S05.E09: Love on the Rocks

[Whimsy]

Quote

Dress fittings stir up heartfelt emotions. As the couples head out on final dates before their wedding days, doubts and differences still loom.

Original airdate 10/6/23

[NeenerNeener]

I love Milt's family. They grilled Lydia like a cheese sandwich, and told her straight out that they thought the whole relationship was fake.

So the production crew brings the gold goblets everywhere?

[jabRI]

What was the big reveal about Izzy's finances? I heard $3500 but that doesn't seem like a lot to me, but what do I know?

[snarts]

I call bullshit on the amount of Izzy's debt. You don't file for bankruptcy over $3500. Plus, someone tell him that the b in debt is silent.

Interesting that he told Johnnie about his credit issues but not Stacy. I remember Johnnie including that fact when she badmouthed him in the pods after he dumped her.

He finally tells his finance the day before the wedding? Nope. I'm with Milton's family, do a background check before you get a marriage license.

Edited to add, I went down the social media rabbit hole & rumors.that the apartment Izzy claimed was his was really an airbnb (explains some of the decor) and the Jeep he pulled up in was also a rental. Did he come on the show looking for a sugar momma? 

Edited October 7, 2023 by snarts

[Starlight925]

I think the thing with Izzy isn't just the $3500 debt, but that he lost all access to credit cards due to such a low credit score, indicating  that he  wasn't paying minimums for long enough that his credit score tanked.

I got myself into deBBBt in my 20's, where American Express was calling me at work, demanding payments.  Freaked me out so much that once I cleaned it up, I never carried one penny over to the next month ever again.  But Izzy wasn't open about this to Stacy, and that's where the issue lies.

As Stacy's father says, love may be blind, but love doesn't pay the rent.  Or First Class tickets, lol, as he included that, because his gal  Stacy likes to fly first class, and no, a producer-paid visit to a WWII plane museum isn't what he meant.

All these couple should be discussing finances.  Right now, it's la-la land, the show pays for their apartments.  Guess what a 3-bedroom goes for in that building.....$7000.  They're probably in a 1 or 2 bedroom, but still.  They are staying in the best part of Houston, within 2 miles of the most expensive stores and restaurants, where a 6-month membership to Stacy's Pilates class is $1000.

So yeah, Izzy not mentioning his deBBBt (lol), and Stacy not asking, while still in la-la land, that's on them.

It's possible that Izzy's vitriol towards Johnie is that she mentioned his low credit score/debt to the other girls, once he ended it with her.  Once he met Stacy and her family, he realized that his financial situation was going to be an issue, and Stacy then found out, which is where we are now.

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Starlight925

[SoMuchTV]

11 hours ago, jabRI said:

What was the big reveal about Izzy's finances? I heard $3500 but that doesn't seem like a lot to me, but what do I know?

I felt like I missed a segment there - when I started paying attention, they seemed to be rehashing an argument they already had.  I guess we were supposed to figure it out from that.  It's like they wanted to let us know he filed bankruptcy without telling us he filed bankruptcy...?

---

I was never Lydia's biggest fan, but I was right there with her during this exchange about dirty plates on the nightstand (or wherever):

Him:  I didn't even see them!

Her:  They were right there, dude! (Girl, I hear you.)

[jabRI]

I don't buy the Stacey/Izzy argument for a minute.  She discussed finances when she showed him her house.  Of course she's going to have a pre-nup and of course her father or mother would have done a deep dive into Izzy's financial status after (or before) the first meeting.  I like Izzy fine, I'm just saying people like Stacy's family don't let someone in without knowing the full picture.  If Stacy noticed he didn't have a credit card, she would not have just let it go. Nope.

[sainte-chapelle]

What a slog. I don’t like any of these people. Ok I do like Milton but don’t think he is ready for marriage. Stacey is a spoiled mean girl and for some reason Izzy cannot seem to let the Johnni thing  go. I think that says way more about him than it does Johnnî. Insecure and childish. I think Milton ‘s family has Lydia’s number.  She always seems to tell him everything he wants to hear. She is also extremely bossy and he will eventually tire of her. She seems to love drama and is emotional exhausting.

Edited October 8, 2023 by sainte-chapelle

[Snapdragon]

So a few things I'm going to need covered in the reunion:

1) What exactly is Izzy's financial situation?  I need details and a timeline (would also like the same for Uche and Lydia's relationship).

2) Do Stacy and Lydia not own any full length tops?  I get that crop tops are in right now but does that mean all their tops must be midriff baring?  (And while we're on the subject of clothing, I need an explanation for JP's patriotic wardrobe.  Is that how he always dresses or did he do that to stand out on the show?)

 

Edited October 8, 2023 by Snapdragon

[Empress1]

On 10/8/2023 at 12:17 AM, Snapdragon said:

Do Stacy and Lydia not own any full length tops?  I get that crop tops are in right now but does that mean all their tops must be midriff baring?

One of the women (Renee?) was wearing a bikini top (I know it wasn’t designed for swim, but it covered the same amount) to go gown shopping. She had on a similar two-piece outfit (bra-ish top & matching pants) at the party, but that’s a party.

On 10/7/2023 at 10:19 AM, SoMuchTV said:

I was never Lydia's biggest fan, but I was right there with her during this exchange about dirty plates on the nightstand (or wherever):

Him:  I didn't even see them!

