Married At First Sight: The First Year

[ClareWalks]

Does Courtney strike anyone else as being a bit "slow"? And totally on board with the cult theory. What was that monologue about? So cringe-y. And wow, she was pretty vicious to those girls in Vegas. "Hookers"? Let me guess, Courtney is one of those women who can't be friends with other women because they "have too much drama and guys are so much easier!" Yeah, uh-uh. Let's see how this "friendship" with that girl from Vegas works out.

 

Agree, and then in the same episode she's talking about how she isn't a jealous person and she trusts Jason. Someone who isn't jealous wouldn't call women she doesn't know "hookers."

[qtpye]

I am one of the ones who wrote about how much how I admired Jamie being able to overcome a childhood of horrible neglect and poverty.  However, I think she is incredibly media savvy.  She knows writing about the marriage being in trouble will get more viewers to watch.

 

I do not think she is in love with Doug, but she will not divorce him until he they have milked this thing for all it is worth.  I am guessing that they get paid $250K a season ( this is totally speculation based on what I have heard other reality participants are paid).  I am also guessing that they will get a third season and maybe a special about having a baby.  Once no one cares anymore, that is when they will announce a separation and maybe get a show called "Jaime and Doug: The End?"   

 

They also both get to do the occasional commercial and Jaimie sometimes hooks a minor hosting gig here and there.  She is not the only one with entertainment aspirations, as Doug fancies himself a comedian and this is a way for him to get some exposure, as well.  It is very lucrative for them to be staying together at this point .   I think they are both savvy enough to realize this.

[crazychicken]

Here's a question I didn't raise in my post but still burns: do we have any evidence at all that Jason has met Cortney's family yet? Obviously we haven't seen it because her parents refuse to be on the show, but have they even talked about them coming to New York or Jason going to North Carolina? I feel like we would have heard about it if either of those things had happened!

Her family threw them a wedding shower in Sep 2014 in NC there are photos on Courtney's instagram that I can't link on my phone. They are the ones with Jason in a horse head mask

[Gigi43]

Here's a question I didn't raise in my post but still burns: do we have any evidence at all that Jason has met Cortney's family yet? Obviously we haven't seen it because her parents refuse to be on the show, but have they even talked about them coming to New York or Jason going to North Carolina? I feel like we would have heard about it if either of those things had happened!

I'm pretty sure on reunion for the original MAFS they mentioned having gone to see Cortneys family and embracing him, and it was after his mom had died.

[Kiss my mutt]

I feel like a lot of Jamie's modesty and "pearl clutching" for example when Monet suggests she wear lingerie on the bike when Doug comes home is false. She has no problem buying gobs of lingerie and making innuendos in just about every show and has had no problem being filmed in bikinis. Just admit you have a nice body and like to show it off. Girl kind of bugs.

It always seems like we get Jamie's feelings about Doug but not much from Doug. It's as if her feelings are the only deciding force in this marriage. I don't think she ever loved Doug like a wife should. She just talked herself into it because there wasn't any glaring reason why she "shouldn't" love him. But that never seems to end well. If they don't make it I hope Doug plays n active decision with that and doesn't let her be the tour guide to dougs heartbreak.

I enjoyed her blog but if I were Doug and that's how she really feels I would be out of there. Unless they are both in cahoots to try to make this season successful by bringing all this out. I bet dougs mom will be so happy to know Jamie has feelings for her ex.

It might sound like I don't like Jamie which would be wrong but I do think she's there for all the wrong reasons.

I

[Snarklepuss]

I just caught up with this.  Having only watched the second season I was curious especially after listening to everyone here talk about season 1.  After seeing this I am convinced that they were just "lucky" with these couples because Jamie definitely looks like nothing but a classic fake/phony fame whore who would do anything, including convince herself that she is in love with a guy in order to be on TV.  I am only "feeling it" slightly more with Jason and Courtney, but it still feels somewhat forced.  All this talk about "keeping the spark alive" is ridiculous.  They're going to be in for a pretty big let down if they think the honeymoon doesn't ever have to be over.  Relationships change, they'd better be able to deal with that or they're all headed for divorce court.  Both women seem to live in a dream world to some extent, in stark contrast to the reality-based nature of Jaclyn and Jessica.  I can't even talk about Jamie because I think everything out of her mouth is fake so you can't tell if they're really having problems or she's just creating a plot for the show.  I tend to think they are having problems but her constant going on about having a baby is only going to make him dig his heels in even more about not being ready for it.  Geesh, one would think if she REALLY wanted kids she'd find a better way to "negotiate" for having them, or just be a little more patient.  It's not like she's freaking 40 yet!  I suspect that if there is any truth to that issue she's trying to make up for the shortcomings in their relationship by having a baby, which is the WORST thing she could do. 

