Insensitive Priest Doesn't Understand the 'Pure Love' of Polygamy on ABC's 'Mistresses'
File this under Words I Never Expected to Hear on Network Television: "Yes, Father, it's called a 'throuple.'"
And so began Karen's explanation to her priest of her threesome polyamorous relationship with a husband and wife that led to her getting pregnant, in Mistresses season 3's 10th episode "What Could Have Been."
Priest: ...The husband, the wife, and you?
Karen: Yes, father. It's called a throuple.
-Well, that's a kitschy little term. Karen, you know that I'm open-minded about a good many things, but in a situation like this, there is only one thing to do.
-What's that?
-Carry the child to term, then give it up for adoption.
-I've never seen that as an option.
-Well, it's the only one you have if you want to follow the teachings of the church. I know is difficult, but this child deserves a stable, loving family despite the unfortunate circumstances that brought it into the world.
-"Unfortunate circumstances"?
-The relationship that you've found yourself in -- husband and wife possibly divorcing now. How would you raise a child amidst all that uncertainty? Shrouded in shame and secrecy or in some polyayamorous attempt at a family if they decide to stay together? The fact that the couple chose to enter into a sinful relationship in the first place is evidence of their poor moral character. How would you ever explain this situation to your child?
-With compassion, sensitivity, and patience... The things I thought I'd get from you.
-Karen, it was never my intention to offend you.
-Well, you have, Father. And I don't care what your limited heart doesn't understand about my relationship with Alec and Vivian. When this child asks, I'm going to tell him he was conceived in pure love, which is far more than a lot of kids can say about their parents.
-You're letting your emotions get the best of you.
-Thank freaking God.
Oh, those dastardly religious extremists, thinking marriage should be between one man and one woman, and that children are best off in that situation! And of course they have to show the priest going overboard and saying some unChristianlike things.
(By the way, in a previous episode the priest had been all excited when he thought she was in a lesbian relationship - but now suddenly he cares about "following the teachings of the church" and "sinful relationships?!" It makes zero sense that he becomes all Catholic(?) and judgey only when he finds out there was also a man involved.)
I guess Hollywood just HAS to return to the convenient scapegoat of the church being the enemy. TV has trained us to know that when someone in a collar opposes something, that means they're backwards. Here, the priest becomes a leftist cliche, using trigger words like "shame and secrecy" and "poor moral character" while the courageous Karen stands up to him and his "limited heart" in the noble defense of "pure love." Then, just to beat you over the head with it, he mansplains that she's being too emotional! They attempt to make the priest look bad and give Karen the moral high ground to get the audience all riled up and distract from the fact that they're talking about a threesome.
Gay marriage has only been legal a few weeks but Hollywood has already moved on to demonizing those who oppose its new polygamy/polyamory agenda.
