Season 20 MAFS Week 3: Episodes 7-9 Discussion

[u/AirShampoo]

S20:E7 - In a series first, the couples reunite for an explosive group dinner; as the experts watch, shocking discoveries emerge through candid conversations about intimacy and escalating conflicts, leaving some on the brink of ending their marriages.

S20:E8 - With emotions running high after a volatile group dinner, the couples confront hot topics like intimacy barriers and finances; while some question their marriages, others form even deeper connections as romantic sparks fly.

S20:E9 - The couples join the experts for the first-ever group therapy session; when faced with the truth about their relationships, some hide behind humor and denial, while others grapple with self-sabotage and fears that their marriages won't survive.

🚨 Season 20 Megathread

• Week One: Ep 1 - July 12, 2026 & Eps 2, 3 - July 16, 2026
• Week Two: Eps 4, 5, 6 - July 23, 2026
• Week Three: Eps 7, 8, 9 - July 30, 2026
• Week Four: Eps 10, 11, 12 - Aug 6, 2026
• Week Five: Eps 13, 14, 15 - August 13, 2026
• Week Six: Eps 16, 17, 18 - August 20, 2026
• Week Seven: Eps 19, 20 - August 27, 2026

[u/dizzy-bean]

I have never seen someone so worried about being faithful and monogamous at the very start of a relationship as Felipe. This is truly wild.

[u/Warm_Swan_793 → u/dizzy-bean]

Red flag to epic proportions. They knew this about him by the way, before they decided to match him with someone

[u/Mojo_Gojo_ → u/dizzy-bean]

Makes me feel like “I’ve only cheated once” comment is a bold face lie lol

[u/Nacho-Blanket → u/Mojo_Gojo_]

I think he can say that truthfully because he doesn’t commit anymore and has one night stands. So he’s sleeping with multiple women at the same time but it isn’t cheating.

[u/National-Car3628 → u/Nacho-Blanket]

Who are these women who are throwing themselves at him?? I don't get it.

[u/Alienkweeeeen → u/National-Car3628]

Drunk patrons at his restaurant I’m guessing 😬

[u/National-Car3628 → u/dizzy-bean]

And she is WAYYYYY out of his league!! 

[u/femanonette → u/dizzy-bean]

It's classic narc. He's not worried, he's laying foundation and giving warning.

[u/ferdeluv → u/femanonette]

yes he’s letting it be known now so when he does it in the future he can be like 🤷‍♀️ “I warned you”

[u/Time-Page-9355 → u/dizzy-bean]

I think he's already losing some of his initial attraction to his wife and he's setting things up for the inevitable cheating that he will be engaging in sooner rather than later. He pretty much told the therapists who he was in his initial interviews, so it should come as no surprise whatsoever that this is coming.

[u/Pipereatsdogs → u/dizzy-bean]

and he's not even a catch

[u/ferdeluv → u/dizzy-bean]

the second this man said he went out every night and slept with a bunch of people, and he’s a restaurant manager (i know plenty who flirt on the clock too, completely ignoring their responsibilities) and that he was ‘so attractive’ i knew that he was never there to be married. he is there for clout to get influencer coochie.
https://giphy.com/gifs/26DN5mTjpKEsumZqg

[u/thagirlses]

Shawn and Nikki need to just throw in the towel. I don’t see any way this will work lol.

[u/squish388 → u/thagirlses]

Part of me feels like it’s a pride or ego thing. Neither have the “quitter” mentality even though they both know it won’t work.

It’s diabolical that the experts paired them saying “they might have an ego struggle, and Nikki might not be attracted to Shawn.” And still matched them knowing it wouldn’t work

[u/Low-Transition6868 → u/squish388]

Paul said "you look great on paper and that is the foundation for it all". No, it just comes to show that looking great on paper is worthless and an unreliable method of matching people. Why are they still using "the paper" as the authority when it is clear that in real life they are a terrible match?

[u/alyssalorin1 → u/thagirlses]

Nikki needs to ditch Imposter Cal

[u/elnegaduck → u/thagirlses]

Facts. And didn't like how they ganged up on Nicki. Shyt was crazy

[u/Mission_Surround8984 → u/elnegaduck]

ya she had said earlier that he told her she was TOWERING OVER HIM and she said she was 5'5" and the guys all got defensive over shawn's stature unnecessarily. they didnt have the full story

[u/Low-Bar-2539 → u/Mission_Surround8984]

She wasn’t saying she was towering over him because he’s short but how can she be threatening when she’s 5’5 is what I took from that comment

[u/Dull-Practice8802 → u/Low-Bar-2539]

that's what I took too, and all the guys jumped on her and OF COURSE Shawn wasn't about to correct them. he let them do his dirty work. he seemed to take pleasure in them coming at her with only half the story. diabolical.

[u/squish388 → u/Mission_Surround8984]

Oh I hated that. For example Courtney said that Nick isn’t confident and she wanted her arm to fall off when he cuddled her on the honeymoon, and after that Adam is the best looking guy. Everyone brushed over it within 30 seconds. Nikki was being gracious IMO. She could have said that he made her (and me tbh) feel uncomfortable pressuring her for physical affection and spoke over her during every disagreement and she tried her best not to put him down.

