S17.E08: Divorce, Prayers and Spider Scares

[Hip-to-be-Square]

I don't think Brennan is bad for not being attracted to Emily, but he shouldn't give her hope by saying he's "still here."  It was easy for Brennan to drink alcohol, eat free resort meals and feign attraction on an all-expense paid vacation.  Reality hit when Brennan got home to Colorado, and he was trapped and couldn't load up the dating apps.  

I'll be honest, I don't think any of these girls or guys are particularly attractive or interesting.  Nobody who is super handsome or gorgeous or wildly entertaining would ever have to resort to applying to be on this show.  Emily doesn't need a husband; she needs a therapist to help her understand why she was settling for "situationships" and hook ups when she wanted more.  Lastly, Becca's poorly done highlights are a terrible yellowish green blonde against her skin and a bad contrast to her dark reddish hair color.  That's my semi-bitchy, but honest post! 😄

[Elizzikra]

3 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

They tried that on the honeymoon, and her extensions did not play well with the outdoor activities. 

She had them taken out. And if she took care of them properly, she would be able to do anything she wanted. It does look like she has them back in during after-party.

[kristen111]

On 12/6/2023 at 9:27 PM, JayDub1987 said:

Emily, move on. You can do better. 

Orion and Lauren are done. I think he regrets getting married, and I think he especially regrets tying himself to a female. He said earlier in the season he had been with men and women, which is fine. But I think he’s upset that he can’t explore that now. 

Never mind.  Touchy subject.

 

 

 

[princelina]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:55 PM, Crashcourse said:

Ok, Brennan.  You shot your mouth off saying that you'd be married for life before you even met your wife.   Now you have to dig yourself out of your hole.

I think he thinks that all he has to do is act like a jerk until she gives it up!

On 12/6/2023 at 9:09 PM, Crashcourse said:

Emily knows all she needs to know.  She should just tell him it's over.

I'd love for these women whose partners have to tell them right away that they are "not attracted" to them to say, "Okay whatever - I'll be around fulfilling my contract; if you want to do something fun let me know" and then go on with their work and lives while living in the apartment and showing up for MAFS required events.  Let the guy be the ass, or they could be like Clint and Gina and just ride it out and have some fun.  Continuing to be so nice and "work" on getting him to be attracted isn't going to make him find you more attractive - if anything it's the opposite.  Ditto for Lauren - "Fine, Orion, I'm busy - don't you have some more 'processing' to do?  It's only been a few hours" 🙄

10 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Which made me appreciate Orion a little bit, because the host is downright mean to him, and yet he keeps coming back even though he's not contractually required to.  Then again, maybe as others have said he just wants to be on teevee and is willing to take it in order to achieve that goal.

I don't think she's that mean - Orion is a liar and a gaslighter and thinks he's a better BS artist than he is.  Lauren was too direct to let him get away with it, but Keisha kind of has to even if she presses him a little, and he thinks he's doing just fine on her show.  I'd like to see an Afterparty after Decision Day, where Lauren could sit there with Orion and tell us all what he's not being truthful about 😄

[Alexander Pope]

Did Emily and Brennan say even one thing in their conversations with each other during the honeymoon of any significance?  They never got past platitudes and idle chit chat. When they had eight million shots that helped a bit, but not much. The lack of attraction may be in part because they're both incredibly boring, even for this show.  

[Yeah No]

55 minutes ago, Alexander Pope said:

Did Emily and Brennan say even one thing in their conversations with each other during the honeymoon of any significance?  They never got past platitudes and idle chit chat. When they had eight million shots that helped a bit, but not much. The lack of attraction may be in part because they're both incredibly boring, even for this show.  

I think the two of them are polar opposites and in their case have little in common to ignite any attraction on his part.  She strikes me as more surface and spontaneous.  Not much going on under the surface there.  He is complicated and inward.  Her never having a long term relationship is bad enough but I think he has communication issues and would be having problems connecting with any woman.  So many of these people come on the show because they have problems making their own connections to a potential partner and they think being matched is going to "solve" that but it doesn't.  They still have to do the work.  It doesn't just come to them all wrapped up with a bow.  

I also agree with the idea that Brennan is pissed off because he doesn't like the fact that Emily is a party girl with a long string of casual relationships and no LTRs.  That's probably not what he asked for and it's against his grain.  I actually can't fault him there.  If I were matched with a man like that I'd be pretty pissed off because that's so not for me.   BUT, and this is a big BUT - IMO Brennan's acting like an asshole about it.  Emily is not a bad person but he's taking his anger out on her and that's not fair.  He's showing himself to be immature and selfish by not at least opening up to her and giving her a chance.  If he still doesn't like her after trying to get to know her then at least he gave it a shot and did the right thing.  But he's not doing that.  He's showing himself to be an immature asshole.  He thinks he's being nicer by not leveling with her but he's really doing it to make himself look better.  But he isn't self or other aware enough to know that the world (and most of all Emily) is not fooled by that.  He's another one that needs to get over himself.  If I were the "expert" I would have nailed him to the wall and not let him get away with dodging the question about how he feels about Emily.  I actually think Pastor Cal would have done that.  

[Yeah No]

On 12/7/2023 at 12:04 AM, Chalby said:

Thank you for posting that. I am furious with Orion and I agree with you on everything you've said. He's just too chicken to say he's in over his head with Lauren. But to use racism to a gal who probably has experienced a hell of a lot more of it than he EVER will, and I'm saying this because of specific experiences with my First Nations' community. I've seen who gets harassed amongst my friends. And it definitely wouldn't have been Orion. I'll be curious to see if friends from his past suddenly pop up online with stories of his childhood experiences.

I said something similar last week.  Thanks for confirming my perceptions.  He's so self absorbed he doesn't see the irony in him using racism as his out with a woman who's likely experienced much more than he ever did.  Also,  I think Lauren is far more woman than Orion can handle.  He's insecure and doesn't like a woman that isn't fooled by his BS and can assert herself and nail him to the wall about it.  THAT's why he wanted a divorce.  He cried racism at Lauren's hot tub comment as a cover.  

