Netflix’s reality show, The Ultimatum: Marry Or Move On, is no stranger to surprising and jaw-dropping moments, but Season 3 showcased a never-before-seen plot twist that made my jaw drop. This season follows couples Zaina and JR, Nick and Sandy, Mariah and Caleb, Aria and Scotty, Chanel and Micah, and David and Vanessa, who are all trying to decide if they want to get married to each other, date others, or move on as single people. At the start of Season 3, all six couples decided to enter into trial marriages with someone other than their original partner, but in the middle of the experiment, four individuals decided that this experience just wasn’t for them and left the show. Here’s what went down. Spoiler Warning: Spoilers for The Ultimatum: Marry Or Move On Season 3 follow.
Episode 4 of Season 3 began with an unexpected turn. A message unexpectedly showed up on the screen, which read, “Earlier in the day, Dave, Vanessa, Micah and Chanel secretly met off camera. That evening, surveillance cameras captured them packing.” Then, clips were shown of the couples packing up and leaving the apartments they were living in for their trial marriages. In case you need a refresher, Vanessa entered into a trial marriage with Nick while Dave and Chanel, and Micah and Mariah did the same. While the connection between Mariah and Micah was lacking, Vanessa and Nick and Dave and Chanel had great chemistry, which is why their departure from the show was so shocking. So, what does this decision mean for the experiment?
With these four leaving, two people — Nick and Mariah — now reside in their apartments alone (which kind of defeats the entire purpose of the experiment). After learning that Vanessa left Nick all alone, Sandy (Nick’s original partner) said, “I’m pissed that Vanessa left Nick alone. I lost a lot of respect for her. They really f*cked up the group dynamic. It impacts everybody here, so if one person leaves, it has a ripple effect, let alone four people leaving.”
Though Mariah wasn’t upset that Micah (Chanel’s OG partner) left, she was shocked.“I’m confused as to why he left and didn’t say a word,” she said. Meanwhile, Nick couldn’t wrap his head around Vanessa’s departure, especially since they got along so well. “I had a really great connection with Vanessa,” he said. “I think I tapped into something that she’s been wanting to feel in her relationship with Dave. I really wanted to build on that. I did, and this entire experience is provided for us to be in difficult situations. It’s challenging.”
Needless to say, the experiment has taken a turn that no one expected, including those left alone in the trial marriages. Mariah and Nick even met to talk to each other because, truly, they were the only ones who could understand what the other was going through. They agreed to support each other throughout the experience and spend more time together, sharing their anxieties, reservations, and feelings about the experience. With that bombshell dropping in just Episode 4, I know I’ll be tuning in to see how the rest of the season will unravel because it’s truly unpredictable.