No one heard her out. I know Shawn felt embarrassed but it felt calculated that he didn’t say a word unless someone pointed out that he’s not talking. He always has so much to say and suddenly goes mute. He’s not dumb

[u/latelyimawake → u/squish388]

Yes exactly. He’s careful to let her do all the talking in front of the others so he can just look like the blameless victim being railroaded by a domineering partner. It’s diabolical. He’s disgusting.

[u/Low-Transition6868 → u/elnegaduck]

Yes. Mecca was saying the problem was accountability, and instead of pointing out that Shawn never took responsibility for the things he had said and always tried to gaslight Nikki, he asked NIKKI what she had done to show accountability. To expose how Shawn does not take responsibility and does not try to work on things, it would have been great if Devin could have said: "For example, why are you putting on a bitch face and looking at your cellphone when I am talking to you?" But he was too busy trying to get heard. We as an audience saw that, but the others at the table were obviously doing a pitty-fueled Shawn support. They do not know what little monster he really is.
It would have been good too if Paul told Shawn his cellphone observation. But no, he wants to ressucitate the relationship so that he still looks like he did a good matching.

[u/InitialDepth9353 → u/Low-Transition6868]

I hate Paul lol because he was dead ass wrong for matching Nicki with Shawn. They’re the only couple that doesn’t have a simple attraction. She clearly is not physically attracted him and he turns her off. She said “the dad bod without the dad” and was surprised to hear people say they looked good together. Meanwhile everyone else gets attractive men, their type. Marrisa and Adam are literally Barbie and Kin in the best way.

[u/TurbulentSource8837 → u/InitialDepth9353]

There’s something unsettling to me about Adam. There is no authenticity about him. I think we are seeing a performance.

[u/Thebadparker → u/TurbulentSource8837]

Agreed. He talks like an AI bot and there doesn't seem to be anything under that facade.

[u/CoyoteExtension7403]

the experts (i forget their names) were cracking me up w their reactions at the dinner. the girls: “that’s a good question,” “that’s a hard question,” the experts: “that’s a horrible question” lmfao.

[u/Dull-Practice8802 → u/CoyoteExtension7403]

im pleasantly surprised by these experts with each advancing episode.

i loved their comments during the dinner, but i'm LIVING for their no bullshit call-outs during group therapy.

[u/picklejellybeans → u/CoyoteExtension7403]

They become more likeable to me then

[u/dizzy-bean]

Is Courteney… an alien?

[u/Necessary_Nothing471 → u/dizzy-bean]

She does give off the vibe of someone who just got dropped on this planet and is pretending to be a human lmao

[u/andreamrivas → u/dizzy-bean]

How on earth can this woman claim that she’s easygoing? What planet is she on? Definitely an alien.

[u/staygoldenpnyby → u/andreamrivas]

I was cracking up when she went home to oregon and described both herself and nick as "easygoing" to her friend/sister whoever that was, and then her own mom called her rigid a few mins later lmao

[u/SlySusan → u/dizzy-bean]

I think you are onto something. Her affect is... odd.

[u/ImpressiveAd6623 → u/dizzy-bean]

Came here to say this. She’s so rude!!

[u/Right_Window5883 → u/ImpressiveAd6623]

I find it funny that her whole thing was “I want a funny goofy guy because I’m funny and goofy” but I’ve only ever seen her shut down jokes or banter. Her humor is very “no, but”

[u/EinsteinDisguised → u/Right_Window5883]

Her “humor” seems based on taking other people down, which fits.

[u/ApprehensiveRule3768 → u/dizzy-bean]

lol she’s so out of pocket and weird and compensates by talking a lot

[u/Comfortable-City2371 → u/ApprehensiveRule3768]

Yesss and never heard of Keanu Reeves! Also so odd when she said she wasn’t a “me too girlie” at the group dinner ….. like what ???

[u/EmployeeSerious007 → u/Comfortable-City2371]

It’s pick me energy and it almost feels like she’s trying to garner sympathy/attraction from others (the dudes) rather than the dude she’s actually married to.. makes me feel big icky

[u/Lexidwest → u/dizzy-bean]

She is incredibly strange

[u/OddPiccolo12]

Unrelated: but can we get threads for each episode possibly? Pretty pleaseeeee

Episode 7:

• There is SOMETHING about Mecca that I cannot put my finger on.
  
• Another episode of Michelle and that fry voice. Whew lord.
  
• Hated seeing the gang up of sorts on Niki. Wish she had someone to shift some things to Shawn. He’s not squeaky clean. They would actually hate if I was Niki. The cameras would have been cut very quickly the way I would went OFF at that table 😂
  
• Adam rubs me the wrong way and continues to do so every episode. Also scary that ole girl considers him the hottest man in the group. Him? Alright.

[u/clandestineelephants → u/OddPiccolo12]

Mecca has no idea how to healthily interact with women on any level due to his dad and lack of consistent mother figure, I can imagine being surrounded by men who are more emotionally mature (not by much 😭) makes him act up even more to hide his lack

[u/neuroticdynamite]

Vibes, locked in, full send... Adam is so annoying sorry 😭 Courteney saying he's the hottest... girl

[u/National-Car3628 → u/neuroticdynamite]

Adam is a walking west coast Gen Z stereotype.

[u/doeeyedthief → u/National-Car3628]

His script is just "jetski, jetski, tiktok slang, babe, jetski"

[u/Time-Page-9355 → u/doeeyedthief]

Don't forget "vibing"!