Also my gut just doesn't buy that he likes women all that much.  Not saying sexually (although I really don't know), but as people.  I feel like he has misogynistic tendencies.  He once said that he grew up with strong women telling him what to do and that's why he doesn't like being told what to do.  That's a big red flag right there because he's so hypersensitive about everything that he would perceive anything a woman said as "telling him what to do", and would likely react negatively to that.  I think he is ambivalent about women and that's why he's still single and looking to this show to match him.  Maybe the two earrings mean he is more confused than decided on which way he goes. I really don't know, he could go both ways, but he certainly seems all walled up and not willing to let anyone in.  That's why he backed out.  He's not mature enough to be involved with someone as evolved as Lauren.  I feel like she has handled the whole thing surprisingly well.  She has more class in her little finger than most people on this show put together.  

[Yeah No]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:46 PM, kikicat said:

Orion: "I don't want to be married, but I want to continue the process."

Translation: "I don't want to give up the TV money and my shot at fame."

The way he acted was similar to Alyssa in many ways.  First he wants a divorce, then he must have been reminded of the penalty for backing out by the producers so he says he wants to "continue the process" even though he doesn't want to pursue the marriage.  Then he says he has to "think it over for a few days" which translates into "I was told I have to pursue the marriage to stay on the show so I have to talk to my lawyers about how to avoid breaking the contract and being penalized".  Like Alyssa, I think he thought he could fulfill the contract by hanging around, being filmed and continue to get whatever paycheck they get for being on the show and just ignore Lauren altogether, but that's not how it works.  Then I think he may have thought she would pull the plug first taking the responsibility off of him but when he realized she wasn't going to take the bait, he decided to ask for a divorce and face whatever penalty he might be slapped with for backing out before decision day.  Maybe that's why he's so willing to appear on the Afterparty.  He's trying to make enough scratch to pay for whatever penalty has to pay for backing out before DD.

[Lindz]

Another withdrawing weirdo?!!! I just don't get it. I don't buy that the adrenaline's worn off. He must've observed something that turned him off. How can someone fake their way through 7 days?!!! So bizarre!!! I don't know what it's like to be MAFS, but they know it's marriage based on questionaires they filled out, supposedly. It's a marriage, nonetheless. You don't get "breaks" besides work, like normal married couples. Maybe that's a bad thing, there's not enough space, but this what they signed up for. It's like he's trying to backtrack & start from the beginning or something, like how people normally do things, & that's okay if that's what THEY decide to do AS A COUPLE. What was he imagining??? Emily's got so much to say to the cameras and preached about open communication only to sit there in silence. Mkay. ASK HIM, WHY IS YOUR ENERGY OFF? WHAT "DRAINED" YOU? WHY DON'T YOU WANT TO MOVE IN? WHY DO YOU WANT TO MOVE IN? WHAT ARE YOU "HERE" FOR? HOW IS BEING STAND-OFFISH COMPATIBLE WITH A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE??? I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE & MISLED/CONFUSED BY THIS SWITCH UP. IF YOU REFUSE TO TELL ME WHY, I WANT A DIVORCE. 🤷‍♀️

[Lindz]

Too bad Lauren didn't say she wanted a divorce first. He's a flip-flopping liar, who wanted her to pull the plug. For the sake of her mental health, she should've said she's done. She must've had a bad freak-out, like Michaela? That's pretty unreasonable, but Orion kept double-talking. He's the root of the issue. It's good he ended it & spared her more mental distress. She should've thanked him for freeing her from that. Go Dr. Pia for calling out his BS. She should've said it's incompatible with a successful marriage. If they would've continued, it would've been more of the same BS. He sabotaged it to make her quit. She told the other couples they were having irreconcilable differences & he disagreed. WHY??? I would've said, "you said you couldn't get past it, so..." WHY did she give him control like that??? Like. Check with yourself, girl!!! Do you enjoy his inconsistencies and contradictions? Is that okay with you? Do you think you can build a successful marriage with that behavior??? I wonder if he's gunna hang out on the rooftop with the other couples like Miss Good Person did in Boston. 

[Shauna]

21 hours ago, Retired at last said:

It's been interesting trying to figure out when the Afterparty episodes were filmed. For example, Orion clearly had his hair cut (and looks much better to me, although still not attractive in any way), and whoever had the arm cast (I get the women mixed up. Is it Emily?) Anyway, she was wearing the cast, even though she doesn't wear it on the show. And, I agree that having an extra guest who means nothing to us and whose opinion would be the same as having one of us on there, is a waste of time. A lot like those dumb panel shows that Kevin Frazier leads with sm influencers, which I never watch. It is also interesting that people can decline being on there - I had assumed it was part of their contract. So, as long as our couples are dwindling and most of the men won't appear, I guess we are stuck with those outsiders.

I can't believe these people who don't want to be married, but want to continue "the process." What an idiot! (Orion) Did that work with the "f-ing good" person who wanted to still be included?

I really like Cam and hate the way he is treated by Clare. She doesn't like him, doesn't want him, but wants to be on TV. She has a full-time smirk and she thinks she is so much better than he is. She isn't.

It is sad seeing how little the men care about their wives. Especially when the wives are starting to really like them. It was hard watching Emily when Brennan couldn't say he wasn't attracted to her, which clearly says that he is not.

Becca and Austin (I think - is he the good looking one?) seem ok, but we really haven't seen any romantic sparks there, either. But, he seems like a nice guy.

I am guessing that we will see Orion and Lauren at least once more, to finalize things. Then, I don't want to see them again.

Other than the times we saw Orion and Lauren making out, which were gross, I don't think anyone even kisses their partner. Certainly, no one has consummated their marriages. That might be a first.

