I haven’t been called in by the siren sound of reality television in a while, but something about the audacity and degeneracy of MILF Manor pulled me back into the deep end. The show is built around a spicy, yet fun, concept of getting a bunch of MILFs on an island that will then compete to win the affections of a bunch of young guys. However, this is taken a step further toward lunacy by having the men on the show all be the sons of the MILFs.
Yeah, it’s incredible.
First off, it’s pretty much a 30 Rock gag come to life, which is already amazing in and of itself. While this doesn’t have the Survivor-style eliminations like the fictional MILF Island, that’s probably a good thing since the cast of MILF Manor is incredible and it’d be criminal to see any of them leave early.
Of course, the show would be nothing without quality MILFs and that’s where it really delivers. The MILFs are all great with a wide range of looks and personalities. Looking for an athletic blonde that refers to herself in the third-person as the “Disco Mommy?” You’ve got it. Want an aggressive South Korean mom that has a dark secret? Of course. You name it and MILF Manor probably has it. There’s truly a MILF for everybody.
While the initial appeal of MILFs and the shock of them dating the sons of the other MILFs (SILFs?) is enough to get viewers through the door, it’s the incredible mix of tragedy and comedy that makes the show so compelling.
First, there’s a layer of inherent sympathy for all the MILFs. Yes, they’re attractive, but they’re also genuinely looking for love and you have to wonder if looks can sometimes get in the way of the personal connection they seek. Some have more tragic backstories than others, such as Pola’s husband passing away in a car accident, but they’ve been searching for the one to spend the rest of their lives with for decades at this point. Others seemingly get in their own way with their behavior. Either way, viewers are left relating to aspects of the MILFs and hoping they can all find love and/or better themselves along the way.
While some of their sons may have initially come to the dating show in the hopes of scoring with some hot older women, the twist means they’re also now trying to prevent their moms from getting action as well. Sure, it’s a dating show and people are expected to hook up, but it’s still shocking to see how forward some of the moms are with the younger men when their child is right next to them. It’s uncomfortable to watch and I imagine even worse for those involved. Is some action worth seeing your castmates, many of which you’ve started to bond with, try to bang your mom? That’s a question inherent to MILF Manor that few other shows have tackled (probably since it’s insane) and it leads to some incredible cringe comedy.
However, the laughs turn into real sadness as the show continues. Episode 2 of MILF Manor saw the sons and mothers admit their wildest sex secrets. Some are more relatively tame and fun — like sex on a beach — but real tragedy begins to emerge when SoYoung admits to her son Jimmy that she once slept with his best friend, a secret that comes just minutes after everyone was laughing about Jimmy getting pinkeye from eating ass.
The revelation causes Jimmy, who was seen as the most fun and outgoing member of the sons and vividly talked about wanting to suck on Pola’s toes (to the point where he’d like to “suck the acrylic off them toes”), to become shocked. He can’t believe the betrayal, one that came from his closest family member and his trusted friend. It’s a sad situation that sees Jimmy wallowing in the pool late at night contemplating if he can trust again.
It’s (probably somewhat) legitimate trauma. Aired on television. For our enjoyment. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hooked. It really underlines how MILF Manor leaves you feeling kind of icky but fiending for more. What that says about ourselves and society at large is likely not good, but I’m here for some reality television escapism — a manor filled with MILFs! — rather than to contemplate those heavier questions.
Two episodes have aired so far, and hopefully, there’s a happy ending. Well, I’m sure there will be several of those, but I mean the more general kind for the people involved. Because so far, it’s been a lot of lonely people looking for fun, fulfillment, and purpose with mixed results. Hopefully, all that can be found in the right MILF.