Each week, this “Unfaithful” series takes viewers into the lives of “infidelity survivors” and thier messy liasons. This reviewer is not loving the cheating…or the show. Sorry OWN, but you are missing the mark for me. I only ask that you change the time slot that it is in so that it coincides with something like “Glee” or “The Next Food Network Star” so that it works for me a little better…but I am sure this is working for some people…ok…well, I’m not totally sure, but someone must be watching…
For a quick recap, here are a few videos from OWN that give you a bit of an idea what you may have missed. The two couples highlighted have chosen at some point in their relationships that cheating or self satisfaction was more important to them than their spouse and their relationship. No judgement. Just an observation. These couples are strong and forgiving…because not everyone can survive this and get to the other side. Their stories show that some relationships can survive infidelity…and possibly give hope to those that are in this situation…and wondering if they can get to their own “other side.”
Jay and Julie ultimately went on to co-author a book together
Bob and Cathy survived a double betrayal
In reading your review of “Unfaithful” we also think they are missing the mark. My wife Debby and I are the couple that was featured June 20th, and we watched the episode for the first time with the rest of the world. On one hand we are very grateful that our story got out to encourage others, yet we are also disappointed that so much of our story was edited out.
During our interviews we talked extensively about our faith and how much we relied on God to pull us through. No mention of faith.
We discussed at great length the book that we co-wrote, “Discovering Your Amazing Marriage.” In our book we share insights and advice for couples who are not only facing infidelity but we also cover numerous challenges that most people face. Communication, expectations, finances, etc. No mention of our book. No mention of the recovery process.
As we watched our show and the other episodes, the show does a great job of telling the story of the events leading up to the infidelity, but then it’s almost like a “oh yeah, they’re still together and going great.” I think people are looking for so much more than that!
We can watch hundreds of shows that depict infideity or sexual promiscuity, but what people are yearning for is “HOW do I pick up the pieces of my shattered marriage?” The show definitely misses the mark there.
If the statistics are true, there’s an alarming number of couples facing this devastating reality…and there needs to be a stronger voice of encouragement and hope!
We provided True Entertainment with all the info about our book in the expectation that they would share it as a resource for couples who are struggling, but in the end, the producers will produce what they think will get them ratings. We’ll see how that works out for them…
Meanwhile, we spend every day of our lives committed to giving hope, encouragment, and practical advice to people in the hope that in some small way, we can influence their relationship and help them discover their own amazing marriage!
~ Jason Coleman
co-author
“Discovering Your Amazing Marriage”