This week’s episode ofLove and Marriage Detroithad a clear theme and focus: marriage being a partnership, and how some of them are failing, succeeding, and working on it. It makes sense that this is a major theme, especially considering what has been going on in the last two episodes. Let’s explore the idea of partnership, shall we?
In the first episode,Brandon Smithgaslights his wife,Kristina Bowman Smith. In the second episode, he blames her for his career being stunted. The third episode begins with him continuing to do that, using his friends to side with him saying that her not wanting him to go to clubs is ruining his career. Because going to the club will make all the difference in his success as a music scout? Sure. The self-proclaimed second coming of Berry Gordy has not mentioned going to see specific performers for scouting purposes. Not to mention, he had an “emotional affair” with an artist he signed in the past, who his wife also befriended. Trifling. He just says Kristina is blocking him without providing any evidence to back it up. And when she calls him out on it, he publicly embarrasses her with shouting matches to intimidate her enough to dead the conversation about her concerns.
Brandon is a narcissist. His marital problems could have been avoided if he included Kristina rather than shut her out of his business decisions. Kristina should consider leaving him if he continues to behave like this. He belittles her, gaslights her, and constantly says she’s the problem. It’s easier to make her the scapegoat, and thankfully Kristina sees that’s exactly what he’s doing. She knows and understands that she has done her part to support him. She gave up her career for him. And he has the audacity to say she’s the problem? Shameful.
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Communication Can Boost These ‘LAMD’ Partnerships
Speaking of communication, let’s go to the divinity school debacle.Kolby Harris’s parents come to talk with her aboutRussell Harris’s decision to become a pastor. She doesn’t like the idea, especially since he started the process without her. She’s not thrilled about the whole situation considering she grew up as a pastor’s kid and has her own trauma from the upbringing. Her parents aren’t helpful, either. They side with him, saying that his calling is unrelated to her feelings. Her parents don’t have her back, which one can only imagine how rough that is. Russell doubles down on these sentiments later, using a gym activity as a metaphor for partnership. It’s a cute attempt to calm her down, but Kolby sees it for what it is, and stands firm in her feelings about his lack of communication. Hopefully he’ll actually hear her one day.
And then there’s the Thompsons. Their situation is more complex than the other couples. It’s the difficulty of figuring out what is best for their family.Anthony Thompsoninsists he went to Atlanta without fully involving his wife to further his career because that would ultimately help his family, in his mind.LaToya Thompsonfelt abandoned due to the difficulties their kids were facing at home. Both of them have valid points, and Anthony is carrying a lot of hurt from the whole situation…in the form of resentment. Making things more complicated is the fact that Anthony is fully supportive and invested in LaToya’s business ventures, while she seemingly has stipulations surrounding his.
‘LAMD’ What’s next?
One could hope Kristina will leave Brandon, but it seems like they are going to work on their marriage via counseling. It also seems like Brandon is now focusing his energy on finding someone else for Kristina to get mad at, so the heat can be taken off of himself. Kolby is clearly his next target, especially after the failed anniversary picnic. He is working really hard to be worse than Martell Holt ofHuntsvillein the narcissism avenue, and we see it happening for him.