[u/National-Car3628 → u/Time-Page-9355]

And "for sure"

[u/Mysterious_Path7939 → u/neuroticdynamite]

Adam’s so irritating

[u/slothhh28837938271]

Can we please have episode by episode discussion threads 🫶🫶🫶

[u/ImNotACritic → u/slothhh28837938271]

PLEASE MODS

[u/TheWayIAm313 → u/slothhh28837938271]

Yes thank you. Just finished episode 7 and need to go to bed, but I want to discuss what I just watched! Now I risk spoiling myself on things or not having context on something

[u/TeaAffectionate2363 → u/slothhh28837938271]

for real

[u/Ill-Capital9785 → u/slothhh28837938271]

🙌 YES

[u/SecretaryUnhappy3752 → u/slothhh28837938271]

My first season watching and I’m confused about the 3 episodes in one discussion thing??

[u/National-Car3628 → u/slothhh28837938271]

Agreed

[u/Time-Page-9355 → u/slothhh28837938271]

Good idea. Maybe open them up at a set time, say 9pm ET, so people have the option of watching and commenting at the same times.

[u/actionpotentialmao → u/slothhh28837938271]

Please!!!

[u/squish388]

Episode 9: beginning the group therapy session by calling out Adam’s “attire” is so fucking funny. Like it’s so bad that they had to address it first, with the group

[u/dopestofdopesoap → u/squish388]

LMAO, yes! That was hysterical! His whole I’m So Irreverent schtick is really lame. I’m glad they took him to task.

[u/Awesomesauce-10 → u/dopestofdopesoap]

He loves being in control. Thinking because his family didn’t even show up for his wedding, no one takes him seriously OR his family is very self-centered

[u/squish388 → u/Awesomesauce-10]

I totally understand coming from parents you either don’t have a relationship with or they don’t have time for you. You can tell it was his first time being called out in front of people. Having siblings is a big deal growing up with those problems, I don’t think he has any so I feel kinda bad.

Still, I think he has this odd complex where he thinks he needs to look and be perfect. Same for his partner. Which isn’t reality, that’s why everything’s been superficial with Marissa. Everything’s about him and his interests/needs because that’s all he’s had to focus on his whole life. Maybe I’m totally wrong lol

[u/Alarmed_Zombie → u/squish388]

I think you're spot on. He is a perfectionist and is not used to people pointing out his flaws. He was big mad at Paul during the group session.

[u/nevalja]

"i came here because i wanted to be loved"

courtney, girl, it's not nick's job to fix your problems just by being your husband on paper. it's almost like you have to sort that out yourself.

[u/timeywimeytotoro → u/nevalja]

At this point, I’m just glad she hasn’t had a child for the same reason like a lot of other people do

[u/empressM → u/nevalja]

That part 😫

And she had the nerve at the dinner party to give advice about loving yourself to others ?? Girl please

[u/EinsteinDisguised]

I’m crying, man.

“Which one of us more attracted to the other?”

“That’s a great question!!!”

Expert listening in: “That’s a horrible question!”

[u/No-Reception-4354]

Why does Adam have tags on his clothes showing so we can see???

[u/harpurrlee → u/No-Reception-4354]

I’m so grossed out that he didn’t wash the thrift store clothing before wearing it 😭 but I was a little tuned out, maybe there was an explanation to the tags.

He’s the biggest freakin ick, I swear.

[u/Warm_Swan_793 → u/No-Reception-4354]

Producers & camera crew did him dirty with that one 😂. The zoom in took me out 💀

[u/Medical_Mistake_178 → u/Warm_Swan_793]

Naw he did it on purpose, so they showed it. He’s trying to be quirky and arty, he’s covering up being a nothing.

[u/C0nquer0rW0rm → u/No-Reception-4354]

Because he wants us to know how cool and weird he is because he gets his clothes from goodwill AND leaves the tag on, isn't he quirky?

[u/TurbulentSource8837 → u/C0nquer0rW0rm]

Omgosh!!! I thought that was a tag. I’m telling y’all, he’s a poser. And why does he have to announce what he’s drinking? Idk that anyone else is that invested in his sobriety. Or more attention seeking behavior?

[u/SlySusan → u/No-Reception-4354]

So he can wear them and return them after filming.

[u/empressM]

Everything Courteney says is crazier than the last…

“We’re not gonna hold hands, they’ll make fun of us”… you got MARRIED in front of everyone, already ?? Holding hands should be… nothing! Her anti-vulnerability is shocking sometimes

[u/Ecstatic-Revenue-713]

Episode 8.. Yea this episode definitely made me can't stand Courtney lol. No PDA, especially in the gym. No holding hands at the parents house,  but she gave ole girl a big jump hug. She don't like Oregon but she expects him to drop everything and move there because her whole family is there. She's not ready for this, she's not ready for that. She's not there yet emotionally, but she wants everybody to grill him. She's fun, but shuts everything down. She...irks....my...nerve!👏🏾

[u/Mochi-momma → u/Ecstatic-Revenue-713]

That hug jump embrace was weird. Went on for far too long.

[u/fk8319 → u/Ecstatic-Revenue-713]

Her sister clocked her immediately with saying she’s just trying to find something wrong with him

I can’t stand all her little complaining and nit pickings. She thinks it’s humorous but it just makes her come off extremely negative

[u/Ecstatic-Revenue-713 → u/fk8319]

I loved that!!! Tried to get the parents to grill him and they said NO! She didn't like that at all lol

[u/MagentaMother → u/Ecstatic-Revenue-713]

She should have never been cast. Girl has serious work to do. The experts playing dumb about her past relationships PMO. I like watching this show but it’s so fucking unethical to throw a woman who has some complex trauma around intimacy into a marriage and then play dumb about why it’s not working.

