Anyone watch FYI's "Arranged"?

Wayne

Wayne

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Hi!

Anyone who really knows me knows that -- almost without fail -- I loathe so-called "Reality" TV. There is one exception, and that is the TV show "Married at First Sight" on the FYI network. The concept is, three (or four) couples go through extensive testing batteries, are matched up by "experts" and actually meet for the very first time at the alter where they are legally wed.

The show goes on for six weeks, at which time the couples decide whether or not to stay together, or to get a divorce. I can't say why I tend to love the show so much, but maybe it's the idea that -- as a single 50-year-old -- I'd *love* the chance to participate in it..

That being said, this weekend I was feeling under-the-weather with a migraine, so I ended up binge watching season one of a newer show from the same FYI network called "Arranged".

Unlike "Married at First Sight", this show surrounds 3 couples whose parents literally arrange the match, marriage, and everything else. Then there's a much more vague time period where the cameras follow the couple around day-to-day and document everything. The three couples in this season were a Southern couple from South Carolina, an Indian couple from California, and a 17 and 18 year old Romani (aka Gypsy) couple from -- I believe -- New York(?)

"Arranged" (at least season one) is an unmitigated car wreck. I have zero idea why I couldn't turn it off (maybe I was deliriously more sick than I thought?), but even with the understanding that it's not real life (lots of creative editing), I just don't believe I've ever seen six people who were EVER less ready to be married, let alone in a relationship...

I'm hoping someone here has at least caught an episode, or you might be interested in watching them online as I did via their web site at http://www.fyi.tv/shows/arranged

I'd LOVE to discuss this with someone else to see if it's just me that can't get over how this show is, before I cave and watch season 2 this week...

Wayne
 
I feel like I should watch simply because I live in South Carolina and want to know which crazy people to be on the look out for...haha!

I have watched "Married At First Sight" before and really, I find myself feeling sad for the human race in general.

Marriage is a sacred vow. 2 people vow to spend the rest of their lives together, better or worse. It holds so much meaning for me. It should be respected. These reality shows make marriage a game, something to gawk at. It makes divorce look like "no big deal" and it cheapens the values of marriage. Just my opinion, though I do find myself unable to look away when that show is on. lol!
 
I can certainly agree with you about the sanctimony of marriage, but we may simply have a different perspective as far as getting there. Marriage is about two people who're in love and want to make a commitment to spend the rest of their lives together. Even when the couple has known each other for years and truly loves one another, sometimes that works, some times, it doesn't.

It's about a 50/50 shot these days in American culture...

The part I find interesting is about "Married" is that they take two people who're "scientifically matched", throw them in a proverbial fish bowl together to see if that love blossoms.. It's telling that out of -- I believe -- 8 or 9 couples in the past 3 seasons of the US show, and another 6 or so from the various other national shows (UK, Australia, etc), I can only name two of those couples that are still together today...

To me, it's about two people who desperately want to fall in love, feel that connection, and make that commitment but reach out for a little help in finding it. I'm not the demographic for the show (50 - divorced, "not TV pretty", etc) but I still have faith that the right person is out there. Like those couples, I just have no way to find her, as I don't do bars, or general social gathering things,or....

As such, I'd still leap open-heartedly into the chance to try out such an experiment. Then again, I always wear my heart on my sleeve, so opening it happens a lot easier than it probably should most of the time.

"Arranged" on the other hand is a completely different furball..

Wayne
 
I see that show sometimes. My mom watches it. I think we've seen more of the ones with the Orthodox Jewish couple in NYC and the Texan couple. I'll admit I've been watching more reality TV than I normally would (Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean, and the Real Housewives of Dallas and Potomac, currently). It's alright, although some of the couples on there are a bit strange and bother me.
 
I just caught the first couple of episodes of season 2 last night. The Orthodox Jewish couple bothers me. He's just weird, and she's never going to be happy married into that life.

I realize this is all creative editing, but the Texas couple bothers me because his mom is just a b*word, and the wife is just a spitfire. I understand his mom in a way though, because -- at least shown by creative editing -- she feels like she's losing her son, and he's OBVIOUSLY a momma's boy..

I kinda haven't really even paid attention to the Indian couple at all, because she's "damaged" by per previous experience, and he strikes me as a player after the first couple of episodes..

Of the three couples (season 2), none of them need to be married IMHO. Not to each other, or to anyone until they get their own maturity levels up.

Season 1 though was just... Wow... The 17 year old and 18 year old Gypsy (Romani) couple? I've never seen a more abusive relationship on TV, and if anything, the family involved just showed the very worst side of that entire culture at every turn...
 
