- ♪ 'Cause I'm a believer
- Ten singles took a bold leap of faith
in order to find love.
They married as complete strangers.
[crowd cheers]
[upbeat music]
Last time...
- With less than three weeks before Decision Day...
- ♪ Mírame, mirate ♪
♪ Look at me, look at you
- Hello.
- Our couples gathered to celebrate the union
of Chloe and Michael, our fifth and final couple.
- May I? - Yes.
- ♪ I'm so glad I came to you ♪
- Clare and Cameron.
[crowd cheers]
- I think just seeing Michael and Chloe
brings me to a space of, like, reflection.
It's super strange to be here without Cameron.
Hi, Cameron.
I'm just calling to see how you're doing.
I'm at the wedding right now.
I miss you.
- Emily and Brennan.
- Who's your wife?
- Oh, her. - Yeah!
I know Brennan thinks we don't have chemistry,
but, like, I know we do.
Like, I'm now, just like, trying to have fun.
I hope he comes along.
Whoo!
[glass shatters] - Oh!
[laughter and chatter]
I think I'm done for the night.
- Chloe and Michael.
- Oh, it's so strange
to take off this entire beautiful, glamorous day
and be totally vulnerable.
Are you a cuddler? - I am.
- [giggles]
I'll let you be big spoon.
- ♪ 'Cause tonight, tonight
- And tonight, while the newlyweds
enjoy their honeymoon...
- You have such magical hands, Michael.
- Now you know my evil plan.
I just booked this so that I could massage you.
- Tensions begin to escalate.
- I mean, I think obviously, like,
physical intimacy is still something
that I just need more time.
[dramatic music]
- I don't feel like you treat me as a friend
to, like--to me, like, in-- - OK, let's--
Are you sure you want to go down this--you want to do this?
- He's silencing you,
and that's not fair. - I know.
- Personally, I think you should
run for the hills.
- Tomorrow, reality hits. - Yeah.
- And it's absolutely freaking terrifying.
I'm saying I don't know if I can do this.
♪
[upbeat music]
- ♪ It's all or nothing
- This is "Married at First Sight."
- ♪ There's no other way
♪
♪ It's all or nothing
- ♪ Look how far we came, lifestyle amazing ♪
♪ Popping champagne with the top-floor views ♪
♪ Yeah, we really made it
♪ We really made it
♪ This is one hell of a life
♪
- Good morning.
- I think you're-- I think you're jealous
at how good I slept last night.
- Yeah, I think I probably am,
because I did not.
- Because I was encroaching in your bed?
- I don't know what it was.
- But I'm, like--
I'm a good, like, cuddle partner though, right?
- You're a very good cuddle partner.
Actually, you're a very good cuddle-bug.
My four panic attacks had nothing to do with you.
They were, you know--
- For the record, they were the cutest
panic attacks I've ever seen. - [laughs]
- I can give you a preview if you want a preview.
- I would love a preview. Go ahead.
- So we got to switch it up a little bit, so.
- OK.
OK, so I'm the big spoon. - You're me, right?
- Got it. OK. - I'm you, and--
- Yep.
- You're nice and, like, calm, and then--
- Yep. [laughs]
- You kind of--you wanted to survey the land real quick.
And to be honest, like,
the first time, I thought I, like, bumped into you,
or, like, I don't know,
that I accidentally, like, hit you or something.
And--but then, like, the second or third time,
I was like, OK, this--
- This is where we live now.
- I'm gonna have to let her work through this.
- Oh, my gosh. - This is gonna--
this is my life now. - This is where we live now.
So I have dealt with panic attacks
in really stressful situations for a lot of years.
So anytime my body is pumped full of cortisol,
it feels like I react with a panic attack.
They don't happen when I'm awake.
They just happen at night. - I was literally about to ask.
Like, is this literally just when you sleep?
- Just when I'm sleeping.
Don't feel a thing during the day.
I've never had one during the day.
It's just when I'm sleeping. - I almost prefer that,
because, like, if you had them while you were awake,
then it's like--then I always have to be ready for them.
So now I just have to be ready for them
when we get ready for bed.
- Small window of time. - Yeah.
No, they--and they only happen
when I'm, like, super stressed.
So as soon as things aren't so stressful,
going to be sleeping as hard as you.
[laughter]
I've never had four panic attacks at once.
It probably didn't help having a brand-new man
that I've never known at any point in my life
laying next to me.
But I've just conditioned myself
to sleep really lightly.
I've been alone for such a long time.
And I didn't have my sound machine.
I didn't have my humidifier.
I didn't have my essential oils being diffused.
But I feel like when you have a partner
that's ready to navigate
something that you really don't have any control over,
um, it's pretty sweet.
They might just subside.
I might never see them again.
- You know, going into this first night,
was there any sense of worry of, like,
OK, is it going to be a little bit different
as we're winding down
and what's he going to be like?
- Nope. - OK, good.
- Nope. There was never a moment
where I was thinking,
when is the other shoe going to drop?
You're too loved.
People that are as loved as you are
have got to have a genuineness and an authenticity to them.
So I love to have you in my space.
- Yeah? Just all into it.
Even if it creates panic attacks,
you'll still allow it? - Touch me.
Eventually, we'll get over the panic attacks, I think.
I feel like they'll go. They'll subside.
One thing that we can only share with each other is touch.
- Yeah. - And that, to me,
signifies that we are together, that we are committed,
and that we want to be together and committed.
So please touch me.
Touch me.
♪
[upbeat music]
♪
- I'm fangirling because I love the musical "Hamilton,"
and Hamilton has been in this house.
- This is George Washington's house though.
- Yeah, but-- well, we don't care about that.
What we care about is that Hamilton has been in here.
We are visiting Austin's family.
[laughs] - Cheese.
- I mean, we bitch about our full-size bed.
What do you think about this?
- Looks comfy.
Sleeping on 2x4s, 2x6s.
- Could we snuggle on that?
- [laughs]
- Who do these remind you of?
- Remind me of King Michael,
the man who lost his princess.
- But gained a new one.
- But gained a queen.
- Yeah, nice.
Michael, we hope one day your sword ends up in a museum
of "Married at First Sight" history.
♪
- Ready to rock and roll?
I'm excited to go on this honeymoon.
- Wow, you look cute.