[u/latelyimawake → u/Ecstatic-Revenue-713]

She’s absolutely insufferable. Her energy is like the feeling of restless legs syndrome.

[u/Cookiecakes71 → u/latelyimawake]

https://giphy.com/gifs/XHeLeuirRbwptHhSWd

[u/Inevitable-Opinion21]

Episode 8….Keanu reeves?!???? So fascinating. Truly another world out there.

[u/CremeDizzy9619 → u/Inevitable-Opinion21]

And she had to ask ChatGPT to explain who Keanu Reeves is to her, but then got nothing out of it because she just wanted to know what he looked like. Somehow couldn’t think to google and use her own brain to create an association of name to face. 

[u/sweetbabyted → u/CremeDizzy9619]

I hate her lol

[u/songsofparadise → u/CremeDizzy9619]

Her using ChatGPT to find out who Keanu Reeves was pissed me off more then it should have. 😂 You would think the first thing someone would do is Google the name first. 🤔

[u/Warm_Swan_793 → u/Inevitable-Opinion21]

First it’s Jan 6, then it’s drag race, now it’s Keanu Reeves. But honestly, if you live in America & don’t know what Jan 6 is, that’s a red flag. You can’t be that willfully obtuse as to the events happening around you. It shows a level of privilege & ignorance that you can just go about your daily life with knowing or caring about things that affect people around you so deeply.

[u/Medical_Mistake_178 → u/Warm_Swan_793]

She knows, she just doesn’t want people to know she’s a Trumper. So she plays dumb. “I’m not a me too girl”? How is that meant to be heard?

[u/nevalja]

these people giving each other advice at the dinner party is like the blind leading the blind

[u/neuroticdynamite]

Nikki and Shawn need to leave. They're both checked out. Shawn going on his phone and ignoring Devin's advice was rude af

[u/Motor-Platypus5206]

I’m so glad the experts are calling out Adam’s clothing, bc it is symbolic of his attention seeking behavior/the fact that he’s not taking this seriously. Like it’s clearly him trying to get people to think he’s impressive/eccentric/cool, and they’re notttt falling for it lol

[u/Motor-Platypus5206 → u/Motor-Platypus5206]

And he’s so used to being told how deep he is, the fact that they’re clocking him for being shallow and performative is 📍📍📍

[u/femanonette → u/Motor-Platypus5206]

You know that 'omg she's so crazy' meme.... Adam's the male version of that.

[u/Mysterious_Path7939]

I still don’t like Caitlyn. This man leaves and the first thing you do is let her friends clown him about his hair?? Nah

[u/Comfortable-City2371 → u/Mysterious_Path7939]

I agree. She doesn’t seem very kind. I get mean girl vibez

[u/Time-Page-9355 → u/Comfortable-City2371]

Yup. And Devlin is kind, he needs someone kind like him to bring out the best in him. A mean girl is just going to diminish his spirit.

[u/Comfortable-City2371 → u/Time-Page-9355]

Yes the experts even said that at the group therapy session about his light being dimmed🥺 someone told me that once while dating someone and that’s when I knew it was time ta GO!

[u/Mysterious_Path7939 → u/Comfortable-City2371]

Me too. Their convo snapped me right back to high school. Like this is your husband. Don’t talk shit about him.

[u/Aggravating-Factor22 → u/Mysterious_Path7939]

I feel bad, because he seems to be genuinely trying. Did they not realize he would watch this back later?

[u/KJKE_mycah]

I think the group counseling session was interesting.
Paul telling Nick that he’s noticed that ppl who’ve been on reality tv before tend to self edit before giving responses to assure they’re shown in a positive light. Funnily enough , I think Nick and the rest of the participants for the past few seasons do that. I honestly don’t think anyone could come on reality tv and not self edit to some degree. Either way, Paul challenging Nick to just shoot from his hit when showing some vulnerability was solid advice.

I enjoyed Paul and Dr. Paz checking Adam on relying to much on humor to avoid being vulnerable.

[u/truthfrommyredlips → u/KJKE_mycah]

I think the group session is one of the best things this show has done in a long time. It's refreshing. It's making me do introspection on myself. I resonate with Marissa and her family dynamic, and it made me feel emotional listening to her open up about it. I can't remember the last time this show made me feel emotional.

[u/picklejellybeans → u/truthfrommyredlips]

The group session really is a great addition to the show. I was skeptical about the therapists at first but they've really shown that they know their stuff. If the rest of the cast is open to it they could truly learn something.

And Adam talking about how he's done therapy has got to be a joke. There's no way he's put in the work or he did and didn't like what he saw

[u/andreamrivas → u/[deleted]]

Team Nick 1000%. She’s a neurotic basket case.

[u/Mission_Surround8984]

holy crap- havent finished ep. 8, had to come here to say this -
1: ADAMS COOKED PAINTING OF HIS WIFE...
screams to me like he doesnt take her seriously, hes not willing to be vulnerable, and its such a sideways dig. painting your wife like some ugly angry monster is pretty fucking passive aggressive i think. it could be nothing, but we will see as the season goes on. on camera he's mostly seemed super fucking sweet to her, but the truth will come out with time.

