Monsters and Critics columnist Liz Long recaps Married at First Sight, New Orleans, Season 11, Episode 8, You Can Get Out of This, with a little help from a glass of pinot (or two) …
Greetings my MAFS-lovers! What a great eighth episode to add to our dynamic 11th Season! Tonight, we played games like Truth or Dare with friends, we saw Christina break down the fourth wall of production, and we finally witnessed Miles getting not one, but two, kisses from Ms. Karen!
There was a lot of goodness in this episode, so let’s just get to it.
I present to you tonight’s best moments, for better or worse.
1. Amani gives the ladies a lesson in Communication 101
Last week’s Pastor Cal visits really got our couples opening up (even if for some, this first time communicating wasn’t so pretty!). Tonight, Mrs. Randall got some of our ladies thinking a little bit more about how they interact with their new spouse.
After Christina and Karen expressed their need for aggressive men, Amani dropped this little bomb: If it’s not natural for him, then the solution is for you to be more affectionate. After all, Amani’s Sweets has been real affectionate, which, in turn, has made her more comfortable.
With this marriage of advice, we now have Karen complimenting Miles on his new haircut, Christina apologizing for being impatient, and, heck, even Olivia is willing to sit down and make a budget with Brett (even though I think we all know she doesn’t need to)! Amelia, you just sit there, drink your beer, and look cute. I’m not worried about ya, sister.
2. Karen & Miles: Treat her like a bad puppy
Karen and Miles just might have had their biggest breakthrough tonight. Miles deserves an A+ in patience given that he hasn’t even kissed Karen yet. (This includes their wedding night, y’all … even their dang honeymoon!)
But, tonight, that all changed.
Karen shared with Amelia that Miles finally initiated a kiss, and, now, thanks to a good ol’ game of Truth or Dare, Miles got a second peck. He even got a tickle on his side y’all. Now, try and contain yourself, Miles, because you are also about to receive the key to unlock ALL of Karen’s barriers thanks to this gorgeous, soft-spoken friend of Karen’s.
Take it away, Felisha!:
Felisha: “You need to treat her like a bad puppy.”
You got that Miles? Treat Karen like a bad puppy. Be the man of the house. Karen likes being submissive. Run with that, and I think you’ll be getting a little more than blackened redfish and potatoes at 12:35 a.m. (Although, props to you, Karen. That sounds like a hell of a meal at regular dinner time, let alone a time when most people are making Hot Pockets!)
3. Bennett & Amelia: Maybe everyone should do this experiment!
Leave it to Bennett and Amelia to not be the ones depending on cheap thrills from games like Truth or Dare and Would you Rather (albeit kinda cute). Instead, they turned their attention to making a mural with friends for their housewarming activity!
Bennett: “The main focus of tonight is painting. But who wants lo-mein?!” (God, I love these two.)
Not only have these two been so pure and genuine with each other since Day 1, but Amelia loves the fact he made his own tiny house, and the girls were giddy over the fact that Bennett is Amelia’s Noah from The Notebook! As I’m on a high from cuteness overload, in comes this buzzkill:
Ah, yes. The beanie-clad wonder who doesn’t want Bennett to leave. But sorry to break it to ya sister, Bennett is falling in love with our girl, Amelia! And in case he wasn’t clear enough, he IS serious about her. This isn’t some absurdist Bennett adventure … all of America supports them … sooooooooo you best get to painting on that friend mural of support, sister, or else!
Thank God for friends like Amelia’s best guy friend, Louie, who comes with a lovely accent and asks all the right questions that get right down to the authenticity of this couple.
Louie: “Within two minutes, Amelia, I was having an incredibly authentic conversation with him. And if you can truly be yourself, well what the hell more do you need. Maybe we should all do this experiment!”
Room for one Lizzie to be a part of this friends’ group?
4. Woody & Amani: Never have I ever loved this couple more
And speaking of our cute couples of the night, how about them Randalls?
Woody, we didn’t need ya to start the morning out with mimosas and flowers for your Sweets, but, dangit, well done, sir. Their chemistry has been seamless from Day 1, and this did not go unnoticed on their friends. Even Woody’s cousin, Rachelle, was all onboard even though this means she might no longer have her Thursday nights with the once single, free Woody.
And, of course, among all the games of the night, The Randalls by far had the most fun (no shocker there). They played Never Have I Ever, which awarded Amani a free full body massage.
And while the fun was in full force, that didn’t stop The Randalls from having those sweet moments either.
Woody tells his guys, “I didn’t think I was going to meet Amani like I was going to meet Amani. Like, I like spending time with her. I dang near love my wife.”
Okay, Randalls. You’ve met your quota of cuteness for the night.
5. Christina & Henry: Personal and production breakdowns
Christina and Henry finally started actually communicating last week, which led to Henry calling Christina “high maintenance” and “impatient.” This week, all bets are off.
Probably one of the most interesting things about tonight’s episode was seeing the breakdown of the fourth wall with us witnessing Christina point-blank asking the production crew, “are we done filming this scene now?”
“He’s giving me nothing. And I’m sick of having these conversations,” she said.
Can it be end-scene now? She even referred to one of the production members as “she” as if she wasn’t in the room (“she wants us to play these games”). Daaaaang girl! Are you turning into this season’s Brandon?!
This type of talk had Henry’s slow-boiling frustrations running over by the time they sat down to the meal hand-picked and purchased by Christina (no thanks to Henry!). Henry was suddenly using full paragraphs and having no trouble speaking his mind. I think you’re just impatient. Shall we count the ways, Christina?
No, Henry. Please, let’s not. Let’s just hang with friends and play Would You Rather because that’s what I’d rather do right now.
Of course, Henry had more girlfriends than guys show up to the housewarming party, and, interestingly, Christina had more guy friends.
While there was no Trischelle in sight, there was good old Kristin, who has been with us since Day 1. I’ll admit, I had my eyes on Kristin, waiting to see any sort of claws come out tonight. And though it seemed like she entered the house on the prowl (doing the classic re-introduction of herself), she seemed to give a little grace to Christina, sharing with her that Henry just needs time to open up.
Kristin also shared that Henry saw her through the hardest time of her life when she lost her sister.
Christina’s guy friend, on the other hand, seemed to have had one too many shots, and in the kitchen let it rip:
You’re living your life so safe, Henry! It’s exhausting to me!
You don’t know the half of it, dude.
Oh, yeah, Olivia and Brett also made an appearance this episode. They played Jenga with friends and talked about “starfish” sexual positions, after which Olivia relayed the same woes she did to Pastor Cal last week. Hey, at least she made a budget (insert eye roll emoji here).
Next week, Henry might not be “so f**king done” with Christina after all because we see him learning to dance with her!
We also see that Miles gets brownie points for a romantic dinner, but then apparently crosses a line when he writes “have sex with wife” on their refrigerator to-do list.
Amelia teaches Bennett how to tightrope walk as they wear matching pants and not much else looks like it has changed for Olivia and Brett (i.e., still no “butterflies”).
Thank God the butterflies are still going strong for the Randalls, even if those silly producers try to make us think otherwise. Oh, where’s Christina when you need her for a good-ol’ production yelling… Christina?!
Til’ next week my MAFS-lovers!
Married at First Sight airs on Wednesdays at 8/7c on Lifetime.
That was an excellent summary, thank you!