 

I love how Jamie said "they're not going anywhere".  Where are they going and what's the rush?  Real life isn't like that.  You get married and there are long periods of just daily same old/same old.  Your jobs interfere, you become separated on and off, etc.  You can't be attached at the hip 24/7.  I think these women think they are supposed to be in some kind of fantasy Rom Com/fairy tale where they're always together and it's always romantic and exciting.  The reality of marriage is not like a romance all the time.  After a while it settles down into something more low key and not as exciting in the way it was in the beginning.  If they can't handle that, then they're going to fail.  But I still can't tell if there was any truth to this or they were just making fodder for the show.  It could just be a sign that they are not with the right person or that they themselves aren't ready for marriage.  I think it might be "all of the above" to some extent!  All this talk about how much "work" the relationship is is a red flag to me, because it shouldn't feel like that much work if its a success.  It actually looks to me like both women are over-thinking their relationships and creating issues that aren't even there, which again, may just be because they're trying to create issues for the show to focus on, otherwise they couldn't stretch this out for several episodes.

 

And who is this guy Neph?  How totally lame to include him in this at all, it just goes to show they don't have enough real story and need filler.  Plus I agree that the other "experts" weren't featured because everyone hates them now, and Dr. Pepper is the only one with any credibility left whatsoever.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Snarklepuss

[Kiss my mutt]

It must be hard to keep the spark alive when Jamie never felt it with Doug,

I'm always a little confused when the experts say the first year is the hardest. I've been married twice and the first year was great! But this arrangement is not comparable to how most marriages begin,

And should marriage be such hard work? It should require effort but I don't want to come home and have to "work" at being a good wife. It comes naturally because of how much we love each other.

Yeah, that whole thing with Neph is just ridiculous. Besides not caring about this tangential character, who leaves everything behind to go live with a guy and his family after six weeks? He needs to get his shit together before asking someone else to wallow in it and she needs to respect herself.

[belladonna77]

I can see things from Jamie's point of view about Doug.  She might be wanting a baby very soon, but Doug is exhausting.  He's the type of guy who wants the comfort of being in a relationship (someone to come home to, take care of him, etc), but isn't ready for his side of the emotional maintenance.  Instead of being real with Jamie and explaining why they shouldn't have a baby (YET and we need an emphasis on yet for her), he makes up bucket lists, etc.  She doesn't hear, "We're  not ready because . . ."  I think if Doug was more open to discussions about their relationship, Jamie would feel more stable and be willing to stop the baby talk for awhile.  She has never had any good role models for what a "normal" relationship looks like, so in her head it's marriage, then a baby, etc.  

[Tara Ariano]

Jamie and Doug have trouble; Cortney and Jason open up about past pain; and Neph and family prepare for his girlfriend to move in.

[62GREAT]

Hey All. I for one am curious about how things are REALLY going with the couples. Can someone tell me if Cortney has taken Jason's last name yet? I just watch the new show last night. Noticed that Cortney seems to still be wearing the original ring. This makes me a little suspicious, why wouldn't they get their own rings if the married is truly strong? I did notice that Jamie has a different wedding ring.

[cardigirl]

Hey All. I for one am curious about how things are REALLY going with the couples. Can someone tell me if Cortney has taken Jason's last name yet? I just watch the new show last night. Noticed that Cortney seems to still be wearing the original ring. This makes me a little suspicious, why wouldn't they get their own rings if the married is truly strong? I did notice that Jamie has a different wedding ring.

 

I think Jamie has different rings because she and Doug got married a second time and it was a tv special.  

[Primetimer]

And more not-quite-burning questions sparked by the latest episode.

