedy, where you can see her slowly start to open up. I'm really excited to see what happens with them.

 

Monet and Vaughn may not make the thirty days. They are on such different pages they may as well be in different books.

 

Jason and Courtney were my picks to make it at the beginning, but now I'm not so sure. The chemistry didn't seem to be there as much today. Maybe it's the setting, I'm not sure. But I think once the lust isn't there as much it'll flame out for them.

Edited July 23, 2014 by againstthewind

[Ohwell]

I'd like to root for Doug and Jamie, but she still treats him like a mutt she's grown to like.  Actually, the more I see the two of them, the more I think that she's fortunate to have found him.  I do believe he's a genuinely nice guy, who would also make a great dad.  I've even gotten used to the moles (except for that big red one on his neck).  Plus, I think he has a nice body.  She might be nice as well, but I hope she's done with the whole "he's an ugly mutt and I'm so pretty but I'm going to do my best to get through this" schtick because it was getting on my nerves.   

 

Monet and Vaughn still intrigue me, because I'm not quite sure how they really feel about each other.  The editing monkeys were in full swing because it was difficult to figure out what Vaughn's complaint was about Monet not interacting enough with him.  I'm sure there must have been some conversations that we weren't privy to for him to feel that way.  My other thought was that he hit it and was just ready to quit it.  We'll see.

 

The couple I'm rooting the most for is Jason and Courtney.  I hope they don't have so much going on with their schedules that they can't have enough time together.  Their busy schedules plus taking care of his mom could put quite a strain on the relationship.  Also, I wonder how he feels about her burlesque job.  The good thing is that they do seem to be nice people who care about each other.  I just hope they make it.  I think they got screwed with the Poconos honeymoon though.  Everybody else got beaches, and they got cold. 

 

One question I have is about having sex.  When Jamie opened the card with the condom in it, it got me wondering if there's a stipulation that birth control be used for the month.  For example, what if a couple decides after the month that they aren't going to make it and want a divorce, and then a month or so after that she finds out she's pregnant?  

Edited July 23, 2014 by Ohwell

[againstthewind]

 

I'd like to root for Doug and Jamie, but she still treats him like a mutt she's grown to like.  Actually, the more I see the two of them, the more I think that she's fortunate to have found him.  I do believe he's a genuinely nice guy, who would also make a great dad.  I've even gotten used to the moles (except for that big red one on his neck).  She might be nice as well, but she needs to lay off the whole "he's an ugly mutt and I'm so pretty but I'm going to do my best to get through this" schtick.

 

It was kind of cringe-y for me to watch at first at well, how much she kept mentioning how uncomfortable she was. But by the end there I kept getting a vibe that it was almost a defense mechanism for her. If you watched her on the Bachelor, she clearly has a hard time opening up and then sometimes goes from 0-60 and doesn't really handle it well. She doesn't have much family. From what I've read about her she's always had to be the caregiver. I think this kind of guy could be good for her.

 

I say this as a girl who is admittedly very shallow and would be struggling in Jamie's position as well.

[zxy556575]

I fixate on this because it has personal meaning in my own romantic life, but I always look at the body language when couples go through a door. The man should obviously let the woman go first, but it's when he puts his land on her back to give that small guiding motion that seals it for me. Tonight, Doug was holding Jamie's hand and went through the restaurant door first, pulling her after him. Vaughn did the same. Boo on them. We either didn't see Jason/Cortney, or else I had left the room.
 

My other thought was that he hit it and was just ready to quit it.

 

Mine was still that he's gay. But Monet was in no way willing to indulge his feelings, or even let him speak without interrupting.

[MsPH]

I thought it was funny how first Jamie was like "please don't touch me!" and towards the end she kept leaning close to him and was practically begging to be touched. I also think she's the lucky one in that pairing. From what I've seen of her before and on this show as well, she doesn't come across as the easiest person to like. She's kind of socially awkward and always needs to be in control. Doug is so easygoing and willing to let her be herself, even though most people in his position would be offended. I think he's just what she needs and I hope she'll realize that too and relinquish some of that control. I also thought he looked hot with stubble and a bit of a tan.

 

Cortney and Jason can definitely make it if they just have enough time for each other. They both seem like such nice and caring people and I like that they took it a bit slower despite the instant attraction. I wish all these couples had more time to get to know each other (and fall for each other) before being thrown back into everyday life. 

