S05.E07: First Class Love

[Whimsy]

Quote

Regretting her actions, a participant asks for a second chance. One man's dishware sparks an argument. Accusations fly between exes at a reunion BBQ.

Original airdate 9/29/23

[NeenerNeener]

I'm not surprised that Lydia is a bunny-boiler, but Uche is still a rigid a*hole.

I'm kind of surprised that Taylor called it quits so soon though.  And I don't expect Lydia & Milton to say "I do".

Edited September 29, 2023 by NeenerNeener

[Irlandesa]

Goodness gracious, burn this season to the ground.

Aaliyah, what are you doing?  You made the right decision to walk away.  There's just too much drama around the Uche/Lydia situation.  One thing I wanted to ask Uche is why he kept going back?  Because he felt sorry for her?  A brief fling a few months ago is one thing I could get past.  An on/off fling where he decides she's crazy but still keeps going back?  Heck no. 

I don't even know who is telling the truth in the Uche/Lydia situation.  I suspect they both suck.  There are some things that don't quite add up on both of their ends.

Really, Carter, you'd want your daughter to marry a guy who shames her over makeup and would rather be fucking the American flag than any live human?

I will say that I'm starting to hate Izzy and Stacey after initially thinking they'd be good for one another.  I'm also starting to get a different perspective of some of the interactions in the pods regarding Johnnie. 

Izzy started to bother me when he invited Lydia to come over and started to tell her why he decided not to pursue her.  And he just went on and on even though she said she was happy with Milton and even though the breakup must have happened early on in the pods since he said he barely was into Stacey at the time. 

And then he did the same thing to Lydia...just going on and on even though she didn't seem to want or need closure for him.  And then went and seemed so proud of berating Johnnie. 

So maybe Johnnie was inconsistent in the pods (although I didn't think what they showed in this ep was all that inconsistent) but I don't think she deserved that.  Chris is a big boy.  He can make his own post-show decisions. 

 

[dingochick]

This season is such a trainwreck. I did think it was funny when Stacy’s dad (who doesn’t have it going on, haha jk) was basically telling Izzy, my daughter likes fine things, if you can’t keep up, cut your losses. 
 

Uche is a humongous douche. I have no idea which of them was stalking each other, but he is an emotional terrorist.

[NeenerNeener]

I saw an article online yesterday that said the producers are really pleased and think Season 5 is the best season yet. I beg to differ; I don't enjoy seeing guys verbally abuse women, even bunny-boiler Lydia. Personally, Season 2 is my favorite.

[DearEvette]

You know what, I don't believe Lydia is quite the bunny-boiler Uche is painting her out to be.  Yes, I was getting weird vibes from her with Aaliyah, but so much of what Uche has said has been contradictory that I don't find him a credible source.

She went from being a 'wonderful person' who just wasn't right for him (earlier conversation with Aaliyah), to a stage-5 clinger and stalker.  He went from scornfully shooting down Aaliyah's suggestion that maybe Lydia knew he was gonna be there to running with it to the point that she was snooping in all his private things? And if she was such a stalker, why didn't he tell production about it when he found out she was there?  I certainly would have. 

And then there is Lydia herself.  She didn't seem like she even wanted to talk to him but he is the one that forced the conversation.  I don't know.  Maybe she is sketchy, but my distaste for Uche is so high now that he could say the sky was blue and I would say "Stop trying to mansplain the sky to me, you condescending motherfucker!"

And her suggestion that they both planned it isn't as far-fetched as Uche was trying to suggest.  There was a Bachelor in Paradise couple that tried to game the system in just that way.  They could have easily made it seem like it was a coincidence that they were both there.  If they played their cards right, production could have spun it so that it was a credible Second chance at love story through fate.  It would be a LIB first and a tailor made "story" for them.

And look, I am no fan of Johnie's but Izzy and Stacy just came off as mean girls.  Why take her aside on the pretense of having a nice chat only to berate her?  Jesus. Move on.

"I went to take a piss in the urinal." Milton continues to crack me up. Dude is funny.