- Thanks.
Don't forget your Mr. hat.
I'll be sure to put on Mrs.
[sighs]
- Right now, I'm just full of optimism
with this journey with Chloe.
I was worried she could feel
like a second fiddle or a second place,
you know, being re-matched with me.
But I'm really happy that we don't have to brace for that.
- Load it up. - For efficiency,
we should put your stuff first. - [laughs]
- Like, we have great chemistry right now,
and I kind of just want to continue to ride that momentum.
Is there a little bit of nervousness
that accompanies that?
Sure. There's a level of, like,
even if I do everything perfect,
which isn't going to happen,
you know, 50% of it is going to be dependent on her.
There's a level of unknown.
But I think it'll be easy with her.
- I just love how different we are with our packing skills.
Being the minimalist that I am, I want to know what's in there.
- You know, I have scarves, flannel,
coats buried down here, some pants,
some just random, like, tops and stuff,
blazer, dress shirts, sweater, more sweaters, extra shoes.
- [laughs] I love that you are ready
with multiple outfit choices per day.
Probably all the clothes in my closet
would fit into six bags.
And I love that we've left half of his closet at home.
He's just so prepared.
He's got everything.
♪
Let's honeymoon.
- Let's. - [laughs]
♪
- ♪ I'll take the risk
♪ Through the turn and twists ♪
♪ Leave no stones unturned
♪
- Should we find a talking stick?
- Looks like our best option.
- There we go. - Talking paddle.
We need to work on our active listening
and not interrupting each other.
So we decided to use a talking stick
to help practice these two things
and to slowly but surely start rebuilding the trust
that I apparently broke in the Dr. Pia visit.
- We are rebuilding trust right now.
- What did I do to break the trust?
- When we say we're gonna do things,
then we actually do them.
- So trust for you, as you've just outlined,
it is, like, consistency.
- Yep.
- I think trust means everything
for a friendship or a relationship
'cause I think that's, like, the foundation
of everything else working.
Consistency actually is big for me.
Listening, not interrupting, what we're both working on.
Just continue to be patient,
um, showing you care.
♪
- I care about you a lot, so obviously, like,
I want you in my life, and
you know, losing you would suck.
But that's why I'm trying, so that that doesn't happen.
[soft dramatic music]
- I also care about you a lot.
But I am afraid that sometimes,
I'm semi-losing myself along the way,
like maybe putting up with stuff or, like,
not being treated in the way, like, I feel like I deserve.
♪
So I'm afraid that, because I care about you a lot,
I...
still get, like, very emotional
because I care, and I'm afraid
that is not always healthy for me.
♪
- I think for me, it's just making sure we don't
blur the lines between a friendship and a relationship,
because I think that's easy in this process.
- OK.
♪
- So just trying to navigate those waters.
We're friendly, but not overstepping or anything.
I feel like we've been doing a good job
of showcasing our friendship.
- Yeah. We're definitely, like,
on a good path forward.
And I think we've actually reset.
But I have maybe different expectations for us.
♪
- Like, what are you talking about?
- I just--I feel sometimes like how I've expressed,
I don't feel like you treat me as a friend,
to, like--to me, like, in--
- OK, let's--
Are you sure you want to go down this--
you want to do this?
- I think it's just acknowledging
that I am your friend sometimes.
And it feels like you don't even--
or it feels to me like you don't necessarily do that.
- Tell me specifically what I did
that you didn't feel great about.
- Like, last night at the wedding,
like, I didn't feel like there was any effort
from even a friend to, like,
want to have fun and hang out.
And sometimes, like, a little bit more effort
might have to take place in order for that to happen.
It hurts my feelings when people come up to me
and, like, say, "You don't even look like you are friends."
- That's what someone said to you?
- Mm-hmm.
- I mean, if people want to come up to you
and say mean things, like, that's unfortunate.
It's up to us whether we choose to hear it or ignore it.
I think for us, it'll be a lot better
if we ignore it and focus on us.
♪
Do you agree?
- I agree, um,
but I think there's a difference
from, like, anyone saying something,
and some of our closer friends.
Like, that's where it hurts my feelings more.
- I think we just need time to continue to move forward
in the right direction.
- I know he says he cares about me a lot,
but, like, I just don't really feel that a lot of the time.
Maybe I just need to go back to what I said,
which was, no expectations.
And then you can't get frustrated
or you can't get upset.
And I don't really think I have many expectations
of him at all right now.
- I think as long as we are happy with one another,
that's all that matters.
♪
- ♪ Good energy
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, whoo!
- So we are headed on our honeymoon.
Really enjoying Sleeping Beauty snoozing.
Look at him.
He doesn't snore, though, so I feel like that's a win.
[upbeat music]
♪
- This is all it? This is pretty damn big.
- Ooh. Here we go. - Oh, OK, it's up here.
♪
I just really want to continue
all the positive momentum that we've been having.
The chemistry's been there.
Everything has been real easy.
And right now, you would hope it would stay easy,
because this is a time for us to enjoy.
I'm just looking forward to seeing
what the day and night entails today
for our first day on our honeymoon.
- We certainly hope you enjoy your honeymoon
here at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.
- All right, thank you. - Thank you.
- Thank you so much. both: Thank you.
♪
- Ooh, damn, we've got a lot of space.
- Oh, my goodness.
Oh, this is beautiful.
Aw.
Want to do the honors?
Oh, here we go.
[cork pops] Oh.
- Easy. - Professional.
- Easy.
I am getting pretty good at this,
if I may say so myself.
- Thank you.
♪
- And then a cheers for us.
- Cheers to the honeymoon. - Mm-hmm.
♪
Do you have any expectations for the honeymoon?
- I think I'm just excited to keep learning
as much as we can about each other.
- I mean, we're on vacation, so it is different.
But I feel like it's also giving me a glimpse of, like,
what it'll be like to live with you.
So you know, I'm kind of expecting
to just understand more, like,
what it's like to live with Chloe
and, you know, that experience.
So I'm gonna take every, like, little data point I can.
Do you have any specific hopes for our honeymoon?
- I hope it is as much fun as I know it will be.
I'm ready to go adventure. - Mm-hmm.
It looks so beautiful outside.
I definitely want to make sure we do some,
like, outdoor activities. - Yep.
