The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On

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The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On
The Ultimatum Marry or Move On title card.jpg
Genre Reality
Created by Chris Coelen
Presented by
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes30
Production
Executive producers
  • Chris Coelen
  • Chris Cullen
  • Eric Detwiler
  • Sarah Dillistone
  • Kelly Montalvo
  • Stephanie Boyriven
  • James Smith-Hill
Running time35–58 minutes
Production company Kinetic Content
Original release
Network Netflix
ReleaseApril 6, 2022 (2022-04-06) –
present
Related
The Ultimatum: Queer Love

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On is a dating reality television series created by Chris Coelen and produced by Kinetic Content [1] that premiered on Netflix on April 6, 2022. The show is hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey.

Contents

The series has aired for three seasons. An international version The Ultimatum: France premiered in 2022. A spin-off series The Ultimatum: Queer Love premiered in 2023.

Format

The Ultimatum is a self-proclaimed social experiment that wants to see how many couples will get married when presented with ultimatums. [2] The show features couples on the verge of marriage. Each pair has eight weeks to decide whether they want to get married or split forever. Couples will later be split up as they choose new partners from the rest of the group, and then move in with them for three weeks for a trial marriage. Then they move in with their original partners for three weeks for a second trial marriage.

Contestants

Season 1 (2022) [3]
Issuing ultimatumAgePartnerAge
April Marie23Jake Cunningham26
Colby Kissinger25Madlyn Ballatori24
Rae Williams24Zay Wilson25
Shanique Imari24Randall Griffen26
Alexis Maloney25Hunter Parr28
Nate Ruggles30Lauren Pounds29
Season 2 (2023) [4] [5] [6]
Issuing ultimatumAgePartnerAge
Antonio Mattei30Roxanne Kaiser31
Lisa Horne32Brian Okoye29
Ryann McCracken24James Morris24
Trey Brunson29Riah Nyree25
Kat Shelton28Alex Chapman32
Season 3 (2024) [7]
Issuing ultimatumAgePartnerAge
Mariah24Caleb29
Zaina32J.R.33
Nick38Sandy27
Scotty30Aria25
Vanessa30Dave34
Chanel27Micah28

Season summary

Season 1 (2022)

Trial marriages
ContestantsResult
Jake and RaeRelationship [a]
Colby and AprilSplit
Zay and ShaniqueSplit
Randall and MadlynSplit
Overview
Original coupleResult [8] [9] Status [8] [9]
April and JakeSplitSplit
Colby and MadlynMarriedMarried
Rae and ZaySplitSplit
Shanique and RandallEngagedEngaged [10]
Alexis and HunterEngaged [b] Married [11]
Nate and LaurenEngaged [b] Married [12]

Season 2 (2023)

Trial marriages
ContestantsResult
Antonio and KatSplit
James and RiahSplit
Trey and RyannSplit
Alex and RoxanneSplit
Overview
Original coupleResult [5] Status [5]
Antonio and RoxanneEngagedMarried
Lisa and BrianRelationship [c] Engaged
Ryann and JamesEngagedMarried
Trey and RiahEngagedEngaged
Kat and AlexEngagedMarried

Season 3 (2024)

Trial marriages
ContestantsResult
Mariah and MicahSplit
Chanel and DaveSplit
Vanessa and NickSplit
Sandy and J.R.Split
Zaina and ScottySplit
Aria and CalebSplit
Overview
Original coupleResult [13] Status [13]
Mariah and CalebEngagedEngaged
Zaina and J.R.SplitSplit
Sandy and NickSplitSplit
Aria and ScottyEngagedSplit
Vanessa and DaveRelationship [d] Engaged
Chanel and MicahRelationship [d] Together

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
1 10April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)April 13, 2022 (2022-04-13)
2 10August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)August 30, 2023 (2023-08-30)
3 10December 4, 2024 (2024-12-04)December 18, 2024 (2024-12-18)

Season 1 (2022)

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title  [14] Original release date  [14]
11"The Split"April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)
22"The Choice"April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)
33"New Bed, New Partner"April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)
44"Girls & Guys Night Out"April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)
55"Pushing Boundaries"April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)
66"The Changeover"April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)
77"Back to Reality"April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)
88"Time to Answer the Ultimatum"April 6, 2022 (2022-04-06)
99"Ultimatum Day"April 13, 2022 (2022-04-13)
Special
1010"The Reunion"April 13, 2022 (2022-04-13)

Season 2 (2023)

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title  [6] Original release date  [6]
111"The Split"August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)
122"Unexpected Revelations"August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)
133"The Choice"August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)
144"Catching Feelings"August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)
155"Are You The One?"August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)
166"The Changeover"August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)
177"Change of Heart"August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)
188"Time to Answer the Ultimatum"August 23, 2023 (2023-08-23)
199"Ultimatum Day"August 30, 2023 (2023-08-30)
Special
2010"The Reunion"August 30, 2023 (2023-08-30)