 

I think they should be required to be on the After Party and required to move in together straight after the honeymoon--no taking 3 or 4 days to go back to your house to do I-don't-know-what. 

I agree with you on Cam and Clare.  I really like him and his sense of humor.  And yes, Clare think she's better than him.  He seems like a really nice guy.  I hate Clare's lips.  They're stupid. 

I think Austin is slowly getting over Becca and really isn't into her like she is into him.  He's the one with the heavy beard and 189 baseball caps. 

I didn't like Emily at first, but she's grown on me.  Brennan (I honestly didn't know this was a man's name) is an asshole. 

[kristen111]

13 hours ago, Hip-to-be-Square said:

I don't think Brennan is bad for not being attracted to Emily, but he shouldn't give her hope by saying he's "still here."  It was easy for Brennan to drink alcohol, eat free resort meals and feign attraction on an all-expense paid vacation.  Reality hit when Brennan got home to Colorado, and he was trapped and couldn't load up the dating apps.  

I'll be honest, I don't think any of these girls or guys are particularly attractive or interesting.  Nobody who is super handsome or gorgeous or wildly entertaining would ever have to resort to applying to be on this show.  Emily doesn't need a husband; she needs a therapist to help her understand why she was settling for "situationships" and hook ups when she wanted more.  Lastly, Becca's poorly done highlights are a terrible yellowish green blonde against her skin and a bad contrast to her dark reddish hair color.  That's my semi-bitchy, but honest post! 😄

I agree 100%.  Plus, I would never want a husband who was with both men and woman.  Screw that !  My prerogative.

[JenE4]

1 hour ago, kristen111 said:

I agree 100%.  Plus, I would never want a husband who was with both men and woman.  Screw that !  My prerogative.

I’ve seen several comments about Orion being with men or implying this is why he’s rejecting Lauren. Lauren is the one who has been in relationships with both men and women and identifies as bisexual. Orion went on one date with a man, and during the date realized he wasn’t attracted to men. He’s never done anything physical with men. The experts really just played this up because it was a sign to them that he would be open to Lauren’s bisexuality.

[kristen111]

33 minutes ago, JenE4 said:

I’ve seen several comments about Orion being with men or implying this is why he’s rejecting Lauren. Lauren is the one who has been in relationships with both men and women and identifies as bisexual. Orion went on one date with a man, and during the date realized he wasn’t attracted to men. He’s never done anything physical with men. The experts really just played this up because it was a sign to them that he would be open to Lauren’s bisexuality.

Oh, I didn’t know all thst, especially with Lauren.  Thanks for the 411.  I’m not in tune this season for some reason.  The first episodes were more believable and interesting.  

[Hip-to-be-Square]

2 hours ago, kristen111 said:

I agree 100%.  Plus, I would never want a husband who was with both men and woman.  Screw that !  My prerogative.

I totally agree! I couldn't do it either- to each their own, but I want a straight husband.  I'm an unabashedly straight lady who loves chest hair, facial hair, old school masculinity, etc so I would expect the men I date to be straight and only have attraction towards women.  

[kristen111]

2 hours ago, Shauna said:

I think they should be required to be on the After Party and required to move in together straight after the honeymoon--no taking 3 or 4 days to go back to your house to do I-don't-know-what. 

I agree with you on Cam and Clare.  I really like him and his sense of humor.  And yes, Clare think she's better than him.  He seems like a really nice guy.  I hate Clare's lips.  They're stupid. 

I think Austin is slowly getting over Becca and really isn't into her like she is into him.  He's the one with the heavy beard and 189 baseball caps. 

I didn't like Emily at first, but she's grown on me.  Brennan (I honestly didn't know this was a man's name) is an asshole. 

They all are uninteresting, and Keisha isn’t the answer.  Put a fork in it.  

[Hip-to-be-Square]

4 minutes ago, kristen111 said:

They all are uninteresting, and Keisha isn’t the answer.  Put a fork in it.  

Who even is Keisha?! Are we supposed to know who she is?  And I hate the stupid polls that they expect people to do during the After Party show- it's hard enough to stay awake during this show and now they want me to get on my computer or phone and vote?!  No thank you, MAFS producers!

 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Hip-to-be-Square

[JenE4]

5 minutes ago, Hip-to-be-Square said:

Who even is Keisha?! Are we supposed to know who she is?  And I hate the stupid polls that they expect people to do during the After Party show- it's hard enough to stay awake during this show and now they want me to get on my computer or phone and vote?!  No thank you, MAFS producers!

 

She’s Rudy Huxtable from The Cosby Show! Depending on your age, okay, you might not know her. But 49-year-old me is like the disrespect! 🤣

But the key is to record and FF through all the intros, outros, polls, and KKP interruptions.

[After7Only]

 

On 12/6/2023 at 8:45 PM, Empress1 said:

Nah, I think he just doesn’t like her. His body language when she was in his place was like “get this woman out of my home, now.” Not only is he not attracted to her, I don’t think he likes her as a person. He described the honeymoon as “draining.” He’s very mindful of the fact that he’s on TV so he doesn’t want to be like “she’s annoying and I’m not attracted to her,” but that’s what’s going on. I think he’s trying to remain controlled, cognizant of the fact that he’s on TV. But if he could get away with it, he’d ghost her (which Emily has said happens to her a lot).

I don’t particularly like Emily but I feel bad for her. Hearing that someone you’re into isn’t into you always stings.

 

He  said he didn't want to tell her why he wasn't attracted.   And if the shoe was on the other foot (she wasn't attracted to him) he wouldn't want to know why.   As he already has said he found her physically attractive, I'm leaning in that his lack of attraction has to do with her personality.   I think he prefers a more "classy" reserved woman.  

On 12/7/2023 at 9:17 AM, Shauna said:

I think Brennan is turned off by Emily's past and how many sexual partners she's had.