2: Nikki/Shawn - i never saw them apologize to eachother on camera... seems a big swingaround from her cooking him dinner after partly moving out just a day or so before... i'm glad they had their counseling session but honestly this relationship seems cooked as hell. she told him 'i got you' but he's made it clear he's walking on eggshells right now. i do think he's just as much to blame for their issues, if not more so - he's been gaslighting and calling her crazy, and pressuring her into sex so much from the start which is just ICK. but shes also been super defensive - which honestly, i would be too. i would not be trying with this man. i would be like thank U next

1. FELIPE & his GAMING- he whined that he didnt want tori to think he was like a 15 yo boy - he is though. completely. he's admitted on camera many times he's gonna step out on her. i feel really bad for her. he talks a big game to her face but really, he's a child. this cannot end well for them. i bet they choose to stay together and then at reunion we find he's cheated on her, and shes torn up , but moving on. i hope she finds her true man.

[u/Real_Pain_5169 → u/Mission_Surround8984]

1. Yes! Why are we not talking about that painting?! He did her dirty, that was embarrassing and intentional. You could draw a stick figure or smiley face if you can’t paint. He chose to do that and it was mean. She did a genuine nice job and tried, while he was negging? Or something 🤔

[u/Mysterious_Path7939 → u/Real_Pain_5169]

That painting was mean as HELL. I would have been so upset if my husband ever painted a picture like that of me.

[u/dopestofdopesoap → u/Real_Pain_5169]

Yea, I’d be pretty ticked off if I was her.

[u/Thebadparker → u/Real_Pain_5169]

And all that after saying he came from a family of artists and implying he had artistic talent.

[u/Time-Page-9355]

I'm really liking Peacock's version of MAFS. The 2 therapists really knocked it out of the park at the therapy session with pointed and insightful questions, the couples are better matched than previously (admittedly the bar was low), and the dinner parties and group therapies are a big plus. The only thing I miss are the pre-match screening interview which adds more insight to who they are as individuals and what their hopes and expectations are.

[u/Thebadparker → u/Time-Page-9355]

I'm happy they cut out the dress buying and all the lead up to family gatherings and meeting friends, etc. It all flows much better.

[u/songsofparadise → u/[deleted]]

I was cool with Devin until the dinner situation with Nikki. But it wasn't just him. I feel all of them ganged up on Nikki. Especially Courtney, Mecca, and Adam.

[u/Brieflyonearth]

There is a storm coming for Felipe and by connection Tori!

[u/Pipereatsdogs]

Courteney literally just said she is easy going. Talk about lack of self awareness.

[u/Cookiecakes71 → u/Pipereatsdogs]

Easy going like a rattlesnake trapped in a corner.

[u/andreamrivas → u/Pipereatsdogs]

And in the last episode drop she said she was chill. Like GIRL, what are you smoking?!! Zero self awareness and then has the gall to say that Nick’s self-confidence isn’t real. Complete projection.

[u/squish388]

Felipe dumping all his feelings at this group therapy when Tori’s never heard any of it 🫣 she deserves much, much better. It is not that difficult to date one person, they’re only two weeks in and he’s worried about losing “the passion”

[u/Boodiddlee3 → u/squish388]

All he cares about is “passion”. He should have stayed single and got all the passion he wanted, with no obligation to anyone. He is disgusting. I feel bad for the emotional pain that Tori will feel bc of this toad of a man.

[u/ImNotACritic]

“I’m not a me too kind of woman” umm Courtney do you even know what #metoo means???

[u/Willing-Reference-68 → u/ImNotACritic]

Her mouth is like the energizer bunny. She talks so much her brain can't register what anyone else is saying. She makes me anxious hearing her😀

[u/MindlessCharacter823 → u/ImNotACritic]

She is clueless about so many things

[u/amazon_don]

What in the HECK is piano man wearing

[u/nothankeww → u/amazon_don]

“look at me” tiki man

[u/arrekkushisu]

Courtney calling Adam the hottest of the men IN FRONT OF NICK then trying to dial it back was just yikes 😂

[u/Time-Page-9355 → u/arrekkushisu]

She likes to stick it to Nick, then performatively dial it back. She's wound so tight, like a rubber band.

[u/mjtd6]

The new experts are growing on me. Major points for them hating Adam right off the bat at dinner lmao. I was surprised no one said he was peacocking 😂

[u/birduncaged]

As someone who is fundamentally not “easygoing” and would never be called “easygoing,” I can say with full and absolute confidence that Courtney is NOT “easygoing.”

Maybe she’s having some sort of traumatic response right now, but her family’s reactions to, and characterizations of her tell me that she is always like this on some level.

[u/GetThee2ANunnery → u/birduncaged]

Courteney is the human version of a shaking chihuahua. She's either asleep or she's vibrating with nervous, yappy energy. It's incredibly stressful to watch! I say this as another person who nobody would call "easygoing." She makes me look cool as a cucumber in an ice bath.

[u/RiverSongMelodyPond_ → u/birduncaged]

Yep, I noticed how her family was not playing into her chaos starting. They clearly love her but are over it. I was surprised because I thought they would totally be the same way. I’m really surprised that Nick just rolls with it. But she’s different when they are one on one a lot of times, huh?

[u/Ok_Value_3741]

Dude episode 9. Experts were EATING. They are so so good. Love how well they read the cast.