[SoMuchTV]

12 hours ago, dingochick said:

This season is such a trainwreck. I did think it was funny when Stacy’s dad (who doesn’t have it going on, haha jk) was basically telling Izzy, my daughter likes fine things, if you can’t keep up, cut your losses. 

Didn’t he basically say, if you can’t support her, I’ll have to? So daddy bought her that house??  I know some of these people’s jobs are being portrayed in the best possible light (Mr. Izzy “insurance agent” with one week on the job) but she’s not even self supporting?

[MagicCat]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

Didn’t he basically say, if you can’t support her, I’ll have to? So daddy bought her that house??  I know some of these people’s jobs are being portrayed in the best possible light (Mr. Izzy “insurance agent” with one week on the job) but she’s not even self supporting?

I was wondering why she would expect him to pay for her expensive dinners out when she apparently makes enough to afford the house, the car and the remodel and he's just starting out - much less expect him to be a provider instead of a partner- then when Daddy made that remark about the HVAC systems I realized he bought all those things.  He basically told Izzy "I raised my daughter to think she's too good to fly coach - OOPS - my bad - your problem now"

Edited September 30, 2023 by MagicCat

[SoMuchTV]

I don’t like any of these people!  For various reasons. Okay maybe Milton (? - the 24-year-old) hasn’t done anything to make me dislike him but we still have time. Maybe that will make the rest of the season more fun?

[Starlight925]

I didn't like how Lydia was with Aaliyah, but when Lydia pointed to the cameras and asked Uche if he really wanted her to go there, with him having slept with someone while they were dating, which led her to snoop, he tried to shut her down to get her to Listen. To. Him.

I wasn't there, but this is how I imagined it went down:  Lydia found out Uche was sleeping with someone else, so she went through his Instagram, looking to see if she could figure out who it was.  She opened a drawer or two, looking for clues.  She drove by his house, and there was an unfamiliar car there, so she took a pic and sent it to him, saying "I see you".  Meaning, I see what you're up to.

Uche twists all this around to make Lydia seem like this crazy bunny boiler.

Watching Lydia with Milton, I don't get "crazy" at all.  I get a little control thing going on, a little unfiltered (get rid of these rugs), but I don't get anything other than love and respect for dear Milton.  Milton and his roommate, by the way, are two of the best humans ever to be on this show.

And same goes for Izzy, pulling Johnie aside just to rip her apart.  Why, Izzy, why?  You were the one who rejected her.  I honestly thought he was going to tell her how happy he was for her, how much he enjoyed her in the pods, and they'd hug.  Silly me.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Starlight925

[SoMuchTV]

2 hours ago, MagicCat said:

I was wondering why she would expect him to pay for her expensive dinners out when she apparently makes enough to afford the house, the car and the remodel and he's just starting out - much less expect him to be a provider instead of a partner- then when Daddy made that remark about the HVAC systems I realized he bought all those things.  He basically told Izzy "I raised my daughter to think she's too good to fly coach - OOPS - my bad - your problem now"

Seriously, if I were Izzy (like, a normal universe Izzy), I’d say, well we’ll pool our resources and do what we can afford. I don’t think that’s the universe we’re in, here, though. 

[snarts]

They really should've scrapped this whole season. Only three couples after the pods and one of them quits on the trip!

The story of Chris & Johnnie screamed of production intervention. They found each other at the airport & he walked up and held her hand?  Please.

It's almost like the goal is no longer helping couples find love blindly, Instead it's all about casting the nuttiest people and then hoping for extreme drama. I fully expect that the Uche/Lydia situation will happen again on the future season, this time purposely.

Izzy's broke and looking at Stacy like a meal ticket. I appreciate her bringing up the subject of money, that should've happened before the engagement.

Uche's a pompous, controlling blowhard.

JP's a really odd dude. He didn't talk to Taylor for 3 days because she wore makeup to the reveal and he thinks that she should love that he forbids her from ever wearing it again?

Milton's too young, and Lydia's too controlling. He'll resent that pretty quickly. She was so quick to ridicule his apartment, did we even see where she lived?

[thejuicer]

Like Lidiya standing up to Uche. He was trying to make her seem like a jealous crazy stalker and I feel there's so much more to the story. And Milton telling Uche they had to be somewhere in 10mins was kind of...hot. 

