MAFS Recap 2024 Episode 31: Jack’s Bestie Calls Tori A Flat White

We're back, baby! It's episode 31 of Married At First Sight. We're on the final leg of the season and it's honestly not letting up. After a wild episode last night featuring Tim and Lucinda's fight, we're continuing on with Homestay Week tonight and joining Jade and Ridge, Sara and Tim, and of course, Jack and Tori. Let's take a bite of this shit sandwich!

We kick off the episode with Jade and Ridge, with the two of them moving into Jade's family home — with her brother and her mum! I'm already cringing at the idea of Mr. Deece deeceing Jade's mum up. Oh god. Ridge is concerned about Jade's family hearing them bang, which of course is on the top of his worries.

Meanwhile, Sara and Tim are moving into Sara's place, which actually looks so cute. I'm also lowkey spiralling because I'm wondering how someone can afford a one-bedroom apartment that overlooks Sydney city. What do I need to do to get these buckaroos in my life?!

Given that they're staying at Sara's in Sydney, we all thought we could collectively let out a sigh of relief that we were done watching Tim's best man (best known for his douchey best man speech). But alas, he has returned. He hasn't even said a word yet and I'm like, fuck this. They tell BFF Ben that everything's mostly good between them (minus that teeny cheating scandal) and Ben LEAPS at this. He asks her why she lied and she said that it was because she didn't want to upset Tim. He questions her on why she's flaring her nostrils and smiling, and I'm like, oh god. The other girl is sitting there quietly looking at this dude continue to yap on and on. Ben and Tim go outside, yap some more, and Tim says that he's got his guard up.

Then we cut to Jack and Tori, with Tori arriving at Jack's pad in the lovely lovely lovely Gold Coast. Apaz, Jack's already told Tori that he wouldn't move to Melbourne and she would have to be the one to move, which absolutely doesn't point to a power imbalance in their relationship. Jack says that Tori can definitely live on the Gold Coast, although he mentions that the "climate may be challenging". Okay.

Back with Sara and Tim, Timmy needs some more reassurance from Sara after her actions and his bestie whispering in his ear. They eat beans and talk about their relationship. It doesn't go well, because of course it doesn't.

Then, like the thing of nightmares, we're back with Tori, who is in the gym with PERSONAL TRAINER JACK. He wears teeny tiny shorts, has his hair in the tightest bun I've ever seen, and calls Tori an "annoying client". Oh my god, if this guy was training me, I think I would be traumatised forever. We keep getting a zoom into a headshot of him and this right here is my sleep paralysis nightmare.

Over with Ridge and Jade, they're prepping for a traditional South African lunch with the family and we watch Ridge sit at the table as he attempts to have real-life adult conversations with her family. He says deece, and I say no. He says deece a few more times and the family sits in silence, like please make it stop. When asked about being a stepdad to Jade's daughter, he says he doesn't mind at all, which is really nice. I will give Ridge one thing — he doesn't seem like a mean dude.

Jade privately asks if her family likes him and there's a veryyyyyyyy loooooonnnnngggg pauuseeeeeee before her mum eventually says, yeah, he's fine I guess. Mum says that Jade gets hurt when her relationships don't work out, and she understandably gets teary. They all question whether Ridge is actually ready to be a dad.

Then it's showtime. Tori and Jack meet up with two of Jack's girl friends. We've all seen the grilling on the trailer, and we are ready. Jack essentially says he can't wait for Tori to be grilled, which is odd. The two girls sit down and one of them already says in a confessional that she doesn't think Tori is right for him. Ruh roh.

Jack straight up tells his friends that they haven't had sex and that they're "building intimacy with their erotica". Friend Lizz says that sex is important to a relationship and she's concerned at the lack of bonking and says it's a red flag. The other friend asks if Tori is concerned about Jack having a lot of friends who are girls, and Tori's like, I'm soooo chill. I'm one of the boys!

