Wife Swap

From LoveToKnow Reality-TV

Wife Swap is a reality show featured on the ABC network. The show takes two wives – oftentimes polar opposites of one another – and has them swap lives for two weeks.

Show Format

Each episode of Wife Swap follows the same format.

Introductions

The show begins with a brief introduction to the two wives and their families for the audience. It quickly becomes obvious that the two families live very different lives; one family might be fitness enthusiasts while the other family rarely leaves the couch or one family might be very religious while the other family abhors religion and faith. One of the most entertaining aspects of this show is the way the producers find two families so completely opposite of each other and bring them together.

The Wife Joins the Family

After the initial introduction to the viewing audience, the wives switch families. The wives are allowed to enter their temporary homes in the beginning without the family present. The wives then review the rule guide left by the other wife, which usually results in some raised eyebrows or sighs of disgust from the wives as they read about the rules of the family they are about to join temporarily. The wives then meet the family, and in the beginning there is usually a cordial atmosphere within the home.

It usually doesn't take long for the cordial atmosphere to evolve into frustration and arguments. Since the wives are required to follow the house rules for the first week of their stay, cameras often capture moments of the wives' expression of frustration and sometimes a few tears as well.

The Rules Change

Upon the second week of the swap, the wives can change the rules of the house to suit their own principals. In most episodes, this is where the sparks really begin the fly as families are asked to behave contrary to their normal behavior. Families usually begrudgingly agree to the changes, although some family members may take more prodding than others.

Big conflicts can occur after the rules change for the families. Some visiting moms turn the family's lifestyle upside down, and although this can be a positive change for some families, there is usually quite a bit of resistance. Families who usually have a messy house are forced to clean up, families who have rigid rules are forced to abandon the rules, and in some cases families are asked to do things contrary to their core values. It can be a very dramatic change for some families, and it does not always end well. More than one shouting match has occurred on Wife Swap between the husband and swapped wife or children and swapped wife.

The Wife Swap Couples Meet

At the conclusion of two weeks, the parents of the two families are allowed to meet together in one room for the first time. This is the first time the married couples have seen each other in two weeks, so in some cases it involves tearful reunions and promises of renewed love.

The two couples meet around a table and they all discuss their experiences. Aggressive personalities can dominate the exchange, but it is not unusual for all four members of the discussion to wind up arguing with each other, belittling the other family's views, and generally disagreeing about the way a household should be run.

In some cases, agreements are reached that the new way of doing things is a good idea. The majority of the time, however, the participants end the discussion in disagreement.

Family Reflections

After the experience is over, the families are revisited to find out if the Wife Swap experience changed the way they ran their family. While some families declare the experience a great experience that changed their views on raising a family and being a good spouse, there are also some participants who declare the experience dreadful and a waste of their time.