 

Emily did previously say that they shared similar core and political beliefs.   And I took that to mean conservative.    I can see a conservative guy expecting a woman who's never been in a serious relationship to have a limited number of sexual partners.   So Emily pushing intimacy so quickly is likely a turn off.   

 

[LuvMyShows]

8 hours ago, Lindz said:

She must've had a bad freak-out, like Michaela? That's pretty unreasonable, but Orion kept double-talking. He's the root of the issue. It's good he ended it & spared her more mental distress. She should've thanked him for freeing her from that. Go Dr. Pia for calling out his BS. 

I got the impression that Lauren puts on this ultra-calm, rational persona, and it lasts only up until a certain point, and then she becomes quite emotional, which I could believe. However, given that Orion is the one mentioning this, and he seems to pride himself on staying in that robotic unemotional zone, it could be that Lauren being 'overly emotional' is behavior that most of us would consider as normal and human-like!

I loved the beat-down from Dr. Pia. We rarely see the experts 'take sides' or get harsh, even when it's clearly needed. Back in the day, Dr. Jessica spoke that way to Molly about how she had been treating Jon (before we knew the real reason that Dr. Jessica came down so hard on her!). And I recall Pastor Cal doing that to someone...I think it was Chris (of Chris and Paige).

19 hours ago, JenE4 said:

She seemed to be “more herself” at the beginning of the honeymoon but now it seems like she’s just walking on eggshells and trying not to take up too much space. She’s been saying she’s just following his lead. Her friends (frenemies?) had been telling her everything can’t be her way and she needs to consider her husband. So having never been in a relationship, I think she’s just shutting down all of her own feelings and decisions and actions and just deferring to him. 

When he was telling her they should take some time apart at their own apartments, I wanted to yell at the TV "Ask him why! Tell him your thoughts about this! Stop letting him be a mealy-mouthed non-explanatory dictator!"

On 12/7/2023 at 11:14 AM, Retired at last said:

It's been interesting trying to figure out when the Afterparty episodes were filmed. For example, Orion clearly had his hair cut (and looks much better to me, although still not attractive in any way), and whoever had the arm cast (I get the women mixed up. Is it Emily?) Anyway, she was wearing the cast, even though she doesn't wear it on the show.

I've seriously questioned when the Afterparty episodes were filmed, ever since Olajuwon was on with a new neck tattoo that wasn't there during the filming of his season. And yes, Orion looked so much better with his hair cut.

I don't think Emily's two injuries were the same, since she injured her right wrist during the honeymoon and the cast she was wearing on the Afterparty was on the left. And that's actually another area where I think she wasn't being true to herself...I think she wanted to be the cool wife on the honeymoon, not making demands or causing negative repercussions, and that's why she didn't get medical help for her injury.

23 hours ago, Empress1 said:

And I’m going to be catty for a sec but her casual clothes are strange. She dresses up okay, but that two-toned shirt was awful. So were her huge acid washed jean shorts and macramé shirt.

The most ridiculous part of that shorts and shirt outfit, besides how bad the outfit itself looked on her, was that she wore it for stand-up paddleboarding, and if she had fallen in, those clothes would have been very heavy! And I'll join in on the catty-ness...her hair in this episode, in that weird, sort of Swiss MIss and reverse-Princess-Leia thing with two buns down, made her look sooo matronly, and it wasn't helped that it looks like she gained some weight on the honeymoon.

[LuvMyShows]

11 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I also agree with the idea that Brennan is pissed off because he doesn't like the fact that Emily is a party girl with a long string of casual relationships and no LTRs.  That's probably not what he asked for and it's against his grain.  I actually can't fault him there.  If I were matched with a man like that I'd be pretty pissed off because that's so not for me.   BUT, and this is a big BUT - IMO Brennan's acting like an asshole about it. 

Interestingly, I think the show had been going for that same angle, in reverse, with matching Woody and Amani back in the day. He was a player, but it 'backfired' if the show had wanted drama, and instead they fell in love and made it as a couple (just had baby #2!)

On 12/7/2023 at 10:17 AM, Shauna said:

Same with the stupid polls that are on during the show.

Help! I watch the show on either Amazon replay or Lifetime replay, and they have never included anything about a poll. Hope someone can tell me what it is and when it occurs.

On 12/7/2023 at 11:14 AM, Retired at last said:

And, I agree that having an extra guest who means nothing to us and whose opinion would be the same as having one of us on there, is a waste of time. A lot like those dumb panel shows that Kevin Frazier leads with sm influencers, which I never watch. 

Actually, that's exactly who this week's guest was. She was Nicole Haynes, and she is a staple of those Kevin Frazier panel shows. She's pretty full of herself on those shows, and she was like that on this one, even (IIRC) interrupting one of the 'real' guests to give her two cents.

[Hip-to-be-Square]

1 hour ago, JenE4 said:

She’s Rudy Huxtable from The Cosby Show! Depending on your age, okay, you might not know her. But 49-year-old me is like the disrespect! 🤣

But the key is to record and FF through all the intros, outros, polls, and OKKP interruptions.

My apologies- I love Rudy!!! I'm 35 and I used to watch The Cosby show on Nick at Night as a kid! What a bitch I am for forgetting who she was! Please forgive me Primetimers and Little Rudy! 😄💯🙏

Edited December 8, 2023 by Hip-to-be-Square

[Katie111]

I feel like everyone is calling Emily an airhead and a party girl but she actually sounds like she has a good job that she is very successful at and her family or friends said she is a workaholic.  She and Brendan did have some talks on the honeymoon about finances, religion and some other things.   If they decide to call it quits, not sure how they continue this show with only 2 couples.  I also agree that they should be required to live together.  I think in the earlier seasons they were, or the contestants just assumed that moving out wasn't an option.  Now they know from previous seasons, they can just run home or even move home whenever they want. 

