"The Ultimatum: Queer Love" Was One Of The Best Reality Shows I've Seen In A Long Time, And People On Twitter Are Begging For More
The season finale and reunion of The Ultimatum: Queer Love hit Netflix on Wednesday, and it was full of surprises and drama!
The latest installment in The Ultimatum franchise featured queer and nonbinary participants with one decision on their hands: Will they marry their partner by the end of the show after spending time with someone who fits their relationship needs?
Fans, including myself, instantly fell for the cast and their various storylines before Episode 1 even concluded. But it was the clear difference of communication styles that really stood out between this series and its predecessors. For most involved, they laid their hearts on the line and didn't care who was around to hear it.
And despite some couples getting engaged by the season finale, a lot had changed between them by the time the reunion rolled around.
“There was a huge gap from when we ended the show to when we did the reunion, so to see that charged environment was a surprise,” host JoAnna Garcia Swisher told Tudum. “People were ready to rumble, ready to be heard, and ready to have their moment.”
Here's a quick refresher of which couples stayed together and which ones went their separate ways:
Vanessa Papa and Xander Boger
Relationship status at the finale: Broken up
Relationship status at the reunion: Broken up
Xander: “I was trying so much to protect everyone else’s feelings. I didn’t want anyone to be upset or hurt, but also those feelings are okay,” Xander told Tudum. “I don’t want to go into a period where I shut myself off and self-isolate like I’ve done before. At this point, I just want to feel.”
Vanessa: “What I learned during the experience is to accept that I’m not everyone’s cup of tea and to just not let it bother me,” Vanessa told Tudum. “I’m going to do what I want in life and want to find the happiest version of myself.”
Aussie Chau and Sam Mark
Relationship status at the finale: Engaged
Relationship status at the reunion: Engaged
Sam: "We came first, and then the relationship came second,” Sam told Tudum. “If it was meant to be, then we’ll come back together, but we put everything in it for our own journeys and healing.”
Aussie: "We’re slowly getting there, but I just have so much groundwork that I’m doing with my life that that’s kind of taken priority.”
Tiff Der and Mildred Woody
![Relationship status at the finale: EngagedRelationship status at the reunion: Broken upTiff: “I had four months of complete peace and healing,” Tiff told Tudum. “I had no ill intent toward [Mildred] and then she berates me onstage and it ripped open a huge Band-Aid for me. All the trauma I went through with her, the arguments we had and me just feeling humiliated and gaslit came right back.”Mildred: “I still think ultimatums work,” she told Tudum. “I am more aware of what I want in a marriage and what I don’t. Yes, marriage is the goal, but I just have to be patient to get it right. I still have strength within me to fight for love and, most importantly, for what I deserve.”](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/c9sQ2Ihh9F1HiWcUAJXAhg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzNw--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/buzzfeed_articles_778/19a672a48b0ff98015610f2f053387a7)
Relationship status at the finale: Engaged
Relationship status at the reunion: Broken up
Tiff: “I had four months of complete peace and healing,” Tiff told Tudum. “I had no ill intent toward [Mildred] and then she berates me onstage and it ripped open a huge Band-Aid for me. All the trauma I went through with her, the arguments we had and me just feeling humiliated and gaslit came right back.”
Mildred: “I still think ultimatums work,” she told Tudum. “I am more aware of what I want in a marriage and what I don’t. Yes, marriage is the goal, but I just have to be patient to get it right. I still have strength within me to fight for love and, most importantly, for what I deserve.”
Rae Cheung-Sutton and Lexi Goldberg
![Relationship status at the finale: EngagedRelationship status at the reunion: Engaged during the reunion, post credits revealed the two have broken upRae: “We were good at the reunion, and then afterwards we were still rehashing things. [Lexi] started a new career and her lifestyle really changed and we were having trouble navigating that and things from the past,” Rae said. “It just kind of just got to a point where we couldn’t come to terms on certain differences.”Lexi: “I found somebody that gives me all of the love and happiness I felt with Mal, mixed with an intimacy that we’re exploring,” Lexi told Tudum. “That’s truly what I always wanted when I knew my relationship with Rae was ending — somebody that made me feel the way I felt when I was with Mal and we were walking around San Diego calling each other our wives.”](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/DXLUrmRPcUrn6sSYm3_JpA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzNw--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/buzzfeed_articles_778/80e3c9027379db25144e7f44c13ccf94)
Relationship status at the finale: Engaged
Relationship status at the reunion: Engaged during the reunion, post credits revealed the two have broken up
Rae: “We were good at the reunion, and then afterwards we were still rehashing things. [Lexi] started a new career and her lifestyle really changed and we were having trouble navigating that and things from the past,” Rae said. “It just kind of just got to a point where we couldn’t come to terms on certain differences.”
Lexi: “I found somebody that gives me all of the love and happiness I felt with Mal, mixed with an intimacy that we’re exploring,” Lexi told Tudum. “That’s truly what I always wanted when I knew my relationship with Rae was ending — somebody that made me feel the way I felt when I was with Mal and we were walking around San Diego calling each other our wives.”
Mal Wright and Yoly Rojas
Relationship status at the finale: Engaged
Relationship status at the reunion: Broken up
Mal: “Yoly feels like family to me,” Mal said. “You have family, you have cousins and you have distant cousins. At the moment, we’re just two cousins going through life and trying to process this all at the same time.”