Izzy was just wrong for speaking to Johnie like that. A good man doesn't speak to any woman like that. Hey jerk, she didn't murder or abuse anyone, so back off. He was being unnecessarily cruel and I don't think that makes someone a good life partner, sorry Stacy.

[leocadia]

I'm still confused as to how Johnnie was being sketchy or contradictory in her pod discussions with Izzy and Chris.  It seems like she told both of them that she usually goes for the "exciting" aka "bad" boy and hasn't previously gone for the safe, yet probably better choice.  That would be why she wanted Izzy.  After he didn't choose her, she was hurt, but realized that maybe she was wrong and should give the "safe" guy (Chris) a chance after all.  I still don't blame Chris for passing on the pod offer since he was clearly a second choice, but when was she unclear about that? I didn't really care for Johnnie in the pods, but I felt so bad that Izzy was so gleeful about attacking her.  Initially Stacy gave off mean girl vibes, but I started to reconsider when they were in Mexico.  This episode she was kind of off the charts, high-maintenance and mean.  

Uche just loves to explain to people why he's right and they are wrong.  He really expects them to just sit there and listen to him lecture.  Does he ever smile?  I don't think he even likes people very much.  What a condescending hypocritical jerk.

[Irlandesa]

6 hours ago, snarts said:

They really should've scrapped this whole season. Only three couples after the pods and one of them quits on the trip!

There were more...even one who was edited out of the honeymoon.  I got (but didn't always like) when they only followed about half of the couples to come out of the pods.  But their decision to only follow two once back to Houston makes no sense to me.

6 hours ago, snarts said:

It's almost like the goal is no longer helping couples find love blindly, Instead it's all about casting the nuttiest people and then hoping for extreme drama.

I kind of feel like this was always the point. 

On 9/30/2023 at 2:23 PM, DearEvette said:

And if she was such a stalker, why didn't he tell production about it when he found out she was there?  I certainly would have. 

Production found out somehow. Maybe they both told production?  Production allowed them to stay as long as they didn't pursue a relationship with one another.  Uche is claiming he was told production forbade him from telling Aalyiah so basically he preferred to lie to her until he got the go ahead to share something rather than be honest up front. 

19 minutes ago, leocadia said:

It seems like she told both of them that she usually goes for the "exciting" aka "bad" boy and hasn't previously gone for the safe, yet probably better choice.

She did say something about dating the "safe" choices before but not falling in love with them.  So it kind of sounds like her contradictory issues are part of the same pattern.  She mentioned dating men with addiction issues before and I could see how the ups and downs of that feel more intense than people who don't have those issues and are nice to you.  It feels similar to what Jackie experienced last season when she felt Marshall was too soft but felt more comfortable with the more toxic Josh dynamic. But all Izzy hears--well, I don't think he has much empathy so he couldn't see how that doesn't necessarily mean she's an out-and-out liar.

Perhaps she is but I think these past episodes leave some room for interpretation.

[braziliangirl]

I don't think I'm understanding why Izzy is so mad at Johnie. I mean...didn't she broke up with Chris right after Izzy kept saying he wanted someone that wanted him (or something like that)? Then he chose someone else that he's into. 

[HerkyJerky]

On 9/30/2023 at 2:23 PM, DearEvette said:

Maybe she is sketchy, but my distaste for Uche is so high now that he could say the sky was blue and I would say "Stop trying to mansplain the sky to me, you condescending motherfucker!"

LOL! So true...

[Racj82]

This is the thing.

Uche wasn't the devil on Lydia's side of things at any point until now.

She was even thrilled to hear him in the pods and give it a go.

I trust nothing either Uche or Lydia say. They are both untrustworthy.

I'm also not mad how the guys talk to women. What I mean by that is always look at it is, talk to everyone with some level of respect. No adult needs to bully anyone. A bunch of these people need to grow up.

Loving season 5. I'm just here for the entertainment. Whether it be drama, or love, or interesting couple dynamics.

11 hours ago, braziliangirl said:

I don't think I'm understanding why Izzy is so mad at Johnie. I mean...didn't she broke up with Chris right after Izzy kept saying he wanted someone that wanted him (or something like that)? Then he chose someone else that he's into. 