 

I think Austin is also checking out.  She lives alone but he already mentioned that after D-day he should just live in his apartment until his lease runs out.  His face when she said she was month to month was like a deer in headlights.  Plus if she lives alone, no reason he can't move in and still pay his rent.  He just doesn't want to.  I think he is missing his life with his female roommate.  It also may be hitting him that besides PS5, they don't have many hobbies that they can enjoy together due to her health issues.  

[seacliffsal]

45 minutes ago, Katie111 said:

It also may be hitting him that besides PS5, they don't have many hobbies that they can enjoy together due to her health issues.  

I really think it's irresponsible of the show to pair someone with major health issues with someone.  Not that she shouldn't have love, but because it is a lot for someone else to be expected to undertake the responsibilities associated with medical issues of someone they don't know.  I can understand Austin pulling away and maybe even deciding it's too much for him.

[kristen111]

5 hours ago, Hip-to-be-Square said:

Who even is Keisha?! Are we supposed to know who she is?  And I hate the stupid polls that they expect people to do during the After Party show- it's hard enough to stay awake during this show and now they want me to get on my computer or phone and vote?!  No thank you, MAFS producers!

 

The Moderator who wants us to call in to the polls.  Like I want to be bothered with my phone.  She was the kid actress on the Cosby Show.

 

 

[kristen111]

4 hours ago, Katie111 said:

I feel like everyone is calling Emily an airhead and a party girl but she actually sounds like she has a good job that she is very successful at and her family or friends said she is a workaholic.  She and Brendan did have some talks on the honeymoon about finances, religion and some other things.   If they decide to call it quits, not sure how they continue this show with only 2 couples.  I also agree that they should be required to live together.  I think in the earlier seasons they were, or the contestants just assumed that moving out wasn't an option.  Now they know from previous seasons, they can just run home or even move home whenever they want. 

 

I think Austin is also checking out.  She lives alone but he already mentioned that after D-day he should just live in his apartment until his lease runs out.  His face when she said she was month to month was like a deer in headlights.  Plus if she lives alone, no reason he can't move in and still pay his rent.  He just doesn't want to.  I think he is missing his life with his female roommate.  It also may be hitting him that besides PS5, they don't have many hobbies that they can enjoy together due to her health issues.  

Production or whoever did a very bad job picking these people.  Each one has a hang up.  Ones nearly ten feet tall and the wife will get a stiff neck.  The other hasn’t gotten her degree in therapy, but thinks she’s the bomb when she should stfu.  A real know it all.  One has serious ailments and probably can’t have children.  All mismatched in one way or another.  They screwed up royally this time.   Then we have Keisha who’s giving us homework again.  I just can’t.

Edited December 8, 2023 by kristen111

[Chalby]

15 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I feel like he has misogynistic tendencies.  He once said that he grew up with strong women telling him what to do and that's why he doesn't like being told what to do.  That's a big red flag right there because he's so hypersensitive about everything that he would perceive anything a woman said as "telling him what to do"

My mother always said, on the first date, ask a fellow about his mother, and watch his reactions. If he harbours any anger, or complaints about her, take heed because she helped shape his views on women. She was so right.

[kristen111]

Hell, marriage is hard enough when you marry for love.  This is just a crap shoot.  Meeting “the one” , dating, then falling in love, then marriage, is the best thing ever.

[Elizzikra]

2 hours ago, kristen111 said:

Production or whoever did a very bad job picking these people.  Each one has a hang up.  Ones nearly ten feet tall and the wife will get a stiff neck.  The other hasn’t gotten her degree in therapy, but thinks she’s the bomb when she should stfu.  A real know it all.  One has serious ailments and probably can’t have children.  All mismatched in one way or another.  They screwed up royally this time.   Then we have Keisha who’s giving us homework again.  I just can’t.

Everyone has a “hang up” of one sort of another. And it’s an exaggeration to say that Emily “probably can’t have children.” She has endometriosis. Plenty of women with that condition have children.

[Meowwww]

I feel like in the aftershow with Keshia, most of them said they’ve never seen the show.  I think that should be a disqualification.   These people who think they don’t need to move in together or that it’s optional can miss me. I don’t need to watch people who are in it for fame or a lark.  I want to watch people who know the process and at least try.  
I remember the early days of the show, they showed all the testing and the science of it all. The show has jumped the shark. 

[princelina]

25 minutes ago, Meowwww said:

I feel like in the aftershow with Keshia, most of them said they’ve never seen the show.  I think that should be a disqualification.  

It should be a disqualification because it makes them known liars.  I refuse to believe that at this point in reality tv people are going on shows without checking them out online.  Liars!!

[Lindz]

Brennan & Orion look like self-centered weirdos! Their actions show they only care about what they want, they're only thinking about what they want, & that's incompatible with a successful marriage so they're trying to make their wives quit for them. Seems being married means nothing to them, they will behave like they normally do in previously failed relationships. They should've been asked how they'd feel if their wives acted like them. How their actions are helping build a successful marriage? WHAT DID THEY THINK WOULD HAPPEN??? They know what they signed up for!!!! I'd support the wives requesting divorces. They shouldn't have to deal with that BS. They should've taken that break to reflect & ask themselves if they're really okay with that behavior. Make some requirements and hold them to them. Lauren, especially, should've known more mental distress was in her future with Orion. I'm so glad to be done with Orion's lies, he's so weak! Lauren's divorce antics were inappropriate too. She should've meant it & said it calmly. Emily seems to be waiting around for scraps. Get a backbone!!! Assert yourself! It's like they want marriage, no matter how bad it is. Sticking it out, when the spouse intentionally makes it horrible, is not an accomplishment. It makes them look crazy. They're setting a bad precedent, allowing these men to act unacceptably, they'll just continue to. Just because they're married doesn't mean they shouldn't have boundaries & requirements of respectful behavior.

