S03.E05: Fly Fishin' Zip Linin' Honeymoon

[MMLEsq]

Michaella and Brandon begin their life together as they travel to Montana for a romantic honeymoon exploring the great outdoors. Back at home, Gil treats his youngest daughters to a dinner date. They’re growing up fast but they’re still daddy’s little girls! And Zach comes home from the police academy for a home cooked meal with Whitney and Josie.

[Micks Picks]

Pretty funny when they were walking down the street in Montana, all Michaela wanted to do was return to the hotel room!  I don't know why, looked like an interesting street.

[IndianPaintbrush]

Was most of the honeymoon footage shot around Kalispell, or did we see them actually go into Glacier National Park?  I wish we could have seen more of the park and less fishing, but that's just me.

 

That was a very genuine moment between Gil and his youngest girls.  If he's getting tired and jaded about the endless number of weddings in his future, he sure doesn't show it.  

 

Was that Nathan's "special" friend Ashley on the previews for next week?

Edited February 12, 2016 by IndianPaintbrush

[BitterApple]

Michael's giving me whiffs of Jill Duggar. Stage 5 clinger alert. Tori and Carlin's sarcasm was hilarious.

I think it's great that Zach finished the Police Academy and started a real career. Whitney and Josie's friendship is really sweet. Bradley is just an adorable little chubber.

Kelly was smoking hot as a young adult. I see resemblances to her father in the latter half of the Bates kids.

Edited February 12, 2016 by BitterApple

[Micks Picks]

I especially agree with the clinger alert, BitterApple.  She may be a stage 6 already but Brandon may not allow her to interfere with his work life.  His arm and side where she grabs him and hangs on must be rubbed raw by now.  Of course, she's loved him for years, unlike Jill who only was madly in love for months before marriage.  So sad.

[Spencer Hastings]

Michaela sure seemed giddy about all of her "firsts" with Brandon. I laughed when she said all she wanted to do was go to the room. Definitely a big change from the girl who wanted to strangle Erin for bringing up the honeymoon fun!

Gil and the little girls were sweet. Staged or not, I bet exactly 0 people took Jennifer Duggar out when she was having a meltdown over Jill leaving.

[woodscommaelle]

Yawn. Was that a honeymoon or a first date?

Brandon: What do you want to do?

Michael: What do YOU want to do?

A minute later: repeat above conversation.

The oldest of the three youngest girls resembles Michael. So pretty. And the eyes on the youngest: beautiful. Gil and the girls seemed to be having such a genuinely great time together. Very sweet.

Young Kelly Jo was beautiful.

[MMLEsq]

I've never liked when a show sends a cameraperson to film a person't honeymoon.  Wedding yes, honeymoon no.  Just go off and have a vacation and start your married life in private.  It just feels very intrusive.  Plus, in this case, it really wasn't all that interesting.  You can't be separated by six feet for an hour or so while fishing, really?  Statements like that are why I'm convinced that they're both just saying what they think they should be saying.  If that's what Michaela's* really feeling, then I actually feel sad for her.  It's like she has no life and no interests separate and apart from Brandon.  Sigh....getting down off my soapbox now...

 

*  I noticed the show captioned her with "Michaella" (two L's).  It must be hard to have a name that your own show can't even consistently spell correctly.

 

Loved, loved, loved the dinner date with Gil and the three youngest girls.  Completely adorable without being overly fake or too sweet.  When he tears up talking about his kids it really gets to me.  I don't agree with all of their beliefs, but I do believe that Kelly and Gil really do love their kids, think of them as individuals and really want the best for them.  (I also loved that one of them -- Addallee maybe? -- talked about going off to college as if, of course, it's expected.)  

 

I also liked that Zach wasn't afraid to admit that he called home crying every night from the Academy because it was hard and he missed his family.  (Although I'm sure he'll get some teasing about it now.)  One thing the Bates men are not afraid to do is show emotion -- you have to give them that.    

