S06.E09: That's What Walls Are For

[Gharlane]

Quote

"That's What Walls Are For". The Plath family joins Moriah in Tampa to prepare for her music video shoot, but doubts arise over Kim and Barry living together. Olivia and Lydia Grace try speed dating, but no one compares to the one Olivia already has her eye on.

I can hardly wait to see Kim's "choreography" and hear Moriah's "music". 🙄

[b2H]

9 hours ago, Gharlane said:

I can hardly wait to see Kim's "choreography" and hear Moriah's "music". 🙄

I can wait.

Edited September 10 by b2H

[JayDub1987]

Kim’s “dancing” and Moriah’s screeching coming together will be the TV version of two cats trying to have explosive diarrhea in the same litter box.  

Edited September 11 by JayDub1987

[Salacious Kitty]

They're really wringing the well dry. I assume there's one more episode after this one. What's next? Ethan installs a carburetor? 🙄

[albarino]

I'm not trying to be ugly.....Kim looks pregnant.  Is that possible?

[Notabug]

Kim really is the whole narcissistic package.  There she is, speculating that if Barry ever had to spend time with Ken they would inevitably get into a fistfight over her.  WTF?  Are they 15?  Then, Barry comes into the kitchen and tries to make some benign small talk while she's cooking breakfast and she cannot even pretend to be pleasant;, instead refusing to even look at him and giving him the silent treatment.  It's pretty obvious the divorce is not amicable, but they're both required to do the TV show and they seemingly need the money; so lighten up already.  I suppose the whole scenario could've been producer driven, but I don't think Kim is that good of an actress.

I have no idea why Olivia went speed dating when she is seemingly gaga over some guy that lives 3000 miles away.  Isn't this just her second relationship in her life?  She married the first guy that showed an interest and now seemingly wants to be exclusive with the new guy she barely knows.  It's becoming kind of obvious that she is not so good at relationships and seemingly overcommits the minute she meets a guy she likes.  As for the speed dating, is that still a thing?  I thought that fad burned itself out 20 years ago.  Olivia's sister, Lydia Grace (not Lydia, not Grace; but Lydia Grace?) is not the sharpest tool in the shed and I could do without her talking heads as she has nothing interesting to say ever.  She makes the rest of the Plaths look erudite and articulate.

[Notabug]

1 hour ago, albarino said:

I'm not trying to be ugly.....Kim looks pregnant.  Is that possible?

Kim is 51.  The chances of a woman conceiving naturally at age 50 is around 1%.  Lots of celebs in their late 40's/early 50's have babies and I can guarantee that virtually all of them used donor eggs from a younger woman and other assisted reproductive technology.

[surfgirl]

In what delululand is Kim living that she thinks any two men are going to fight over her? Wow.

The energy between Micah and Veronica is the same energy between Micah and his guy buddies in LA. The weirdness continues.

As much as I like Olivia, I want to know her genuine story beyond dumb ass Ethan. So far this is all manufactured garbage. I hope Brandon on the East Coast refuses to be on this show and they have an actual real relationship outside this bullshit show. 

Edited September 11 by surfgirl

[Gharlane]

This ep was another snore-fest that frustrated me as much as something else I had been watching the same night.

Everyone shows up at an AB&B in Tampa, presumably to help Moriah record and make a music video for her new "song" or "album". Naturally, they tried to play up the tension between Kim and Barry and had some contrived staged drama over where everyone was going to sleep (spoiler alert: Barry got stuck with the couch) and Kim acting like a bitch while cooking breakfast.

Olivia and her sister go out for an evening of speed-dating, something I didn't know still existed. It's all a Moot Point, however, as Olivia didn't bother to mark anyone as "I want to meet again". Oh yeah, looks like we're going to have a surprise reveal of her long-distance boyfriend, a la Veronica.