 

I don't have high hopes for Monet and Vaughn. They just don't seem comfortable at all with each other. I guess Monet is so used to being on her own that it'll take her a while to be emotionally intimate and it doesn't seem like Vaughn is very patient. Maybe he's just not attracted to her enough and was hoping the mental connection would make up for it and now he's frustrated because it's not happening.

[lovetowrite73]

Monet and Vaughn are the classic example of what happens if you have sex too early with the wrong person. Some couples can have a physical relationship first and connect later and then there are those like Monet and Vaughn. They have tons of physical compatibility and it seems like that's it. I doubt they make it. I don't know if it was editing but it just seems like he snapped. She asked if he wanted to hold hands and he flipped on her. I was like whoa!

 

I really like the other two couples, to be honest. I'm rooting for them to make it past the 30 days and hopefully for the rest of their lives.

[CindyBee]

I really, really like Doug and think Jamie is damn lucky to have been matched with him but do understand Jamie being so standoff-ish with him at first.  But I'm glad by the end of their time in St. Thomas she seemed way more comfortable with him and was sharing kisses, hugs, etc. 

 

Cortney & Jason seem to be great together and I wonder if they got sent off to the Poconos due to time constraints with his job.  A short car ride is easier to work around than a long flight to somewhere tropical.  Hope they can work things out with their busy lives.  Compromise is going to be the key with them.

 

I have no hope for Monet & Vaughn. 

[Bellalisa]

Monet and Vaughn are like what really happens once you get to know the person: all kinds of incompatibilities hard to put your finger on.  Stupid arguments. He is vain and wants to be worshipped and she is not going to give him that.

 

I thought Mole Boy looked good with the little tan. I think Jamie got drunk and liked him with the tan. I hope eventually he sees HER flaws and doesn't continue to worship her. She did get lucky with him.

 

I think they got the Poconos because it is in driving distance from NY so if something happened to him mom he was right there. 

Edited July 23, 2014 by Bellalisa

[Secret]

I agree with the above ^^, I think Jamie should be very thankful that she was matched with someone as patient and, dare I say it, well-matched with her "quirks". Just judging by what I know of her from TB/BP, she is a girl who wants desperately to be loved, but has absolutely zero idea about how to make that happen. I really don't think she has any idea how to be in a relationship. She finds herself in this place because they took her at her word of what she said she has always wanted in a partner. From what we've seen of her, she alternates between throwing herself at men, wanting them to like her (*cringe* Ben The Bachelor, Chris B on Bachelor Pad *cringe cringe*) and pushing them away and being kind of mean about it (Doug).

Aw, Doug. True to his prediction in one of the episodes, it seems like he does grow on her, a bit like a fungus. He was just himself and let her warm up to him. I'm glad it seems like she's realizing that the experts weren't just screwing with her to make a good TV show. It seems the mix of humor, sea lions and alcohol was just irresistible! I really hope they make it. Doug is adorkable. As much as Jamie makes it hard to like her, I do hope she fals for him, too!

There is zero hope for Monet and Vaughn. What a horrible match.

I have hope for Courtney and Jason. I hope their personalities mesh and they can make each other a priority once they get back to the "real world."

[Primetimer]

And apparently she's afraid he's going to forget, because she keeps reminding him. (He knows.)

Read the story

[PityFree]

Vaughn asked for a little "wifey" and the experts gave him....drum roll.... the only black woman in the pool of candidates! Sad way to be matched. They are too headstrong for one another and I agree that they slept together too soon. 

 

Also, Cortney's lack of makeup skills is driving me insane. She is so much prettier when she has a lot less of it on. I get that she is trying to make cheekbones with the stripes of orange on her cheeks, but it doesn't work.

 

Doug looked very good with the tan and stubble -- but mostly because those helped to hide his moles. He does have a very nice build -- which I am sure helped Jamie to give him a chance. I wish they would show him explaining to her why he is living with his parents and that he has a new job and was getting ready to move out again. 

Edited July 23, 2014 by PityFree

[MsPH]

I really hope they didn't pair up Vaughn and Monet just because they needed an African-American couple and didn't have many options. But I'm also beginning to think they did, because they just don't seem compatible at all. As awkward as Jamie and Doug's relationship has been so far, they've at least been real about it the entire time and know where each other stands. The awkwardness between Vaugh and Monet is like the opposite. They might be physically attracted to each other, but they just don't get one another and I doubt they ever will.

[Ohwell]

I think they got the Poconos because it is in driving distance from NY so if something happened to him mom he was right there.

