Bad news travels fast and the Married At First Sight participants are looking to set a world record as they sink their teeth into the Claire and Adam kissing saga.
While most couples are briefly discussing the matter, a difference of opinion is causing a rift between the ever-perfect Alyssa and Duncan.
“For me it’s just two people who’ve done a really terrible thing, so they’ve both got to wear it tonight,” Duncan says.
Alyssa’s stance is a little more intense and she says there’s “no way” she’ll be greeting Adam or Claire.
New couples Tayla and Hugo, and Evelyn and Rupert are heading into the Dinner Party blissfully unaware of the “explosive” night about to unfold.
Claire, Jesse, Janelle and Adam are four people who probably wish they could trade places with newbies but instead are going into tonight’s Dinner Party with a lot weighing on their mind.
And although they’re all a part of the same drama, they all have very different approaches to the issue at hand.
Claire is ready to “rectify the mistakes” she’s made but that might prove difficult when Jesse just “doesn’t want to go” to the Dinner Party.
Adam has an imaginary leg to stand on and wants to share some information about his and Janelle’s relationship that will supposedly “shed some light on things”.
But if I were Adam I’d back down because Janelle is going into the Dinner Party “fully loaded”.
Janelle’s weapon of choice? Chopsticks which also double as a hair accessory.
“Tonight I’m going in the biggest baddest b—h mood ever,” Janelle says. And she certainly looks the part.
Cocktail Hour
As each bride and groom enters the cocktail lounge they unintentionally – or intentionally – split themselves into ‘Team Janelle’ and ‘Team Claire’. The divide creates tension that Bronte says “you could cut with a knife”.
Here’s a cross section of how the crowd feels.
Newcomer Tayla – who has just been filled in on the drama – says there’s no need to “slam” Claire when she comes in.
Sandy thinks the best Claire can do is “own it” but Alyssa is fronting the crusade against Claire.
She says she will “100 percent slam” Claire and is “ready to stab a b—h in the eye” with Janelle’s chopsticks. And at this point you’d be forgiven for thinking that Alyssa was the one who’d been cheated on.
Claire finally makes the entrance that she’s been “dreading” and she gets a very “icy” reception.
Jesse also makes his arrival and even though it’s “horrendously awkward” he and Claire give each other a hug hello.
There’s just one more guest to arrive – “the dog Adam” aka just Adam.
And his entrance is rough to watch. “Absolutely nobody goes up to him,” expert Alessandra Rampolla notes.
As Adam walks in, everybody acts busy. Janelle swigs a glass of wine, Alyssa won’t budge from her seat and at one point Harrison even makes conversation with a fireplace to get out of greeting Adam.
Adam promptly asks Jesse for a chat before he’s made the sacrificial lamb of the Dinner Party but Jesse “isn’t ready yet”.
The Dinner Party
Straight off the bat, Janelle clinks her wine glass and toasts to her revenge.
“I’m sure a lot of you have heard a lot has happened this week and I’m sure a lot of you want to know more, so let’s start by hearing from Adam and Claire,” Janelle addresses the group like the host of a midday talk show.
Claire looks like she wants her chair to swallow her whole and rightfully so. So that leaves Adam to do the talking.
“When we were out, me and Claire lied about it even though Jesse knew that something must’ve happened that night,” Adam begins.
“That’s why I really want to apologise to you Jesse for the way I made you feel at that first commitment ceremony for making it out like you were going crazy.”
It’s an admirable apology from Adam…until he says this: “I can tell you there is no one that’s taken this harder than myself.”
Umm what about your wife Janelle that you cheated on? Or Jesse? Or even Claire who felt bad enough about the whole thing to spew her guts up?
Adam undoes all of his good work when he goes on to say that there are things in his and Janelle’s relationship that will help justify what he did.
And the cherry on top is when Adam says that “it’s not cheating” because his and Janelle’s relationship didn’t technically start till a few days after the kiss with Claire.
“I’m not… the thing is… I’m not going to put my hand up and say I was a cheat, when I wasn’t a cheat!” he says.
How convenient.
In a strange turn of events Harrison appoints himself as the voice of reason and tells Adam to “just own it and then shut up”. And hell must be freezing over because I actually agree with Harrison.
It turns out that Adam should’ve taken Harrison’s advice and put a cork in it because Janelle reveals that after he kissed Claire, Adam came back to the apartment and slept with her.
The group shrieks in horror as the revelation is made.
Alyssa shifts the spotlight off of Adam and crucifies Claire for lying about the kiss for weeks.
Claire fronts up to the group and says she “has no excuses for her behaviour”.
“I’m really really sorry to Jesse and to Janelle for disrespecting you and I’m sorry to everyone here for disrespecting this entire experiment,” she apologises.
Harrison swoops in like Dr. Phil and says Adam should “take notes” from Claire’s “genuinely remorseful” apology. Pinch me, yet again I’m agreeing with Harrison.
Even though he’s hurt, Jesse has “mad respect” for Claire. “The balls she has to come in and own it the way she has,” he says.
“That’s what owning your mistakes and giving a genuine apology will grant you – a bit of leniency from the mob.”
And there’s definitely a bit of leniency coming from Jesse as he extends a friendly fist bump to Claire and we see her crack a smile for the first time all night.
Adam is after some of that leniency and asks again for one-on-one chat with Jesse. Jesse is exhausted by gives Adam the benefit of the doubt.
Most of Adam’s ‘apology’ is just him blaming Janelle. And Jesse’s headache means most of Adam’s performance – sorry ‘apology’ – goes in one ear and out the other.
Now Claire wants her moment with Jesse, and he is firm on where he stands with Claire.
“Good on you Claire for coming. That’s an honourable thing to do – but don’t talk to me about staying,” he tells cameras.
“I wanna go home.”
But he changes his tune when Claire gifts him a letter and apologies once again.
“It’s actually probably the best apology I’ve ever received,” he tells cameras.
It’s something he says he “wishes his ex-girlfriends did”.
The pair share a sweet moment as they decide to duck out of the Dinner Party early together.
Could there be hope on the horizon for these two?
Married At First Sight continues Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 7.00pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