[Lindz]

Lauren said she was a fan of the show & still contributed to the demise of her marriage by freaking out. Blessing in disguise. It would've only gotten worse with him. More inconsistency, more contradictions, more confusion. He felt bad & blamed her for it & couldn't take it, so he burned it down. 🤷‍♀️ He "couldn't" move past her comment & "lost" all romantic attraction. Yeah. Sure. Whatever. BS excuses. I wonder if she'd seen Michaela's behavior. If so, did she think that was an inappropriate way to act? 🤔

[Yeah No]

22 hours ago, JenE4 said:

I’ve seen several comments about Orion being with men or implying this is why he’s rejecting Lauren. Lauren is the one who has been in relationships with both men and women and identifies as bisexual. Orion went on one date with a man, and during the date realized he wasn’t attracted to men. He’s never done anything physical with men. The experts really just played this up because it was a sign to them that he would be open to Lauren’s bisexuality.

Perhaps that's what Orion is willing to say publicly.  He may have more interest in men than he is letting on, especially if my gut is right about him.  He may not have done anything else with a man but he still may be "bicurious" as they used to call it.  But just because he may have that interest doesn't mean he'd be OK with his wife being bisexual and having had female partners, so part of his dislike of her may come from that.  He's got a lot of conflicts and might even engage in a double standard with women.  He may think that some things are OK for him to feel and do but they are not necessarily OK for any woman in his life.

I forget how much we know about his dating past and if he was in any really significant LTRs with women.  I just don't feel in my gut that he's been in very many and if so they were probably a disaster.

21 hours ago, After7Only said:

Emily did previously say that they shared similar core and political beliefs.   And I took that to mean conservative.    I can see a conservative guy expecting a woman who's never been in a serious relationship to have a limited number of sexual partners.   So Emily pushing intimacy so quickly is likely a turn off.   

That's a great observation and I had a similar impression about their political beliefs.  His conservatism may extend to social values while hers may be mostly monetary and business-related.  I think Brennan may be another "double standard" guy in that he wants a more traditional woman who doesn't appear to him to engage in any kind of male/female role reversal like Emily does.  Being that she is so career focused and engages in dating and partying behavior more typical of a traditional man she is probably the opposite of what Brennan wants.  He probably wants a woman that's more focused on home and family and is more traditionally feminine in her behavior, which includes having had a more limited number of sexual partners.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Yeah No
Needed more clarification.

[Yeah No]

On 12/7/2023 at 11:30 AM, Empress1 said:

She was so rude when she was in his place. And I’m going to be catty for a sec but her casual clothes are strange. She dresses up okay, but that two-toned shirt was awful. So were her huge acid washed jean shorts and macramé shirt.

Re: Clare, I give her a little slack in the clothing department.  When you're that short it's hard to find casual stuff that looks good on you and is fashionable.  I get the impression she's even shorter than me and I'm 5'1.5".   I can feel the struggle when I look at her.  Some short women are better at handling the clothing issue than others.  I basically had to dedicate my life to finding what fits and looks good on me in order to get avoid it.  When I look at her I see the mistakes.  Some things overwhelm her because they're made for a taller person.  Been there, done that.

I don't see her as intentionally being rude to Cam, but she does treat him like a "test subject" in psychology.  It does sort of seem a little rude as if she thinks she's superior to him, but I don't think she means it to come off that way.  I think she thinks she looks like she's showing an interest in him.  I'm not sure she's being so genuine about that.  She is definitely going along with the flow for the cameras.  I don't think she dislikes Cam as a person but I don't think he really floats her boat.

Edited December 9, 2023 by Yeah No

[Crashcourse]

I'm 5'1.5", too, but I've never had trouble finding clothes that fit, and I've never dressed like a burlap sack like Clare.  I think she could find better fitting clothes, but she dresses that way because she thinks she looks "cute." 

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:00 PM, Elizzikra said:

She had them taken out. And if she took care of them properly, she would be able to do anything she wanted. It does look like she has them back in during after-party.

Looks like?  I don't think her hair grew a foot between the honeymoon and when they filmed the aftershow.

Brennan was a really good sport when her extensions were all matted and gross, but I'm thinking he might have just been being polite.  I know I was horrified watching her getting them cut out, and would question my wife's judgment if she chose to go down the extension path again.

On 12/7/2023 at 10:42 PM, princelina said:

I don't think she's that mean - Orion is a liar and a gaslighter and thinks he's a better BS artist than he is. 

That sounds more like justifications for being mean, not negating her being mean.

[Hip-to-be-Square]

20 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I'm 5'1.5", too, but I've never had trouble finding clothes that fit, and I've never dressed like a burlap sack like Clare.  I think she could find better fitting clothes, but she dresses that way because she thinks she looks "cute." 

I wish that I could be 5'1.5"! I'm 4'11" and I've found looking my best is all about optical illusions.  I have some tricks to visually elongate my frame that I've learned over the years: high waisted skinny jeans, slightly cropped sweaters and tops, cropped jackets, miniskirts or shorter bodycon dresses, pointed flats or pumps etc.  Express brand high waisted ankle length short inseam skinny jeans are perfect on me- I have 40 pairs in different color washes 😄.  I stick with brands and fits that I know and buy multiples in different colors when something is a perfect fit for my short athletic frame 🙂.  

Emily and Clare could learn a lot from us! 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Hip-to-be-Square

[princelina]

5 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

That sounds more like justifications for being mean, not negating her being mean.

I don't see how.  I don't think Keisha is mean; she points out some of his assholery but does it gently and doesn't press the issue - as the host she has to be reasonably nice to the biggest jerks or apparently they have the option of not coming on her show.  If she didn't press him we'd all be here yelling about it 😄. In the meantime, because Orion is a BS artist, liar and gaslighter, since she doesn't press too hard he thinks he's getting away with it, and is satisfied that he's fooling us all and we like him.  Lauren pressed him to admit what he was up to, so it's divorce city for her, while Keisha is okay in his books.  That's what I meant, anyway 😃

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, Hip-to-be-Square said:

I wish that I could be 5'1.5"! I'm 4'11" and I've found looking my best is all about optical illusions.  I have some ] tricks to elongate my frame that I've learned over the years: high waisted skinny jeans, slightly cropped sweaters and tops, cropped jackets, miniskirts or shorter bodycon dresses, pointed flats or pumps etc.  Express brand high waisted ankle length short inseam skinny jeans are perfect on me- I have 40 pairs in different color washes 😄.  I stick with brands and fits that I know and buy multiples in different colors when something is a perfect fit for my short athletic frame 🙂.  