She also talked tons of shit about the woman he's with. His demeanor is not justified but its not confusing why he would want to have a go at her.

[Whimsy]

11 minutes ago, Racj82 said:

She also talked tons of shit about the woman he's with. His demeanor is not justified but its not confusing why he would want to have a go at her.

I find it confusing.  I actually find it confusing (and wrong) when someone feels they have to "defend" their partner by verbally or physically attacking another person.  This show has had that dynamic with at least one couple every season and I find it just toxic and wrong.  I don't mean if their significant other is literally being abused by someone and that person is cowering in the corner or something, but the crap that happens on this show. Another contestant on this show runs their mouth badmouthing someone else and then the "fiancee" feels they have to stick up for their partner days later in a confrontational way.  That's not romantic or noble.  That's annoying.  The person being affronted should choose how THEY want to deal with it- either fight back or ignore it.  That's up to them to decide.  

[HerkyJerky]

My favorite part of this week's episode was when Uche was berating Lydia and she (understandably!) gets up and leaves, and Uche yells after her, "Come back! I not done bitching at you!" What a douche!!

[DearEvette]

On 10/2/2023 at 8:47 AM, Racj82 said:

I'm also not mad how the guys talk to women. What I mean by that is always look at it is, talk to everyone with some level of respect. No adult needs to bully anyone. A bunch of these people need to grow up.

And you know what... for that he is the youngest one there, Milton seems to be the one handling a lot of this bullshit with the most maturity.  They tried to drag him in to 'defend his woman' and he was all 'she can handle her own shit. '  Also he just looked so over it all 'Yeah we got somewhere to be in 10 minutes."  LOL.

It puts into perspective an earlier scene where Uche was trying to give him advice about Lydia and he shut that down.  It may turn out to have been a bad move -- I am really not feeling them as a couple, but at least he knows his own mind, good or bad.

 

On 10/1/2023 at 10:05 AM, snarts said:

Milton's too young, and Lydia's too controlling. He'll resent that pretty quickly. She was so quick to ridicule his apartment, did we even see where she lived?

See, I was gratified to see that Milton did no cave to Lydia.  I was SURE he'd give in and wear those black shorts.  She was so insistent and he looked like he'd do it just to shut her up. But no, dude was like an oak!  He wore those grey shorts.  I feel like a similar convo happened, where she was trying to get him to be more dressed up for the little party and he was like 'Nah, I'm good' and rolled up in his grey hoodie.  And I thought her laughing at his carpet was in line with all the other couples we've seen over the years -- especially the women seeing the bachelor pads of the guys.  Again he just let it roll off his back.  If they get married, I'd be curious to see if he kept those rugs.

[LuvMyShows]

On 10/3/2023 at 10:00 AM, DearEvette said:

See, I was gratified to see that Milton did no cave to Lydia.  I was SURE he'd give in and wear those black shorts.  She was so insistent and he looked like he'd do it just to shut her up. But no, dude was like an oak!  He wore those grey shorts.  I feel like a similar convo happened, where she was trying to get him to be more dressed up for the little party and he was like 'Nah, I'm good' and rolled up in his grey hoodie.  

Loved it!  The problem to me seems to be that she starts by telling him what she wants him to do or not do, rather than asking. So when she backs down and asks, he still won't do it.  Unfortunately, by having so many preferences/requests for him, she minimizes the chance that he will do/not do something that actually means something to her.

[Cornhusker12]

This season is an absolute rollercoaster haha. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to be rooting for Milton and Lydia the most...

[Miss Slay]

Izzy was unnecessarily mean to Johnie especially since he had no reason to be angry with her -- he ended the relationship. I think he's upset because Johnie was actually his strongest connection. He's pissed off that she didn't tell him about her late boyfriend/ex-husband thing earlier - because he would have eliminated her immediately. Instead, he fell for her and than had to back out because what she told him was a deal breaker for him. It makes him feel better if she's the villain and he wants Chris to hate her too.

Stacy and Izzy are not a match. He will always feel inferior. 

