Engaging entertainment

A normal relationship apparently goes like this — Boy meets Girl, they go on a few dates, fall in love, they get engaged, then comes marriage and babies and they live happily ever after. But for PJ Madam and Tim Noonan on Netflix’s Extreme Engagement, wedded bliss is still a dream. The couple goes on an epic journey to some of the remotest parts of the world to find out if they are the end game and if a walk down the aisle is worth it. They take part in some really weird marital rituals just to find if they are compatible or not.

The back story explains why. After a whirlwind romance, PJ and Tim decided to take the plunge and get hitched. But all is not a bed of roses as Tim decides to travel the world exploring, giving them barely enough time to spend together. The journey encapsulated in this series is supposed to be a way to bring them closer and test their relationship. From the first episode itself, their relationship is strained. With Tim wanting to try out everything and anything and PJ who is not up for this sort of vacay, they also are catapulted into rather difficult situations to add to their agony.

It becomes near impossible for a person used to living the urban life to adapt to life without luxuries like indoor plumbing and proper bedding. The intense terrain of the locations, tribal life and the rituals test PJ and Tim’s relationship right from the get go. Starting from the M’bum in Cameroon to the Sasak people in Indonesia, the makers have managed to keep it as real as possible. During the course of the series, while PJ is left doing most of the hard work like washing her husband garments to feeding him and being ‘a good little wifey’, Tim just seems to be focused on having fun with the guys. The epic journey that was supposed to bring together this much-in-love couple threatens to break them apart.

Initially, the actors look a little lost but gradually they settle down and the show improves. The plus side is that you not only get a ringside view of how people in these remote locales live, but also get to feast your eyes on some really picturesque places. And yes, you really come to appreciate the luxuries you have around you! What was better left off-screen is the constant bickering that went on between Tim and PJ. But maybe, showing us this aspect is the maker’s way of keeping the reality show ‘real’. Through the series, the couple has its up and downs. But do they get married in the end? You’ll have to watch Extreme Engagement to find out.