Ready to do some rock climbing. - Mm.
- I'm actually in my element.
I'm in my zen.
Only time will tell if Michael and I are really able to grow
a connection that is going to last us for a lifetime,
and kind of take it as it comes.
I don't want anything to feel forced.
I don't want to also feel like we're holding ourselves back
from doing something that would feel
like a really natural step to take.
So we'll see what the honeymoon does.
Honeymoons tend to have a wild effect on people.
So you just never know. [laughs]
Ready to go adventure? - Mm-hmm.
- Hashtag, honeymoon. [chuckles]
[upbeat music]
♪
- This view is just-- isn't it beautiful?
- Yeah, no, I feel like it's-- I actually do take for granted
that we literally get to look at Union Station every day.
- Yeah. No, I get it.
- How are you doing? How are we doing?
- That's the million-dollar question.
Yeah, I think I'm just-- I'm feeling good.
But after Cameron's surgery, he's been sleeping
literally for the past, like, week.
So when I don't hear from him, I kind of worry.
But then I realize, he's recovering.
He's hanging in there.
It's just like, I don't want to be happy-go-lucky, cheery
when, like, he's having a very hard time.
It just to me feels like I'm being fake, and like--
- But I also feel like he'd want you to have fun.
- Yeah. - And I'm not saying, like,
you can't feel the way you feel,
but I feel like there's only so much you can do.
- Right. - And I feel like he would,
like, honestly be, like, more sad if he knew that you,
like, weren't having fun. - Yeah.
Right, right. Sometimes I lose sight of that
during this process, you know?
But yeah, how are you doing?
- Like, I really feel like
there's been different mental tolls on me
of, like, me trying to fix him in the relationship,
and then us being friends.
And I feel like I've almost been, like, more taken
for a toll in our friendship trying to be reset.
- Than the marriage? - Because it's more of, like,
a weird mind-[bleep].
- Yeah. - And I'm like,
this is honestly harder, and, like,
you're not even treating me like a friend.
Like, what the [bleep]?
- Also, I think the way he nitpicks
what you say is not something a friend would do.
He's silencing you...
- I know. - And that's not fair.
I mean, the friendship that he's talking about,
I'm not sure where that is.
- [chuckles] - I don't see it.
It's like, you can just be real and raw
and let her be herself.
But you're trying to, like, put her in a mold
that is, like, not who she is.
And that's, like, very unfair. - But it's weird.
He, like, was fine with that, though.
He was fine with me being myself
for a really long time... - It is weird that it--
- Until it wasn't for him
and, like, his narrative and his image
that he is trying to have portrayed on camera
and, like, whatever the [bleep] he wanted out of this.
- Yeah. - Because I said that
on the honeymoon. I was like,
thanks for letting me be myself.
There's a lot to me. I get that.
- And it's like, that's who you are.
- That is me. - Never not be yourself
for some man who wants you to not be.
- I think actually he does not like that.
I really don't. - OK, well--yeah.
I have no words other than, eff that.
♪
- It just still hurts no matter what, like,
to have someone that says-- that cares about you
and you care about them, or, like...
- Yeah, of course. - You felt some way, whatever.
Like, he--he doesn't.
- He just seems very closed off to me right now.
I feel like you are very open.
It's very clear that there's an open person here
who's ready to, like, figure this out,
and there's somebody who's completely closed off
who's saying that they're open and friendship,
and this and that and the other.
But it's just clear in the behavior that
that is not what's true.
♪
- To some extent, like, this honestly is
the best he can do for what he is and what I've learned.
- See, even saying that though, you're giving him
the benefit of the doubt, which is a beautiful thing--
- But it's not even the benefit of the doubt.
Like, it's literally facts.
As I listen to this, I'm like,
that is just, like, what he is capable of.
And that's why I say, like, it's sad.
- Yeah, it is sad.
- I don't know what to do.
I'm not giving up.
But, like, it's very hard.
- Yeah.
- ♪ You and I
♪
♪ Together forever and always ♪
♪ It's you and I
- Are you excited for one epic outdoor adventure?
- I am.
Do you approve of my attire?
Will I be able to make it through with this?
- I probably wouldn't have approved
if your shoes didn't coordinate with your headband.
If those had been two different colors...
- Then I'd have to change?
- I probably would have pivoted to a different activity.
- OK. - But now that--
you know, head to toe.
[upbeat music]
♪
Nice. OK.
- Hello. Welcome.
- Hey.
I'm Chloe. - Mike.
- Chloe, Mike, nice to meet you guys.
I'm just gonna have you stand right behind
these harnesses here. - OK.
- So first thing to do is gear up.
- OK. - So if you want to stand
right there, Mike, right there.
- Sure. - Perfect.
Step through the loops on the harness here.
So you're going to step here, here.
- OK. Good, I think.
- What brought you guys out here today?
- Well, we are on our honeymoon.
And I think the fastest way to learn
as much as we can about each other is to put ourselves
in very stressful situations. - [laughs]
- So I chose this adventure
because I'm terrified of heights, and I thought
I would face my fears with my husband,
testing his ability to support me...
- You can draw off my strength.
- In all of my-- in all of my fears.
- Hold up, how do I look? - Very--
- How's this look? - So sexy.
- Does it complement my hips? - Yeah, yeah, no.
Draws attention right to 'em.
- All right. Anyways--
so if you two just want to go ahead and grab your helmets.
♪
- Am I choking you? - [laughing] My chin.
- Oh, I grabbed your chin?
♪
Is that good? - Yeah.
OK. - Perfect.
Grab those bags. Grab your waters.
- All right. Let's do it.
♪
Yeah, I'll watch you.
OK, we're totally good.
Yeah. Sure.
- You got it? - Yeah.
- Do you like holding my hand,
or would you rather hold, like--
- Um, yeah.
You go forward, and I'll just hold your shoulder.
Feeling stable. - Doing good?
- Yep.
I am-- - You are pro-ing it.
- I am in it to win it.
- I'm just keeping up with you now.
- Get up. OK.
Wow.
My heart's about to pop out of my chest.
Oh, God, survival.
It just, uh--
♪
[bleep].
OK.
All righty.
I'll follow you.
- How are we living, Chloe? Good?
- I mean, I've never been up this high.
But I'm-- - You're doing great.
- Oy.