Read the story

[Gigi43]

Can Dr. Pepper please set Neph up with "Basement Ryan" and let us be done with him?

 

Both MAFS2 Ryan's seemed to haunt this episode. Cortney going on about her grandmother (two years later??) probably has Ryan D in a snit somewhere because no one ever loved a grandmother more than he did and she should pay him a royalty on that story. Cortney sure had the bitchface on at that party. Who wears a dress to bowl?!

 

The car payment thing is weird, mainly because I thought they got the car from his parents (or is that a different car?) If its an automatic payment, like I got the impression it was, how different could it be to send it directly? Jamie was acting like they were paying it off for him though.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Gigi43

[Lovecat]

Neph, I could [not] care less.  Just know that if you live in New York and she lives in Texas, she's not coming "down" to see you.

THANK you! Every time he said that I clenched my teeth and growled "UP to see you."

[absolutelyido]

The car payment thing is weird, mainly because I thought they got the car from his parents (or is that a different car?) If its an automatic payment, like I got the impression it was, how different could it be to send it directly? Jamie was acting like they were paying it off for him though.

It is a different car. Doug always had his car, but when they moved from Manhattan to NJ Jamie also needed a car so his parents loaned her one until Doug bought her one for Christmas last year.

 

The payment thing was still confusing to me. From the previews, I also thought it was going to be that Doug's parents are paying for his car, but Doug said he sent them money every month. Doug has said before that he had bad credit, so I wonder if his parents took out a loan to pay for his car and he is reimbursing them each month for the payment.

 

I think the Jamie and Doug conflict is mostly made up. Last season, Jamie & Doug were (mostly) happy and Cortney & Jason were mostly miserable. This season the situation is reversed. How convenient! In both the original MAFS and last season of 1st year, Jamie & Doug's apartments have seemed pretty clean (lived in, but clean), now suddenly Doug is such a slob she can't stand it. I'm not really buying it.

 

I turned to reruns of "The Middle" during the Neph scenes.

 

Once again, Tara's recap is way more entertaining than the actual episode.

Edited October 21, 2015 by absolutelyido

[ShaNaeNae]

God, Jamie is a raging bitch. She's just miserable and belittles Doug constantly. I can barely stand to watch. Divorce already. And good luck finding someone to marry your tightly wound ass. Now that you've pulled that shit on national TV.

 

Cortney going on and on years later about her grandma was unnecessary. I know she misses her and it's sad. My honestly, Jason has had it worse. It was his own mother, his only family member.

 

That being sad, Cortney and Jason are miles ahead and different than Jamie & Doug.

[SaucyMommy]

Doug is a slobby, immature, man according to Jamie, and she is rigid and a total killjoy. My husband and I were watching last night and both said nothing he can do will ever please her. I Said to my hubbie, and on this board last season her whole I love DOUG so much was such a lie last year. She has clung to this relationship to extend her 15 minutes. She's not attracted to him whatsoever, and she doesn't even like him. To Doug's credit he's hung in there like a moldy doormat that is being beat over and over by a stick. The poor guy is never enough for Jamie. Don't forget he bought her a bike and a car, but he's just apparently not capable of having any adult conversations. I get the sense that if they aren't crying over a bottle of wine, Jamie doesn't think the conversation is serious. Not all conversations HAVE to be serious. And this marriage isn't going to work when a woman so rigid in her views is constantly brow beating her husband. When she said to Doug "If you did it right the first time" I was like wow, she sounds like an abusive husband.

I really don't like Courtney's wardrobe this year. She's so incredibly frumpy. I do think they are a good match though. I think they are both mature enough to know it takes two people to make a relationship work, and both seem willing to compromise.

I'm again flustered as to WHY a grown woman would move across the country to move in to a tiny room with a Man Child and his family. Not only does Neph have thing missing upstairs I think Jasmine may too. And I'm confident liking her hair and her teeth - is not going to sustain them. Sigh. Why are they on this show?

[crazychicken]

I just wanted to yell at Jamie your a piece of fudge

 

Doug and his parents made the car payment deal BEFORE he met you, they are happy with the arrangement, he is paying his parents so they are not out of pocket so why is it  a big deal. If he signs up for a new car tomorrow and asks his parents to finance it again go ahead and complain but you do not get a say in what Doug did before he met you. She seems to resent that he has the supportive family as she didn't have that growing up nobody should.