Season 3 (2024)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleOriginal release date
211"The Split"December 4, 2024 (2024-12-04)
222"The Choice"December 4, 2024 (2024-12-04)
233"Sealed With A Kiss"December 4, 2024 (2024-12-04)
244"Ghosted"December 4, 2024 (2024-12-04)
255"Just Here For A Hall Pass?"December 4, 2024 (2024-12-04)
266"Fortune Favors the Bold"December 11, 2024 (2024-12-11)
277"The Changeover"December 11, 2024 (2024-12-11)
288"You're Playing with Fire"December 11, 2024 (2024-12-11)
299"Ultimatum Day"December 18, 2024 (2024-12-18)
Special
3010"The Reunion"December 18, 2024 (2024-12-18)

Production

Filming

Season one of the series was filmed in various locations in Austin, Texas. The first week the contestants spent dating each other was filmed at the Marriott Downtown Hotel in the city, while the rest of the series was filmed at the Aloft Austin Downtown Hotel. [15]

Filming started in May 2021 and lasted for eight weeks with the reunion being filmed later. [16]

Season two of the series was filmed in Charlotte, North Carolina from September 2022 to November 2022. [17]

Season three was filmed in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona. [18]

Release

A trailer was in the reunion episode of season two of Love Is Blind on March 4, 2022. It was advertised as "the next great social experiment" with the same creator as Love Is Blind. [2]

The first season consisting of eight episodes released to Netflix on April 6, 2022, and later released the final episode along with a reunion special on April 13, a week later. [14]

The second season consisting of eight episodes released to Netflix on August 23, 2023, and later released the final episode along with a reunion special on August 30, a week later. [6]

Reception

Viewership

Season one of the series reached number one on Netflix in television shows in the United States on April 10, 2022. [19]

The Ultimatum Season One spent four weeks in the Netflix Global Top Ten, with 43,710,000 hours watched during its first week of release, [20] 58,470,000 during week two, [21] 29,010,000 during week three, [22] and 13,140,000 during week four. [23]

With a total of 144,330,000 hours watched within its first four weeks of release, The Ultimatum Season One ranked second, after only Love is Blind, as the most watched ongoing nonscripted series on Netflix in 2022, based on a tally of all hours viewed across all programs while in the Netflix Global Top Ten. [24]

Critical response

Daniel D'Addario of Variety writes "Love is Blind and The Ultimatum are the new standard-bearers for romantic reality TV." D'Addario states The Ultimatum "inverts Love is Blind's formula to great success...(creator) Coelen's series occupy a more unsettled place, one that uses the tools of reality (big organizing ideas, people attuned to the dramatic) to create stagings that look like our world." [25]

Jenny Singer from Glamour writes "The Ultimatum on Netflix is even better than Love Is Blind . Yes, really." Singer continues "The Ultimatum feels like an actual attempt at partnership—love, sex, intimacy, friendship, caring for each other's dogs. The ending is insane, and so is the beginning, and the middle. That just makes it, oddly, realistic." [26]

Alexandra Whittington at Collider says "The Ultimatum: Marry Or Move On is Netflix's wildest reality series yet...If you like reality dating shows then you are going to love The Ultimatum: Marry Or Move On." [27]

Grant Rindner of GQ stated "critical reception has been mixed." [28] Sarah Manavis of New Statesman was highly critical of the show, writing, "The awfulness of marriage shows is on full display here... The premise is shoddy and unclear, especially in comparison to other dating programmes." [29] Sophia June of Nylon wrote no one from the series should get married based on the premise and "the manipulation techniques". [30] Morgan Smith of Highsnobiety called it the "messiest reality dating show we hate to love" and stated he loved it. [31]

Spin-offs

The first international version of the series was released on Netflix on December 30, 2022 titled The Ultimatum: France . [32] A second international version, based in South Africa, was released on Netflix on 10 May 2024. [33] Salamina Mosese and Tshepo Howza Mosese are the hosts. [34] Ahead of the first-season premiere, Netflix announced a spin-off of the show that would feature an all-queer cast titled The Ultimatum: Queer Love . [35] The spin-off series premiered on May 24, 2023 and featured JoAnna Garcia Swisher as the host. [36] [37] A dating sim mobile game titled The Ultimatum: Choices was released in December 2024. It is free but requires an active Netflix subscription. [38]