This immediately sets off alarm bells for the friends, with one of them saying that girls who say they're "one of the boys" are usually sleeping with their friends, to which Tori is like, no, I am not sleeping with my friends. While I will say that it is an orange flag when someone says they're one of THE BOIIZ, why is it that it's a red flag when it's a woman who's friends with men, rather than a man who's friends with women? (Pssst — that's Jack in this situation).

Lizz says that Tori "is not it for him" and says she doesn't see it working out long term, which is wild! Her and Tim's mate should hang out. The friend says that Tori is dominant and bossy, and says that based on her vows, she wouldn't be friends with her, nor would she be friends with someone who makes their coffee order their personality. It's honestly BRUTAL to watch, while Jack sits there quietly. But she's not done, and calls her basic too! Tori is sitting there like, WHOA. And honestly, I'm with Tori.

Bestie Lizz continues to tear Tori's vows (and entire personality) apart, and I never thought there could be someone that would make Tori look like a saint. Bestie insinuates that Tori only likes Jack for his six-pack, and I can only assume that's because he's got the personality of soggy cardboard. Tori's upset that Jack isn't backing her up, while Tori is contemplating whether it's actually a good idea for her to move if all of his friends are twats. Fair, babe.

Then we're on a boat with Sara and Tim, with him wanting her to take some accountability for her actions. Gotta love having these conversations in a place where the only escape is choosing to dive into shark-infested Sydney Harbour. They start arguing and Sara says she thought they were moving on, but Tim says that the whole thing hurt him and he needs reassurance. Sara reiterates that they've spoken about the incident many times, but Tim wants to chat about it MORE. She says she doesn't know how many more times she needs to say she's sorry. Personally, I get Tim not being able to move on from it all, but I'm not sure if continuously having the same conversation is actually going to give him any benefit or the reassurance he's looking for.

However, Tim thinks that he does want to move past it all and says he just wants to voice his concerns, but recognises that she's been trying. She apologises and wants to show that he can trust her. Then they hug and smooch and everything is all gravy, or so it seems.

Back with Ridge and Jade, they've hired a little holiday rental where Ridge is apparently making her beef ravioli in Speedos and an apron. Jade is trying to suss whether Ridge is actually in it with her and her daughter, and Ridge drops that they'll probs do six months long distance before moving. She's concerned that he isn't ready to start a proper future with her and she starts crying.

We get a little flashback of Ridge saying that being a psych nurse has made him grow up quickly (which I would believe!) and he tells Jade that she might be it for him and that he wants to make it work. It's a genuinely nice moment to watch, and maybe Jade and Ridge might just end up being the biggest love story in this season??? Damn. Wouldn't have picked it.

Unfortunately, we must return to Jack and Tori, with Jack saying she's "done well" during the homestays. But Tori is quick to be like, uh, Liz is a problem, and if she moves there, she knows she's going to be all alone because of his friends.

They start talking future plans and Jack says that he wants Tori to live with her right after everything is over, but in the interim, they would need to alternate visiting each other every weekend. Tori calls out Jack for wanting her to move to the Gold Coast but not being willing to compromise on anything. Tori says that she's expected to fit into his schedule, but Jack is apprehensive about the idea of travelling every weekend to see her.

Tori is concerned that Jack isn't look at their relationship in the future, but he says that he has "deep feelings" for her and hopes that when she moves in with him that it's "forever". Then suddenly, he gives her a black rose (???) and a bracelet. I can't get over the fact that there's such dramatic music to him doing an apparently nice gesture. He tells her she looks hot and damn, are these two consummating this marriage tonight? If they do, we'll never hear the end of it.

He takes her home and I'm like oh god, they're about to bone. Here we GO.

It has to be Jack's BFFFL tearing Tori apart. It just has to.

Jade and Ridge (to be fair, the other two couples are in shit fights).

Jade, for being vulnerable and realistic about the whole experiment.