 

He owned a home that he sold when he lot his job, he also attended college so I am assuming that he has live out of home before, so I am also going to assume that he has looked after himself before your sainted arse came into his life to nag him to death.

 

He said he would clean up after he ate, can the man not even enjoy a sandwich or does he need to be miserable like you all the time.

 

Way to ignore your husbands feelings, he is telling you he feels rejected and unattractive to you and you tun the conversation right around to how he can make you feel better.

 

Why was Jamie is scrubs in NJ, if she was going to or returning from work why did her friend need to travel for an hour when it would have made more sense to save her the trip.

 

I was clapping when Doug was talking to his dad, finally he seems willing to stand up for himself. Maybe she will finally have to consider Doug's feelings and not expect her butt kissed just for allowing Doug to breathe the same air as her.

 

I find her exhausting just watching the show imagine living with that.
 

[SaucyMommy]

I find her exhausting just watching the show imagine living with that.

 

 

Yes! She's a phony, fake person. Incapable of worrying about anyone but herself. She's so stuck on herself 

[Lion18]

The show really annoys me. Why am I watching? It was so boring. I couldn't wait for it to end

[SaucyMommy]

The show really annoys me. Why am I watching? It was so boring. I couldn't wait for it to end

I'm only watching to watch these relationship implode.

[crazychicken]

I am watching to see when Doug snaps and tells Jamie what a selfish uptight nag she is

[SaucyMommy]

I am watching to see when Doug snaps and tells Jamie what a selfish uptight nag she is

 

IT would be amazing if he snapped and said "I never liked you and your big teeth anyway"

[Kiss my mutt]

Doug certainly isn't wrong about the vibes he's picking up from Jamie that he feels undesirable and unattractive. The question is then, how long do you want to feel that way by staying with someone who only begrudges you some sex to keep you tied to her agenda.

[JapMo]

There's certain things about Jamie that I don't think she fakes: 

- the love/hate feelings she has towards her mother

- her modesty and straightjacketed libido

I've posted since the first season that I believe she was sexually abused as a kid.  Her inability to allow anyone (male) to get close to her is not surprising from someone who was molested.  That comment she made in last night's episode that if she could she'd sleep in a different room than Doug is very telling.  Maybe she doesn't really love Doug, but I submit another theory for your consideration.  This is a person who had a really awful childhood and came to mistrust everyone, especially men.  She said she wanted to get married and wanted to belong to a loving family.  She got those.  While she knows Doug is a good guy and a good husband, she can't stop finding fault.  She admitted to her friend that the grass is always greener somewhere else for her.  Now all of a sudden she had a long term relationship with another guy and old feelings for him are resurfacing.  Really?  How convenient.  I have a degree in armchair psychology.  To me this is a classic case of someone who has such low self esteem (even though she puts on a big act of being so confident and in control of everything) that she doesn't feel she deserves to ever really be happy.  So she's trying to mess it up for herself.  Doug is good for Jamie.  His dad was right...he needs to ignore her nagging and just let her know he loves her.  If I was Doug I would tell her 'I know what you are doing and knock it off'.  Doug needs to call her on her sh*t and tell her to grow up and quit thinking Prince Charming is right around the corner because he's actually sitting on the couch in front of her eating a big old sandwich and leaving his crumbs AND his dirty dishes all over.  We've said this many times about a lot of the individuals who elected to do this experiment, but I think Jamie had waaayyyyy too many emotional problems to be selected to participate on this show.  Red flags should have been dropping all over the place.  She needed intense, long term therapy...not a trip down the aisle.

[SaucyMommy]

I don't know about speculating about sexual abuse. But I do think her lack of nurturing as a child has precipitated her inability to connect emotionally with people as an adult. Her inability to connect can manifest in to every aspect of her life. She was not ready for marriage. When she said that someone said marriage isn't work if you love someone. I would whole heartedly disagree. Marriage is work and it isn't easy. And if you life in a fairy tale - as Jamie seems to do - you will never be satisfied.