Oh, goodness gracious me.
Holy cow.
♪
Oh, my goodness. - All right.
♪
- Whoo!
Whoo! - Be proud, huh?
- Holy smokes.
We did it.
This adventure definitely pulled me
out of my comfort zone, which I haven't necessarily
been out of that in a while.
But Michael really prioritized me
and what it is that I needed to feel safe.
- You all right?
♪
- Oh, that's beautiful.
I never want to do that again.
That was really scary.
This is probably the most stressful, dangerous situation
I've put myself in in a really long time.
So I'm happy to have Michael.
May we approach all obstacles in marriage just like this.
High five.
We did it. - High five.
♪
- Should we look down
and be grateful that we're not falling?
- Well, I mean, if you want to continually
face your fears, sure.
- [groans] That's too scary for me.
- Do you have any-- I mean, are heights--
like, is the fear of heights number one on that list?
- Yeah, today really forced me
out of my comfort zone, which was good.
What about you? What are you afraid of?
- I like to think I have a healthy respect for the ocean.
Like, I'll go in it, and I enjoy water activities.
But I know they do scare me, so, like,
if we would ever do scuba diving or something,
that would-- you know, that would
take a lot out of me mentally and emotionally.
When I was young, I used to really be scared of,
like, roller coasters if they went upside down.
I mean, I'm still scared of them now,
but not nearly to the extent that I was when I was young.
But those are, like-- those would be, like,
the only fears that I could think of
that would even rival your fear of heights.
- Rival this? [laughs]
Well, hey, I'm up here and I'm looking down.
- How about on the opposite end though?
Like, I mean we've broached so many different topics,
but we haven't even gone through, like, the basics.
Like, we've talked about how I could be your support system.
And you know, today, I tried to be that.
- Yeah, you were.
- Is there a particular type of support that you prefer.
Like, is it verbal support?
Is it just, like, a quiet, you know,
just physically being there?
Like, what support type resonates with you most?
- I'm kind of one of those that never asks for help.
I'm one of those that's never going to probably be the first
to dive in and say, I need you to support me in this way.
But you continually reminding me
that I should be leaning on you that way
is going to help a lot as I work to be
a little less fully independent
and maybe more of a partner in this journey.
What about you?
- I probably have a little bit of that in me,
like what you have where you don't want to burden someone.
- Yeah. - But I think
I don't recognize all the time that, like,
oh, [bleep], I'm struggling more than I think I am.
Like, you start seeing
that my whole schedule is out of whack.
I mean, that would be the insight I would give you,
that, like, you know, your boy's probably struggling.
- [laughs]
If you feel like you're getting out of whack,
I hope that you have the opportunity
to say things feel a little bit off.
- Mm-hmm. - I'm going to do my best
to learn it. - Sure.
- But before I learn it, definitely let me know
if things are not feeling quite right.
- I will. - I'm here to help.
I'm here to be the ascending mountain support in your life.
- [laughing] Yeah.
♪
- ♪ Don't make it complicated ♪
♪
- Tonight is our next expert visit with Pastor Cal.
You know, these things are always interesting
to get ready for.
There's always, like, a little bit of, like,
anxiousness, I guess, just because, I don't know,
Brennan and I don't have the best trajectory
of having the smoothest of conversations.
I'm not really worried about
discussing anything in particular.
I'm always just worried that, like, something I say,
I think, is going to spark a reaction out of Brennan,
just because he's very sensitive, I think,
to these types of topics.
And sometimes, what I think is totally, like,
not sensitive or a big deal, he does.
So I just get--
I'm always cautious or--yeah.
Like, I just never know maybe, like,
what can make him maybe get a little uneasy.
Stay tuned for what happens after.
[car horns honking]
♪
Do you want some water?
- Thanks.
Anything you're nervous about?
- I get nervous sometimes
if I...just don't say the right thing.
[knock on door]
- You know, this whole friendship reset,
the element has been to remove all the pressure
and just focus on the good things between us.
Come on in.
- Always look so good.
- I think Emily and I, you know,
we've had a lot of talks, so hopefully
we're finally on the same page.
- How are you, beautiful lady? - How are you?
Good to see you. - You too.
Look at you. You look all nice.
- You know. - He's a'ight.
- Yeah, he's fine.
He's fine.
- So what's up, guys? - Welcome back.
♪
We have a new setup since you came.
- I know, right?
Wasn't it different the last time?
- Yeah.
- The seating was different, right?
- Yeah. - We had the couch that way.
- Yeah, the couch was over here.
So tell me, how have things been going?
I know that, you know, you guys are not, you know,
setting the romantic world on fire right now.
[chuckles]
Well, let's talk about it.
Are you happy?
- Yeah, I'm happy.
If I wasn't happy, I would leave.
But I just care about him.
Sometimes I'm like, why am I still here?
Um...
- OK.
- I still have faith in us.
I respect what he needs.
I'm happy to let him do whatever
to let the reset, like, progress.
But for me, I want a husband, not a friendship.
- So I'm glad to see the commitment,
because once you get into the friend zone,
you don't see each other as romantic partners.
You're looking at each other as buddies.
You're punching each other on the shoulder.
That's not why you're here.
But speaking of why you are here,
I want to share with you each other's interviews.
OK, this is when we first sat down with you
early in the matchmaking process.
I want you to see these videos because I want you to see
what you were asking for when we first started.
- Hm.
- Oh, wow.
- We do our absolute best
in trying to match you as well as we can.
And you both said, you know, you guys see the values
that you guys have that are really, really compatible.
[in video] How about-- how do you deal with conflict?
- I think I deal with it well.
I would say the one part that I don't do well is,
I'm really sensitive and emotional.
So I'm really working on trying to, like,
not be emotional in the way that I deal with it.
- What do you think are the ingredients
for a successful marriage?
- You definitely have to give and take and compromise.
And also, like, you have to realize it's a lot of work,
and you can't give up when things get tough.
- Give me a few characteristics
of a potential husband.
- Definitely loyal, driven, kind.
I think, like, if you aren't kind to others or yourself
or to your partner, it's hard to have,
like, other positive things translate.
- So tell me, what do you think?
- Same girl. - Is it the same girl?
- Same girl. - This is the same person
that you're married to?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, yeah.
She seems pretty consistent.