Yeah, that makes sense.

 

I really hope they didn't pair up Vaughn and Monet just because they needed an African-American couple and didn't have many options.

Unfortunately, I think that's exactly what happened.   I don't remember much about the discussions they had with the professionals about what they were looking for in a mate.  The only things I do remember are that he liked a curvy woman with a nice butt and she wanted someone to pull her panties out of her butt cheeks.   So at least they had the butt thingy going, but it seems like there's little else.  It's too bad because they do seem like nice people (even though Vaughn seems like he'd be a bit too picky for my taste and I'm still not 100% convinced that he's not gay).

 

One thing I noticed on the honeymoon night was that Jamie and Courtney were in full makeup when they went to bed, which made the whole thing seem so fakety fake.   I don't remember seeing Monet's face that night, but in the morning she looked like she wasn't wearing makeup.

[ChristmasJones]

This is my new favorite show. I find it entirely fascinating.

 

I had a feeling Jamie would warm up to Doug. She definitely has the walls up, but I am happy to see that she is slowly thawing out.

 

I wish this show would follow them longer... like through the first year (if they last that long).

 

I don't have high hopes for Monet and Vaughn. He seems a bit emotionally needy for my taste. I prefer men who are more secure in themselves and don't need as much reassurance from a woman, especially early on in the relationship. He is such a contrast to Doug, who strikes me as someone with very solid self-esteem, and easily able to not take Jamie's treating-him-like-dog-doo-doo personally, and just rolling with it. That dynamic bodes much better for a successful relationship in my opinion.

[ketose]

One thing I saw more in this episode is that while Doug is a funny and charming guy, Jamie has kind of a dry sense of humor herself. What makes them so quotable is their banter. Having a sense of humor is good, but the other partner has to get it or it's kind of wasted.

 

I think Vaughn and Monet have strong personalities and neither of them may not make the best spouse right now.

 

Cortney and Jason both come off as really young even though they are about the same ages as the others. They both seem to have a lot of single person activities. I don't think they would have time to date each other, let alone marry.

[aradia22]

I thought Jason was going to cradle her in his arms. It made me laugh when he threw her over his shoulder instead and bashed her head against the door. I hope that updo managed to cushion her head from the blow.

 

I wonder if they actually got ready for bed after the cameras went off. Jamie and Courtney in particular were wearing A LOT of makeup. Did they run to put their makeup back on in the morning?

 

He thinks he's being cute but it's a tiny bit skeevy the way Doug keeps pushing for physical interaction when Jamie is clearly not into it. "Except when you tried touching me. I hated that." Take a hint, Doug. I don't care if you're married. It's weird when a guy forces physical intimacy no matter how "innocent." That said, Jamie's going overboard with the whole "let's not use the W word thing."

 

The wedding was a little cheap but I think they'll actually end up spending a fair bit on the production long term. You have the vacations, the hotel rooms, not too mention paying the camera crew and paying for their transportation.

 

I wonder if Doug knows that Jamie has been on The Bachelor.

 

Wait, so they've showed us a hundred moments of Jamie being uncomfortable with Doug but maybe only one moment (if you want to count the "hammock" thing on the boat) with Monet and Vaughn. I'm confused too. Where are his feelings coming from? I'm inclined to agree with Monet that his expectations are unrealistic.

 

I'm still not sold on Jamie and Doug. I think Courtney and Jason could run into problems when they get back to their lives but right now they're quite adorable (I think being the youngest couple helps).

[ethalfrida]

About the weddings... it seems to me that the costs would not be a problem. The other wedding show gets practically everything donated in exchange for the publicity.  I wonder why they didn't take advantage of that?

Edited July 24, 2014 by ethalfrida

[ketose]

About the weddings... it seems to me that the costs would not be a problem. The other wedding show gets practically everything donated in exchange for the publicity.  I wonder why they didn't take advantage of that?

I would think that a show like this that was sight unseen would have trouble convincing vendors to just hand over stuff since there might be no one watching. A lot of money might have gone to last-minute plane tickets to the family members who were willing to show up. Cortney, Jason and Jamie had very little family there so the ceremony may not be a big deal.

 

Also, I think the concept of the show could create a negative association with marriage. I think if this show takes off, they might do a reunion show and do a more elaborate second wedding for the couples that make it through.