Yoly: “I will not put myself in a situation again where I need to give an ultimatum to get an answer,” Yoly said. “The person that I was with Mal was somebody who was willing to give up parts of myself for love. But now I’m like, ‘If you’re not sure, that’s fine, but go be unsure over there and I will just continue on my own road.’ ”
And here's what fans on Twitter thought about this season and the finale:
The Ultimatum Queer Love is probably the most quality trashy television I’ve ever watched and we need 10,000 more seasons immediately
— Clare (@alexisclarerose) June 8, 2023
that was the messiest reunion ive seen yet dont even get me started on yoly.#theultimatum #TheUltimatumQueerLove pic.twitter.com/PnINYSi61w
— alej (@alejhundro) June 7, 2023
Elite Daily / Twitter: @alejhundro
Whoever was running the cameras on Aussie on the ultimatum trained under Maury Povich
— Cai Rodrigues-Sherley (he/they) (@crsed_poet) June 1, 2023
Well The Ultimatum Queer Love was a wild fucking ride, Mal was the only normal person on the whole show
— Lauryn (@laurynfvm) June 7, 2023
just finished the ultimatum queer love reunion………. what a fuckin mess. and Mildred and Yoly……. when i see you mfs ! pic.twitter.com/ZOtOVcveIV
— solange’s dirty bath water (@auntcle0) June 7, 2023
Bravo / Twitter: @auntcle0
Mildred in the ultimatum using her being “latina” to justify her disrespectful behaviour is disgusting
— sabrina mami ☻ (@sabrinaxcr) June 1, 2023
someone tell whoever writes the ultimatum subtitles to calm down pic.twitter.com/KZJM5Lvcu4
— Ms. Oprostol if ya nasty (@a_tooloulou) May 31, 2023
Netflix / Twitter: @a_tooloulou
Yoly and Mildred are the genuine villains of the ultimatum queer love. Cannot believe they aired literal emotional abuse. Justice for Tiff.
— emsy (@emothotney) June 8, 2023
The Ultimatum Queer Love was so emotionally exhausting to watch. I need 10 more seasons
— 𝖂𝖔𝖇𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝕸𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗🔜Electric Forest (@Wobble_Master) June 7, 2023
Everyone hating on Vanessa for coming into The Ultimatum Queer Love horny to date the hotties when Mildred has a genuine domestic violence problem pic.twitter.com/JmQHMEljdw
— Seph Hallow (@SephHallow) June 7, 2023
Mal from the Ultimatum Queer Love has got to be the most effective and loving communicator I’ve ever seen on reality tv. I’m crying at the scene w her and Yoly! “I knew you lifetimes before” areYou joking please 😩😩😩 pic.twitter.com/hxcvvPN7EA
— Sandra (@sjimenez333) May 31, 2023
my face watching everybody say yes on the ultimatum pic.twitter.com/gn980hlql6
— monae (@nesisaun) June 7, 2023
Prime Video / Twitter: @nesisaun
Can’t get over Yoly going to see Xander without the engagement ring. “I wanted to see where you were at.” Bitch you’re ENGAGED. That’s where YOU’RE at. Disrespectful as hell to Mal and Xander. #TheUltimatum pic.twitter.com/AgMgicJrH8
— coal (@smudgedcoal) June 7, 2023
Netflix / Twitter: @smudgedcoal
the ultimatum queer love was truly the most entertaining dating show of the year and we need queer seasons of all the other shows now. the straights have had their time. #theultimatum pic.twitter.com/HXr735NanM
— the bitchelorette (@Bitchelorette_) June 7, 2023
Fox / Twitter: @Bitchelorette_
I’m so sad after watching the reunion of the ultimatum: queer love. It was completely irresponsible of @netflix to invite Mildred onto the episode. There’s no way that they didn’t know she was arrested for domestic violence. I’m here for mess, but not like that.
— Liz (@lizNOTlizard) June 8, 2023
my sister’s radical and correct take on the ultimatum: queer love pic.twitter.com/olwXGgZX2l
— maddy c (@mudcrepe) June 2, 2023
I’ve been trying so hard not to tweet about the ultimatum but no one is talking about the most alarming thing… why are all these women getting in bed with their outside clothes on??????????????????
— Diablo. (@PIAD0S0) June 7, 2023
The Ultimatum Queer Love was a failed experiment but I definitely think watching it will give people a realistic look at what to expect if they decide to open up their relationships instead of just breaking up
— ♡ Juju ♡ (@motherjuniper) June 8, 2023
Me : I’m only watching The Ultimatum Queer for the plot The plot : pic.twitter.com/hl2G1gFg7R
— ًFWT (@fhosbm) May 31, 2023
Netflix / Twitter: @fhosbm
unpopular opinion about The Ultimatum: Queer Love but Lexi is just as manipulative as Vanessa...she's just much better at it
— Kaitlyn Greenidge (@surlybassey) June 4, 2023
the ultimatum’s aussie any time someone tries to initiate a conversation that isn’t small talk: pic.twitter.com/ZvJ7yi7aiz
— syd 🐚💌🎠 bibble ur a genius (@sydyofstars) June 1, 2023
The CW/ Twitter: @sydyofstars
The ultimatum queer love is top tier reality tv I want to watch only lesbian dating shows from now on
— AK (@aliiiiking) May 31, 2023