What do you think?
- Yeah. I would say...
- Yeah, yeah. - Consistent.
- All right.
- How much do you want this? - Very badly.
I think I'm wearing the same shirt.
[laughs]
I've watched the show.
I've studied it.
I've watched your interactions.
I'm extremely coachable,
and I want to get better at relationships.
And I think this is the platform to do it
and find the person I'm looking for.
- What does your spouse need to be
on the lookout for with you?
- I would say I am sensitive.
So I can be emotional at times in my tone,
but I'm not actually.
- How do you see yourself cultivating trust
in the marriage?
- Just my actions, honestly.
Just showing her that I'm there,
making her the priority.
- What other elements do you feel like are really going
to be important for a successful marriage?
- Yeah, so I'm very loving and affectionate,
and I'm very communicative.
And I think that is huge in a relationship.
And I'm a pretty selfless guy, honestly.
Like, I put everyone before myself.
[tense music]
- Smart guy.
- What does marriage mean to you?
- I think marriage for me is a life partner
that you can conquer the world with and do anything with--
someone who has your back through thick and thin.
I really, really want that.
For me, I'm gonna trust the process,
because I'm doing this trusting you fully.
I know you have my back.
I'm gonna follow the process...
- OK. - And work on it
the best way that I can.
♪
- I want to get your response.
- Yeah, I see a lot of the same phrases,
qualities that I think he emphasizes,
which is, like, trust and being there for one another.
Um...
I also see some dissimilarities because we're interviewing,
so we're on our A game.
Yeah, but for me it's like, "trust the process."
- Right. - And I feel like for me,
that got cut pretty short.
- But as far-- what, trusting the process?
- It's just, like, trusting the process and not giving up.
- Do you think the guy in this video
is the guy that you're married to?
- Uh...
♪
- It's kind of like the tale as old as time
of hearing all the stuff you want to hear.
And it's, like, a lot of the stuff that actually, like,
isn't really there behind the scenes.
Moral of the story's, like, he spoke true to a lot of,
I think, what he believes in.
Things might have just been a little bit exaggerated
or, like, emphasized.
Um...
yeah.
♪
- It's different when you're in a romantic situation,
you know?
- Friendship was not the intention.
- No, it was not. - Friendship is not
how we started out.
And I tell people, look,
do not use the F word,
because it kind of sets a boundary
around your relationship, and it's very hard
to recover from that.
♪
What does moving forward look like?
What are your expectations, you know?
What are you thinking, Brennan?
- We're just trying to navigate it the best way we can.
And, you know, if we feel comfortable enough
to go deeper, then, you know, we'll go deeper.
But if we're not feeling it,
then we gotta respect each other's boundaries.
- What if she feels comfortable enough to go deeper?
- Great. - Are you up to doing that?
- Sure.
♪
- What do you think?
- There have been times
I've been trying to respect his boundaries.
Like, it's just delicate.
And I think it's been a little bit more important
for me to, like, do what is needed
for him to feel more comfortable.
So I feel I just don't want
to push any boundaries in general
and/or have that result in being more closed off.
♪
- I think that the fear of it going too fast,
or the fear of it going somewhere
that you don't know if that's the place you want it to go,
it's sort of keeping everybody at bay,
maybe more so you than you, you know?
[laughing] This is not "Friends at First Sight."
Don't let those words come out of your mouth,
because normally, that's a cop-out.
And I want you guys to get the full benefit
of this experiment.
You guys are gonna have to work that out with each other, OK?
Let's see what happens.
♪
- ♪ I've been waiting my whole life ♪
♪ To feel these butterflies
♪ This is the effect you have on me ♪
- Well, cheers to the honeymoon.
- Cheers.
♪
Mmm.
So I can't even imagine
what it's like growing up in Santa Fe.
Like, I don't have a preconceived notion
of what that looks like, you know?
- So I was born and spent the first nine years
in Santa Fe. - OK.
- And then from 9 to 17, when I graduated high school,
we were in Albuquerque.
But Santa Fe was a very interesting place.
It was a really culturally diverse childhood for me.
- OK. - And so it's been
kind of the foundation of how I accept
and really thrive with people today.
Was there a lot of cultural diversity--
you grew up in Anaheim?
- I definitely was exposed
to a good amount of diversity,
you know, my mom being Filipino.
My dad was Cypriot/Greek.
So you know, Filipino cuisine is relatively unique.
And that's what I was used to growing up, like, eating.
So then if I was at someone else's house,
that's when I first realized,
oh, OK, like, there's a difference.
Like, squid isn't normal for some other cultures.
- I'm curious if you identify more
with the Filipino side or the Greek side.
- So growing up, I definitely would have said
the Filipino side, just because that was
what I was exposed to more.
Now I have a very healthy appreciation for both.
The Greek side of my family,
especially, like, when my dad died,
they made me--in a good way--
feel like an adult that could handle it at age 14.
- That's phenomenal.
I'm excited to meet more of your family.
- My mom and sister are in Vegas.
But her and my mom are, like, best friends.
- Best friends--BFF. - Yeah.
Mm-hmm. - Which is amazing.
Well, I'm looking forward to meeting them.
- Mm-hmm. - Does she know
that we're married, we're together?
Does she know that yet? - No, she doesn't know.
She doesn't know that yet.
I did tell my mom about what happened the first time.
And you know, that's something that's fresh in her mind.
But my sister knows.
You know, I told my sister about it.
But I asked her not to tell my mom the second time around,
because I know for my mom, when I told her
about this potential journey the first time,
like, it was hard for her to understand,
why you would want to go about it this way.
She thought that, you know, it wasn't a good idea.
- Well, I think her reaction was totally normal.
And I think her reaction is also something
that I would 100% expect.
- For me, I'm double-downing on the fact that,
you know, as things continue to develop with us,
any concerns she has, you know, upon meeting you,
most of those, if not all, will evaporate.
- Yeah.
[tense music]
- I want to be crystal clear.
Like, I'm not trying to hide you, you know,
or hide my family from you or vice versa.
So I just want you to trust me...
- Yeah. - You know, when the best time
is to tell my mom.
♪
[upbeat music]
♪
- Home sweet... ♪ Home
- It's a little bit of a mess.
Yay, travel days.
- Yay, travel days.