[princelina]

I think the Jamie and Doug conflict is mostly made up. Last season, Jamie & Doug were (mostly) happy and Cortney & Jason were mostly miserable. This season the situation is reversed. How convenient! In both the original MAFS and last season of 1st year, Jamie & Doug's apartments have seemed pretty clean (lived in, but clean), now suddenly Doug is such a slob she can't stand it. I'm not really buying it.

 

This is how I feel about this entire show!  Everything seems made up/blown up to give "story lines" and conflict.  Because - to paraphrase the great David Sedaris - there's a reason regular people aren't on TV - we're boring!  They all seem like reasonably nice people who would have a shot at making it work if they weren't forced by this show to be constantly navel-gazing and nit-picking at each other.  Frankly it kind of ruins my enjoyment feeling like these marriages are being deliberately stressed out for my viewing enjoyment.

 

Jason:  we have heard from Day 1 through last night that he "can't open up" - I have seen no actual evidence for this, other than repeated TH's of him, Cortney and Pepper saying it over and over.  Even with a dying mom this guy is just too nice and even-tempered to be an interesting reality show character.  (IMO his biggest problem is the lipstick someone has been putting him in this season.)

 

Cortney:  last season they got her to play "not sure about this" in contrast with Jason's secret Vegas romance plans.  Now she doesn't get jealous at the calendar bash, so I'm assuming some producer has to sit her down and say, "How do you feel about Jason's dead mom?  Do YOU have any dead relatives?  When did they die?  How do you FEEL about that?" etc etc until she cries and gives them some BS to work with.  And then, naturally she waits until "date night" in between bowling games to have this deep and meaningful conversation!  Guys love that.  And she's from a family that is too normal to even want to appear on her crappy reality show :)

 

Jamie and Doug:  the year they got married they were the TV producers' best dream, to be sure.  Then last year someone decided on a "baby, baby must have a baby" storyline for Jamie, and this year it's been extended to include the fact that Doug is an immature goofball.  They get involved in their meaningful conversations whilst folding laundry, then we have staged scenes with Jamie and friend and Doug and dad.  Dad is even in on it, noticing that Doug gets rainbow sprinkles like a 10 year old!  And then just as he makes himself a super-relaxing and immature P-B-J-fluff sandwich, in comes Jamie on cue (it looked like she was literally waiting in the hallway) to complain that there are dirty dishes in the kitchen.  FYI - if someone wanted to do a reality show in the Princelina household, "Mr. P is an annoying slob" would work here too!  (Except I'd be bitching that he put the SAME knife in all three jars LOL)

 

I just feel that I can almost actually SEE the production involvement in these stories!  I wish they'd let them go and just do an "update special" once a year.  I could enjoy 30 minutes per couple of what they have really been up to, rather than manufactured draaaaamaz that are just turning me off.

 

And Neph and Jasmine?  Just want to be on TV.  IMO.

[jamblastx]

You know what's awesome? That we have Tara watching this train wreck so that I don't have to anymore. After investing my time with the first two seasons, I have had enough....but not enough to prevent me reading a recap

[ClareWalks]

I thought the car payment thing was that the bill was still being sent to his parents' house, and instead of changing the address and getting the bill delivered to Doug's house, Doug just sent them the money to pay it. Which is, frankly, lazy, and Jamie is right to complain about that. But she really lost me when she went TurboBitch about the damn kitchen. Sometimes a guy just wants to enjoy his goddamn sandwich before he cleans up. He SAID he would clean it up. Instead Jamie makes a federal case about a few dirty knives, and suddenly it's "you ALWAYS do this Douglas" and "you NEVER do that Douglas." Yikes. They both need to give a little, and they both need couples counseling extremely badly. But she needs to learn to pick her battles, and learn why she is sabotaging this relationship (probably to "prove" to herself that she is indeed incapable of having a successful one). 

 

Cortney annoys me, I'm sorry. I know it's probably because my grandparents died by the time I was 21 (most of them WAY before I was 21) so I don't understand how people in their late 20s and beyond can be so unbelievably devastated by losing a grandparent. Even though it is sad, surely people are prepared for the fact that their elderly grandparents will predecease them? I know people IRL in their mid-30s who say they would be inconsolable if their grandma died, and I just don't get it. Maybe it's because death has always been presented to me in a non-scary, "this is what happens" kind of way as I've grown up. *shrug*

 

Oh, I forgot about Neph. Big surprise there. But what a friggin' MORON this guy is. He is moving this girl into his house with his parents (his mom seems cool, BTW) and doesn't think she will need room for her stuff?! And she is talking about him buying her things and treating her like a princess, then he says "I ignore red flags all the time," then he lists things he likes about her and they're all superficial? I need to lie down for a while, because I cannot with this.