Emily and Clare could learn a lot from us! 

Haha, you sound like me!  😃  I see we have very similar strategies and I'm sure we could share them for hours!  It's all about illusion and proportion, although I'm shapely and pear shaped in addition to being short so it adds another challenge.  Clare is very well proportioned and not quite as curvy so she should be doing better.  But like I say some short women do better at it than others.  I'm just very picky and have an artist's eye. 

I figure Clare's about 4'11" (at most 5').  My mother was that height.  She was an expert seamstress and would either make her own clothes or alter them.  She altered a lot of my clothes when she was alive.  I learned a lot from her about how to pick out clothes that fit right.  Perhaps Clare didn't have that kind of help or she just doesn't have the eye for it.  I also wonder if she's on a tight budget and/or doesn't have the time to devote to doing better at it.  

Although gossip websites are putting her height at 5'6".  NO WAY is she that tall even in heels!

13 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

I'm 5'1.5", too, but I've never had trouble finding clothes that fit, and I've never dressed like a burlap sack like Clare.  I think she could find better fitting clothes, but she dresses that way because she thinks she looks "cute." 

I don't know if she thinks she looks cute or just doesn't have the time, money, talent or desire to do better.  Or maybe it's a combination of all the above.

[Hip-to-be-Square]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Haha, you sound like me!  😃  I see we have very similar strategies and I'm sure we could share them for hours!  It's all about illusion and proportion, although I'm shapely and pear shaped in addition to being short so it adds another challenge.  Clare is very well proportioned and not quite as curvy so she should be doing better.  But like I say some short women do better at it than others.  I'm just very picky and have an artist's eye. 

I figure Clare's about 4'11" (at most 5').  My mother was that height.  She was an expert seamstress and would either make her own clothes or alter them.  She altered a lot of my clothes when she was alive.  I learned a lot from her about how to pick out clothes that fit right.  Perhaps Clare didn't have that kind of help or she just doesn't have the eye for it.  I also wonder if she's on a tight budget and/or doesn't have the time to devote to doing better at it.  

Although gossip websites are putting her height at 5'6".  NO WAY is she that tall even in heels!

I don't know if she thinks she looks cute or just doesn't have the time, money, talent or desire to do better.  Or maybe it's a combination of all the above.

    We could definitely dish about petite fashion tips for hours- I bet your outfits look very stylish and it's wonderful that your mom taught you about the art of fashion and fit through her seamstress expertise and fashion sense. Seamstress work is such an artform.

     I definitely agree, Clare's baggy clothes don't do her athletic curvy frame justice- I see what she's trying to do with the 90's throwback denim trucker jackets and the color block tops with distressed jeans, but she needs to size down on her clothes.  Baggy tops AND baggy pants can overpower petite frames, especially if worn together- so if she wants the distressed boyfriend jeans, she should wear a fitted top, or if she wants the baggy button up, she should go for fitted or skinny jeans.  Also, Clare could benefit from learning about color theory and her "color season" because her yellow, blonde highlights and color choices for outfits really clash against her skin tone.  Lastly, Cameron was a major jerk for not helping Clare with her baggage in the airport! 

[Yeah No]

11 hours ago, Hip-to-be-Square said:

    We could definitely dish about petite fashion tips for hours- I bet your outfits look very stylish and it's wonderful that your mom taught you about the art of fashion and fit through her seamstress expertise and fashion sense. Seamstress work is such an artform.

     I definitely agree, Clare's baggy clothes don't do her athletic curvy frame justice- I see what she's trying to do with the 90's throwback denim trucker jackets and the color block tops with distressed jeans, but she needs to size down on her clothes.  Baggy tops AND baggy pants can overpower petite frames, especially if worn together- so if she wants the distressed boyfriend jeans, she should wear a fitted top, or if she wants the baggy button up, she should go for fitted or skinny jeans.  Also, Clare could benefit from learning about color theory and her "color season" because her yellow, blonde highlights and color choices for outfits really clash against her skin tone.  Lastly, Cameron was a major jerk for not helping Clare with her baggage in the airport! 

Thank you!  I agree on all counts.  I've also been wondering if Clare didn't pack well for the honeymoon and was forced to make some weird fashion choices as a result.  That still wouldn't excuse everything, though.  We'll see if her outfits improve now that she's back in her regular habitat.

Cameron did come off like a jerk at the airport.  I think he's a little socially clueless but not intentionally so.

BTW, my mom made my wedding gown by hand.  What a labor of love.  I still have it.  It's beautiful!

[Hip-to-be-Square]

48 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Thank you!  I agree on all counts.  I've also been wondering if Clare didn't pack well for the honeymoon and was forced to make some weird fashion choices as a result.  That still wouldn't excuse everything, though.  We'll see if her outfits improve now that she's back in her regular habitat.

Cameron did come off like a jerk at the airport.  I think he's a little socially clueless but not intentionally so.

BTW, my mom made my wedding gown by hand.  What a labor of love.  I still have it.  It's beautiful!

    That's so wonderful that your mom designed and made your wedding gown- I bet that it's a very beautiful and elegant one-of-a-kind work of art!  Wedding dresses are so pretty to look at- I like to watch the show called "Say Yes to the Dress" and the seamstresses do amazing work.  There should be a reality tv show about seamstresses- the career is so interesting. 

     You brought up a great point about Clare possibly not packing well for the honeymoon! It's hard to pack for a trip and maybe she was such a bundle of nerves that she threw stuff in her bag without any rhyme or reason.  I'd also like to see her outfits now that she's back home.  Clare seems to not be into Cameron- especially his lack of style and his super short shorts. 