My back hurts, sitting in one position.
- Oh, you weren't in one position.
You were all over them-- [chuckling]
- [chuckling] - That airplane chair.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- I'm surprised your head wasn't--
or your feet weren't in the air at one point.
- [laughs]
I was tired. - Yeah, I know.
- Well, because we woke up at 8:00 a.m., which 8:00 a.m.--
- No, we woke up at 7:00 a.m. - We woke up at 7:00 a.m.,
which was technically-- - 4:00 a.m. our time.
- Oof.
- Um, yeah,
looking forward to a nice, long slumber.
How are you feeling about Dr. Pia's visit tomorrow?
- Yeah, I am excited to see her, I think.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
- Not gonna drop any bombs on me
that I don't know about, are you?
- Maybe. - Oh, no.
I mean, I think, obviously, like,
physical intimacy is still something
that we gotta be working on.
But like, we didn't really have time to take that step.
But you know, I think we've taken
a lot of the advice she's given us,
and we are applying it.
It just happens to be a little slower than, like, I hope, or--
I don't know if you feel similarly.
It's just--OK, she does.
- Dr. Pia said, you make time.
- We just haven't had--when?
We were in Philly for four days in a house with two cats.
And there was no escaping it.
I'm allergic to cats, and I have never been
around them for more than, like, a couple hours.
And it not only, like, affected
my, like, nasal passages and eyes,
but it, like, started to affect my lungs,
and hope that's something that, like,
you recognize and, you know, can sympathize with.
- Yeah.
I know Austin means well,
and I know he is committed to me,
but it's difficult when you continue to initiate things,
and then continue to face rejection.
I'm running out of ideas.
I'm running out of ways for us to connect
that do separate us from a friendship
from a romantic relationship
that are in ways that he's comfortable
that still fulfill my needs.
Like, it feels like we're running out of avenues.
I think just, like, taking Dr. Pia's advice
about, like, the foreplay throughout the day--
like, flirting and stuff like that,
I think, is really important.
- It's hard to fit it all in.
♪
- Yeah.
- As long as progress is being made,
that is something to be--
like, to appreciate.
♪
What do you think?
- Kind of putting everything in your court for that,
you know?
- I know.
♪
[upbeat music]
♪
- Welcome to Alluvia Spa.
How are you two doing today?
- Doing well. - Good.
- Ready to get rubbed down. - Perfect.
[laughter]
OK. - Let's go.
- This way. - Yay.
[soft piano music]
- Me and you are gonna be on this first bed here.
- Perfect.
I'm assuming I'll just slide in.
- Yes.
♪
- Full nude there, husband.
[chuckles]
- Gotta embrace the moment.
I don't know about you. I don't feel any discomfort,
like, just disrobing and getting a couples' massage
in the same room as you.
- No.
Settled right into married life.
- I'm just warning you, Chloe,
I make noises when I get massaged.
- OK. What can I expect?
- Just mmm's. - [chuckles]
- Nothing--no exotic sounds.
- Well...
- Mmm.
[ambient music]
♪
So now that you see your most wonderful and glorious husband
exposed for the most part...
- Naked.
- Is there anything in particular
that catches your eye?
- I've never, ever dated a man that had any tattoos.
And you've definitely journeyed your life on your body,
and it's really beautiful.
You're just a handsome guy.
And I love your hair and your curls.
- Well, thank you.
I tend to gravitate towards dark features,
like dark eyes and darker hair.
So seeing you come down the aisle,
the first thing I saw was, like,
kind of your long, flowing hair.
I find your smile to be extremely inviting.
- Aw.
- I really like your lips. - Oh.
- I don't--I can't explain specifically why.
I just know that I really like your lips.
And I feel like you're so intentional
with showing me through your gaze that you're present.
- I like that list.
- You two want to go ahead and massage each other?
- [chuckles] - Yes, Michael.
Come massage me. - All right.
- OK. [laughter]
- My feelings right now for Chloe, I mean,
they just keep--they continue to keep being reinforced.
I've just--I've really been harping on the chemistry
and the momentum that we've been able to build.
And you know, each of these moments that we spend together,
it continues to reaffirm that.
You'll have to let me know if, like,
the pressure's too tough.
All right? - OK.
Yeah. - I got these strong hands.
- I know-- - They don't look like much.
- Well-- - But trust me.
- OK. - All right?
I'm very interested in being intimate with Chloe.
- ♪ This is one for the ages
♪ We're slowly drifting into temptation ♪
♪ Hold on
♪ Feeling so anxious
- You have such magical hands, Michael.
- Now you know my evil plan.
I just booked this so that I could massage you.
- [chuckles] - That was my plan all along.
[T. Kelley's "Oceans"]
- ♪ This moment, don't it
♪ Feel like we're floating on emotions ♪
- You know, I'll be honest.
I--as much as I hope for the best,
I try to prep for the least ideal scenario.
And I did not expect to have such initial chemistry.
- ♪ Oh, baby, this could change our lives ♪
♪ Oh, the type of love that'll make an ocean cry ♪
[atmospheric music]
♪
[computer trills]
♪
- Hi. - Hello.
I missed you and your sweet face.
- I feel like we haven't talked in a while.
- But I've, like, kind of been filling you in on this stuff.
- Yeah. - But we haven't really, like,
talked about it face-to-face, and I just--
- I also feel like your text messages
are always very cryptic.
- Yeah, and because it doesn't make sense,
because a lot of it doesn't make sense.
- Yeah.
- I really think after that visit with Pastor Cal,
it's honestly making me more confused
where Brennan and I stand moving forward.
But Kenzie's a good person to confide in.
She's a good, tough critic on me.
Like, she knows me sometimes better than I know myself.
She will tell me how it is.
Sometimes I think it's the only way
for me to understand things.
- I'm having a really hard time
understanding where he's coming from
or, like, his feelings in this,
because I just feel like they don't make any sense.
Did he think this was gonna be, like, a walk in the park?
- I honestly do think he thought that.
I think that's the tricky part, is, like, I think people go
through the interview process, they think these things,
and then they realize, like, they're not.
- What has he done to, like, make himself valuable to you?
- Like, we have very similar characteristics
that are important to me.
Like, work, being driven, like, values.
And we do have fun together.
And then I, like, just get so upset,
because I'm just kind of like, what is this?