Edited October 22, 2015 by ClareWalks

[suzeecat]

These people are boring and the story lines are predictable. It's apparent this season was thrown together when the second group of MAFSers blew up. I would rather watch a fresh trainwreck with the Season 3 couples .

[Liberty]

Does anyone know if Jason is making some money by wearing the Iron Mike's Gym clothing?

[Liberty]

Doug, pedal that bike as fast as your childlike legs will let you!

[Vinyasa]

And Neph and Jasmine?  Just want to be on TV.  IMO.

 

Why do we have to watch them?  Guess the producers need more filler to make an hour long show.

[Vinyasa]

I thought the car payment thing was that the bill was still being sent to his parents' house, and instead of changing the address and getting the bill delivered to Doug's house, Doug just sent them the money to pay it. Which is, frankly, lazy, and Jamie is right to complain about that. But she really lost me when she went TurboBitch about the damn kitchen. Sometimes a guy just wants to enjoy his goddamn sandwich before he cleans up. He SAID he would clean it up. Instead Jamie makes a federal case about a few dirty knives, and suddenly it's "you ALWAYS do this Douglas" and "you NEVER do that Douglas." Yikes. They both need to give a little, and they both need couples counseling extremely badly. But she needs to learn to pick her battles, and learn why she is sabotaging this relationship (probably to "prove" to herself that she is indeed incapable of having a successful one).

 

Isn't the show scripted? I'm sure they are just told to do this stuff. Anyone know?

[ClareWalks]

Isn't the show scripted? I'm sure they are just told to do this stuff. Anyone know?

 

I don't know if you are being facetious, but technically this is a reality show and is unscripted. Jamie says it is all very real in her blog, but who knows. I'm guessing Jamie harangues Doug without producer prodding.

[Tara Ariano]

Jamie and Doug meet with Dr. Pepper about their arguing; Neph surprises Jasmine at the airport; Jason admits he has half-siblings to Neph; and Jamie has surprising news for Doug.

[Liberty]

How old are Doug and Jaimie?

 

Jamie looks about 29 and Doug about 34.  

 

I don't know if you are being facetious, but technically this is a reality show and is unscripted. Jamie says it is all very real in her blog, but who knows. I'm guessing Jamie harangues Doug without producer prodding.

 

FYI's definition of reality may be different from the viewers' definition.  Personally, nothing about Jamie & Doug and Doug's parents is authentic.  There had been some speculation last season about Jamie's interest in reality show stardom, and she really continues to display some unhealthy characteristics.  She does not display a real understanding of marriage during production.

[ClareWalks]

Oh yeah, I definitely think a lot of their relationship is "for show", but I think the conflict is very real. They clearly don't get along well, at all. If anything they are staying together just to keep the fame train going.

[ChaChaSlide]

Didn't know where to post this, figured here is best since this forum is for her castmates. Monet is getting a spinoff this winter, anyone watching? Beyond coming from the aspect of the unique issues black women face dating in the US, I think it's really interesting that theyre addressing situations we havent seen on MAFS, like single motherhood and bisexuality. They'll also be touching interracial relationships, but we've seen that before in MAFS season 2; if i'm not mistaken, all of the couples on that season were interracial/interethnic (not that that had significant bearings on how much of an epic fail that season was, no matter who the brides were with those "hire a clown" dbags there was no way things were working out).  I hope Monet finally gets what shes looking for; I really liked her on S1, she wasnt a bad woman by any means, just didnt realize that what she wanted wasnt what she'd asked for. Vaughn was a piece of work though. Source: http://www.essence.com/2015/10/26/black-love-reality-show-women-search-love-fyi

 

 

 

Monday, October 26, 2015 | 3:45 PM
Black Women Search for Love in New 'Black Love' Reality Show
0 Comments
Black Love Reality Show
The cast of #BlackLove

PHOTO CREDIT: FYI

A new reality show follows five Black women as they navigate through a tough dating pool in New York City.