Back in Tampa, the Plaths (plus Veronica!) sit around and bad-mouth Moriah's mystery man, who they might or might not have met. If I weren't beyond tired of it, I certainly was after this! I chuckled at Micah suggesting he scared Moriah's mystery man. Moriah has a "private conversation" with Kim and a cameraman about her hair falling out from the stress of her mystery man drama. 

Ethan and Moriah perform a duet at the nicest studio they have ever seen while holding a smartie phone displaying the lyrics. Don't real recording studios have teleprompters, or is it assumed the vocal talent won't need them?

[laurakaye]

6 hours ago, surfgirl said:

In what delululand is Kim loving that she thinks any two men are going to fight over her? Wow.

The only way Barry punches Ken would be if Ken wants to give Kim back to Barry.

Anyone who watches this show knows that Barry Plath's bloodstream is 90% kombucha, and yet Moriah and Kim couldn't have bought a couple of bottles when they went grocery shopping?  Of course Barry could've brought his own, knowing full well that Kim would never buy any.  And it also struck me that Barry and Ethan rolled in and said they were starving and hadn't eaten - 'cause making meals, that's wimminz work, you know.

Also:

Veronica: You choose my dresses for the trip.

Micah: (nervously places a dress on the counter)

Veronica: That's not how you lay down my dresses. 

Micah: (crickets)

Veronica: Also your stupid dirty medal is on my clothes hook but it's okay.

Micah: (whimsically places medal around Veronica's neck)

Veronica: Ewww you got my hair caught in it, moron!

Micah: (empty space where his brain should be)

 

There just aren't words for how unnatural this relationship is.

 

[Back Atcha]

4 hours ago, laurakaye said:

The only way Barry punches Ken would be if Ken wants to give Kim back to Barry.

TRUE!  Kim probably equates size with strength...Soft, lumpy Ken vs. Lean, fit, and WORKS OUT EVERY DAY Barry (who always seems like a pacifist*).

*Otherwise, how could he have lasted in the marriage with HER?

[Back Atcha]

14 hours ago, albarino said:

I'm not trying to be ugly.....Kim looks pregnant.  Is that possible?

Ugly? Ugly? Considering a blessed addition to this beautiful family?  It will be a PLATH (even though DNA will prove otherwise when the show is canceled), because Kim (still yolked to Barryy) just cain't agree to all the financial aspects of their property settlement.  Oh, JOY!  Another baby to shield from education, doctors, television, technology, society, Cokes, etc.  Crossin' my fingers, Albarino!!!  Another Plath to add to a supposedly lucrative television contract.

 

13 hours ago, Notabug said:

Then, Barry comes into the kitchen and tries to make some benign small talk while she's cooking breakfast and she cannot even pretend to be pleasant;, instead refusing to even look at him and giving him the silent treatment.

 What's with THAT?  SHE dumped HIM...and the children.  She left. She wanted MORE!  She deserved MORE!  She rented? a "studio" to teach dance and (surprise) there's a nice apartment included.  Barry even helped move furniture. I believe there was a secret romance (SHE thought it was "romance)...and Mr. Whomever skeeeedaddled the moment she told him she was "free."  Every little plan she makes costs someone money ...and never works out.  She's a user and her victims are getting harder to find.  And SHE cannot even pretend to be pleasant???  (Barry, hold on to your bank accounts and investments; don't let her get more than she deserves.)

[Notabug]

5 minutes ago, Back Atcha said:

What's with THAT?  SHE dumped HIM...and the children.  She left. She wanted MORE!  She deserved MORE!  She rented? a "studio" to teach dance and (surprise) there's a nice apartment included.  Barry even helped move furniture. I believe there was a secret romance (SHE thought it was "romance)...and Mr. Whomever skeeeedaddled the moment she told him she was "free."  Every little plan she makes costs someone money ...and never works out.  She's a user and her victims are getting harder to find.  And SHE cannot even pretend to be pleasant???  (Barry, hold on to your bank accounts and investments; don't let her get more than she deserves.)

