I admit that I have dabbled in more than a few reality TV shows – mainly Bravo fare. I have watched Real Housewives of Orange County, Beverly Hills, New York and Dallas since their first seasons, even though one or two have been a struggle the last few years. I watch because I am quite fascinated from an anthropological standpoint. And reading/listening to recaps just adds to the wonderment of it all.
This year I was intrigued enough by the ads to watch TLC’s latest fare – I Love a Mama’s Boy. While only 8 episodes long, featuring 4 couples and the BF’s mothers, I was gob smacked (seems like the most appropriate term to use) by the utter dysfunction of the relationships shown! And yet I could not turn away. I missed the first two weeks (I might be thankful for that) but what I did watch was really a mixed bag of strangeness. In one story, a couple was living with the BF’s mother and a garage/building that was probably 100 feet from the main house was going to be converted into a smaller house for the couple. The mother insisted that she was going to need a bedroom in the new house so that she could sleepover. Then there was the time when she had her son practice his upcoming proposal on her. Not talk about what he was going to say, he had to get down on one knee and actually propose to his mother as if she was the GF! And she thinks that’s normal.
Another poor girl (who I should note comes from a different culture than her BF) was trying to get along with her BF’s mother and baked a cake for her birthday. The mother insisted the GF was trying to poison her and threw her out of the house. In a later episode the BF, who still lives at home, asked that his mother give the GF a chance and have lunch to get to know her better. Mom agrees but shows up with a date for her son. To make it more interesting – the new girl had no idea that the son already has a GF. She was smart enough to quickly exit once she realized what was going on.
And all of these instances barely scratch the surface of dysfunction that occurs throughout the series!
The whole time I watched, the same thoughts kept going through my head: 1. You actually agreed to go on this show? 2. Did you really think the majority of people would think this was normal? 3. Specifically to the mothers – did you think people would side with you if you went on tv and showed your craziness? I really didn’t think it would really be as unsettling as it was. Check it out for yourself if you’re so inclined…
Will this turn me off of reality tv? Of course not. As I said before, it really is a study in human behavior. The drama and dysfunction are just a bonus.
Note: The only show I have ever thought I would be on is the Amazing Race especially in the earlier days. This last season was a bit of a bust for me, but I hope next season will be better.
P.S occasionally discussion of reality tv will slip in, it’s just a part of what makes me, me.
My Lemons My Lemonade 