- And I've told you this before.
You're brutally honest, and I appreciate that about you,
but, like, sometimes could be harsh,
and I always thought you needed someone
that would kind of, like, bring you down to Earth.
Like-- - That's the thing, is, like,
I don't-- as I am brutally honest,
I'm realizing too, in these weeks,
like, I don't know if he has had people call him out.
All the expert visits we do are obviously heavy.
It's like therapy. - Mm-hmm.
- And things definitely took a turn
for the worse with Dr. Pia.
I felt like it was my opportunity,
when she asks us what happened,
to literally answer her question.
And then, like, that turned into me breaking his trust,
and, like, him being, like--
- You broke his trust because you talked
about your problems at therapy?
Biggest load of crap I've ever heard in my life.
- And then I was just like, what the--
- He's a master manipulator.
I feel like you're putting so much into this, and he's not.
And it's like, at what point do you just say, like...
- I know. - He's not worth it.
- And that's where I battle this battle
in my brain every day.
I'm just, like, so confused.
Why do I still care about this [bleep]?
- I mean, I met him. He's very charismatic.
I thought he was, like, a really sweet, nice guy.
- Yeah. - I don't doubt that he cares
about you, but I think that's--
- I really--but, like, I really don't know if he does.
He says he was, like, fun and friendly at the wedding.
I was like, you literally, like, didn't try to talk to me.
We sat next to each other.
- Did other people notice that?
- Yeah, and, like, other people, again,
are coming to me, and just being like,
why does Brennan treat you that way?
Or, why does he say that? And I'm like, mm-hmm.
It hurts my feelings. I feel like
that's not how a friend should be treated.
- No matter what kind of relationship we're in--
friendship, romantically, like,
you just need to stick up for yourself...
- Yeah. - In, like, a respectful way,
because, like, don't bring yourself down to his level.
Just, like, draw a line and be like,
these are things that I won't tolerate.
- Yeah, like, what are-- I've been struggling to, like,
articulate, like, what my boundaries are,
because he's made his boundaries clear.
And it's more to me than just, like, trust, whatever.
Like, I feel like I don't know what my boundaries are,
now that he made his and he needs his space,
other than, like, no disrespect
in the way you treat/talk to me in public/private setting.
Like, I don't even know-- - Well, I think that's
the biggest one, is, like, he's just been
so disrespectful to you and your feelings,
and he acts like it's the Brennan show,
and it's only--he's the only person going through this.
- I've told him that. I'm like, it just feels
like you care more about the appearance,
and, like, you-- not me, not us,
because you make all the decisions.
- Yeah. Like, it's important to prioritize yourself.
Like, obviously, you always come first.
But you still have to, like, be kind to the other person.
He signed up for this. Like, it feels like
he's acting like, you know, someone kidnapped him
and forced him to do this.
- That's what I said. I was like,
no one's [bleep] forcing you to sleep here.
He's like, "You're, like, making me try
and fall in love with you." I'm like, I'm not trying
to make you fall in love with me.
I don't want that right now. - Oh, my God.
- I'm like, oh, my God.
I was like, friends talk about feelings too.
- He would be so lucky... - I know.
- To be in love with someone like you.
- Correct. - I mean, his loss big time.
His loss.
What are you gonna do?
- I'm at a loss. I do want to, like,
see if we're able to save the marriage.
And it's just hard when you're dealing with someone
who really does not want to be portrayed
at all bad on camera.
- Well, then maybe he should be less of an [bleep].
- Yeah.
- I, like, support whatever decision you make.
But, like, personally, I think you should run for the hills.
♪
- ♪ Me and my friends live in excellence ♪
♪ It will never end
♪
- All right, this fits perfectly.
Look at that.
[knock on door]
- [gasps] It's our houseguest.
Mmm, can't believe it's not cauliflower.
- Surprise. - Hello.
How are you?
- Good. How are you doing?
- Good, good. - Becca's just inside
eating some pizza.
- It smells good in here.
- Hello! - Becca!
- Wow, we all match today.
- It's a vibe. I'm digging it.
- Do you want to meet our fish?
- I do. Tell me about your fish.
- Their names are Dani and Guinn.
- OK.
All right. Sit here?
- Yeah.
- So you know, we're just a few weeks out
from Decision Day.
How has intimacy been?
- Well, we did the intimacy exercises
and, like, played around with, like, the handcuffs--
not in the most sexual way,
but in a kind of fun, cheeky way,
and then had, like, a little romantic night.
- How sweet. OK, did you appreciate that?
- Yeah, of course. Definitely.
- OK. Did it help set the mood?
- [laughs]
- Yeah.
And I think I've gotten better
about, like, initiating things.
- Is he right?
- Yeah. - Yeah?
That was not all the way believable, Becca.
- [laughing] - Yeah, no, he's--
yeah, it's--yeah.
- OK.
- It was my grandma's 97th birthday.
So like, made a little progress,
and then had to, like, put it on pause while we were away.
- OK. - But I did feel it,
like, very much halt on this trip.
- I've, like, developed a new allergy to cats.
But my aunt and uncle have two cats.
My throat and lungs, like, closed up.
It was hard for me to think about, like, anything else.
- So obviously, we weren't going to be doing
sexual things while we were there.
But like, for me, it's again just about, like,
connection and stuff like that.
- Sure. - So to have that halt was--
it put me on edge a little bit,
definitely. - Mm-hmm.
- I did take it personally at times.
Like, I was looking for those little affirmations
to know that what I was doing-- like, I was doing a good job,
or that, like, I was doing OK.
- So the other question I was gonna ask is--
I mean, everyone is different
about PDA around family members.
And I'm just curious if that was playing into it
for you a bit too, Austin.
- Yeah, for sure. I mean,
like, we're affectionate towards each other.
But we're not gonna, like,
make out in front of a bunch of people...
- Yeah, and that's not what I was...
- Especially family. - Asking for or talking about.
- Yeah. Yeah, no, no--I--yeah.
That's not to imply that you were like that.
- Right, because I think what I was just hearing you say,
it was not just, like, not being as touchy-feely.
It was, like, not being as present.
- Yeah, he was focused on other things,
which I definitely get and understand.
I do wish, like, even when we were away,
like, that there was still a little bit more flirting,
because I do often initiate things.