[Sims Addict]

Jamie reminds me of the cute, popular girl in high school who was paired with the tongue-wagging, smitten geek for a math class project. All of the "don't touch me..."look away..." "don't say wife" stuff is very immature. It's also as if she wants to playfully push him away, but is saying "really keep liking me, okay???" I wonder what would happen if Doug didn't wear his heart on his sleeve and acted a little more hard-to-get.

[jhill]

I am loving this show! Doug seems to have such a patient, goofy personality. I think its really drawing Jamie in because he is not being pushy at all. He is giving her just enough attention. I think if he gave her less attention, she would lose interest.

[ExMathMajor]

I really hope they didn't pair up Vaughn and Monet just because they needed an African-American couple and didn't have many options. But I'm also beginning to think they did, because they just don't seem compatible at all.

 

Scene: Frat party/bar/random social event/random corporate event

Cast: A horde of white people, a man of color, and a woman of color

The people of color are on opposite sides of the room. Their respective friends manage to bring them together in the middle of the room.

Friends: Man of Color, meet Woman of Color! You guys should totally get together. You'll have lots in common!

 

^^story of my dating life through much of my teens and 20s^^

 

I'd like to think the researchers were a little more intelligent than that, but even if they were, I'd bet it was a producer decision to go the "safe" route and display couples of matching colors.

 

When people (regardless of race) say they prefer an "old-fashioned" mate, I often think of Inigo Montoya: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Edited July 24, 2014 by ExMathMajor

[PityFree]

About the weddings... it seems to me that the costs would not be a problem. The other wedding show gets practically everything donated in exchange for the publicity.  I wonder why they didn't take advantage of that?

I think they did; they would not have shown the name of the hotel so often if they were not getting some sort of compensation. I think the HOTEL cheaped out. That's sad since it was the Westin's opportunity to showcase what a fabulous ceremony and reception a couple could have there. Instead, they used meeting rooms that were probably booked to host an Amway training seminar after the weddings. Maybe the hotel was concerned because they had never seen the show, but it is still a wasted opportunity to market the hotel. (I also get that they couldn't use HUGE rooms since I doubt the couples had time to get a large amount of people together, but that doesn't mean the decor had to be so tacky.)

Scene: Frat party/bar/random social event/random corporate event

Cast: A horde of white people, a man of color, and a woman of color

The people of color are on opposite sides of the room. Their respective friends manage to bring them together in the middle of the room.

Friends: Man of Color, meet Woman of Color! You guys should totally get together. You'll have lots in common!

 

^^story of my dating life through much of my teens and 20s^^

 

I'd like to think the researchers were a little more intelligent than that, but even if they were, I'd bet it was a producer decision to go the "safe" route and display couples of matching colors.

They weren't. Sadly. If you saw the casting special, you saw the experts trying desperately to pair the two vaguely Hispanic people together, too. 

[Bellalisa]

I think they did have a lot on paper that seemed to pair them (Monet and Vaughn). I think that there is a reason they are both still single. Vaughn has issues- he seems like he would be impossible to live with! He wants everything to be about him. Sounds like he must be a neat freak too. A guy like that is never going to be happy.

[Bella]

I sit here wondering about the racial aspect of the match-ups.

 

I live in a diverse community, and the diversity extends to married and dating couples. But I've been told that I live in a bubble and that this is not as widely accepted as I like to think. Unfortunately, I do know that. And I wonder if some misguided concern about not offending viewers who do not embrace diversity might have led the "experts" to put Monet and Vaughn together even though they're an obvious mismatch.

I'm also sitting here wondering what the matches would have been had the "experts" had no way of discerning race.

[aradia22]

 

I'm also sitting here wondering what the matches would have been had the "experts" had no way of discerning race.

Not that it needs to be said, but race is also not shorthand for cultural compatibility. 

[ramble]

Monet & Vaughn just seem poorly matched. He sounds like he has a set idea of what a wife should be & when she didn't go about checking those boxes when he wanted he got annoyed. Monet, who appears to already have some difficulty opening up, therefore closed off even more. And I third or fourth the idea that they had sex too soon & it created a false feeling of closeness that has become awkward the more they haven't connected.

Courtney & Jason truly seem like nice people. I don't know what to do with that on a reality show. I believe they like each other & are attracted to one another, but I do have concerns that their real lives are going to blow things up. They didn't have time to learn about each other & their schedules to decide how or if it can work before they got married. I am finding them sweet so far though.