If you never saw abusive relationships on TV, you never watched Everybody Loves Raymond. And no, I don't watch any of those reality shows (only Dancing With the Stars, & the auditions for America's Got Talent. After the audtions, I watch sporadically, while they eliminate. Interesting this year with Simon Cowell on...)
 
I like Simon Cowell, I watch America's Got Talent sporadically usually, but this year I've tuned in a bit more simply to see Simon. I was so glad he gave that survivor of cancer the golden buzzer... so special coming from him.

Wayne - I agree with you more than you realize. :)

I need to remember to try and watch some of the "Arranged" shows!

My best friend went to a real-life arranged marriage (her friend's culture still does arranged marriages). They were roommates in college and her friend got a call from her parents saying they had arranged a husband for her, and what day the wedding would be.

She met her husband at the altar when her parents gave her away, and she cried. a lot. It was a lot to take in, but she's still with him today, it's her culture. She had to learn to accept and love him.

Personally, the idea of it makes my stomach hurt. I could never imagine forcing my children to sleep with someone who was to them a stranger. Gross!
 
Poirot said:
If you never saw abusive relationships on TV, you never watched Everybody Loves Raymond.
Click to expand...

Slight difference in that Raymond was supposed to be a sit-com and involved character actors. "Arranged" is supposedly real couples.

DaysLady said:
Personally, the idea of it makes my stomach hurt. I could never imagine forcing my children to sleep with someone who was to them a stranger. Gross!
Click to expand...

I thought the very idea of an arranged marriage was "weird" (by my current "modern" standards) so I was curious, but I understand that it's been going on for literally thousands of years and was even a regular normal thing in America up until about a hundred years ago.

At first, I tuned into the first episode because
  1. I was sick at the time and trying to both go to sleep and fighting it
  2. It was the same channel that did "Married at First Sight" which is the ONLY so-called "Reality" TV show I look forward to
  3. the concept and idea that Arranged marriages still happen in America today kinda piqued my interest.
I *kept* watching because I was just mystified that none of these 6 people in season 1 actually said "you know what? screw this!" and walked away. I actually found myself honestly concerned for the 17-year-old Gypsy girl (Maria) and was just waiting, absolutely sure that the "husband" (Christian) was outright abusing / beating her off-camera.

Maybe it's the youth thing, maybe it's cultural, but Maria has zero self-esteem and I was honestly afraid for her.

After the (non-legally binding Gypsy) "marriage" Christian and Maria moved into his parents basement and the parents actively supported -- if not encouraged -- the 18-year-old Christian's constant verbal and emotional abuse of Maria at almost every single turn.

The only time the parents stepped in is when the child-bride finally got fed up and left the house ("without permission"). Then, they were only concerned with "the shame" that the girl leaving would bring on their family... If that family is a true example of Romany culture, then I have no use for that culture at all...

Like I said, I *so* hate reality TV, but even so, I *so* wanted to kick Christian's 18-year-old arse through a wall..
 
Wayne said:
I *kept* watching because I was just mystified that none of these 6 people in season 1 actually said "you know what? screw this!" and walked away.
Click to expand...
Because they are being paid.....sign a contract.....make agreements, etc. Walking away early on would mean, Hey, won't be on TV, will I?

Plus, you have mentioned yourself, the editing that goes on, and for heaven's sakes, despite being "reality TV", so much is scripted.

A few years ago, a very famous resort/hotel up north of where I live, was visited by a TV show that featured "fixing" problems at hotels, resorts, etc. Apparently the registration desk had no computers, still did registration by hand, had no real system except on paper for the cleaning help. Well, the show updated all this, plus the waiting area where guests had to sit sometimes til their rooms were ready. Historic photos adorned the walls, TVs installed, comfortable sofas, chairs, computers, coffee machine area, etc. Really lovely. Now this place was built by a man who was quite the entrepreneur....brought all kinds of national & international events to the area, quite the boon to the local economy. After he passed away, the property changed hands several times, it was in a lot of debt.

Anyway, two months after the program aired (I had never watched that TV series before until they were featuring "local".........) the place just abruptly closed. People with deposits lost them, and news teams came in from other areas, filming the deterioration of the place, the outside of the bldgs., the rusting pipes, the horrible condition of the pool, just abominable.

So, it always amazed me, that the TV show even considered coming in, that they spent all that money on the lobby area......when there were these glaring faults that would turn off most people from ever staying there. The condition of some rooms was disgusting. But it also showed the creative filming and editing done by a realty series.

And yes, it is all much, much worse today. Place still closed. Probably would have to be demolished now.. The national & international events moved to nearby small towns/villages.

Most kinds of reality shows are pretty cheap to make, which is why they have proliferated at such a great rate. So, needless to say, don't believe all you see on any reality show. As for Arranged......glad you enjoy it.
 
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