MAFS Recap 2024 Episode 20: You’ve Got A Foul Mouth, Says Bloke Who Yelled “Muzzle Your Woman”

It's episode 20 of Married At First Sight 2024 and we're back for the fourth dinner party of the experiment. I still feel like I'm recovering from last week's chaos and my fight or flight response is already triggered. Anyway, let's go.

We follow on after Ben's wild list of complaints about Ellie. To refresh your memory, these included him not liking her wearing make-up, the fact that she grew up on the Gold Coast (?), and their "generational divide" (of seven whole years). Ben reckons he's sorry and sends her a package of items to mend the relationship. These include photos of their wedding and a letter asking Ellie to meet him at Maroubra Beach, where they got married. I hate to tell you Ben, but all love dies on Maroubra Beach.

Meanwhile, Sara and Tim are getting ready for the dinner party and seem very into each other. Lucinda and Timothy are also getting ready and Lucinda looks like a damn movie star. I wish there was more hype about her 'fit, but unfortunately, we're quickly thrust into a little video package, amping us up for the impending beef between Jayden and Timothy. Jayden is pissed off because he doesn't like the way Tim speaks to Lucinda, while Tim is miffed that a young bloke like him is interjecting himself into his marriage and "flicking [his] hair back like Fabio." Okay. Before they leave the house, Lucinda tells Timothy that she's gone commando. I'm not sure why she does this, but I'm grateful she does this. Our comic relief, our queen. We cannot help but stan.

The couples finally pile in for the dinner party. Lauren and Jono reckon they've solved all their issues (sure, Jan) and upon the arrival of Jack and Tori, Lauren and Jack officially make amends. Jack actually presents himself as a somewhat tolerable human... for at least 10 seconds. Despite Lauren thinking his apology was rehearsed, she forgives him. Unfortunately, he continues to speak and says that he made the comment because he wanted to hear other people at the table, and everyone is collectively like, ughhhhhhhh. Bro doesn't get it. Bro isn't actually sorry. Bro needs to stop.

Jayden starts getting very riled up about Timothy again, with Tori joining the yap yap yap club. Tim is blissfully unaware, still journeying in with dear Lucinda. Upon their arrival, the dramatic orchestra music kicks off and the two of them finally roll in. Lucinda says hello to everyone and has words with Jack, saying that she was disappointed in his actions last week. She calls him a "kind soul" and hugs him, and I honestly really need Lucinda to do a crash course in emotional intelligence and forgiveness. Hell, even I'll sign up.

Lucinda, clearly the woman of the hour, then gets chatting with Jayden. Her asks about her relo with Tim, but she says that it's all good bruh, we're working on it. "I feel really good with Tim at the moment," Lucinda says. For some reason, I've got a feeling that Jayden might not listen to her. HMMMMM.

Then, Ellie arrives SOLO and everyone responds with a mix of gasps. I could have also swore I heard a cheer in there, which is the most relatable part of this episode. She fills everyone in on the goss, the list, and the odd gift he gave her. Expert John calls out the toxic pattern for what it is while everyone at home is screaming, GIRL, RUN! Jono says he wants to metaphorically slap Ben for ruining his opportunity with a beautiful girl like Ellie, and every time I see him on the screen in the context of Ellie, it's just giving foreshadowing. It's all verrrrryyyyy interesting (IYKYK).

Finally, Ben arrives. Like the comic relief this show endlessly provides, everyone goes completely silent as soon as he walks through the door. Way to be subtle, guys. Lauren gives some wonderful commentary, describing the entire thing as a "car crash in slow motion", then before Ellie and Ben can chat, a waiter does a perfectly timed ding, ding, ding, signalling that dinner is served. It's all very satisfyingly unsatisfying, really.

Everyone takes their place, ready to eat their yummy scrummy dinner and cause absolutely zeroooo fights. But despite this, as soon as everyone sits down, all eyes are on Ben, who is asked to explain what went down between him and Ellie. Ben says that actually, he didn't write a list of things he didn't like about Ellie — it was actually a booklet with dot points! (Yes, I'm serious.)

Ellie tells everyone that he doesn't like her wearing makeup, and all the women at the table are like, oh hell no. To dig his grave even further, Ben says that "Ellie spends a lot of time in the mirror", which was somehow meant to help his case. I'm not sure.

Ellie aptly says that anyone would be sensitive listening to his shit — get him girl! She says there's a "falseness" about Ben (that's putting it lightly), but it's not long before Ben drops the first bombshell of the episode, saying that he doesn't think him and Ellie are "meant to be together". Damn, you're saying this in front of everyone, Ben?! "I do believe we're better off friends and I'm sorry for wasting your time," Ben says, breaking up with her AT. THE. DINNER. TABLE. Poor table manners, if you ask me.

Ellie is upset, and simply says: "I sincerely hope that the next relationship you get into, you're honest from the get-go, because you've wasted my time." Girl, what an understatement. I want to delete, unsubscribe, and wipe Ben from my brain, please. But on the plus side, does that mean he'll finally be off our screens?!

