Tag: TV

Poly reality show wraps; stars grace Dr. Drew and radio

The poly community has been anxiously following the reality show Polyamory: Married and Dating since it premiered on July 12th on Showtime. Many folks have written posts and reviews of the show. Now, the seven-episode-long season has concluded, the last of the recaps are being written, and the stars of the show are hitting the media circuit.

Alan M. wrote about episodes 4 and 5, episode 6 (which he called "the best, most serious, most moving episode yet"), and the final episode. Modern Poly has continued publishing recaps as well. Alan sums up his feelings about the show succinctly:

My own view remains that for all the imperfections and humanity of the cast, the show is the best thing that has happened for public understanding of polyamory in ages.

The San Diego quad (Kamala, Michael, Jen, and Tahl) even made an appearance on the Dr. Drew Show, which thankfully didn't go as badly as expected, while two members of the triad, Anthony and Vanessa, were interviewed for the Polyamory Weekly podcast as well as on KPFA public radio.

You can follow the show on Facebook and follow the quad on Facebook to keep track of upcoming appearances. It is unknown whether the show will be renewed for a second season.

Bloggers weigh in on poly reality show

Ever since Showtime's Polyamory: Married & Dating premiered three weeks ago, the internet has been abuzz with opinions about it.

The blog Modern Poly has reviewed episodes one and two, and has documented the positive and negative reactions to the show on Twitter and beyond. Blogger Kiki lamented the lack of diversity on the show, while Brian Ballard discussed the editing style and Jane Doe asked whether the show plays on stereotypes of poly folks as sex-obsessed and drama-mongering.

Psychologist Deborah Anapol, who has written several books on polyamory and was instrumental in the formulation of the modern poly movement, wrote about the show on Psychology Today, calling the reality format "certainly more enjoyable than parading a poly family or two out to be interviewed by a talk show host and then letting a hostile audience have at them as was the style back in the day."

Polyamory: Married & Dating is also the subject of Polyamory Weekly's latest podcast, in which Minx and LustyGuy discuss the accessibility of the characters and their communication skills.

Also notable are the responses from mainstream, non-poly sources, like this review at A.V. Club, and this article on Gawker, calling the show "the best reality show on TV." The writer asserts that the communication-heavy poly lifestyle is perfect for the interview-based, reality show format. Although some of his attraction to the show is based on its "trashiness," he acknowledges that his fascination has depth:

The emotional articulation of the four described people makes for riveting viewing -- not since the early days of The Real World have I been so obsessed with watching people sit around and babble about themselves and their lives, nor have I so deeply lamented that they only do it for 30 minutes once a week . . . While the show illustrates the emotional complications and possible turmoil that result from loving more than one person, it humanizes those involved to a degree that we've never seen. It is at once a cautionary tale and an argument for the freedom to participate in these kinds of living/loving situations. As such, it is as complicated, strange, hilarious and involving as these situations clearly are themselves.

Polyamory: Married & Dating can be found on Showtime on Thursday nights at 11 p.m.

“Polyamory” reality series premieres on Showtime this Thursday

What an exciting development! Showtime has announced a new reality show, "Polyamory: Married and Dating," which will premiere Thursday, July 12th. The season will consist of seven half-hour episodes which will air on Thursdays from July 12th through August 23rd, with reruns several times each week. The show will document the trials and tribulations of several non-monogamous relationships.

The show is described on its website:

This provocative reality series takes an inside look at non-monogamous, committed relationships that involve more than two people. Lindsey and Anthony are married, but live in a triad (three-way relationship) with their girlfriend, Vanessa. Husband and wife Michael and Kamala (who have a young son) are adjusting to having two of their lovers, fellow married couple Jen and Tahl, move in with them. This explicit look at modern-day polyamory follows characters grappling with the emotional and sexual drama of sharing their hearts, as well as their beds.

I'm looking forward to seeing how everything is portrayed. Showtime isn't a network to shy away from sexual content, so it should be especially interesting.

In celebration of the new show, there will be a viewing party at the Victory Theater in downtown San Diego on July 28th. Afterward, there will be a Q&A with director Natalia Garcia and participants Lindsey, Anthony, Vanessa, and the San Diego family.

Want to be filmed at a swinging workshop in Los Angeles this Friday?

Sex and relationship educator Reid Mihalko (of ReidAboutSex) has put out a call for participants to be filmed this Friday night, June 15th, in downtown Los Angeles for a major TV show documenting his swinging workshop and play party. He is looking for 10-15 couples, both new to non-monogamy and experienced, who are willing to be filmed for Part2 Pictures. The film crew are also in need of one newbie couple who are interested in swinging but not yet sold on it.

The night will begin at 6:30 p.m. with Reid's two-hour "Plays Well With Others" workshop (which teaches communication and relationship skills for non-monogamous folks), followed by a quick dinner break, and finally, "My First Play Party." Part2 Pictures will document the workshop and the play party, but they won't be filming any explicit nudity. They will also interview willing attendees.

Reid's goal is to showcase ethical non-monogamy in a positive light on national television. He says:

For those of you who know me and know how passionate I am about the media covering sex-positive life in an empowering way with integrity, please know that I used to be a film producer and worked in television years ago, and that I've have several conversations with the producers of this show (you've probably seen or heard of it, btw), and the producers are letting me design the event and influence how they're going to document it. This way, I can ensure that they have footage and soundbites that will showcase The Lifestyle in a positive and informative way.

Read more, including full descriptions of the workshop and play party, at Reid's site. If you wish to RSVP, email Rachael Profiloski at Part2 Pictures at rachael [at] part2pictures [dot] com or call her at 718-797-0581.