Ready to Love: Season 1/ Episode 6 “Friends and Lovers” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

With a double elimination around the corner, the question isn’t so much who should stay but who should have been left – on their own accord.

With a double elimination around the corner, the question isn’t so much who should stay but who should have been left – on their own accord.

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Network
OWN
Air Date	11/24/2018

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Group Dates: Michael, Aaron, Alexx, Rita, Shatava, Stormy, Angel, Tiffany

At this point, the dates might be about the men getting to know the women but all that is really happening is we’re getting to know the men. That and consistently coming to the conclusion, this woman is way too good for you. Though, this could be looking outside in. Take Aaron’s date with Stormy. She is adorable, her friends have crafted such a positive and open community, and then you add Aaron. Someone who is like the snake in the Garden of Eden and someone needs to be the exterminator.

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Not to dog Aaron, though at this point you could say I do consistently. It’s just, bringing up his date with Angel and her people, it is clear this man might be ready to date – but not ready to love. Hence why he was so comfortable putting his hand on Angel’s friend’s thigh. This is despite one of her friends, the only guy who is included on any of these dates, coming at his neck from the jump.

As for Michael and Alexx? Well, while Michael doesn’t appreciate Shatava’s friends playing 21 questions, Alexx didn’t have it easy either. His date with Tiffany was complicated by her having women older than her come on the date, and then them being split between saying Tiffany is doing too much and maybe Aaron isn’t doing enough. To put it simply, what we’re seeing between Tiffany and Alexx is slowly morphing into a Melinda x Aaron situation. The only difference being, Tiffany is ready to pull out as soon as there is a clear sign she is wasting her time. For let’s be real, after a certain point in life, no one is really trying to compromise all that much.

Commentary

The more we see, the more questions. What has happened in Michael’s past that has made his significant other’s girlfriends gang up against him? Is he about to join Aaron and Alexx in being worth a side eye? Then with Alexx, though maybe in general, are these women just too serious for you? It seems being held accountable is when these men find themselves stuttering and getting frustrated. Granted, Alexx and Michael may never reach Aaron levels, but it does seem to be an across the board issue.

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Making me hope that things get flipped and we meet the men’s friends, perhaps their families.

Back To Indecision: Alexx, Michael, Aaron

To some surprise, Aaron seems more sure than ever on what he wants. The only question is, between Courtney and Angel, which would he cut first? Then for Michael, while Shae still seems to be his number 1 lady, there remains that issue of wanting kids. Something that Shae is leery about. Not just because of her ex not being supportive throughout the entire process of raising her son. No, another factor is she got Post-Partum Depression and that sent her into a downward spiral. So even if Michael stuck around and was a good father and significant other, is it worth feeling the worse she has ever felt in life – again?

Then with Alexx, being that Tiffany desires more communication than he thinks is necessary, we’re starting to see him reevaluate who he wants now. Thus allowing Rita to enter into his top picks after she spent most of the season, like Courtney, being around but not necessarily on anyone’s immediate radar. However, the issue of her off and on relationship with her ex lingers. Even though one of her friends seemingly is tired of her back and forth and wants her to move on as soon as possible.

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Commentary

Ashlee notes in the episode that Tommy’s role, more often than not, is stirring the pot. In my mind, that is the problem here. While you have to appreciate when he calls out the guys, tells them to “Man up” in a way, I’d argue he often just adds to the drama. Take the Tiffany situation. No sooner does Tiffany note she has a communication problem with Alexx does he ask Ashlee and she says no.

Things like that, in my mind, show you this is a game. Which, as a viewer, you get because this is entertainment, and you know there is going to be a push for drama. However, I don’t think Tommy realizes he is doing more harm than good by doing stuff like that. The women already are having some difficulty knowing their guy is dating other people, other people they know and are partly cool with. So Tommy throwing in how one is further along or has a better relationship with the one they are into, that is basically an act of poking the bear. Hoping something may pop off.

A Cliffhanger: Alexx, Michael, Aaron, Shae, Tiffany, Angel

While the ladies’ friends, well Angel and Tiffany’s, got to weigh in on the potential of a future relationship, the men still hold the power of elimination. Leading to the ladies who began as the top picks now possibly on the cutting block. For Michael, the main, if not sole, issue with Shae is she isn’t gung-ho about having kids. For Alexx, Tiffany wanting a certain amount of communication is an issue. Then for Aaron? Well, honestly, it seems he got bored of Angel.

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Leaving you to wonder, in what sounds like a double elimination, who is leaving?

Commentary

I think it is Angel and Tiffany. Angel is a nice and cute girl, but this kind of environment, or rather show, isn’t good for her. In my mind, Angel is the homegirl who turns into your girlfriend and becomes your wife. She isn’t someone who has any desire to press you for your time. If you step up and ask for it, she’ll arrange something, but she isn’t going to bend over backwards to hear from you, see you, and make you feel guilty about it. While ready for love she isn’t willing to look desperate.

Same goes for Tiffany. Like many of the other women, especially the over 40 ones, she isn’t for games. If you want to be with her, then it is expected you are going to do that. She isn’t for you playing the field and she is on your roster. Even if you aren’t in a relationship, if your dating or, better said, courting, she wants to be the only one. Which you have to respect since no one wants to, on TV or otherwise, feel like someone is only with you when it is convenient. You want them to make an effort, especially because they want to see you. Not because they had to call out you being inconsistent and that driving you to feel anxious, maybe insecure, and feeling like you are wasting your time.

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After all, just because these women are on this show doesn’t mean they don’t have options. It’s just they thought, between their intentions and what the show was selling, there would be no BS. However, increasingly we’re seeing, especially since they’ve stopped eliminating guys, them getting uncomfortable. For whether they are like Shea and figure the men are going to do what they are going to do, or like Tiffany, Courtney, and a few others, who expect the men to remember they are human beings, this show will definitely have to change if it gets a second season.

Miscellaneous Commentary

How To Change The Show

I learned a long time ago to never bring up a problem unless you have a solution. To me, the only solution would be to keep the elimination process, for the drama, but make it equal. Every week each member would have to bring up their top three and if someone isn’t on that list, they get eliminated. This will go on for a while and eventually it would narrow do to top 2 and then the 1.

Over the course of the season, in finding the one, we’d see something a bit more intense. While they are welcome to set up their own dates, it would be pushed to do as we see this episode, one in which you meet their friends, and then other things as well. One big one, that I hope will be on this season, is couple’s therapy. For there are so many signs that the contestants are still unpacking what happened in their past, and it seems some unpack and then stuff all that back into their baggage. Thus creating an endless cycle. So whether it is Iyanla for synergy or putting on an up and coming psychiatrist, there needs to be a mental health professional. I’d even argue they should replace Tommy with them.

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Why? Because he really doesn’t offer all that much to this show. That is, besides drama and these people can craft enough without him starting something. Especially with little tidbits being dropped, like what they say when they are just amongst each other and bringing that to their dates.

Highlights

1. Meeting some of the ladies’ friends gave us better insight into how they are.
2. Michael seeming like the only one who really knows what he wants and the way he got Shae smiling. Especially when they are just having their fingertips dance.

Low Point

1. Tommy being a hindrance to the women and somewhat trying to help the men. Though, one could argue, he is just stirring a pot, in a different way, when it comes to the dudes.

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