References

  1. ↑ Longeretta, Emily (March 4, 2022). "'Love Is Blind' Creators Reveal Spicy New Dating Series 'The Ultimatum' on Netflix: Watch the Trailer". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Walsh, Charlotte. "'The Ultimatum' Is Putting Couples to the Test". Netflix. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Meet the Couples Looking for Answers in 'The Ultimatum'". Netflix Tudum. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  4. ↑ Evans, Olivia (August 24, 2023). "'The Ultimatum' Season 2 Cast Is Blowing Up The Internet RN". Women's Health. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Boyle, Kelli (August 30, 2023). "'The Ultimatum' Season 2: Which Couples Are Still Together?". TV Insider. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Longeretta, Emily (August 23, 2023). "'The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On' Season 2 Cast Guide: Who Issued the Ultimatum, Which Pairs Swapped and Who's Pregnant?". Variety.
  7. ↑ Bradley, Laura (December 4, 2024). "The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On Recap: The Scorpio Curse". Vulture. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Hatchett, Keisha (April 13, 2022). "The Ultimatum Finale Recap: Congrats, I Guess — Plus, Who Stayed Together?". TVLine. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  9. 1 2 Woo, Kelly (April 14, 2022). "The Ultimatum season 1 finale and cast reunion: Which couples are still together?". Tom's Guide. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  10. ↑ @randallgriffin (July 16, 2023). "Yes! — Today and all of our tomorrows" – via Instagram.
  11. ↑ Goldstein, Joelle. "The Ultimatum's Alexis Maloney and Hunter Parr Marry in 'Traditional' Dream Wedding: 'So Happy'". Peoplemag. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  12. ↑ Grant, Tamara (October 16, 2022). "'The Ultimatum': Lauren Pounds and Nate Ruggles Are Married". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  13. 1 2
  14. 1 2 3 George, Crystal (March 4, 2022). "The Ultimatum release date, episode count, hosts, synopsis, teaser, and more". Netflix Life.
  15. ↑ Kranc, Lauren (April 12, 2022). "Here's Where They Filmed Netflix's Insane Reality Show The Ultimatum". Esquire. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  16. ↑ Honore, Pretty (April 13, 2022). "When Was 'The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On' Reunion Filmed?". Distractify. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  17. ↑ Miller, Korin (August 23, 2023). "'The Ultimatum' Season 2 Filmed At *These* Trendy Charlotte Spots". Women's Health.
  18. ↑ Stopper, Jessica (December 3, 2024). "Where Was The Ultimatum Season 3 Filmed? Netflix Cast Location". Life & Style. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  19. ↑ "The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On TOP 10". FlixPatrol. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - Global". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - Global". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - Global". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - Global". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - Global". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  25. ↑ D'Addario, Daniel (April 5, 2022). "Why 'Love Is Blind' and 'The Ultimatum' Are the New Standard-Bearers for Romantic Reality TV (Column)". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  26. ↑ "'The Ultimatum' on Netflix Is Even Better Than 'Love Is Blind'". Glamour. April 6, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  27. ↑ Whittington, Alexandra (April 9, 2022). "Is 'The Ultimatum: Marry Or Move On' Worth Watching? The Best & Worst Parts Of The New Show". Collider. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  28. ↑ Rindner, Grant (April 12, 2022). "The Ultimatum Is Netflix's Latest Crazy Reality Dating Show". GQ. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  29. ↑ Manavis, Sarah (April 23, 2022). "The ugliness of Netflix's The Ultimatum". New Statesman. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  30. ↑ June, Sophia. "Nobody on Netflix's The Ultimatum Should Get Married". Nylon. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  31. ↑ Smith, Morgan (April 17, 2022). "Netflix's 'The Ultimatum' is Messy & That's Why We Love It". Highsnobiety. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  32. ↑ S, Tamilchandran (March 31, 2023). "The Ultimatum France where are they now? Who are they? - News". Fresherslive. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  33. ↑ BBFC. "The Ultimatum: South Africa". www.bbfc.co.uk. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  34. ↑ Keteyi, Oluthando (May 13, 2024). "'The Ultimatum South Africa' has viewers hooked as mean girl Khanya leaves viewers shook". IOL.
  35. ↑ Longeretta, Emily (March 24, 2022). "'The Ultimatum' Renewed for All-Queer Season 2 Ahead of Netflix Premiere". Variety . Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  36. ↑ Donnellan, Sara (April 18, 2023). "Ready for More Drama? Everything We Know About 'The Ultimatum' Season 2". Us Weekly. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  37. ↑ Longeretta, Emily (September 22, 2022). "Netflix Renews 'Love on the Spectrum' and 'The Ultimatum,' Brings in New Host for 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love'". Variety. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  38. ↑ Botadkar, Tanish (December 2, 2024). "The Ultimatum: Choices is an adaption of the popular Netflix show, coming soon to Android and iOS". Pocket Gamer . Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  1. ↑ The couple split after leaving the show.
  2. 1 2 The couple left the show early after they got engaged in Episode 3.
  3. ↑ The couple left the show early in Episode 3.
  4. 1 2 The couple left the show early in Episode 4.
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