Wife swap

[Tinker]

Well? What do we think?

He was a Professional Gambler!!!! - fortunately with a wife who worked.

Thought it tragic that neanderthal man had never said "I love you" to Michelle - and that the minute she realised he'd made Carol a cup of tea and actually helped out a teeny weeny bit Michelle immediately felt threatened/jealous and went on the attack. Should have just packed her bags and kept walking.

Carol!!! Carol !!! CAROL!!!

Did anyone else think of Alan Partridge shouting "Dan", "Dan", "DAN", when that awful man was shouting Carol?

Oh it was so sad.....stupid man says I love you, and the woman who reckoned there'd be a few changes to their set-up just melted....I was glad to see the son stayed with the drama group, though.

Yes, why didn't they do the second week with the woman doing what she wanted to do?? Did it not work at all, so they cut it out?

And they were both silly about that horrible little poodle.

I did think Carol and her husband were a teensy bit smug and pleased with themselves, though...never a nice quality!

Agree with the comments here especially about how Michelle turned when she felt threatened by Carol. But also depressing to see yet another family living on 5 takeaways a week - why do people do it?

Michelle's husbands "job" as he stated it, was to enjoy himself, going to the gym and sometimes to the racetrack...
Michelle's change of heart when her husband said he loved her seemed bizarre, but maybe she was just to scared to break away from what was familiar...
On the other hand, could it have been an inspiring ode to true love?

Incredible! Are there really people like Michelle's husband out there? (mind you, for all I felt dreadfully sorry for Michelle, I can't help but blame her - if you treat someone like an ambitionless teenager for 15 years, they'll probably become one, he was pretty much institutionalised... can't have spelt that right, sorry!).

Sobernow, dh will be upset to hear that, he was looking forward to a week of gambling and sitting on his butt! He asked last night if there was any chance that you were called Inga and were from Sweden. I think he's getting a little too keen on the idea...

Institutionalised ha ha! well put Philipat. I actually ended up feeling quite sorry for him at the end. He was pretty well henpecked in his own way. I'm sure Michelle would never LET him do anything even if he wanted to. She seemed to define herself totally through housework. As long as her house was perfect and she was the perfect wifey then that made her complete. She was probably too scared to get a real life.

Didn't you think though that her mother was the same? she struck me as also a complete fussbag and was there to look after Barry as well. Was I the only one to wonder if she fancied him though, what with the haircutting and visiting every day!!

I thought Carol's attempt to stir things up by saying how Barry had done stuff for her like make her a cup of tea, which he hadn't NEVER done for Michelle just backfired on her. Although Michelle did seem to bite at first and started having a go at Barry, she suddenly stopped and had a real go at Carol!!!

I too got the impression that Michelle was too afraid of real, long lasting, change and felt that she had to justify her lifestyle by attacking Carol.

FWIW, Michelle's son obviously had a lot more time for Carol (Carol! CAROL!) than for his mum and Barry, and presumably he knows them quite well!

I think Carol was right that Michelle had connived at the whole domestic set-up - a lot of Barry's attitude seemed tongue-in-cheek to me. How many men wouldn't like to have a slave, and make the most of it when they got one?

The body language when they left the pub at the end was superb.

I read that Dee last week had specifically asked not to be put with a black family.

Similar lifestyles would be more interesting psychologically but wouldn't make good telly!

Carol and hubby's "own story"!

I feel vaguely guilty watching these programmes, almost like I am eavesdropping a private conversation. BUT, that doesn't stop me finding it compulsive viewing.
I thought Carol handled Barry really well given that he was a bullying despot. I felt very sorry for Michelle. I could only think that she had very low self esteem to enjoy that kind of daily bullying. I don't have a problem with her enjoying housework and being houseproud but it doesn't seem right for someone to enjoy being oppressed by a man who doesn't even tell her that he loves her.

Sobernow, just read on another thread that the last time your dp made you a cup of tea was August 2001. What do you reckon his reaction would be my usual 'tteeeeeaaaaa?' request (whingy tone while lying on sofa normally)? Or my other favourite 'Are you making a cuppa? Thanks love' (while he very obviously isn't).

And I'm embarrassed to admit to being a 4-times-a-week takeaway person (well, usually M&S ready meal rather than takeaway but the principle's the same). I definitely think we're the perfect candidates for a swap.

You must watch this tonight - just received my copy of "Heat" magazine (yes, I do subscribe), and apparantly tonights is the best yet.
No doubt we'll all have something to say on this later.......

Can't wait - working mum of one swaps with SAHM of 6. I'll be coming back to see what everyone else thought later!

so glad you reminded me!

Thought this was great. Whoooo how defensive was whatshername with one child at the end? Not that I'd have been particularly happy with what was said, but I thought the woman saying it was right actually in this instance. And she was very careful earlier to say she didn't have a problem with working mothers, just that she didn't think she could do it.

Lottie was mollycoddled I think and I'd have killed dp if he'd have done the "I got her out of bed because she wasn't really tired" thing after I'd said she must go to bed, but to be fair it wasn't her mum I suppose. Mark did concede that firmness worked towards the end. I thought the woman with 6 kids was lovely and the other one was a bit of a silly bitch tbh. And the husband with 6 kids was right about how happy his kids, they seemed it anyway, weren't they lovely? Not that I'd have liked to get them all ready in the mornings, can see that only military precision and martial rule would work. Very entertaining.

Homework, washing, bedchanging and bathing - forgot it - missed it! swear word!!