If nothing else, she could suck it up and be pleasant if only because her children are there and don't need to see her acting like a brat.  Of course, it could all be scripted by production, but, from what we've seen of Kim all along, it feels very in-character for her to think giving Barry the cold shoulder and speculating that her new BF would beat him up if they ever got together were reasonable actions.  She's very self-centered and not very mature from what we've seen.

Edited September 11 by Notabug

[applewood]

15 hours ago, Notabug said:

Kim really is the whole narcissistic package.  There she is, speculating that if Barry ever had to spend time with Ken they would inevitably get into a fistfight over her.  WTF?  Are they 15?  Then, Barry comes into the kitchen and tries to make some benign small talk while she's cooking breakfast and she cannot even pretend to be pleasant;, instead refusing to even look at him and giving him the silent treatment.  It's pretty obvious the divorce is not amicable, but they're both required to do the TV show and they seemingly need the money; so lighten up already.  I suppose the whole scenario could've been producer driven, but I don't think Kim is that good of an actress.

 

I had to laugh when Kim said she thought Barry and Ken would beat each other up if they were in the same house. It sounded like something a middle schooler would say. Is Kim emotionally stunted or something?

Also, I never understood the whole"buying a houseboat." Didn't she rent that studio with the really nice apartment upstairs. Did they ever explain what happened? Owner not renew her lease or something?

[surfgirl]

1 hour ago, applewood said:

Also, I never understood the whole"buying a houseboat." Didn't she rent that studio with the really nice apartment upstairs. Did they ever explain what happened? Owner not renew her lease or something?

IIRC, Barry was paying for that studio vanity project and subsequent Kim sex lair. So they probably had to get rid of it early on in the separation process. My best guess is Kim started boinking Ken there and Barry sold the place. I would if I were him. What kind of assbackwards world is Plathville when we're siding with creepster Barry now?

[Notabug]

45 minutes ago, surfgirl said:

IIRC, Barry was paying for that studio vanity project and subsequent Kim sex lair. So they probably had to get rid of it early on in the separation process. My best guess is Kim started boinking Ken there and Barry sold the place. I would if I were him. What kind of assbackwards world is Plathville when we're siding with creepster Barry now?

I think you're right; Barry paid either to rent or buy the property that housed the dance studio and apartment.  Then, when he realized what Kim was doing there, he pulled the plug on it and she was forced to pretend she had found another place to live.  I expect, especially if there is adultery involved, that Kim's lawyer told her she could not live with Ken until the final papers were signed and I would imagine Barry and his attorney would've strongly objected to his kids having visitation with Kim at Ken's place.

[Madding crowd]

Moriah seems really fragile; I don’t think being on TV is in her best interest. Sorry I know everyone loves Olivia but I find her narcissistic and not as smart as she thinks she is. Micah’s girlfriend seems odd and controlling; I don’t know what is going on there.

How can Barry drink so much kombucha? It tastes like vinegar to me. 

[Back Atcha]

3 hours ago, surfgirl said:

What kind of assbackwards world is Plathville when we're siding with creepster Barry now?

Awww...Surfgirl.  I always kinda liked Barry.  He seemed like meek husband who really liked those kids. I was happy that he had job away from Queen Kim and made enough to support her whims. He'd have time to himself on the long drive to/from work--and then see other humans who raised their children (hopefully) in the real world.  I wish he were cuter; he might have more fans (and LADIES!!).  I Hasn't he always behaved very well with everyone (maybe not Olivia...but he was under Kim's thumb at the time); wish we'd see some of that worthless human Kim thinks he is.  He does hold man-woman beliefs that I can't accept.

[surfgirl]

4 hours ago, Back Atcha said:

Hasn't he always behaved very well with everyone (maybe not Olivia...but he was under Kim's thumb at the time); wish we'd see some of that worthless human Kim thinks he is.  He does hold man-woman beliefs that I can't accept.

