The first season of Ready To Love comes to an end and, as the title of the episode notes, it has come down to committing to one person or quitting the show.
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The first season of Ready To Love comes to an end and, as the title of the episode notes, it has come down to committing to one person or quitting the show.
| Network | |
| OWN | |
| Air Date | 12/22/2018 |
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Out With The Aaron: Aaron, Angel
With the show having it where everyone had the ability to date multiple people, understandably, even for Aaron, the idea of finally narrowing it down to one and having them meet your family seems like a leap. Especially since they just did so. However, to add a whole new layer to it, the only family Aaron has locally is his son. So, when he looks at Angel and thinks of where she is in his life, he realizes she is not the one. She may have been worth some time to get to know but long term? Honestly, nah.
Thus leaving Angel, as diplomatic as ever, endings things with grace.
Commentary
I am going to attempt to be nice for a hot second. Just because it is the finale. A small part of me thinks that Aaron, as much as he wasted Angel’s time, in him finally being honest may have reached a point he could eventually be ready to love. For taking what he said in the past at face value, I think the man might have been trying to see if he still had it. That, after whatever happened with his ex, was he still attractive and had choices. Hence the way he approached trying to be open. It had nothing to do with the other women but more so him trying to regain a sense of confidence through them.
Which is horrible, him using them like that, but unfortunately that might have been his journey. Perhaps explaining why, unlike every other woman Aaron broke up with, Angel didn’t flip out. More than likely she saw potential, a possible project, and with her being one of the young ones, like Ashlee, she had patience the others long lost. Even despite all the red flags Aaron raised and the other ladies pointed out.
Ready To Love? – Ashlee and Alexx
For Ashlee and Alexx, one of the main obstacles is that Ashlee wasn’t really Alexx’s top choice until things got too difficult with Tiffany. So meeting the families was not only a huge leap, but also a test to see if they could weather a few storms. Now, as expected, Ashlee has no issues meeting Alexx’s family. After all, when has it been a battle for a woman to win over a man’s family? Especially if his momma isn’t there to scope things out?
However, when it comes to Ashlee’s family? Well, things are a little iffy. While her dad has unfortunately passed, two of her brothers are present and with learning Alexx has a history of cheating – MAJOR RED FLAG! After all, Ashlee has been cheated on in the past and seemingly is just coming out of her shell now.
You see, when her dad was murdered, back in 2008, during her senior year of college, she began to focus on others, particularly her mom, more than herself. Then, when she got back in the dating scene, it seems she just wanted to be wanted and that lowered her standards a bit. So with Alexx admitting to being a cheater, while his honesty is appreciated, it makes Ashlee’s little brothers worried.
However, with honesty comes forgiveness and understanding. He notes that was him as a young man and he cheated on someone because they cheated on him. Something he notes was petty. So when it comes to choosing if this will be long term, it is decided they’ll give it a go.
Commentary
I still, low-key, feel the main reason Ashlee ended up with Alexx isn’t just because she didn’t try to change him, but because they didn’t leave the honeymoon stage. These two were a midgame relationship which, let’s be honest, didn’t get all that serious until Tiffany got too serious for Aaron. Once it wasn’t fun anymore and they had to both work on their internal issues, as well as the relationship, he went with the bubbly girl who was flirty and fun.
Which isn’t to put down Ashlee but, honestly, it’s hard to imagine what this relationship will be like once she is looking to spend time with him but he is working. What happens when he sees her not being bubbly and jokey and she is feeling down about something. Especially if she gets into a funk which lasts a while. As someone in her family noted, he right now is showing his representative to a point and so is she. Not to imply either are being fake but there is a need to question if Ashlee took note of Alexx’s arguments with Tiffany. Not just in terms of Tiffany’s part in them but Alexx’s as well.
For, like with Angel, you see a completely different approach than what the women over 40, sans Rita, had to relationships. Pushing you to wonder if Alexx, who is only 3 years older than Ashlee, is just a better match with her because of age, or because she isn’t at that point where she has been hurt to the point of making a man prove himself. At least in such a way where it is like he starts off with a strike for being a man and has to work hard to prove he isn’t like the others.
Ready To Love? — Mike and Shea
Mike and Shea have been one of the few who never really strayed from one another. For while, yes, Mike and Shatava had some interest, it was mostly flirty. Hence why, when things got bad and Shatava could have used Mike to talk to, he, sadly, wasn’t there or available. It wasn’t necessarily her but just him not being invested in the way a boyfriend, potential husband, should be. He was in the form of a friend who you call when something is wrong. Not a dude who can kind of sense it so he knows to call ahead of time.
Bringing it back to Shea, things aren’t as smooth when Shea meets Mike’s family, like when Ashlee met Alexx’s. For one, Shea is meeting Mike’s Baba, a spiritual leader, so as much as it is about him approving of her, there is consideration of who Shea is as well. That is, separate from Mike. Which, in doing his practices, he notes she is fiery and Shea acknowledges this. She knows she may have to dial things back a bit. Yet, we’re reminded the reason things are at the level they are is because she often had to protect herself.
Though, with meeting Shea’s mom, it is also noted that there is room for vulnerability behind that strength. For what we see in Mike, compared to the other man, is someone willing to step up when things got hard. Who, when held accountable, didn’t start looking for alternatives and make excuses. Hence Shea’s mom, likely knowing what went on before, seeming cool with Mike. She isn’t raving and saying, “You better marry that man!” but doesn’t feel she needs to throw up red flags and tell Shea to run either. She just thinks they need to take things slow but can ultimately be happy.
Leaving us with the cutest moment. One which is a culmination of all we’ve seen before. For with each brick Mike removes, we see Shea more and more bashful. Cautious in a way, but the optimism beaming through. Thus really presenting the perfect end for a show named “Ready To Love” for we are given a couple who is just that. If not in love already.
Commentary
While there was that strange Tiffany moment, which seems so random when I think about it, Shea and Michael were end game from the get-go. Like Stormy and Pastor Chris, there was an instant connection. The kind which got complicated by this elimination nonsense but ultimately made it through. Giving us one of the most beautiful things a person can see. That is, seeing love in all its stages through a person’s eyes.
What I mean by that is, as the montage played, we saw puppy love in Shea’s eyes, teen love, and grown ass love. Every stage was hit like she was learning what love was all over again and was catching up on wasted time. All while Michael proved himself as someone who could not only be a protector of her heart but someone who had an admiration for her strength. I’m talking, a man who, as Ashlee said of her relationship with Alexx, isn’t trying to change the other person.
Now, was he very much make or break when it came to kids? Yeah. However, it has to be noted between the process of getting pregnant, giving birth, and with Shea having post-partum depression thereafter, that is a whole lot to ask. So even with Mike being a good dude, there has to be potential to be the one in there. Otherwise, it would be Shea repeating a decision she made over 20 years ago that she has accepted, worked through, but surely didn’t want to repeat.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- How the men who got eliminated are going to be when the reunion airs next week!
Highlights
- Seeing two people, of a medium to dark skin tone, falling in love. Something you rarely see on television, maybe in movies as well.
- In Shea finding love, you are reminded that it wasn’t that women don’t have to lower their standards, be willing to put up with BS, or not hold men accountable. It’s that men have to step up, listen, and be consistent. If that is done then there won’t be as many problems which just come naturally when two people try to share a life together.
On The Fence
- Aaron’s “journey,” if you want to call it that, leading to him using someone like Angel to grow. Thus presenting a very unfortunate thing a lot of women, especially Black women, go through. That is, having a man use them for their growth, which they support, and they are left with nothing but wasted time and maybe a little bit of embarrassment.
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