Her:  They were right there, dude! (Girl, I hear you.)

I had a similar argument with my sibling when we were roommates as adults.

I 100% would not marry someone without doing a deep dive into their finances (I’m talking pulling and swapping credit reports), and I also wouldn’t marry someone who had different financial habits than I. “He’s bad with money,” well, we are incompatible. I continue to think Stacy is out. That conversation was really awkward - it was a scary mommy/chastened kid scenario. Izzy even said something to that effect, that he’s scared to upset her.

On 10/7/2023 at 8:18 AM, snarts said:

I call bullshit on the amount of Izzy's debt. You don't file for bankruptcy over $3500. Plus, someone tell him that the b in debt is silent.

That was driving me nuts. Somebody asked Coco Gauff on IG Live what she was going to do with her winnings, was she going to pay off debt? And she said she had no debt, and she pronounced it the way Izzy did - the social media joke was that she was so removed from debt that she didn’t even know how to say it. Izzy is clearly not in that category though! And I agree - $3500 is not bankruptcy debt, so what’s really going on?

”You don’t leave twice. When you leave, you’re gone.” I would not have guessed that Milton would be my favorite, but here we are.

[DearEvette]

This is the first time they've shown the couples actually going to get their marriage licenses. I never once thought about it.  But based on the fact that that segment was all filmed by cell phone/selfies I assume one it is because they could not get filming clearance at a government building.

Stacy looks like she could easily be cast as the evil, job obsessed other woman who has a high powered job and wears power suits and gleefully fires people on some Hallmark romance movie. Where she'd ironically lose the main guy to someone who looks a awful like Johnie.  LOL.  She just has one of those faces. 

So wait… Izzy talked money and his deBt to Johnie but not Stacy in the Pods?  Hmmm….

For me, Milton is carrying this season.   I like his outlook, his general philosophy, he is really smart and what he was saying about how he wanted to raise his kids was spot on. I know people think he would get steam-rollered by Lydia but this is a man who knows his own mind.   Also whatever they were eating at their dinner must've been good because they were chowing down! 

Do people really say:  "That marriage is like a business arrangement”.  like Milton's sister says?  Who says that?  From an American perspective, I don't think I've ever heard marriage expressed that way. It always seemed to me that  most Americans (if asked)  would say it was an emotional/spiritual thing.  There are vows and promises and it is a union sanctioned by God etc. etc.    If his sister sees it that way, I kinda get why Milton was trying to delicately talk about the less emotional aspect of their family dynamic and why he might be a little thirsty for it.

I liked the small shot of Izzy's mom chillin' and laughing with Milton's buddies.

Yeah, I am not feeling either one of these couples.  I don't hate Lydia anymore.  But I still am not sold on her and Milton.  And Stacy and Izzy are just no longer doing it for me.  I liked them at first but their cracks showed up real quick for me.  Now I can't stand them together.

[Empress1]

8 hours ago, DearEvette said:

Do people really say:  "That marriage is like a business arrangement”.  like Milton's sister says?  Who says that?  From an American perspective, I don't think I've ever heard marriage expressed that way.

I have - well, “marriage is a contract,” which it is. I think more of us should factor that into our thinking when marrying, in addition to the romantic and religious (if you’re a person of faith) aspects. The big ticket compatibility topics should include finances. Stacy isn’t a nice person and I don’t agree with most of what she does, including some of her attitudes about money (e.g. “the man pays”), but I was with her in that conversation.

[JH Lipton]

Just a note -- you can get bad credit if you miss just a couple of payments, and paying off your debts won't do a thing.  Those missed payments stick with you for YEARS.

I still like Lydia and Milton if only to rub it in Uche the Asshole's face. I missed how Milton was giving shade without him knowing -- brilliant.  I think they do need each other -- Milton to open up more and Lydia to tamp it down. 

[SoMuchTV]

On 10/8/2023 at 12:17 AM, Snapdragon said:

2) Do Stacy and Lydia not own any full length tops?  I get that crop tops are in right now but does that mean all their tops must be midriff baring?

“Okay ladies, you might need to go swimming at a moment’s notice, so be sure to wear your two-piece under your clothes. On second thought, don’t worry about your shirt. It’ll be fine.”

[Lindz]

Oh no. Little James is the type to bring up something days later & say it bothered him?!!!! NO! NO! NO!!! That whole conversation was cringey. They just talk just to make their points, not empathize, not validate, not resolve. 😒😒 How hard is it to say, "Control your emotions, don't let them control you. It's a dealbreaker." Why is she defending the way she handled Uche? Why won't she admit she could've handled it better? 🤨 

 

[Lindz]

Iz was so wrong for waiting to tell her about his credit & I just don't buy his excuse. He chose for the both of them without giving her any idea. She also shares some of the blame for not digging deeper.

 

[Merriwind]

Watching Milton shovel food in his mouth while Lydia droned on and on about their relationship was comedic good.

Shout out to the posters who mentioned the non-stop parade of crop tops. Some of them aren't even crop tops in my estimation, but undergarments. More power to the ladies for feeling confident enough to make those wardrobe choices, but I don't need to see their torsos in every scene.

I feel like there was wonky editing with the Izzy finance story, but wow! We saw that finances are important to Stacy during the house tour. That was the time to bring up your bankruptcy.

I'm really hoping that nobody gets married.