Mother-Son Bonding at MILF Manor

Credit @People

A hot new reality show has entered the villa this year and we just know it has Freud rolling in his grave. MILF Manor is about what you’d think it is– with a slight twist. Eight single mothers ages 40-60 are spending their time in a Mexican villa pursuing eight younger men, a classic reality dating show set up. The catch is that the men are their sons. Yup, that’s right, for each woman at the villa, there is one of her sons in the dating pool, a format that neither party saw coming. 

The show’s original intent was to call attention to how older men dating younger women is more normalized compared to older women dating younger men. The idea was to change the audience’s viewpoint on this double standard. The end result, however, is more of an uncomfortable, incestually erotic nightmare that continuously upholds the rigid standards of beauty expected of women as they age. 

The reception to MILF Manor has been… well, about as horrified as you’re probably feeling right now. For the most part, people are extremely disturbed and the general watching vibe is a healthy mix of disbelief and dirtied shame. From underlyingly incestual scenes of blindfolded mothers guessing their sons by their abs to duel interviews talking about sex drive, the show can only be described as unreal. When we asked Syracuse students if they’d consider going on MILF Manor, the answer was a resounding “HELL NO.” (Followed by a very hesitant and wide eyed, “I feel like 30 is as old as I could go” from one.)

Why TLC thought this one was a great idea is beyond us, but at least they’re embracing the discomfort of it all. If you do choose to tune in, prepare yourself for the Freudian nightmare that is to come. 

Sources: 

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/on-television/the-motherlovers-of-milf-manor