Jamie, oh Jamie. I feel like she is totally playing for the cameras. That first kiss seemed completely executed for effect. I realize I should possibly feel bad for Doug, but he signed up to be married on a reality show. Automatic out to snark IMO. Good grief man stop it with the want to be touchy-feel business. When he kept talking about wearing her down it grossed me out. Yeah maybe he's being somewhat patient but he married a stranger for a tv show so I'm not going to give him a gold star. His continued joking about her eventually giving in made me want to backhand his mole side & maybe break his odd jawbone so he could have some surgery.

What was with the odd little snippets educating us about honeymoons & history? It felt like a low budget history channel knock off. Stop it show. Take your ugly little mini-vids & give us more trash. I'm not watching this to learn about marriage throughout history. If I wanted that I'd do my own research with trusted sources (not "experts"). I'm watching this for it's cringe worthy moments & opportunity to snark.

[trimthatfat]

I think Vaughn expects to be catered to and wants a woman who will hang onto his every word. Monet is not that woman. I also think having sex as quickly as they did was a huge mistake. Vaughn can have sex with this woman, but he can't hold her hand? I felt like he was a toddler throwing a tantrum. If you feel like you're not being heard, don't wait to say that. I think that's what threw Monet off - she thinks they're having a good time, and he snaps that he feels the chemistry is off. Ultimately, I think the inability to communicate is what will do them in.

 

I don't see anything odd about the experts pairing a black man to a black woman - that is my reality with my husband, and I like to see that on television. I don't think the experts paired them together on the basis of race. On paper, I could totally see Vaughn and Monet being compatible. I think had they met under different circumstances and got to know each other naturally, they could have been a successful pairing.

Edited July 24, 2014 by trimthatfat

[ketose]

I definitely want to stay out of the defending Doug and Jamie game because I have no idea how famewhorey their match is. I do think you have to separate the filmed scenes with the cut in "interviews" because those were done possibly days after the fact. Doug may be joking about "wearing her down" in retrospect in an interview after Jamie got comfortable with him.

 

I also have to take some of what they say with a grain of salt because I thing Doug and Jamie are being snarky as hell with each other, possibly as a defense mechanism. Cortney and Jason seem kind of naïve while Vaughn and Monet have unrealistic expectations.

[Ohwell]

I think that's what threw Monet off - she thinks they're having a good time, and he snaps that he feels the chemistry is off.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the reason Vaughn "snapped" is because he was putting on an act.  I think that whole "the chemistry is off" stuff is just BS.  I think that, for whatever reason(s), he's ready to bail, and preparing his excuses for when the month is over.  Which is fine; she might feel the same way, too, but she just hasn't expressed herself yet.

[Secret]

I do find myself most drawn to Jamie and Doug and as someone mentioned somewhere, they're giving us the most of a story there. I think part of it is Jamie's reluctance at the start gave them a natural story arc beyond "will they last?"

I hesitate to defend her especially because I "know" her from two prior visits to my TV screen. However, I have given it all too much thought, so here goes..,

Reactions to Jamie have been pretty brutal across the board (Facebook in particular), especially now that they know her secret. I do think it is almost comical how the show never mentioned Jamie's past experiences with TV. (You *know* someone in Doug's family had to recognize her!) It is possible that she realized how bitchy she was being and changed tactics, but I don't think she's that shrewd, honestly.

She was pretty unlikeable with the extent of her standoffish approach through most of three episodes, but when you really think about it, how would you react in her shoes? You know, in that hypothetical alternate universe where any of us would agree to marry a stranger.

I don't think I would be as pushy or cool as Jamie was at the start, but I don't think I'd be as swept away by the adventure as Jason and Courtney, either. I think they are just enjoying themselves and they'll get a rude awakening soon enough, it seems, once they head back to NY.

I don't even know what to say about Vaughn and Monet. Seems like a terrible clash of personalities to me. That match seems doomed to end in disaster...

[ketose]

I don't know if Jamie is a big ball of crazy, but she definitely has issues. I think she may have actually went on The Bachelor to find a man. As for the warming up thing, I know I have a hard time being comfortable with people and it takes longer for me than most. Once I get to know someone, I'm pretty outspoken. Jamie seemed to commit to this consciously, but she couldn't control her visceral reaction to a strange guy touching her. That was apparent even on The Bachelor. She might be pulling the long con, but she doesn't seem that cagey.

