Married At First Sight - Season 2 - *Sleuthing - Spoilers* - Discussion

Beeleever wrote:Awww....thanks so much. Hopefully I can post it tomorrow. I'm waiting on Dr. C! Let me know if you have burning questions you want me to ask him for future blogs. 

This week I asked if the individuals were cast in roles since they so closely matched last season's couples. I also asked if the experts would play a more significant role in this season's show and if there was something he saw when he viewed last night's show that surprised him since he is not involved in editing.

Can't wait to read!! My daughter and I love this show. Finally watched 1st episode and excited for great season.

Beeleever wrote:Awww....thanks so much. Hopefully I can post it tomorrow. I'm waiting on Dr. C! Let me know if you have burning questions you want me to ask him for future blogs. 

This week I asked if the individuals were cast in roles since they so closely matched last season's couples. I also asked if the experts would play a more significant role in this season's show and if there was something he saw when he viewed last night's show that surprised him since he is not involved in editing.

Great news! Were you able to get the interview?

Really love following the couples' progress. That being said I do have an issue with the editing of the program (as is true with all reality TV). I know that it is necessary to keep it suspenseful but the editing should not be distorted or manipulative. Think about how long it took for some to say yes at the ceremonies; if you watch some of the scenes it is obvious that they are repeating some image captures. Also, I feel for Jaclyn with how they edited her reactions and the seemingly never ending statement that she was not attracted to Ryan. They could have captured it much better with a minute and a half response saying that she was disappointed but that she was committed to going forward and would remain open minded - which is what she said without constantly repeating the lack of attraction or the rolling of her eyes after a statement by Ryan's mother. The set up is dramatic enough. The idea of someone doing all the leg work to find you someone with whom you are compatible should be used as lessons for other people. I would rather less manipulation of the scenes and more clarification by the experts. Marriages are not made up of sound bites but rather hard work, communicating thoughts and feelings to your partner, respect, aiming for a common goal while accepting some differences, empathy, and learning how to relate and share with someone - not eye rolls, short clips of disgust or anger without context, or extended shots of kissing (seriously Davina and Sean appeared to be kissing during the majority of their reception but in fact that was probably 80% of the kissing that they did in the 4 or 5 hour time period). The manipulative editing detracts from the lessons to be learned and also risks hurting the feelings of innocent bystanders (Ryan's mom, Ryan D's alleged reaction to Jessica's bridesmaids, etc.). My predictions: Ranellone's have to compromise on location and J's quick wit reaction tinged with sarcasm; D & S have geographical problems and D may be too use to living alone to compromise on some issues; De Nino's both appear to have trouble expressing themselves in positive ways - he seems to be emotional when riled and she seems to withdraw (wild vs. lonely). They need to hold hands, step back, and then speak slowly, listen, and echo what the other has said. I will continue to watch but also to be skeptical about what is really happening. Final note: editing in S1 did not seem so manipulative, editing in MASF 1st year did seem very manipulated especially w/r/t Team Jortney. Maybe the experts should have a little more control over the editing.

, Jadeh. I'm sure the experts would love to have more control then they get. They have come out vocally to correct some issues that were editing.

Jamie and Doug had the same type of issues as Ryan and Jaclyn, only worse IMO, way worse. We will see how long Ryan R and J continue to be shown having a problem. With D & J it went a few episodes.

The good thing is they are all still together if what Sean said is true. I posted it in the media thread.

I think the move from FYI to A&E is why they have to up the drama which I think is totally understandable. It does bother me but, at the end of the day they have a TV show to produce. IMO.

So the collateral damage is ok? The couples agreed to have their lives on TV but editing it in such a way as to be harmful to others, or to make it false, is wrong. If it is the move to A&E that is causing the drama then last season we would have seen more of Jason's mom's illness. Again, love the concept, love the show, think the people are trying their best but the editing is making me reconsider what is happening. Don't forget this is an experiment to see if 3 couples who don't know each other can be paired and, with the help of professionals, making marriage - not to create drama where there is none. This is not RH of anywhere or some ridiculous idea of women and men competing for attention or the Jersey shore or KUWKH. It is marriage with full emotions and legal commitments.

I agree Jadeh. One would think the producers would handle this with respect and discretion, and try to aid the couples in making their marriages work, not try to tear them down. ETA: and I HATE the pregnant dramatic overtakes. They are so obvious.

But it is a TV show where they are followed by cameras and producers. Every episode has to have themes, beginning middle and end, and pre-agreed chapters, that are helpfully disclosed to us The First Dance, Honeymoon, FInances, etc. which we all recognize as such. Week to week that is the content that gets scooped up and presented, and sometimes I'm sure it's forced.

Cortney gave a good podcast interview recently where she said in the First Year program in particular they were dealing with major life stuff that for reasons of privacy, series plotting or both, was never going to make it on air -- job stuff, career path for her, and much else that is private to them. So they were "herded" to talk about Having a Baby, Fire Academy Exhaustion, Returning to Wrestling, or whatever to build out story arc for season and show by show. But it's clear from what she said that the actual, main reasons for tension, fights, or happy times even, might never be able to be aired. So we get to watch a TV show. They lived their lives.

Universally, the participants adore the four matchmaker/coaches. That is for sure the coolest part of the show -- having access to such calm and wise and obviously kind hearted professionals. I like each of them. Exceptionally sincere for TV show.

Jadeh wrote:So the collateral damage is ok?  The couples agreed to have their lives on TV but editing it in such a way as to be harmful to others, or to make it false, is wrong.  If it is the move to A&E that is causing the drama then last season we would have seen more of Jason's mom's illness.  Again, love the concept, love the show, think the people are trying their best but the editing is making me reconsider what is happening.  Don't forget this is an experiment to see if 3 couples who don't know each other can be paired and, with the help of professionals, making marriage - not to create drama where there is none.  This is not RH of anywhere or some ridiculous idea of women and men competing for attention or the Jersey shore or KUWK.  It is marriage with full emotions and legal commitments.

**Edited** rose colored glasses.  I am 100% in agreement with much of what you said, BUT, above all else it is a TV show.  Look at it this way.  The "experiment" part could be a stand alone business given a success rate in the 1st season of 66%.  But, it is not the new dating service that is becoming mainstream here.  This is reality tv and there are story boards to be followed.  It may be a looser storyboard than those of the Bach/ette and other reality shows but they have to show some manufactured conflict and drama or there would be no show.

When a person signs on to a reality show they essentially agree to "serve at the pleasure of the producers" for lack of better wording.  Dr. C expressed his dipleasure with the edit but, he too signed on for the SHOW.  I understand what you are saying but that is not what the show is about.

I don't love the editing either but at least it appears to be just that and nothing that would actually hurt the relationships during filming.

If I look at it from an edit standpoint of view while watching, it doesn't bother me. Actually at times I think it's rather mickey mouse.

^^^ Yes, GA, I agree. Granted, folks on this board have been watching season after season of reality romance so we know the tricks.

That said, it is so obvious when A&S (or any station for that matter) use the same clip over and over.

I also really get annoyed when production ends a scene, goes to commercial and then repeats the exact same scene once the commercial ends and the show continues. That's just cost cutting measures!!

We all know they have hours and hours and hours of footage. Clearly they don't have to keep reusing footage but it's probably cheaper for them.