Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Married At First Sight week 2 ep 1

I know, I wasn't going to post until 3 shows were done... but... I need to vent.

Craig and Andy.
OMG. These two are the strangest pair. Craig is all lovey-dovey, and Andy is most reserved. This wouldn't matter so much if they could communicate, but they can't communicate. So there's no middle ground because there's no talking. No talking means neither knows what the other wants/needs.

Craig's gone off in a huff...but I suspect it's a beat up for the show. Could be wrong though!

Jess and Dave.
This pair are the definition of awkward. She's trying so hard, and he doesn't seem to give a damn. Last night was the honeymoon and he's there in a shirt that has to be a relic at best (faded, one pocket ripped off, almost a rag). Now, I own shirts like this. I hang around in them at home. I did not take them on my honeymoon, I don't wear them down the street. Why? Because Mum drilled in to me that you have to 'show you care' by wearing something decent, going that extra mile. Maybe it's a girl-thing, or else Dave's mother never fed him those lines.

Then they went for a swim. Jess isn't petite and she's wearing a bikini which she isn't overly keen about. She's straight-froward, straight-talking, so she tells him it's a big deal for her to show her body off in public. And he, bloody hell, he goes, (not word for word because I was too stunned to write to down), Get over yourself. I was 130 kg and now I'm 98 kg. You just gotta accept who you are. How's that help her? How's that show any emotion connection or understanding?

Then he 'forgets' about her when they're learning to surf. Then he sits watching cricket and when she tries to engage with him by asking questions about the cricket, he's virtually monosyllabic in his responses. Then she tries to have a chat about how she's feeling and he goes, "Yeah. Yeah."

Maybe this is edited to make him look bad and then they'll have a 'surprise reunion' and be all pally...or maybe it's real. But this is the stuff that makes me look at romance writing and learn for my writing.

In a romance novel, the guy would be emotionally connected, and he'd talk back. He'd understand the girl - or at least try to. In romance, we have the people talking so that they can understand each other and begin to connect - especially those who find no immediate attraction.

In real life, I'm not so sure this happens. All these couples are so far awkward, or superficially bonding. Talking and creating a connection takes time. Sometimes in romance we gloss over this. We have them together and chatting and connecting quickly - because that's what we're reading for. We don't read romance to feel the awkwardness of real life, or at least most readers don't!

So that's what I learned last night.


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