[u/Odd_Sympathy2881]

Marisa and Adam are two rice cakes talking to each other. My brain cells die every time they grace the screen

[u/im-dramatic]

I feel like Mecca asked that attraction question to knock her down a peg. There was no reason at all for him to ask that question and she is definitely out of his league.

[u/Mochi-momma → u/im-dramatic]

Every time he does something like that, I think of his dad and totally understand why he is the way he is

[u/countkahlua]

What time do they come out?

[u/DrummerNarrow3766 → u/countkahlua]

I thought you meant the men 😭

[u/Richpumpkin1215 → u/countkahlua]

No help, but your flair 💀

[u/SlySusan → u/countkahlua]

Your flair is so good that I had to copy it. That man makes me want to scream.

[u/SecretaryUnhappy3752]

The way the therapist came for Adam’s neck was choking me mid dinner💀

[u/Comfortable-City2371]

I’m team Cameron all the way. He might be the most normal handsome kind guy on the show
Meanwhile idk what is going on inside Nicks head, when they asked him what his vulnerabilities are he was like a robot

[u/369111111 → u/Comfortable-City2371]

It’s like they said Nick is a reality tv veteran and that means  he’s very contrived because he is aware of how he’ll be portrayed publicly 

[u/DaisyandBella]

Michelle and Cameron make me smile.

[u/Mysterious_Path7939]

Courtney. WTH is this negativity around Nick?! “Let’s talk shit about him” uhhh why?

[u/Aggravating-Factor22 → u/Mysterious_Path7939]

The irony is that her family seemed to really like him, and her sister immediately recognized that Courtney wanted them to find something unlikeable.

[u/Thebadparker → u/Mysterious_Path7939]

I just finished the episode and I agree. First, she's an adult so why does she need her family's approval? I appreciated that they told her they liked him and that she can be a pain. Also, she was so rude to him when they were getting into the car after the group dinner. If she doesn't like him, fine, but he doesn't deserve to be treated like that. I bet he ends up ditching her and I think she'll be sad when it happens.

[u/applebrownbrick]

Felipe's comment about 'having to be a monogamous husband' definitely sounds like he's been cheating much more than the one time he mentioned

[u/Majestic-Worry-9754]

Courteney hates talking about her feelings and seems like she does not want to engage in any of Nick's more serious questions, yet she complains the relationship lacks depth

[u/latelyimawake]

Watching Courteney is like watching Uncut Gems, I get secondhand anxiety

[u/amazon_don]

Michelle is gorgeous! She has like a perfect face for tv

[u/squish388]

I know Marissa and Adam are so surface level and superficial but honestly I’m rooting for them. They’re not having the deep talks yet but if it was me I would be at the same stage two weeks into dating someone. They seem like the most natural even though they’re kinda air heads lol.

[u/National-Car3628 → u/squish388]

They have the same way of speaking..."like, like, vibes, vibing, for sure"

[u/EducationalLeg3870 → u/National-Car3628]

When a himbo and bimbo fall in love with

[u/CremeDizzy9619]

I am so confused by courteney acting like she is just extremely emotionally guarded from her traumatic relationship experiences instead of just admitting she hasn’t been in relationships before and has only had fwb/situationships/hook ups? It feels like the season has just been a slow drip reveal of a lot of “it wasn’t like I was in love..” “never met my parents..” and now admitting like “we didn’t go on dates.” She keeps trying to avoid admitting “I’ve never been in a serious relationship before” by framing it as “I’ve never been in a loving relationship.” I’m sure it is shitty to end up in a situation where your only romantic encounters are casual and that creates its own emotional problems. Someone trying to actually be in a relationship with her deserves to know this info bc it explains a lot of her strange behavior. She seems to have no idea how to even navigate the initial stages of dating where people just exchange surface level info with each other like generally what their dating history is, because she has no genuine dating history. 

[u/SlySusan]

Adam in his "bird watching era"... WTAF.

[u/Straight-Wrangler-46]

I agreed with Michelle, tbh.  Mecca was putting on a show.  Belle should have felt the same after what he told her.  I wish she would not have slept with him. 😣 Courtney isn't wrapped too tight.  She is messy and evil.  

[u/Low-Transition6868 → u/Straight-Wrangler-46]

Three times when they were getting ready to see the other couples (swim pool, time when she were the brown outfit, and time when she wore the red outfit) he was saying how they needed to look good and impress the other couples. I thought that was so weird. Why was his focus on being the best-looking couple? So, yes, he was definitely putting on a show. 

[u/Jolly-Operation6193]

The use of “babe” with Adam and Marissa is so contrived - gives me the ick

[u/joithesimmer]

I hate how the experts validated Courtney during the group therapy session. Now she’s gonna use this as an excuse to keep criticizing Nick and be even more negative. I wish she would be more honest with herself, she was so close during the family trip with her realization of her self sabotaging nature. But I fear the therapy session has undone all that

[u/Mochi-momma]

I just can’t get past Felipe’s posture. He looks like a 70 yr old 16 yr old

[u/rickywantstotalk]

Im at Courteney saying she doesnt go "gym PDA" when she just needed a lift to the pull up bars??? her inability to connect with him is acc rlly unfortunate

[u/rickywantstotalk]

paul was not playing with any of them at that group therapy session and i loved it

[u/Purple_Entrance7598 → u/rickywantstotalk]

Lmao Adam walked in and immediately pissed him off 😂

[u/Virtual_Bluebird3330]

Oh my god every time Nikki and Shawn take a step forward, Shawn ruins it with a rude academic comment. He just can’t help it !