He was and us an absolute monster towards Olivia and any time Ethan has brought her up going through their divorce Barry can barely co tain his glee. He has not been a kind or caring person UNLESS you are following his life rules, and then are hes nice to you.  But show any independent thinking and you're on his shit list. That's my perception of Barry. To me he is an awful person but it's just that Kim is even worse so by comparison he looks better. 

[laurakaye]

I think that after the tragic accident with their toddler, Kim tightened the reins even harder on her kids as a way to cope and Barry went along with it because it was the path of least resistance for him.  Both of them are to blame for sheltering their kids to the point of not being able to cope like humans in society.

I highly doubt anyone in that family got proper therapy after the accident and now we are seeing the results....a narcissistic mother who made sure her kids were completely dependent on her and then decided it was too hard and bailed, a passive father who buried his head in the sand, several sons who wouldn't know an emotion if it smacked them upside the head, one daughter who we'll never see, one who has a prayer closet covered with Post-It Notes, one who seems extremely emotionally and physically fragile, and some little girls who have been swept up into whatever drama their parents are throwing at them.

It would be cool to see at least one Plath escape this family with some semblance of a normal life, but so far we haven't seen it.  Maybe Amber - girl's already working like 4 jobs, hopefully she's saving her money to GTFO once she turns 18.  

[Back Atcha]

9 hours ago, surfgirl said:

He was and us an absolute monster towards Olivia and any time Ethan has brought her up going through their divorce Barry can barely co tain his glee. He has not been a kind or caring person UNLESS you are following his life rules, and then are hes nice to you.  But show any independent thinking and you're on his shit list. That's my perception of Barry. To me he is an awful person but it's just that Kim is even worse so by comparison he looks better. 

I agree with you on Barry regarding Olivia ...  and that may be the TRUE Barry. Otherwise, I've felt compassion for him.  Oops.."compassion," maybe that's what he lacks.  Your use of "glee" is just perfect.

 

[Back Atcha]

2 hours ago, laurakaye said:

.a narcissistic mother who made sure her kids were completely dependent on her and then decided it was too hard and bailed, a passive father who buried his head in the sand, several sons who wouldn't know an emotion if it smacked them upside the head, one daughter who we'll never see,

I'm most interested in the "one daughter who we'll never see." Posted a few of laurakaye's lines so it made sense.  More than once--maybe in the most recent episode--a comment was made that "the entire family is here."  Every time there's any hint regarding ENTIRE, I wonder--what about Hosanna???

Here's what the 'net sez (check out that last line; who are they kidding?):  "Hosanna Plath is the oldest daughter of Kim and Barry Plath. She chose not to appear on the TLC show Welcome to Plathville. Hosanna married Timothy Noble before filming began and moved to Ohio. She and her husband decided to live a private life and build their marriage. The family remains close with Hosanna and Timothy, and they talk and see each other often."

[heatherchandler]

On 9/11/2024 at 7:14 AM, laurakaye said:

The only way Barry punches Ken would be if Ken wants to give Kim back to Barry.

Hahahaha!

[heatherchandler]

16 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

Moriah seems really fragile; I don’t think being on TV is in her best interest. Sorry I know everyone loves Olivia but I find her narcissistic and not as smart as she thinks she is. Micah’s girlfriend seems odd and controlling; I don’t know what is going on there.

 

Oh god who loves Olivia??  🤢

I actively hate both Kim and Olivia in equal measure.

[surfgirl]

1 hour ago, heatherchandler said:

Oh god who loves Olivia??  🤢

I actively hate both Kim and Olivia in equal measure.

Many posters here like Olivia. She is the only one of that fetid bunch who has shown any human growth. But growth means expanding one's mind and being open to learning new things so that doesn't jive with the Plath family manifesto.

[Gharlane]

I don't mind Olivia (though I am not sure why she's still on this show), but her sister rubs me the wrong way for some reason I cannot articulate.

