‘Married at First Sight’: 5 Key Moments From ‘It’s Not a Shore Thing’ (RECAP)
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Married at First Sight, Season 14, Episode 5, “It’s Not a Shore Thing.”]
The honeymoon is here and it’s mostly paradise for the couples of Married at First Sight Season 14, but there are a few pairs on rockier paths in the latest episode, “It’s Not a Shore Thing.”
Picking up where the last episode left off, the couples continue their early days of marriage while vacationing in Puerto Rico. But will the Boston-based cast members find peace under the dazzling sun? Below, we’re breaking down all of the drama and key moments from the episode, so beware of spoilers ahead.
Waking Up & Chatting
The couples wake up on their first day in Puerto Rico ready to discuss their experiences so far, beginning with Lindsey and Mark. She can’t keep a straight face when production asks her about whether or not she and Mark have consummated the relationship, which seems surprising for the seriously candid Lindsey. Meanwhile, Mark is more focused on bringing up Lindsey’s drinking as a possible point of tension regarding her recent verbal scuffle with Katina and Olajuwon.
Back in Jasmina and Michael’s suite, the couple discusses a minor argument they had since arriving on the honeymoon over breakfast. She can’t help but feel like he’s always expecting things to go wrong rather than just going with the flow. On an even more negative note, Alyssa’s in a very “why me?” kind of mood as she wonders how she ended up in a room alone on her honeymoon, despite the fact that she suggested it. Chris isn’t thrilled by the situation either, because he feels like Alyssa isn’t giving the marriage a chance.
As for Noi and Steve, they’re getting fairly comfortable with one another, but her lack of enthusiasm over his love of camping raises a red flag. And Olajuwon checks in with Katina to see if his snuggling is improving, but she admits he’s too hot and sweaty to snuggle up to for the time being.
Activities Galore
While in paradise, the couples explore Puerto Rico, their resort, and more ranging from excursions to classes. Lindsey and Mark enjoy making Pina Coladas together and while doing so, discuss their dating history. Through the conversation, Lindsey worries that Mark has been too big of a people-pleaser in his life. Noi and Steve, meanwhile, sit outdoors for a picnic where they discuss bathroom habits and their level of comfortability with one another. Things get a little awkward when she informs him that she’s beginning to fall in love and he doesn’t express equal enthusiasm.
Katina joins Olajuwon at the gym and regrets the experience as he’s a little too intense and judgemental throughout the session. Chris and Alyssa go paddleboarding together despite their lack of connection and she laughs about him falling off the board into the water. After getting out of the water, they sit to talk for a minute and she brings up how she was told about her soulmate by a psychic, and his small laugh angers her, only adding to the pair’s tension.
Jasmina and Michael enjoy some pool time and she gets candid about him overthinking everything and asks if that’s been a problem with relationships in the past. He admits that past tragedies like losing friends and family have increased his level of overthinking.
Group Excursion
The couples convene for a catamaran boat ride and while there’s lingering tension after Olajuwon and Lindsey’s fight upon their arrival in Puerto Rico, no one is letting the bad vibes get in the way… at first. On the boat, the couples discuss their progress including whether or not they’ve had sex yet, most couples stay mum on the topic although there’s mention of it by Lindsey and Mark. As for Chris, he calls out the elephant in the room and notes that he and Alyssa aren’t on that level clearly.
Once they arrive at their destination, the women and men divide into two groups for some chats about their new marriages. Noi brings up her mention of falling in love, and Steve acknowledges it in the discussion with the men, admitting that he isn’t quite able to drop the L-word yet. Michael worries he’s not going with the flow enough and Olajuwon reveals that his gym trip with Katina was a test to see if she’d speak up for herself, which she did when he was a little too harsh on her.
Alyssa remains quiet about her and Chris’s lack of connection despite Lindsey pushing for details. Meanwhile, Lindsey reveals she’s falling in love with Mark but isn’t admitting that to him yet. Back on the beach with the men, Mark admits that Lindsey’s energy can be a bit much for him at times, and that seems to be the same for Katina on the boat where the women are talking.
Katina confronts Lindsey for her behavior, claiming that the woman is childish despite being old enough to know better. After the bomb is dropped, Katina gets up and goes to the side to chat privately with Alyssa who is also annoyed with Lindsey. When the whole group reconvenes to head back to their resort, another conversation starts, as Mark tells Lindsey to pick her battles, in other words, don’t pick fights when unnecessary. As a game of Never Have I Ever ensues, Steve and Noi discover a shared connection over cheating on partners in the past and Olajuwon gets a little too open about his past as a player and relationships asking if the other couples would ever have a threesome.
Dinner Time
After the group outing, the couples enjoy private dinners together where Noi and Steve discuss the cheating topic. It turns out that they both cheated in their first relationships and it’s something they both learned a great deal from and have no plan of ever repeating. Olajuwon and Katina’s dinner brings up Lindsey, but ultimately, reshifts focus to them as he brings up the threesome conversation. She admits it’s not something she’s interested in and he assures her that she’s the only woman he needs. When the couple returns back to the resort, Olajuwon surprises her with rose petals, candles, champagne, and a foot rub, leading Katina to cry over the kind gesture. She admits to the cameras that she’s beginning to fall in love.
Island Tensions
Alyssa and Chris meet up briefly for a scuba activity that she has no intention of participating in. While Chris dives into the water, she tells the cameras that she’s not happy, she’s judgemental of Chris’ physical appearance and she claims she’s upset with her mother after a chat on the phone in which she was told to suck it up and go with the flow. Alyssa repeatedly says she’s a good person and thinks that she’s been nice, but refuses to speak with Chris at all when he returns from scuba diving.
Meanwhile, Noi and Steve’s tension isn’t so negative as she tells the camera’s she’s only fallen in love once before and it feels the same as she does with Steve now. Tears well in her eyes over the emotion of it all. As for Jasmina and Michael, they had a tiff over a difference of opinion regarding a comment made on the catamaran outing. Agreeing to meet for a dinner, they discuss the situation in which she apologizes to him, but Michael isn’t satisfied with the way she does it. While they seem to work things out slightly, there’s still a concern that this is a bad start to the marriage.
And Lindsey and Mark’s bliss is zapped away over a dinner in which he asks to slow their progress a bit as he’s overwhelmed by the quick pace of their relationship. She reacts badly and storms off to their room, noting that she’s either all in or all out when it comes to the relationship. Can the seemingly good pair work it out or is this the beginning of the end? Stay tuned when Married at First Sight returns next week on Lifetime.
Married at First Sight, Season 14, Wednesdays, 8/7c, Lifetime