‘The Ultimatum: Queer Love’ Review: Trial Wives
The Ultimatum: Queer Love (★★★★☆) is the latest in Netflix’s line of reality dating shows. This one is not hosted by Nick Lachey, but JoAnna Garcia Swisher, who is immediately clocked for being straight, and truthfully isn’t around that much.
Instead, the show focuses on five lesbian couples where one partner has given the other an ultimatum, “Marry me or break up with me.”Through the show’s subsequent “experiment,” the couples break up and find a new partner among the other contestants, then have a three-week “trial wife” period before going back to their original partners to work on their relationship issues.The Ultimatum does an amazing job of casting, with almost all of the contestants feeling authentic and not just looking for Instagram followers.
Vanessa and Xander are the first real standouts, with influencer Vanessa’s bubbly personality quickly filling up the room before showing her true colors as the show’s primary villain when she begins courting both Lexi and Rae, two of the quieter ones in the group.Then there’s Tiff, a masculine lesbian who is having trouble connecting with Mildred, her #SpicyLatina who wants them to get more serious.
Mal has similar issues with Yoly, who Mal feels could leave her at any moment, and is curious about dating more as a masc black lesbian.
