The Marriage Ref Preview

The reviews of Jerry Seinfeld’s new show The Marriage Ref have been coming in since the preview ran earlier this week. People aren’t loving it! Even after the full hour premiere of the show last night. If you can see beyond the fact that the likes of Madonna and Alec Baldwin are those among the celebrity panel giving advice on marriage, there are a few redeeming qualities.

First of all, it is not intended to be some academic dissertation or highly instructional show on marriage… I mean, it is Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Papa and they are both comedians. They intended the show to be comedy. After all, there are some extremely funny situations that crop up in marriage. And who isn’t going to find some of the situations these couples are arguing about funny? A man who has his dead dog stuffed and wants to set up a shrine to him in their house; another husband who wants to put a stripper pole in their house but his wife is opposed; a woman who will only allow the family to use the dining room on Thanksgiving.

I’ve said it before, couples (including my wife and me) argue over the stupidest things! When you bring in a third party, it becomes very clear how silly some of these things are. Like it or love it, The Marriage Ref is extremely positive in that manner. In fact, it’s how the concept of the show was developed. Seinfeld says he and his wife were arguing over something ridiculous and a friend happened to be there. He asked her to weigh in and decide in favor of one of them just to end the fight. I suggest you get someone else involved in your situations. Don’t try to live in a vacuum and do it all on your own.

Papa also ends the show with a very pro marriage statement saying it’s “worth fighting for” and indeed it is! Most TV shows are anything but pro marriage so anyone who puts forth the positives can be applauded. Again, it’s not intensive marriage therapy, it’s comedy. And judging from the reviews, it may not be around long. But hopefully the idea of getting others you trust (not strangers or clueless celebrities) to help you walk out this often maddening and complicated relationship of marriage, will stick.