[wait.what]

"It just took me a minute to get warmed up"

(I think that was how Michealla said it.)

I know she was talking about the zip-line, but haha something makes me think it could mean more. Girlfriend seems eager to be "joyfully available" ALL the time. Brandon is going to be worn out! Good for them!

[BitterApple]

I'm hoping the awkwardness was from two shy people not comfortable being on camera rather than two people struggling to make conversation even though they're married and having sex.

I'm also a little confused as to why the family pigeonholes Brandon as some city slicker. I'm pretty sure folks in Michigan hunt and fish. I was rolling my eyes when Michael was so gushy after Brandon finally caught something. He doesn't seem like the type of guy who needs constant ego stroking a la Josh Duggar.

[woodscommaelle]

Lady at the Alpine Slide:  "Have you ever done it up here before?"

Brandon:  "No."

Lady:  "Have you ever done it at all?"

Brandon:  Did a double take and laughed.

 

Was I reading into that scene too much or did this lady know this family and know about their 'relations?'

Edited February 12, 2016 by woodscommaelle

[Jenilane6]

I watched both the episodes last night, and it seems they cut the part where Erin was teasing Michael(a) about the honeymoon.  There was something about massages but not what I remember from last week.  I am glad to see these kids have a sense of humor, and I am sure Jana fits in better with them then her own smug sisters.  Gil is s sweet with the girls, it is hard to understand why he would back Gothard the pervert.  And Kelly was gorgeous, sleeveless and red nails and all.  Looks like Carlin and Tori.

[Absolom]

Ratings:  202K viewers and a .06 rating.

[IndianPaintbrush]

I've never liked when a show sends a cameraperson to film a person't honeymoon.  Wedding yes, honeymoon no.  Just go off and have a vacation and start your married life in private.  It just feels very intrusive.  Plus, in this case, it really wasn't all that interesting.   

I think the cameras were there for a very small portion of the honeymoon, like maybe a day or two.  Some of the photos Michaela posted on Instagram had way more impressive mountain views than what we saw on the show.  So I'm sure they got their privacy.

[Hero]

Bradley is so cute!

I thought Gil's lunch date with the girls was adorable.

Michael does seem like a stage 5 clinger. The constant hand holding that these fundie's do is hilarious. It's lile once they get married, their hands automatically fuse together.

I thought the honeymoon scenes were boring. Michael and Brandon are just not interesting people.

[gunderda]

It was nice to hear the little girls say "I don't want to grow up because then I have to go to college!" 

Which means the idea of attending college is put into their brains at a young age - which is great! Especially for the girls.

[Ljohnson1987]

Erin is pregnant with blessing no. 2. I wish her the best, but wish she would be happy with the healthy son she has, and stop playing Russian Roulette with she and her child's lives.

[BitterApple]

Erin is pregnant with blessing no. 2. I wish her the best, but wish she would be happy with the healthy son she has, and stop playing Russian Roulette with she and her child's lives.

I agree. I thought they were smarter than that.

[cereality]

Honestly I'm a bit disappointed. They seemed SO thrilled to have one child, that I thought they'd relish that, have 1-2 more if they could have taking appropriate time for Erin's body to heal and then close up the shop with thankfulness for the family God gave them. Carson is what -- about 9-10 months? And I assume Erin has been pregnant for a few months if they're announcing it -- so did they really NEED to get pregnant within 6 months of a rough pregnancy?? I mean they didn't just have trouble conceiving, but rather Erin had to be giving herself shots to keep from miscarrying. With so much medication and chemical in your body, why not give yourself a yr or two to fully recover? Esp. when you're not age 35 or 40 and there isn't a huge "rush." I'd like to think that they want to have 2-3 kids back to back and then say enough, but I don't know -- the way they did this so quickly and without too much consideration for what would be good for Erin's body, makes me think it isn't about having 2 kids quick but about having every blessing they possibly can.