 

Jamie and Doug are definitely the show. Cortney and Jason are the "married too soon" couple and Vaughn and Monet are the sex isn't everything couple. If I wanted to be cynical, I'd wonder if the experts found someone who warns up slowly and will eventually fall all over a guy who sticks around and pays attention to her. Because Jamie makes for good TV.

[aradia22]

 

 

Jamie, oh Jamie. I feel like she is totally playing for the cameras. That first kiss seemed completely executed for effect. I realize I should possibly feel bad for Doug, but he signed up to be married on a reality show. Automatic out to snark IMO. Good grief man stop it with the want to be touchy-feel business. When he kept talking about wearing her down it grossed me out. Yeah maybe he's being somewhat patient but he married a stranger for a tv show so I'm not going to give him a gold star. His continued joking about her eventually giving in made me want to backhand his mole side & maybe break his odd jawbone so he could have some surgery.

What was with the odd little snippets educating us about honeymoons & history? It felt like a low budget history channel knock off. Stop it show. Take your ugly little mini-vids & give us more trash. I'm not watching this to learn about marriage throughout history. If I wanted that I'd do my own research with trusted sources (not "experts"). I'm watching this for it's cringe worthy moments & opportunity to snark.

You are the sister of my soul. I don't know what's going on in her head but yes, it did seem more like she just decided to pretend to like him. And yes, the forced intimacy and touching is weird. And as someone who used to watch The History Channel before it became all aliens and nazis I am in full agreement. 

[Almost 3000]

I definitely want to stay out of the defending Doug and Jamie game because I have no idea how famewhorey their match is. I do think you have to separate the filmed scenes with the cut in "interviews" because those were done possibly days after the fact. Doug may be joking about "wearing her down" in retrospect in an interview after Jamie got comfortable with him.

 

I also have to take some of what they say with a grain of salt because I thing Doug and Jamie are being snarky as hell with each other, possibly as a defense mechanism. Cortney and Jason seem kind of naïve while Vaughn and Monet have unrealistic expectations.

With Doug and Jamie it seems like tptb are re-creating the fairytale of beauty and the beast. Jamie isn't having a hard time playing her part and Doug is doing a pretty good job of being a good guy which maybe he is but maybe not. I can't help but feel the two of them made a pact to further face time with this story for TV time since they both come from a place of knowing how to work reality tv. They'll end up as friends because they know the score. Vaughn's another one that seems to be there for tv time and Monet doesn't see it because a part of her believes in the process. They'll end up hating each other. I'm choosing to take Courtney and Jason at face value so the season won't be a total waste. They'll continue to date for awhile but because their schedules and lives are so different they will decide to break up with some hugs and kisses and a bit of extra paperwork.

[Tyrone Biggums]

I saw tongue (quite a bit of it, actually) in one of the last Jamie-Doug kisses.  That doesn't seem like something you'd do "for effect", though, to be fair, she was pretty shithoused after their "romantic dinner".

[zxy556575]

With Doug and Jamie it seems like tptb are re-creating the fairytale of beauty and the beast. Jamie isn't having a hard time playing her part and Doug is doing a pretty good job of being a good guy which maybe he is but maybe not. I can't help but feel the two of them made a pact to further face time with this story for TV time since they both come from a place of knowing how to work reality tv.

 

I didn't realize Doug had been on other shows, too. Which ones?

[Almost 3000]

I didn't realize Doug had been on other shows, too. Which ones?

He hasn't been on any shows but aspires to be a standup comedian. He's not naïve and comes across as using the show to promote himself with the good guy affable persona. You don't have to have been on a show previously to want to look good and go along with a storyline. This with some help with editing because tptb are invested too gives a false but feel good storyline for these two. Then again it may be totally real but I just get the feeling the Beauty and the Beast story is being pushed because the experts know best.

[trimthatfat]

I have a sneaking suspicion that the reason Vaughn "snapped" is because he was putting on an act.  I think that whole "the chemistry is off" stuff is just BS.  I think that, for whatever reason(s), he's ready to bail, and preparing his excuses for when the month is over.  Which is fine; she might feel the same way, too, but she just hasn't expressed herself yet.

I think he reacted the way he did because this is a really bizarre situation. He's on a honeymoon with his wife and doesn't even know her favorite color or shoe size. For whatever reason, they are not clicking emotionally. I am rooting for them because I think they can make it, they just need a little help.