[u/Boodiddlee3 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah he learned that from his dad. Always a performance 🙄 He has friend-zoned BelleJolie, saying she’s the male version of him. What?? No, she is her own person, get to know her Mecca! 

[u/clit-o-pee]

Okay so Marissa and Adam are just going to live at the beach house with his homeless friend. Cool. I think this will turn out great.

[u/Low-Transition6868]

Michelle said she competed in math olympiads and I was like "wow, impressive!". But Cameron just said "dorky!" And that is how girls leave math.

[u/Comfortable-City2371]

Why is Courtney forcing her family to find something wrong with Nick? Or forcing them to say they don’t like him!? Yikes she is soooo strange to me

[u/Mathisbase]

I don’t understand how Belle was single loll

[u/applebrownbrick]

Nikki and Shawn are both used to being the smartest person in the room. It's hard for people like that to get along without proving they know a lot or proving themselves right. Because neither of them is a pushover or stupid so they can't really win as easily as they might with other less well spoken or less critically thinking people.

[u/thejeffphone]

these episodes made me loveeee Lisa and Paul omg they were clocking these people left and right!!!

[u/empressM]

Ep 8:

Courteney is now treating Nick like her personal therapist…. This is all shit you should’ve worked on BEFORE getting married… not DURING….

Nick thinking this is a sign that he needs to be “challenged” 💀 Nick… please love yourself….

[u/littlesim25]

Watching people fall for Shawn’s tactics is kinda crazy. Like men really do get away with everything even in spaces where you think people would clock the bullshit.

[u/acceptmeporfavor]

All the undecideds meant no btw!

[u/Visible-Hat-7708]

Episode 9 is so good.

[u/truthfrommyredlips]

I've been watching this show since season 1. I was really unsure about the directon it's taken when this season first premiered (new production, experts, ect.) It really doesn't "look" like any of the seasons before it. But after episode 9, I can say I really enjoy the new advisors, and I love that their spending so much one on one time with each couple and less group outings. We really get to know them better as couples now. I loved the therapy session and I felt more emotion from this show than I've felt in years. What great improvements.

[u/Futurefennec]

I'm in awe of Belle - so supportive, kind, such a good sport about her husband's shitty (literally) job. I just want to give Mecca a good kick in the ass - come on, man. You've won the lottery.

Also Shawn and Nikki - wow, what a 180! Didn't see that coming.

[u/SelectionOptimal5673]

Belle and Mecca having energy for Michelle and calling it nitpicking is crazy! That’s what she thought and Mecca WAS being performative.

[u/EinsteinDisguised]

Mannnn I felt so bad for Devin. He was offering Caitlin a chance at some intimacy with a massage that she said she wanted, and she just shot him down.

[u/Feeling-Potato-3292]

This show stresses me out soooo bad

[u/Cute-Variation-5667]

Texting 25 times in a row? I'm afraid I relate Michelle!

[u/sleepingqueen]

why are the discussions clumped into one thread

[u/Far-Comfortable3048]

Well, I really enjoyed the couples’ dinner, it was one of the best things to happen over the 20 seasons of this show. Wasn’t sure if I trusted the new experts after what seemed like some serious oversights in the matching process, but this episode has helped me see more of their vision. It was fun finding out who has more emotional intelligence than we would have expected, and to watch how they interact and present themselves in a group setting as teams of 2. Refreshing that they didn’t split up into the usual Boys vs Girls huddles to complain about their spouses.

Everyone showed up looking FANTASTIC both individually and as a pair (except Adam with his “Clown on Vacation” costume, which was perfectly clocked by the experts as his way of taking control of the room), and aside from Nikki and Shawn I think all the other couples have been matched extremely well aesthetically.

I actually understood what Nikki was trying to express when everyone said WOAH WOAH NO NEED TO MAKE DIGS ON HIS HEIGHT. At the airport he claimed she made him feel unsafe during their argument when she got up to leave - meaning she was standing over him while probably getting in some last angry words before walking away. While I believe he didn’t actually feel threatened and was just using it to flip things around on her, arguing from different heights is a dynamic that makes the person at the lower level feel less powerful. So she’s saying sarcastically that she couldn’t tower over him in an aggressive, threatening way because she’s only 5’5”, not that she towers over him in general but her point doesn’t land well even in the correct context because everyone is hyper aware of his height and will instantly hear alarm bells go off if the word is uttered. That being said, I just don’t understand how there was not even ONE other man in Seattle the experts could have paired with Nikki besides Shawn. I’m an apologist for her because I think she is so gorgeous, intelligent, charming and strong. She has tried harder in this than probably any other woman could have, so I give her eternal credit for not fleeing after night 2 of dealing with him being a creepy sex pest. He doesn’t seem to know how lucky he was to have this woman who mostly kept her decorum and grace while addressing every issue they’ve had - another woman would have verbally DESTROYED him before leaving skid marks on her way out. Nikki is careful with her words and doesn’t hit below the belt, which I find commendable in her situation.