[Lisa418722]

6 hours ago, Hip-to-be-Square said:

You brought up a great point about Clare possibly not packing well for the honeymoon! It's hard to pack for a trip and maybe she was such a bundle of nerves that she threw stuff in her bag without any rhyme or reason.  I'd also like to see her outfits now that she's back home.  Clare seems to not be into Cameron- especially his lack of style and his super short shorts. 

Also, they are in Denver in January.  She might have summer clothes but put them away for the winter so she just grabbed what she could find easily.  She wouldn't be able to go out shopping for new clothes. Well, yes, she could shop online, but if she did that might explain why she had the clothes she did.  

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Lisa418722 said:

Also, they are in Denver in January.  She might have summer clothes but put them away for the winter so she just grabbed what she could find easily.  She wouldn't be able to go out shopping for new clothes. Well, yes, she could shop online, but if she did that might explain why she had the clothes she did.  

Another great point.  I should have thought of that - I went to Florida in November and had already put away most of my summer clothes.  I kept some out for the trip but then later thought of a few more things I should have left out when it was too time consuming and difficult to go into my storage bins to get them out.  So for the entire trip I was thinking of the things I should have taken with me.

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, Hip-to-be-Square said:

    That's so wonderful that your mom designed and made your wedding gown- I bet that it's a very beautiful and elegant one-of-a-kind work of art!  Wedding dresses are so pretty to look at- I like to watch the show called "Say Yes to the Dress" and the seamstresses do amazing work.  There should be a reality tv show about seamstresses- the career is so interesting. 

Yes it is a one of a kind work of art.  We were able to use expensive silk and lace that I never would have been able to afford if we purchased the gown.  My mother painstakingly altered the pattern herself and fitted it to me so it looked perfect.  I was actually impressed with the way Clare looked in her gown.  It was perfectly fitted to her and I actually liked the style better than any of the other brides this season.  When I got married they didn't have petite sizes yet especially in wedding gowns.  And altering a regular sized gown might not have looked as perfect. 

Interestingly, as I write this I'm watching the weather woman on my local TV station.  I recently found out she's around my height.  Today she's wearing a jacket that is obviously not a petite size because the lapels and button closure hang too low for her and the sleeves too long, throwing off the look.  Usually she wears stuff that fits her much better than that.  I always notice those things.  😉🤷‍♀️

[Starlight925]

Everyone is speculating on Emily’s and Brennan’s politics, when the fact is…..He’s just not into her. 
 

He’s simply not attracted to her.  
 

I feel bad for her, as she seems to be trying, but he just doesn’t want to even hold her hand.  
 

It’s as simple as that. 

[Hip-to-be-Square]

5 hours ago, Lisa418722 said:

Also, they are in Denver in January.  She might have summer clothes but put them away for the winter so she just grabbed what she could find easily.  She wouldn't be able to go out shopping for new clothes. Well, yes, she could shop online, but if she did that might explain why she had the clothes she did.  

Good point! I completely blanked on the January weather in Colorado since I'm born and raised in a city on the West Coast that doesn't experience snow, so I don't have any major winter clothing. 🙂

Edited December 11, 2023 by Hip-to-be-Square

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Starlight925 said:

Everyone is speculating on Emily’s and Brennan’s politics, when the fact is…..He’s just not into her. 
 

He’s simply not attracted to her.  
 

I feel bad for her, as she seems to be trying, but he just doesn’t want to even hold her hand.  
 

It’s as simple as that. 

The issue was more about a possible disagreement about gender roles, not necessarily politics, but I tend to think that if there were any spark and attraction there on a personality/emotional level Brennan would certainly find her physically attractive.  I don't think that's the issue.  I think the reason most of the men on this show don't appear attracted to their spouses is not because they don't find them physically attractive per sé but because they aren't connecting with them on an inner level. If they were just dating them they might be inclined to want to have sex with them but given that they just married them they're looking for (and have committed to) more and are not motivated solely by their most shallow and basic urges.  My husband told me that any man that wasn't physically attracted to Emily would probably need to have his head examined or should question his sexuality, LOL.  I know he was partly joking but I get what he means.  Emily is not my husband's general physical type (he tends to like women like me, short and brunette), but if physicality were the only issue, it's a rare hetero. man that would want to kick Emily out of bed, LOL.

[Hip-to-be-Square]

3 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Yes it is a one of a kind work of art.  We were able to use expensive silk and lace that I never would have been able to afford if we purchased the gown.  My mother painstakingly altered the pattern herself and fitted it to me so it looked perfect.  I was actually impressed with the way Clare looked in her gown.  It was perfectly fitted to her and I actually liked the style better than any of the other brides this season.  When I got married they didn't have petite sizes yet especially in wedding gowns.  And altering a regular sized gown might not have looked as perfect. 

Interestingly, as I write this I'm watching the weather woman on my local TV station.  I recently found out she's around my height.  Today she's wearing a jacket that is obviously not a petite size because the lapels and button closure hang too low for her and the sleeves too long, throwing off the look.  Usually she wears stuff that fits her much better than that.  I always notice those things.  😉🤷‍♀️

     That was so smart of your mom to get the best silk and lace, alter the pattern and fit it to you- a labor of love and I bet it's such a beautiful dress! I love lace and silk together, a very elegant and fancy combo.  I also liked Clare's dress- it showed off her athletic frame and her curves and the rhinestones along the straps, chest and back were cute. 

    Weather Girls wear some interesting outfits- a lot of times they're super stylish and flattering and other times they're overpowered by a too big print or an ill-fitting blazer. I notice fashion when I'm out and about too- what I see a lot is petite women wearing a purse on one shoulder with a long strap that isn't adjusted so the purse hits about 9 inches below their butt 😐.  I just want to run up to them and fix it, but I can't 😄.