[ketose]

I think editors and producers egging people on are very good at manipulating reality. I don't think the reality stars are thinking 20 moves ahead with grand Machiavellian schemes. Mostly, the people who do these shows just seem to have a desire to be the center of attention. The funny thing about this "experiment" is that being on TV tends to reinforce the possibility of an arranged marriage to create an emotional connection.

 

Ironically, it is considered unethical to do a lot of things on reality TV in a academic psychology setting. People who go to the same school or work in the same place get married all the time with nothing more special in common than physical proximity. These three couples are also on a TV show and isolated from other people for a week or so. This is the kind of thing that manufactures a connection.

 

I kind of wonder how this show came about. Did the production company know this was going to be on bottom-tier Biography channel? The contestants didn't even seem to know the nature of the situation. If they're looking for fame and fortune, this is probably not the place to find it.

[Jade Foxx]

 

backhand his mole side

 

snort!

[ExMathMajor]

I think Vaughn expects to be catered to and wants a woman who will hang onto his every word. Monet is not that woman. I also think having sex as quickly as they did was a huge mistake. Vaughn can have sex with this woman, but he can't hold her hand? I felt like he was a toddler throwing a tantrum. If you feel like you're not being heard, don't wait to say that. I think that's what threw Monet off - she thinks they're having a good time, and he snaps that he feels the chemistry is off. Ultimately, I think the inability to communicate is what will do them in.

 

I don't see anything odd about the experts pairing a black man to a black woman - that is my reality with my husband, and I like to see that on television. I don't think the experts paired them together on the basis of race. On paper, I could totally see Vaughn and Monet being compatible. I think had they met under different circumstances and got to know each other naturally, they could have been a successful pairing.

 

I completely agree with you. I like seeing black couples and other couples of color on TV too. However, I don't agree that these two would have been a successful pairing based on what you said in your first paragraph. Under different circumstances they might have dated for a couple of weeks, but that's about it.

 

God help me...I keep thinking about the black woman who slept with her Bible and whether SHE might have been a better match for Vaughn.

[StayingAfterSunday]

I don't see anything odd about the experts pairing a black man to a black woman - that is my reality with my husband, and I like to see that on television. I don't think the experts paired them together on the basis of race. On paper, I could totally see Vaughn and Monet being compatible. I think had they met under different circumstances and got to know each other naturally, they could have been a successful pairing.

 

 

Yes, but I think they can make a successful marriage more than just on paper.  In fact, haven't we all heard the theory that we often marry a person who reminds us of one parent or the other? I suppose that observation can be applied to physical appearance as well as to character traits.  I almost died when Monet said (in an interview published in Sister2Sister Mag. linked here:http://s2smagazine.com/2014/07/21/monet-bell-explains-getting-married-at-first-sight/ ) that she thinks she resembles Vaughn's mother.  Actually,  I thought so, too, when I saw the brief clip of Vaughn's mother shown at  Monet and Vaughn's wedding reception (episode One).  

I'll probably be proven wrong for this prediction, but I wouldn't be shocked if Vaughn and Monet end up in a long-term marriage based on both their similarities as well as their mutual dysfunctions.  I could actually see them relating to one another the way their own parents may have related to each other, which often translates to all different shades of dysfunction mixed in with the good stuff.

 

As for the other two couples --Jason and Cortney - a resounding YES, of course they will make it - at least for a couple of years!  I see them both as kind of young.  Then again, Jason must be much more mature than his physical appearance would indicate considering how he has been a caregiver for his sick mother. 

 

And Jamie and Doug?  Jamie got herself a prize, I think. (so glad the mole talk has all but disappeared along with the moles!).  As my grandmother who was a psychologist specializing in family counseling once said, "When you're twenty one you're looking for a guy who's good looking.  When you're closer to thirty you're looking for a man who is simply GOOD."  --  I think Jamie found that good guy when she married Doug. 

[wanderingstar]

I'd like to root for Doug and Jamie, but she still treats him like a mutt she's grown to like.  Actually, the more I see the two of them, the more I think that she's fortunate to have found him.  I do believe he's a genuinely nice guy, who would also make a great dad.  I've even gotten used to the moles (except for that big red one on his neck).  Plus, I think he has a nice body.  She might be nice as well, but I hope she's done with the whole "he's an ugly mutt and I'm so pretty but I'm going to do my best to get through this" schtick because it was getting on my nerves. 

 

 

This right here? Makes me speechless with rage. Like I can’t believe we’re supposed to commend Jamie for not running screaming from Doug. That idea is so hateful to me…I just don’t even know what to say.