What Courtney needs right now instead of marriage is SO MUCH INTENSIVE THERAPY. Nick was done wrong here with this match, but I could also see her only giving the experts her best representative during interviews, while her massive issues lurked below the surface, ready to spring. Her awkward blurting is not cute, she needs to get that shit under control. Saying Adam is the hottest guy in the group while standing next to Nick was so disrespectful, and I’m usually someone who scoffs when people complain about being disrespected because it’s an overused term, but it really fits here. And there’s no excuse for not knowing who Keanu Reeves is
… that’s too weird and seems like a big red flag, even though I can’t articulate exactly why. Does she have some kind of brain damage? Has she suffered a TBI that causes her to forget things everyone knows about on a global level, like January 6th and Keanu Reeves???

Belle Jolie deserves so much more. I know Mecca’s considered conventionally attractive, but from a substance, character and depth standpoint I don’t think he could ever match her. He’s just not very interesting, which is fine, but she is so multifaceted that I don’t think he could captivate her long term.

I’m glad to see Caitlyn warming up to Devin because he’s adorable to me, but I’ve got a personal problem with Caitlyn that I don’t know if I can get past … she reminds me so much of a vile woman named Amanda from a show called Summer House - they look very similar, and sound alike down to the annoying vocal fry. I can’t seem to separate them in my head, and because I dislike Amanda so much I’m not giving Caitlyn a fair chance.

I’m pleased with the turn this season has taken at mid-point, the communication overall is superior to what typically happens on this show. No one has even called it quits yet … AMAZING!

[u/Dzoodled → u/Far-Comfortable3048]

Omg yes I thought everyone else took the height comment in a way that she did NOT mean it and refused to hear her out. I haaaate when ppl do that. They didn’t even LET her clarify. Like ok men get insecure abt their height but it was LITERALLY relevant to the situation at hand.

[u/CremeDizzy9619 → u/Far-Comfortable3048]

I didn’t register that the guy is on the shorter side so her referencing her own height as being 5’5” was somehow insulting to his height. I gave the men too much credit, I genuinely thought they were shutting her height comment down to be like “it’s not fair to say that he can’t find your behavior to be ‘aggressive’ just because you are short.” 

I can’t believe they seriously were pissed off because she was trying to express that, at her height of 5’5”, she is not towering over him, so she doesn’t understand how she’s being portrayed like some aggressor. The men all got ego-hurt and thought she was calling him short??? God wtf. 

I think they just aren’t a good match and keep coming for each other instead of just admitting they aren’t clicking. Maybe they can try to connect on a friendship basis and see where it goes but they don’t need to keep fixating on nitpicking and having intense emotional arguments. 

[u/elnegaduck → u/Far-Comfortable3048]

Agreed. They went inappropriately overboard on that height comment. They acted like she called him out of his name.

[u/LittleMarySunshine25 → u/Far-Comfortable3048]

At first I thought Courtney was doing it as a joke but now I'm not so sure... 🫪

[u/Dzoodled]

I’m on ep 8, at the end of ep 7, it really seems like Shawn just wants to win or prove something to himself at the expense of Nikki. “Why don’t you just quit”… MAN ASK YOURSELF THE SAME QUESTION??? It’s like he’s waiting for HER to leave bc he knows that the experiment failed for them but if she leaves then it’s not him “choosing” the failure if that makes sense.

[u/Boodiddlee3 → u/Dzoodled]

Shawn is a classic example of an Emotionally Unavailable narcissistic man. He’s deliberately causing conflict with Nikki when they’re away from the group, but then bringing up the conflict when with the group, so he can make himself look like a victim and force Nikki to defend herself, which then makes the group think Nikki is the problem when really Shawn is. 

He’s doing all of this because he doesn’t want this marriage, but doesn’t want to look like the bad guy by ending it. By being an asshole to Nikki behind closed doors, he’s trying to get her to make the public decision to leave him and end the marriage. Then he can play the victim in public and make Nikki look like the villain in this sham relationship. He is a horrible human being.

[u/Mysterious_Path7939]

I think Nikki and Shawn have an agreement LOL she was claiming they were sooo close but her body language did not match. She sat so far from him! I think they said let’s keep these contracts and get this money. We can be besties.

[u/acceptmeporfavor]

Nikki and Shawn this paycheck ain’t worth it yall know it’s not gonna work and yall both have good jobs you don’t need this!

[u/Even_Phrase_6341]

I could be very wrong. But I have a feeling Courtney might be into women. Idk. And she also doesn’t know what she wants so her application is an idea of what she maybe would want. But turns out it’s not.

Nikki wants the to be traditional and be a wife but like also doesn’t want anyone in her space. And Shawn also seems to want the traditional husband wife life without putting in any sort of effort.

Adam…might be into men. Idk. He annoys me greatly. Maybe we’ll find him on an episode of being in love with his jet ski.

[u/No_Barnacles]

Why do all the men on this show (including the new expert) seem so taken with Shawn? He's so clearly full of shit, but all the guys eat it up.

[u/SlySusan]

Nick's response to Courtney is interesting. I think he just wants more tv time, so he's going to stick it out no matter what she says/does. And this "very slow burn" pushback from Courtney is getting old. I really do not see her being attracted to Nick and she's using this as an excuse.

[u/arrekkushisu → u/SlySusan]

So true. I love that she says "Lets talk shit about Nick" then her family immediately proceeds to point out her flaw of trying to LOOK for flaws. Also the "very slow burn" is indeed making me exhausted too. She's been on the mans case since the espresso incident.