I don't like the way Uche speaks to Aaliyah (and Lydia). Aaliyah's instincts were right when she fled the coup.  I do think Lydia is a troublemaker but I believe her when she said Uche cheated on her and that's why she was looking at the girls on his profile.

 

 

[ichbin]

I think they're cranking these seasons out too fast.  This is one of those mindless but entertaining in a particular way type of shows I like to put on in the background but still can keep up with.  This gang isn't grabbing me at all so far.

[Empress1]

On 10/5/2023 at 4:03 PM, Miss Slay said:

Stacy and Izzy are not a match. He will always feel inferior. 

Yeah, Stacey is a snob, but like … Izzy, they sell plates and flatware at Target. It’s not that expensive. You grown; you had a job that presumably paid a decent wage (that was a pretty nice apartment); buy some plates. If she’d been like “ew, Target?” when she saw his flatware, that would be one thing but it’s not weird to expect that an adult would own plates. 

Lydia’s brother knows his sister. “So it wasn’t a discussion, you just said it was gonna be that way?”

On 10/5/2023 at 4:03 PM, Miss Slay said:

Izzy was unnecessarily mean to Johnie especially since he had no reason to be angry with her -- he ended the relationship.

That was unnecessary drama and immature on Izzy’s part. I don’t think I’d go back to Johnie if I were Chris, but he’s an adult and made that decision - and Izzy wasn’t taking up for Chris anyway, he was trying to jump bad. I did like when Izzy said “if I can give you advice…” and Johnie said no, she didn’t need his advice.

I don’t know if it was edited in but the Black  woman’s “yikes” face when Uche showed up was hilarious.

On 10/3/2023 at 10:00 AM, DearEvette said:

And you know what... for that he is the youngest one there, Milton seems to be the one handling a lot of this bullshit with the most maturity.  They tried to drag him in to 'defend his woman' and he was all 'she can handle her own shit. '  Also he just looked so over it all 'Yeah we got somewhere to be in 10 minutes."  LOL.

Yep. Compared with them arguing over IG stories (“I don’t know Instagram’s algorithm!”), Milton looked much more mature.

[Lindz]

I think Iz went in on Jo in defense of Stacy & her saying Jo talked trash about her.

[Lindz]

Well that took a turn! Stacy was not happy with Iz's & chose quite the time to say it & he felt like crap. Poor thing. People just don't know how to encourage good behavior. Like. No one. Ever. It's the same thing all the time. 😒😒

[Lindz]

WHAT was Aaliyah SMOKING to think that she could just leave him & think they'd get together outside of the pods??? Without even running it by him?!!! I mean, WHAAAATTTT?!?!!! ABSURD!!!

[Jax7917]

On 10/1/2023 at 4:23 PM, leocadia said:

I'm still confused as to how Johnnie was being sketchy or contradictory in her pod discussions with Izzy and Chris.  It seems like she told both of them that she usually goes for the "exciting" aka "bad" boy and hasn't previously gone for the safe, yet probably better choice.  That would be why she wanted Izzy.  After he didn't choose her, she was hurt, but realized that maybe she was wrong and should give the "safe" guy (Chris) a chance after all.  I still don't blame Chris for passing on the pod offer since he was clearly a second choice, but when was she unclear about that? I didn't really care for Johnnie in the pods, but I felt so bad that Izzy was so gleeful about attacking her.  Initially Stacy gave off mean girl vibes, but I started to reconsider when they were in Mexico.  This episode she was kind of off the charts, high-maintenance and mean.  

Uche just loves to explain to people why he's right and they are wrong.  He really expects them to just sit there and listen to him lecture.  Does he ever smile?  I don't think he even likes people very much.  What a condescending hypocritical jerk.

I thought him bashing her was very uncalled for and it brought out a side of Izzy that I don't think will bode well for him in his relationship, but Johnie did contradict herself in the pods. She told Izzy that she always goes for the "safe" guys and she was sick of playing it safe. She told him that she only saw a friendship with Chris. Meanwhile, she told Chris that she always goes for the "bad boys" and she wanted to change her ways and that she is very into him. 

I don't believe that Johnie is actually into Chris. I think she WANTS to be into him. I think she also wanted to stick it to Izzy that she found love despite him dumping her.