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2 • August 29 - September 4, 2021 Screen & Stream By Rachel Jones TV Media S ave the drama for mama! TLC's "I Love a Mama's Boy" is back, and it's going to be un- comfortable, awkward and way too crowded. Grab your pop- corn and buckle up because the second season of this delightful crazy train premieres Sunday, Aug. 29, on TLC. "I Love a Mama's Boy" fol- lows couples as they navigate the relationship between the "boys" and their mothers. While there's nothing wrong with being close with your mother while pursuing a healthy romantic relationship, these mama's boys haven't ex- actly set boundaries; meaning that behind every one of these men is a mother who won't let go. It's not so much a problem for the men, however, as it is for their partners who just want to be in a loving (two-person) relationship — not always accompanied by smother- ing mothers; something the Season 2 trailer does a great job of showing. Complete with awkward professions of mother-son love, sour looks from partners, mothers feed- ing their sons scrambled eggs and mothers insisting on being "honeymoon buddies," even viewers will want to tell these moms to butt out. Season 1 fan favorites Matt McAdams and Kimberly Cobb are (still) finding out that noth- ing kills the mood quite as fast as mom. At the beginning of Season 1, they'd been dating three years while living with Matt's mother, Kelly McAdams. Kim thought nothing of it, as- suming she and Matt would maintain a healthy bedroom relationship, but it didn't work out that way. Trying to help in that depart- ment, mommy dearest ac- companied Kim to the lingerie store to pick out something special for Matt. Needless to say, shortly thereafter, Matt and Kim moved out of Kelly's house and into their own space — though they didn't get very far: the couple moved into the house next door. Matt, Kim and Kelly are back for Season 2, and TLC can't guarantee that their new "not- so-bad" living arrangement will stick. With a wedding to plan and a new house in the mix, Kel- ly's unwanted and unwarranted advice is sure to rise up again. Matt is also offered a big job in Texas, sparking a battle between Kim and Kelly for his affection: move forward as a couple, or stay put next to mom? Meanwhile, Tia, Theous and his mom, Carolyn, are a different, equally frustrating case to watch. Carolyn, whose bad knee makes it difficult for her to move around, expects Theous to be at her every beck and call. It's a battle of wills for this couple, as Carolyn won't get married until Theous sets boundaries with his mom (and sticks to them). And yes, the Stamford, Con- necticut, couple Stephanie and Mike are also back, working out their issues with Mike's mother, Liz. Having lost her husband when Mike was three, Liz took on both the maternal and pater- nal roles. But years of her overly cautious and overly affection- ate bond with Mike is creating a rift between Mike and Liz thanks to her relationship- meddling and bad advice. Of course, any discussion around "I Love a Mama's Boy" would be incomplete without the mention of Season 1's Jason and Justina. Together for six years, en- gaged and parents to a two- year-old daughter, Justina has realized her mother-in-law, Annette, would always be there (thanks to the tracking device Annette put on her son). As Jus- tina was planning their overdue wedding, Annette picked out the venue and Jason's tux with- out consulting the couple. It's definitely Annette's way or the highway with this couple! While the show is saying goodbye to Jason, Justina and mom Annette, it is gaining a few brand new faces: Tracy, Bryan and Bryan's mom, Jayne. Bryan's allegiance to his mother is so strong that any effort Tracy makes to set boundaries with her fails. And, of course, we can't wait for the return of nutty trio Emily, Shekeb and mom Laila, perhaps the most shockingly intrusive mother from the first season. Not only did Emily contend with the typical meddling mum, but she also faced criticism from Laila for being Korean rather than Afghan, like them. Laila made it very clear from the start that she would never accept Emily into their family; it didn't matter that she'd already been dating Shekeb for three years when the show began. Laila even went so far as to set Shekeb up with another woman during a dinner they'd planned. It was an outrageous scene that, given Shekeb's trade as an ac- tor, led audiences to question its authenticity. Situational legitimacy aside, it's a relationship fans love to hate, and we're left with a lot of ques- tions. Will Shekeb move out of his mother's house? Will the couple get engaged? Will viewers ever see the logic behind Laila's point of view? Who knows? It's a mess. But no one knows how to clean up a mess like mom. So, while these couples sort out their uncomfortable love triangles, audiences get to watch from a much more comfortable distance. Don't miss Season 2 of "I Love a Mama's Boy," premiering Sun- day, Aug. 29, on TLC. And don't forget to call your mom! Cover Story Laila, Shekeb and Emily from Season 2 of "I Love a Mama's Boy" Mommy dearest: TLC launches Season 2 of "I Love a Mama's Boy"

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