#BlackLove premieres on December 8 on FYI and features five dynamic career women who are also looking for success in love.

Newly-single Married At First Sight star Monet Bell (in yellow)—who ended her marriage to Vaughn Copeland last year—is one of the five women featured on the show.
PHOTOS: 9 Married Reality TV Couples We Love
She is joined by Laree “LA” Thomas (in white), a 35-year old travel consultant, Tennesha Wood (in blue), a 30-year old regional sales manager, Cynthia Branch (in black), a 38-year old licensed social worker and life coach, and Jahmil “Jae” Eady (in pink), a 26-year old web developer.
Monet Bell Tells Why She Got 'Married At First Sight' and Divorced a Month Later

On each episode, the women will attend workshops "on provocative themes related to love" and consult with relationships experts Damona Hoffman and Jack A. Daniels, ESSENCE has learned. The women each come with their own unique perspective: Branch is a divorced mom of two looking to get back on the dating scene, Eady dates both men and women, and some of the women are learning to navigate interracial relationships.
Will you be tuning in to #BlackLove on December 8?

[Bella]

Thanks, ChaCha.

 

I will request a forum for Black Love and probably end up being the lead mod on it, too.

[JapMo]

Jamie has surprising news for Doug? Could it be........Lady is pregnant?

[Primetimer]

And more not-quite-burning questions about the latest episode.

Read the story

[ClareWalks]

Jamie is such a friggin' idiot. I was sympathetic (a bit) in the first couple episodes, but wow. To be so hung up on this ex, claiming how healthy their relationship was (HOW OLD is this guy again? She doesn't think her daddy issues might play into this?!), idealizing him and forgetting the fact that they broke up for a reason. A great reason, because she wanted kids and he didn't. Does she think getting back with him will solve everything? She has Pretty Princess Syndrome and seems to think relationships survive forever on "sparks" and that is just not the case. She is following her heart and she needs to use her head...that lump 3 feet above her ass.

[crazychicken]

Thanks Tara I love your recaps and the gifs were a great bonus

 

I really hope that Jasmine turns out to be a psycho killer so that they both disappear off the screen. I did find his mom cute though. Jason & Courtney are just a snooze fest if he hadn't had the big blowup at Neph I wouldn't have even known they were still on the show.

 

Monet I would love to see her dish more advice to the couples she makes more sense than any of the experts (who all seems to have abandoned the show expect Pepper). Love her shutting Jamie down about seeing her ex and needing to work on her intimacy.

 

Doug I am doing a total backflip on the money situation, it is one thing for his parents to pay his car loan with cash he provides but to be happy to accept that his retired parents are paying for it out of their own pocket is a huge step too far. As for him saying he pays them in other ways I can't see what he has to offer unless they really love flop sweat, maybe the money they save not having to clean their couch after he has sat on makes up the car payment.

 

Jamie where do I start so much wrong so little self awareness. Red flags were flying everywhere

 

Intimacy: Dougs revelation that Jamie needs to mentally prepare before sex was shocking and not shocking at the same time, shocking that she wonders why they have intimacy issues and not shocking as that womans knees have been locked tighter than Fort Knox since she spotted Doug at the end of the aisle and no matter how many times she claims that it was not an issue in her previous relationship I can't see it. Hello anybody else have a certain lap dance/kissing lesson burned permanently into their brain that was not a woman sexually aware that was more awkward than my first kiss at 13 with our whole class watching and cheering us on.

 

Ex mystery man: How sudden was the surprise 4 year great relationship that had none of the issues she and Doug have, before this week in the media Jamie has stated more than once that she has had 2 previous relationships where they locked her in rooms and were mentally abusive. Where did this all come from and why the heck was she still living in a trailer raising her siblings 4 years into this great relationship I would not be surprised if Jamie was a side piece that woman's self esteem did not seem the highest on her reality TV debut.  Also WTF was Jamie doing trying to convince her sister to invite the mystery man to the party, was she hoping that Doug would go all caveman and prove his tru wuv for her my getting jealous, it all seems so highschool. I also need to screenshot Jamie's face when Doug encouraged her to go if she has feeling for her ex as he was not going to fight for her.