[JayDub1987]

I wouldn't say that I "love" Olivia, but I do find her the only person on this shit show who's remotely interesting since none of the rest of them actually have any personality outside of kissing the ass of the cult leaders who ruined them in every way imaginable. 

[JayDub1987]

I'm just getting around to watching the rest of the episode. 

Micah: I have a feeling that's why I never met him. He was scared of me." 

Dude, you're as scary as a box of newborn puppies. Just because you do curls and take shirtless selfies doesn't mean you're intimidating. STFU. 

Speaking of Micah, his weird GF saying, "He wanted her to be private about it. I think that was so nobody could put their two cents in," is the kind of hypocrisy that we expect from anyone who likes the Plaths. 

Also, Moriah is really REALLY bad at singing. I know we live in a world where anybody with a few bucks can "cut an album," but God almighty, this girl can't sing and the people encouraging her are either lying to protect her fragile emotions or trying to make a buck off of her. 

I BEEN TELLING Y'ALL! Ethan said the guy had another woman, either a girlfriend or a wife. I'm betting money that the guy was married and Moriah was his side piece. I'm also not entirely sure that she didn't know, but that's the version that she's told her family. I think it's MUCH more likely that the heartbreak was that he didn't "pick" her.

Oooo Ethan sings even worse than I realized. 

Edited September 12 by JayDub1987

[heatherchandler]

 

2 hours ago, surfgirl said:

Many posters here like Olivia. She is the only one of that fetid bunch who has shown any human growth. But growth means expanding one's mind and being open to learning new things so that doesn't jive with the Plath family manifesto.

I guess I am spending too much time on the PlathSnark reddit site (Reddit scares me but this is one of the few forums I go to) because they despise Olivia over there.

She didn’t bother me until I did a rewatch and I can see she never really liked Ethan.  The signs have always been there that she was over him and trying to figure out a way to leave him from the beginning.  
 

I think she made fun of him a lot and acted like she was so worldly and that she had to put up with his fumbling dumb ways.  She would roll her eyes at him, and treat him like a fool.  I don’t know why she married him.  

But she’s not as smart and sophisticated as she thinks she is.  

Her sister Lydia Grace or whatever is even more insufferable “oh my gawwwdd it OPPPAAAANNNSSS?!!”  
 

I don’t see that Olivia has actually shown any growth.  She pats herself on the back a lot though.  And she and her new “east coast boyfriend” talk a lot about how they are going to CHANGE THE WORLD!  Is she for real??? 

Edited September 12 by heatherchandler

[surfgirl]

21 hours ago, heatherchandler said:

always been there that she was over him and trying to figure out a way to leave him from the beginning.  

We must be watching two different shows because I've never seen this at all. Opinion does not always equal facts, in my experience. This sounds like its the prevailing sentiment on Reddit, which is a bastion of unbridled hate on any topic. They -  Olivia and Ethan - were in love and got married because that's what young lovers do in their cult. But as Olivia grew outside the Plath cult and experienced life out in the real world, Ethan retreated to hiding behind his cars, trying to avoid communicating with his wife. He didn't want something different than his family's cult. And even though through Olivia he got to experience the big wide world, travel.multiple times.to Europe, and do many things he would.have never done with Olivia to pave the way, in the end he wanted what he grew up in. HE told HER she wasn't good.enough to be mother to.his children, that he didn't want to bring children into their relationship because she wasn't the type of woman he wanted for his kids. And then his coup de grace was telling her he wanted her to go back to being like her, and his, toxic family. To me? That was the most hateful, disrespectful, snd disgusting things he could ever have done to Olivia. So when she turned up months later to.sign divorce papers and collect her things, she had every right to not want to.further discuss anything with him. She was done and good for her, I say! 

Edited September 13 by surfgirl

[JeanJean]

22 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

Moriah seems really fragile; I don’t think being on TV is in her best interest. Sorry I know everyone loves Olivia but I find her narcissistic and not as smart as she thinks she is. Micah’s girlfriend seems odd and controlling; I don’t know what is going on there.

