1/26 Episode Discussion - SPOILERS!

[LKH]

OK, I was surprised nobody had started any topics on this. My reactions...

Adofo and Elizabeth. Nice people with some seriously aardvark ideas about the cosmos . And I loved it when Liz said her children were manifestations of god and then the middle kid sneezed (little g's gotta head cold, I guess!). And HOLY MUNG BEANS, she might not stuff her shower with tp, but ants in the kiddies' undies, and hairballs around the floor, and floaties in the turlet.... Urgh. I was thrilled to hear her say she hired a housekeeper. And I can't believe that the dish she wanted to force on her new family was tofu, mung beans and cooked broccoli - I was a vegetarian for years and I still think that's pretty nasty. There are loads of vegetarian dishes that are a whole lot more palateable to the average Joe, and she could have eased them in better.

The Stallones. Also some good qualities, certainly cleaner, and I could just smell that ziti! Made me wish I was allowed to have carbs. Dad seems like an all right guy. But the kids and grannie and Paulette for that matter have the manners of a pack of wolves. What is it about neatniks that they are so incredibly rigid and insufferably rude to anyone who isn't exactly like them? I cannot believe the daughter was having such a conniption over whatever dirt managed to enter her perfect little world in just a week! I am really glad the Dad didn't cater to the little boy's crummy behavior. I'll give Paulette this, though - she seemed to become very attached to Elizabeth's little ones, and they seemed to like her.

Upshot - there is no way I would live with the mess that was in Elizabeth's house, and the religious philosophies are wayyyyyyy too out there for me. It made me sad to see the kids living that way. But I think Paulette needs to think about the importance of raising children who can accept change, who grasp the importance of kindness, and who can come under authority and accept when things don't go their way without throwing such tantrums.

[Marleybone]

This was a re-run so we had already discussed this show the first time it was on. I still watched anyway.

[LKH]

That's what I get for being a newbie! What was the date on that ep, do you remember?

[nigel-bigel]

Well, LKH, it was my first time seeing this episode as well.

I really liked Elizabeth. I wouldn't want to be in her house - ever! - but she had a great attitude. She lived Paulette's life without complaint, and approached everything positively. She believes that "Spirit" brought her to this situation and she was eager to learn from it. I don't know if anyone besides the producers brought her to this situation, but I love her attitude!

On the flip side, I couldn't get over what a whiner Paulette was. I understand how genuinely disturbing it is for someone whose life is about cleanliness and order to be in thrown into a world without time and Swiffers (and Fantastik and scrub brushes and vacuums). But where did she think the show was going to send her? To a dental lab that needed sterilizing?

You can pretty much guarantee that the producers are going to send you to a family and home the complete opposite of your own. Isn't that the point of the show?

That little Mike Jr. could be a whole show himself. Whew! You are right, he needs to how to handle frustration, along with some respect and a boat-load of manners.

[Marleybone]

This was aired on 10/27. Just go to page 2 of this Wife Swap forum and you'll find the threads.

After watching this again I was thinking that if I were to ever do this show (NOT!) I would hire maids to clean my house first.

[LKH]

Yeah. I can't imagine doing it in the first place, but I can't stand to have friends come over unless I've spent hours "tidying up" first. No way in heck I'd leave hairballs on the floor for national TV.

[Marleybone]

Not to mention that disgusting bathroom.. when this aired the first time I mentioned the poor cameraman that had to zoom in for that close-up of the dirty toilet. Eeewwww.

[Maveno]

That was one of the most repulsive things I've seen on television!
Not to mention they did a severe closeup of the ants on the skidmark underwear.

Nasty, nasty, nasty!

[Qboots]

I must say, a lot of the time I dislike some of the parents, but I usually like the kids. On this episode, I didn't even like any of the kids. If they're going to do reruns, why pick the most revolting episode?