The first course of the night is done (a mouthwatering entree featuring the breakup of Ben and Ellie), so of course, we're onto course two: the mains. Timothy looks at Jayden like he wants to eat him, and Jayden's like, don't forget to add salt, mate. Timothy rants to Lauren about Jayden's comments and she's like, oh hell nah, take your chat ELSEWHERE. I'm not doing this again!!!

Tim confronts Jayden about the "short-changed" comment and everyone at the table is like, to be fair, you treated Lucinda like shit last time we saw you. Timothy and Jayden yap at each other for a bit — Jayden's like aye, you don't root, so your relationship is shit, while Timothy is SO red hot and aggressive that he's gotten himself back into a heightened state. It's a match made in hell, really.

"I got an issue with anyone under 30 giving me advice," Timothy says. "The sight of Jayden's face and his hair bun drives me nuts." I'm sorry, I'm CHORTLING. Jayden says some odd boxing-type shit (I assume, but I don't watch sports), while Timothy says Jayden has nothing in life and proceeds to SLAMMMMM the table. In the great slamming, Timothy also inadvertently spills Lauren's wine, which is honestly the biggest mistake of this whole interaction. "No one spills my fucking wine, that's for sure," Lauren says. "I'm pissed."

Lucinda describes the whole thing as cowboys out with their guns at a bar, and the difference between how Lucinda speaks and the way the rest of these CLOWNS act is night and day. Finally, she speaks up at the table and says Tim is an awesome person. Tori tries to pipe up, but Lucinda tells her she isn't finished, which is one of the most satisfying things I've seen in years, I reckon. "I was a bit defensive about Tim, to be honest," Lucinda says in a confessional. "I'm feeling quite fiery and passionate tonight." Uh, I would love fiery Lucinda to make an appearance more often, thanks!

Lucinda explains the real sitch between her and Timothy, admitting that while they've been the rockiest couple, they've had a big turnaround. If we can trust that fully grown women can advocate for themselves, then that would be great. Lucinda starts explaining a bit of Tim's rough history, but Tori makes a huge mistake and says for Lucinda to "shut up" under her breath. Oh, girl. No.

Meanwhile, Lucinda has a chat with Timothy about the way he might be coming across, and it's a nice little breakthrough moment where Timmy listens to her. He looks at her like he's caught the love bug and says the two of them are "rock solid". A nice intermission of cuteness in this shitstorm.

But it's only a brief reprieve, for we must go back into the storm and brave Tori, who is looking at Timothy like she wants to clock him. Tori is clearly taking the villain title very seriously this season, deciding to come for Timothy. She says some words, then some more words (most of which aren't worth the word count), but Tim quickly shuts her down for standing by Jack after the "muzzle your woman" comment. They're both acting like dickheads, but for this one, the checkmate goes to Tim. Sorry, Tori.

Jack tells Timothy that he's got a foul mouth, and this has to be a comedy show at this point. Jack is pressed about the number of fucks Tims said at the dinner table, which seems like a pretty odd priority for someone who's offended almost every woman at that table already.

As if she can read that the entirety of Australia has HAD ENOUGH, Cassandra decides to speak up in defence of Tim. And honestly, if Cassandra's telling you you're outta line, you're reaaaally outta line. She says that Tim is literally just sitting there and is being attacked by Jack and Tori, while Tori says Cass is drinking the "Timothy Kool-Aid".

Then Tori says perhaps the weirdest, and kind of grossest line of the episode. "Don't come for the top," Tori says in a confessional. "I'm sorry, there's a fucking food chain here and you're not at the top. Shut up." I need a second to digest this, because YIKESSSSSSSS. While Tori doesn't specify what the food chain is, who is at the bottom of it, or where Cass sits in this mythical hierarchy, there are some reallllly gross undertones going on with this one.

But Cass, the smiling assassin, says she's been #TeamTim for a while and reiterates that Tori is picking on Tim for just sitting there quietly. Cass says that Tim's face was just facing, so there's no need to kick off at him. Meanwhile, Tori is about to lose it, and says about twenty times that she can't tell her what she said, even though it was, you know, what she said. It's exhausting to watch, really.

Tori is PISSED about Cass calling her out and standing up for Tim, and it's all very odd, really. Put that energy towards your shitty husband, babe. "No one speaks to me like that," Tori says in a confessional. "No one tells me what I've said... she's lucky she doesn't speak." Ummmmmmm. Tori goes on and on, but I want her to stop and stop.

Thankfully, the episode ends there. If it didn't, I think I might have torn my hair out, especially if I had to hear Tori say that no one is allowed to say what she says one more time.

"There's a fucking food chain here and you're not at the top" — Tori

Lucinda and Timothy, for being a nice brief reprieve in the shit sandwich that was this episode.

Cassandra, for not being afraid to take on Tori.