But I just, like-- I don't want to--
I don't know, like, push things too far
if he's not feeling comfortable.
- So my recommendation would be to add that extra layer
of vulnerability and transparency with each other.
Lean into the vulnerability
by expressing what's happening internally for you,
or expressing what thoughts you might be having.
There's always expectations.
And I think it's important to communicate those
to one another so that we don't get let down by expectations,
or don't develop unrealistic expectations.
- Yeah. - So I want you to spend
some time thinking about, like, what do you all need
in order to stay in this, like, positive progression?
- I want to move forward with him sexually
because I want-- that's what I just want to do.
And like, for me, it's just a matter of, like,
are we still moving forward?
- Yeah.
I don't think we'll have any issues.
♪
[upbeat music]
- ♪ The stars aligned when I saw you ♪
♪ I'm ready to say
♪
♪ I used to feel empty-hearted ♪
♪ But when I'm with you
♪ I'm here to stay
♪
♪ Oh, I'm here to stay
- Hey, Michael.
♪
- This is what I get for taking a long-ass bath, huh?
- [laughs] - You have time
to set up a beautiful dinner.
- Aww.
- Mm.
- So have a seat.
- It's our own little setup here.
- It's our own little setup.
I'm gonna grab us dinner.
- Do you need me to help with anything?
- You know what? I feel like I'm gonna
go back to my serving days.
I--you know.
- I was a fast food employee.
I wasn't, like, a proper sit-down restaurant employee.
- Might have just put myself through school
with a little of the old serving action.
As usual, I just kind of want to pick at yours
instead of having my own, so-- [laughs]
- I was gonna say, I need a reposition some
so that you can have easy access here.
Boom.
- Perfect.
This has been so fun--and we have to go home tomorrow.
- I know, and plunge back into the real world?
- [laughs]
Tomorrow is gonna be a big day for us.
- I know.
- And I've been single a long time.
- Mm-hmm. - I'm just like,
wow, I'm about to have a full-blown husband
in our new apartment, in our new place together.
Holy smokes. We're really doing it.
And so yeah, it's been a lot for me to process.
[tense music]
We have only just as much time as we've now spent together.
We just don't have any point of reference with each other.
And we... - That's true.
- Were strangers up until a few days ago.
- We are. - We've had conversations
that I didn't even have
in relationships that I was with for so many years.
So I'm emotionally overwhelmed.
- Yeah.
- I think I'm just kind of processing emotions
that I've never, ever-- not only not felt before,
but didn't even know I had the capacity to feel.
- Sure.
- So I think it just kind of all hit me
that tomorrow, reality hits.
- Yeah. - We are--
we are husband and wife.
We are moving in together.
And it's absolutely freaking terrifying.
♪
- Um...
- I'm saying I don't know if I can do this.
♪
- You're human.
Sure, we've only known each other for a handful of days,
but it's been full immersion handful of days.
And I'm still learning,
but I'm starting to get a feel for you,
at least in terms of, like, where your emotions are at
and how that affects your demeanor.
Right now, my balance that I'm trying to figure out
is when it's appropriate to kind of ask you
and engage you verbally on it, versus kind of giving you space
to work it out and feel what you need to feel.
Um-- - No, you shouldn't have to.
- But-- - You shouldn't have to,
because it's not your responsibility to read my mind.
It's not your responsibility
to feel that I'm having an emotional moment
and try to figure out what's wrong with me.
That's not fair. I experienced today
what I have always sort of done.
- Mm. - I internalize things.
I try not to burden people with them.
But the minute that I start feeling them too deeply,
I shut down just enough to make people uncomfortable.
It just got to a point where I was saying,
I gotta talk about it. - Sure.
- And if it's just me having a moment of just
overwhelm of feelings that I didn't even know I had.
- And I appreciate that.
And I also know that right now,
being supportive is the best role for me to be in.
I want to get to a space where you'd conclude,
what's best for me is to, you know,
cry on his shoulder and have him comfort me.
Like, I want you to get to that space.
But I know that that's gonna take a minute.
- Yeah. - You know, I'm still learning
about you, and I may never be able
to fully prescribe what's best for you.
I may be able to make suggestions and--
you know, if you give me that audience, right?
But I know you know what's best for you.
I think you deserve
to feel comfortable with prioritizing yourself.
- Yeah.
- And so please, like, act in your own interest.
And maybe what I would ask is just trust that I trust you.
♪
- I believe Michael.
I've just never heard those words before.
♪
[laughing] Please stop.
Can we stop?
♪
[sniffling]
[exhales deeply, laughs]
[soft music]
♪
Asking me to become more selfish--
who on Earth says that?
Please tell me who says that.
Who is like, "Please be more selfish"?
It's a lot to hear it. It's a lot to hear it.
I know I went so long without doing it, so...
♪
And so now I'm here in this place,
and I've got this really supportive partner
who is saying everything I need to hear.
♪
Like, it's safe enough to actually put myself first.
I know he's saying it. I know he means it.
But it's like, how on Earth could he possibly want me
to prioritize myself before I prioritize him?
- ♪ As I feel
- He obviously told me what I needed to hear.
[laughs and sniffles]
- ♪ In my dreams, in my dreams ♪
- I want to work on feeling like
it's OK to put myself first.
Now Michael's gonna help me do that.
So, um, yeah.
I'm gonna give it 100%.
And he's gonna give it 100%.
We're gonna see where we land.
- ♪ In my dreams, in my dreams ♪
♪ In my dreams
[upbeat music]
- Next time...
- Ready to roll? - Yep.
♪
- Most of our couples embark
on a fun-filled couples' retreat,
where they can reset, refresh,
and recount their individual experiences.
- I could use some luck of the Irish.
- You could use some luck, and I could get lucky.
- Maybe this is where you seal the deal.
- Come here.
- I really don't know what happened.
He just rolled out of bed and went.
[dramatic music]
- Honestly, Lauren, I am glad you're here.
I'm glad you showed up.
- It just feels weird, I guess.
- I feel that. - Yeah.
Like, I don't know what I would gain
out of a conversation with him.
♪
- Is she all right? - [bleep].
♪
- We need to get her out of here and get an ambulance.
She's bleeding a lot.
♪
- Oh, it's [bleep] bad.
♪