Last Sunday, Dec. 13, TLC aired the pilot episode of its newest reality show, "Married by Mom and Dad." Similar to another hit reality series, "Married at First Sight," this new show is also a social experiment on arranged marriages. TLC's twist involves four single people who, after failed relationships, turn to their parents who find them their perfect mate.
"'Married by Mom and Dad' is a modern take on voluntary arranged marriages, based on old school tradition and real world success," the synopsis reads. "We follow each mom and dad through the process of meeting and vetting the potential future spouses and watch their kids meet their life partners for the first time. But the real work begins as the couples get to know what they like, dislike, and everything in between."
In the first episode, the viewers were introduced to Manny and Edna Febiar, parents of 34-year-old Marivic who is a Filipino-American nurse. They were preparing to meet Donny, the first candidate to be their son-in-law. Donny made a good impression by coming with gifts for the parents. However, Manny had some apprehensions about the candidate.
He noted that Donny's accomplishments were fabricated. He also showed concerns regarding Donny's physical appearance, as he noted that he wasn't tall enough and that he was bald under the hat he was wearing.
Another cast member who is hoping to find her lifetime partner is Christina Rollyson, a 33-year-old travel agency owner. She revealed to Zap2it.com that she decided to give the reality show a try since her work prevented her from having a social life.
"I called my stepmom," she said. "So I told her what was going on and I said, 'Well, I want to get married and guess who is deciding on my husband.' And I said, 'I want you to explain all this to Dad while he's sitting down ... and break the news to him.' And surprisingly they called me the next day and he was on board and he was excited about it."
During the pilot episode, Christina's dad Derald and stepmom Becky met former Michigan State football player Brett, the first candidate for their daughter. While they were clearly impressed with Brett's athletic build and confidence, they wondered why he hasn't settled down the traditional way.
They showed Brett a picture of Christina, and Brett remarked that she's a "very pretty girl."
"Are you ready to go to the altar with that girl you just saw?" Christina's dad asked.
Though Christina did not divulge if she did meet her perfect match, she revealed that the whole process was fun and brought her closer to her father and stepmom.
"It was a very positive experience. You know, you're obviously close to your parents. I'm close to my dad and stepmom but to get to know somebody on that level, it brings you closer together because now they're like, 'Oh, I didn't think that maybe Christina would want this in a guy but she does.' And it just made us talk and communicate so much more, and we had a blast doing it."
The two other cast members include Mitch Sargent, a 30-year-old wine salesman, and 31-year-old John Coultrip, who said he can't wait to find his perfect match.
"Married by Mom and Dad" airs Sundays, 9:30 p.m. on TLC. Watch the season's highlights below:
