The Season 8 Married at First Sight couples are continuing to develop their bonds on episode 8 after 23 days of marriage, with some of the couples getting a chance for a sitdown with their in-laws. After Kate and Luke worked through an awkward moment last week, they seem to be in another uncomfortable spot when Kate sits down with Luke's mom. The same goes for Kristine and Keith, who argue over household duties and who is doing more work.
To start off Tuesday's episode, Dr. Jessica would like the four couples to go back before they can go forwarding, opening up to each other about their pasts. The idea is to get a deeper understanding of each other.
Kate & Luke
Instead of just telling Kate about his past, Luke decides to bring Kate to his hometown. He notes that it's important that he's bringing Kate there, because he's dating women for six months who he's never brought home. Essentially, it's Luke's version of trying and Kate is loving it. She remarks that it's the first time she's felt like Luke's wife in the 23 days they've been married.
Kate is trying to do everything she can to make her relationship with Luke work, and it's showing. The only problem is that she might be working overtime for nothing. According to Kate, she's getting the feeling that Luke's mom thinks their relationship is already over.
"I'm so committed to this marriage I was it to work more than anything but I feel like his mom was just checking in on like how I would feel after this ends," Kate says. "So a lot of her questions are just like what's the worst-case and best-case scenario, what if it doesn't work out and all these questions. It's just like, OK, no one thinks this is going to work out so why are we even talking about this anymore."
Kristine & Keith
Keith is the first to talk about his past. He reveals that his father struggled with alcohol abuse when he was a child. It doesn't deter Kristine from wanting to meet him.
"I want to meet his father because he's a part of Keith's life," Kristine said. "It really doesn't concern me too much that his father has had abuse problems. I feel like there are people in every family that has that misstep. But at the end of the day, that's his father and we're really integrating and merging and really getting to know each other and that's a big part. I feel like we should at least meet."
When it becomes Kristine's turn to speak, she starts to realize that her marriage to Keith resembles a past relationship she had, and she doesn't like the similarities. "I was actually engaged before," she told Keith. "He made a hell of a lot more than I did so he took care of me but he was very controlling. He just expected someone to cook all the time and clean all the time and have his kids right away. It was the attitude of, 'Well, I'm paying all the bills so you do what I want.' It was like his way or the highway type of thing and I'm a little too strong-willed for that type of personality."
Kristine doesn't want to be Keith's housewife. "As I'm telling Keith about my last relationship, and how I was expected to do all the cooking and cleaning, I'm realizing that our marriage isn't all that different," she said. "I do all the cooking and even though he says he cleans, I end up doing all that too. This is not why I got married."
AJ & Stephanie
Stephanie starts off by opening up to AJ about a past traumatic event. She tells him that her first job ended when her entire department got laid off because of the bad economy at the time.
Stephanie enjoyed talking about something that she was able to overcome. "It feels good to be sharing these things within our marriage to each other," she told the Lifetime cameras. "He pays attention to the little things. He's listening to everything I'm saying and that's what I want in life. I would be empty without AJ in my life. So yeah, I'm really happy."
AJ talked about a serious car accident that he was involved in. It gave him chills remembering the incident, where he was thrown off his motorcycle.
"When I stood up—and I still can't say it without getting choked up—it puts me back in that moment. When you think of a motorcycle accident of that magnitude, you expect mangled bodies everywhere," he said in a separate interview. "Life can be taken from you at any time. So take risks, live your life and be happy. That's why I got Married at First Sight." He added: "You get one shot at life. Make it the best."
It was a "near-death experience" for him. "For the most part, that's why I'm so energetic," AJ told Stephanie, "and so happy and smiling all the time because I am truly happy to be alive. and that's why I take so many risks and chances because why not?"
Will & Jasmine
Will brought Jasmine back to a playground where he grew up and they start to realize how different their upbringings were.
"This has definitely been eye-opening for me because we didn't grow up the same way," she said. "It sounds like he was content at the time but it's still a sense of poverty. I grew up around family, safety and love. His friends became like his safe haven. The playground became his safe haven."
Will was happy to share the playground with Jasmine, telling her that place made him the person he is today.
Jasmine took Will to her aunt's house, where Aunt Susie told Jasmine that she should respect and listen to Will. "I'm feeling a little betrayed," Jasmine said. "They're supposed to be my cheerleaders. I don't need to listen to Will. Will needs to listen to me."
When the topic of finances come up, things get tense. Will wants the bills to be split 50-50, while Jasmine thinks the man of the house should pay more. Ultimately, Aunt Susie told them that they both have to work on their marriage. If they both put in effort, it will work. If not, they will likely split.