 

Dr Peppers visit: The more they show Pepper the more I love her she was not sugar coating anything to Jamie and it still went over her head. How can Jamie claim she never knew her behavior was abusive, even she has to realise the way she speaks to Doug with utter contempt is not healthy, she has always played the 'I know I have issue that I need to work on' card yet still has not made any changes she just expects Doug to worship the ground she walks on no matter what she dishes out to him.

 

That apology: That was the most aggressive apology ever complete with death glares when Doug didn't grovel at her feet. The lack of self awareness in her talking head was astounding, how could she even wonder why Doug did not think it was genuine, I have tried to pick a fight with less aggression than her opening line. No pats on the back for you Jamie, I pity anybody that has crossed her path as it is obvious that she is always right.

 

Her social media: Since Jamie has always been a social media whore I thought I would have a  look and the lack of understanding still surprises me. She did an episode recap on Periscope alone and all she does is get teary and comment that she is embarrassed that Doug discussed their sex life, nothing at all about how sorry she that she has treated Doug badly. I wonder if Doug even stuck around as she did a pre-episode broadcast and as soon as Doug walks in and make a joke that he is perfect she attacks him and says he is not perfect and that is why they have issues, she has a talent in turning even a joke into an argument.

 

Jamie is pushing for Doug to leave so she can boohoo to the tabloids bout how she trusted again, was truly in love and she got abandoned once again but not before she does that reality marriage boot camp show just to prove that she will do anything other than treat her husband with respect to save her marriage.

Edited October 28, 2015 by crazychicken

[Liberty]

Can't imagine where to start, there are so many things wrong will all three of these couples.  I guess the big dilemma with Neph/Jason/Cortney is not about Jason /Cortney..yet.

 

Anyway, the show continues to appear more contrived the longer it goes on.  

 

The previews sounded like Jamie is trying to set up a 3-way with herself, Doug and her "ex".  This "ex" fellow must be a real prize to be talking with her when he knows she is married.

[SaucyMommy]

Tara I love your updates. My husband and I both said numerous times - this is so scripted. A mysterious ex that was NEVER brought up a single time EVER before this season. It's so off. The fights, the tears, it's all just really bad acting. I'm losing interest fast.

[Inf0rm4nt]

I know Jamie and know the Ex she is referring to. There is nothing mysterious about this guy for those of us who know her, I knew all too well who she was talking about even before more info was revealed in this episode. The fact is that she did not break up with him when she went on the bachelor - she came right back from the show and resumed their relationship, and this continued through Bachelor Pad and pretty much right up until she auditioned for MAFS. So that four years she'd been with him includes all of her time in reality TV pre-MAFS. I actually remember hearing that she was going to be on MAFS and found it incredibly strange seeing as how the last I had heard, she was still hung up on this guy. So needless to say I have had my doubts about the legitimacy of this "marriage" from the beginning. The fact that this man is now re-entering the picture only adds to my suspicions.

[SaucyMommy]

I know Jamie and know the Ex she is referring to. There is nothing mysterious about this guy for those of us who know her, I knew all too well who she was talking about even before more info was revealed in this episode. The fact is that she did not break up with him when she went on the bachelor - she came right back from the show and resumed their relationship, and this continued through Bachelor Pad and pretty much right up until she auditioned for MAFS. So that four years she'd been with him includes all of her time in reality TV pre-MAFS. I actually remember hearing that she was going to be on MAFS and found it incredibly strange seeing as how the last I had heard, she was still hung up on this guy. So needless to say I have had my doubts about the legitimacy of this "marriage" from the beginning. The fact that this man is now re-entering the picture only adds to my suspicions.

 

So are you saying that the marriage to doug has never been legit from the start? Which is why last year she seemed SO fake about her being in love with him.

[Inf0rm4nt]

So are you saying that the marriage to doug has never been legit from the start? Which is why last year she seemed SO fake about her being in love with him.

Yes. I have suspected all long that this was not real and the Ex was still in the picture.

[SaucyMommy]

Yes. I have suspected all long that this was not real and the Ex was still in the picture.

 

If that is true, that does not surprise me AT ALL. She doesn't even seem to like doug and seems to fake it simply for the exposure and camera time.