How can Barry drink so much kombucha? It tastes like vinegar to me. 

Moriah is VERY skinny, which makes me concerned that she doesn't get enough nutrition and that could maybe contribute to hair loss.

[b2H]

10 hours ago, laurakaye said:

I think that after the tragic accident with their toddler, Kim tightened the reins even harder on her kids as a way to cope and Barry went along with it because it was the path of least resistance for him.  Both of them are to blame for sheltering their kids to the point of not being able to cope like humans in society.

I highly doubt anyone in that family got proper therapy after the accident and now we are seeing the results....a narcissistic mother who made sure her kids were completely dependent on her and then decided it was too hard and bailed, a passive father who buried his head in the sand, several sons who wouldn't know an emotion if it smacked them upside the head, one daughter who we'll never see, one who has a prayer closet covered with Post-It Notes, one who seems extremely emotionally and physically fragile, and some little girls who have been swept up into whatever drama their parents are throwing at them.

It would be cool to see at least one Plath escape this family with some semblance of a normal life, but so far we haven't seen it.  Maybe Amber - girl's already working like 4 jobs, hopefully she's saving her money to GTFO once she turns 18.  

Many of the kids weren’t even alive when the accident happened.  Definitely Hosannah and Ethan,  but the rest were not around.  Now, going on the anniversary to the gravesite is a little creepy, but don’t we all do that with our loved ones on Memorial Day, if we are nearby the cemetery?

Ethan nearly escaped, but ran back to safety after alienating Olivia to the point where she couldn’t live with him anymore.  It is lovely that Olivia is still on the show, but they need to start phasing her out.  She is no longer relevant to the story.

[JeanJean]

3 hours ago, JayDub1987 said:

I'm just getting around to watching the rest of the episode. 

Micah: I have a feeling that's why I never met him. He was scared of me." 

Dude, you're as scary as a box of newborn puppies. Just because you do curls and take shirtless selfies doesn't mean you're intimidating. STFU. 

 

"Box of newborn puppies" killed me.

[Meow Mix]

My feeling with the Plath kids and Olivia is that they are to a lesser or greater extent trying to find their way to adulthood, but they are having to do it on TV.  Most of us were pretty insufferable in our early 20s to some extent, but only our circle of friends and family saw it.  For all of them a bunch of strangers who only know what the producers show them are watching and commenting as though they know them.  That's why I cut Olivia some slack.  I hope she grows out of this overt navel gazing because it can be exhausting.  But Ethan is firmly back in the cult and since he's a man, he will stay there.  I suspect even a tradwife won't make him happy in the end because the only emotion he seems able to access is anger.  Seeing him on this episode, he was always scowling with his arms folded and grunting out single word answers to everything.  Except when he was hungry and expected some woman to cook him something.  I turned it off when they showed a preview of him and Moriah singing because my ears didn't deserve that.

I have believed from the beginning that Kim cheated with Ken.  She was involved with him before she asked Barry for a divorce for sure.  I feel bad for Isaac because he must feel pretty conflicted about the situation.  He has to associate with Ken and if he wants access to that plane he's paying for, he'd better accept him.  Kim's behavior toward Barry was childish, both at breakfast and over the bedroom.  I love how she referred to the room as her room.  She is so selfish.

[BAForever]

Late to party, watching now. Why not rent a bigger house Moriah? Good job TLC. Kim is insufferable. What a hateful woman. She wants Barry to want her, but he's done. He's a huge dork, and what he and Kim did to Olivia and Ethan (and the rest of their kids) was rotten. Olivia is like a lot of my kids' friends. Full of (probably) unrealistic goals and dreams, bit it's all a part of growing up. Hey Barry- you and your soon-to-be ex-wife are both master deceivers. Not surprising Moriah dated one.