Is it just me, or does Married At First Sight get messier and messier every year? I don’t know if they are purposely putting bad matches together, but something is definitely amiss here. This is the first season since the inception of the show, where I honestly don’t know who is going to stay together. Yes, it makes for more drama, but I feel like I have whiplash from all the ups and downs. Some may say this is what love looks like, but I am genuinely surprised there isn’t a clear stand out couple. Whew! I need a glass of wine just to deal with all of these constant problems.
Activities like driving lessons and cooking meals take center stage as the couples settle into domestic life. The realities of unemployment, budgets and even the simple division of chores create issues that begin to drive a wedge between the pairs. The couples speak to friends and family to get some advice to navigate their relationships. Let’s get straight to the recap!
Katina and Olajuwon
When we last left Katina and Olajuwon they were arguing because he saw a dating app on her phone. She explained that the app was old and she totally forgot it was there, but he was clearly not trying to hear that. Frustrated, Katina goes to visit Jasmina and Michael to vent about the situation. She is tired of the way that he responds aggressively to situations. For some reason, Jasmina and Michael are trying to find a way to explain his actions. The way Olajuwon screamed in her face over something that could be completely innocent was crazy, especially after already embarrassing her in front of everyone.
Michael speaks to Olajuwon to hear his side of the story. At this point, he feels disrespected and doesn’t believe Katina forgot to delete the app. In fact, he thinks that it shows that she wasn’t fully invested into their marriage. Honestly, maybe she needs an active dating profile because that would mean she was done taking his shit. To add insult to injury, everyone sees the way he treats his wife and they always find a way to give him a pass.
After forcing Katina to apologize, they eventually make up. Olajuwon claims he apologized for his behavior, but I highly doubt it was the highlight of the conversation. I just don’t understand how she keeps dealing with his angry outbursts. If a man embarrassed me in front of my friends and they yelled in my face about something unintentional, I couldn’t just get over it. I don’t know if that makes me slow to forgive or just someone who holds people accountable. It’s sad to watch Katina sacrifice her self-esteem and happiness for this marriage.
Olajuwon speaks to his former coach about his recent argument with Katina over having a dating app on her phone. I am really sick of no one holding this guy accountable. The only person who has directly challenged him is one of the experts. You cannot go around screaming and belittling people on a constant basis. Meanwhile, Katina meets with her sister-in-law about her relationship. It’s clear from the conversation; she still wants to be with Olajuwon. Insert side eye. If I was her, I would be telling him he doesn’t meet expectations the same way, he tells her. Until he can get his temper in check, I don’t know how she can be truly happy with him.
Lindsey and Mark
Mark takes initiative to create a white board with activities for himself and Lindsey to spend quality time together. I don’t know if that idea would work for every couple, but I like the idea that they are compromising with one another. Later, he finds himself frustrated with his vegetable and fruit loving wife at the grocery store. Clearly the man doesn’t have a large palate and since he isn’t working, they are on a strict budget. While Lindsey has good intentions, it might not be the best time to get him to explore when you only have a $100 to spend.
Lindsey is at her wits end with Mark, yet again. Although they were seemingly getting along, she is frustrated that he makes declarations on camera and never follows through. Things came to a head when he did something to upset her while doing laundry. She the type of person that will try to ignore singular incidents, but as they begin to stack up, she will blow up. To Mark, it probably looks like she is going off about something small not realizing her frustration has been building from several unrelated incidents. Sigh! I don’t know if these two will ever be able to effectively communicate, they may just be too different.
Mark meets with one of his female friends to vent about the ups and downs of his relationship with Lindsey. Immediately she picks up on the fact that their communication needs a lot of work. She also advises him to stop shutting down and holding grudges. Later, they get into yet another argument about their problems. Mark is trying to express his feelings, but Lindsey feels he is putting all of the blame on her. After she tries to touch his arm and he recoils, she leaves the apartment, despite the photo shoot they have planned. I had to laugh watching him try to take this awkward cat photo by himself. Eventually, he is able to convince her to participate after a tense standoff. Sigh! I can’t with these two.
Noi and Steve
Noi is still holding firm on her wanting to have 3 kids, in the future. In order to see if he is ready, she takes Steve to the groomer to get him accustomed to taking care of something that is important to her. I think he passed the test. Later, Steve hangs out with Mark and vents about some of the things that still weigh on him in their relationship. At times, he doesn’t feel like Noi fully trusts and believes in him. He is currently contributing 3xs the amount of his wife financially, but because he doesn’t have a job she isn’t comfortable. He wants the space to be creative and do the things that make him happy, but he feels like he will have to change to make his wife happy. This is a tough situation. I think I would be okay with him not working during the experiment, if he had money to support himself. But, like Noi, I would need some confirmation he would be able to bring steady income into the household in the future. His savings aren’t going to last forever, so I think she needs to feel secure with the life they are building.
Steve is starting to feel unappreciated for all of the things he does in the household. Yikes! It almost seems like she is just is delegating tasks to him, as if he is her personal assistant. When he tries to assert himself and ask for them to split tasks equally she literally tells him to kiss her ass. Noi, you are starting to come off as a brat. Sushi isn’t his dog; he should not be expected to solely take care of him. He also shouldn’t be the only one contributing to the household chores. It’s not like he isn’t paying bills, in fact he is contributing more money than her, according to him. Noi, don’t mess this up! You have a good man; all he expects is for you to be fair.
During a conversation about life after the experiment, Noi reveals she isn’t ready to move in together afterwards. She doesn’t think it’s a big deal for them to live apart for a while. Of course, Steve doesn’t agree and thinks she may not be ready for marriage. She was in such a rush for him to tell her he loves her, but now she wants to take her time. She also could be scared of signing a lease for an apartment with Steve until she is able to see a consistent income when he starts working. If that is the case, she should just be honest and tell him that.
After listening to Noi complain about Steve with her family, she doesn’t seem to appreciate him. Not only did she exaggerate, she left out a lot of details. She is complaining about his job, but she isn’t being honest about him actually contributing more financially and doing all the chores. At this point, maybe she should just find someone with a job that isn’t going to do even half of the stuff he does to make her feel special. I had high hopes for these two, but I can’t ignore Noi’s behavior. He may not be working during the day, but that doesn’t mean he should act as your maid, dog walker and cook all day long.
Jasmina and Michael
Michael gives Jasmina driving lessons. She has had a fear of driving after being in accidents in the past. He was very patient with her and took the time to help her get over a fear. Later, Michael meets with his sister to discuss his marriage. He feels they are in a better place, but still in a friend zone. He also doesn’t feel like his effort is being reciprocated. Michael has been asked to open up about a lot of painful moments and I haven’t seen her do the same. Meanwhile, Jasmina admits to her mother that she doesn’t have any feelings for him.
While cooking dinner, Michael and Jasmina both acknowledge that things are finally going in a more positive direction. They even seem to be having fun together. I am not sure if that is enough for them to stay married, but I like seeing this side of them. Hopefully some romantic sparks will start to fly, but I won’t be holding my breath.
TELL US –DO YOU THINK NOI SHOULD BE WILLING TO DO MORE HOUSEHOLD CHORES? DOES STEVE NEED TO GET A JOB BEFORE THEY MOVE IN TOGETHER AFTER THE EXPERIMENT? DID KATINA FORGIVE OLAJUWON TOO QUICKLY? ARE YOU TEAM MARK OR LINDSEY?
[Photo Credit: Lifetime]
