Season 3 (2017)
Season 3 was filmed from December 2016 to March 2017, aired from May to July 2017. It is known for being a much shorter season than the last two, due to only having 14 episodes, which was probably for the best, if you ask me.
Filming would've occurred earlier, if not for David's aforementioned comments about Rafa at the KIIS FM interview with Ryan Seacrest. And as a result of David’s actions, Season 3 is best remembered as the most segregated season to date.
Returning to the main cast this season are Enrique Sapene, Jason Caceres, David Ty Reza, Aiden Lee-Halley, Alastair Patton-Garcia, and Rafael Luis Silva.
Two newbies who join the main cast this season are Sylmar resident Courtney-Jai Shane Niner (or CJ, as his friends call him) and resident of the City of San Fernando, Matthew Frias. These two end up becoming just as essential to the show as Alastair and Rafa, going forward.
Joining the show as friend-ofs are Karlo Shigeo Ishibashi and Valentino “Tino” Padilla.
NO MORE CORY!
BYE BITCH!
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Season 3 Episode 1 opens with Alastair and Zachary in their final months as fiancés. It’s a quiet Saturday morning in early December and Zach asks a worn-out Alastair (who is making coffee for both of them) about Rafa’s current whereabouts, and Alastair says to him, "Right now, he's still keeping a low profile focusing on his work and education, and heading straight home." And Zach says, "Okay. I just hope nobody's bothering him about you-know-who." Alastair doesn’t say too much, except, “Me too. That’s the last thing he needs right now.”
Alastair's Confessional
Alastair: Rafa hadn’t seen or spoken to David since we filmed the reunion. He needed his space. He was really burnt out and needed to put himself first. But shortly after the reunion had aired in the summer, David was on KIIS FM talking to Ryan Seacrest. When Ryan asked David about Rafa... you know, "Where do you guys stand? Is everything okay?" and all that... David basically let the world know that he never liked Rafa, called him bitch, said that all he does is cry like a baby and is not a man... and said that Rafa is a shitty friend who… *voice breaking* who shouldn’t be trusted. When I saw the interview myself, I just said... "It's over." David was never Rafa's friend. He used him.
*Flashbacks to David and Rafa's first interaction in Season 1 Episode 2*
Alastair: A lot of us had things to say to David about what he did and we did not hold back.
*collage of social media posts from Alastair, Zachary, Christian, future cast member Calvin Seabrooks, and reunion host Ross Matthews, respectively, all expressing their support towards Rafa and disgust with David*
Producer: Before filming began, when was the last time you spoke to Rafa?
Alastair: Um, about 2 days prior to filming. We didn't talk about what happened, or David, or anything like that. And I didnt wanna pry. *deep breaths* But I know that he was, um..., he wasn’t just hurt. He was embarrassed. He was angry. And he was done... with everybody. Especially David.
*Flashback to the Season 2 reunion; Rafa saying that he shouldn't have to babysit David, who is 12 years Rafa’s senior.*
Alastair: *inhales, cries* I'm not trying to treat Rafa like glass or anything. You know, this is someone that I met when I was in grade 12 and he was in grade 10, and I've seen him go through Hell and back as a Brazilian in a predominantly Mexican town that he always respected... even when its people were so horrible to him. *takes another deep breath.* I just want him to be okay. Because... *voice breaks* he's... my best friend. He's a brother that I was blessed to have. And I never want that to change.
Back in their kitchen, Alastair says to Zach, “I really wish things were different, you know?” Zachary says, “I understand, babe,” and hugs Alastair.
Alastair’s Confessional
Alastair: All I know is, this show - as it currently stands - cannot go on like this. Not anymore. Something's gotta give.
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Most of Episode 1 is *BORING* as the main focus is on the Bullies & Snobs going blah blah blah. Rafa is not in the episode. And we haven’t met any of the four newbies yet. Alastair is literally the only good thing about Episode 1; from the opening confessional where he is literally crying for his chosen brother via confessional, to the San Fernando Mall get-together during the last 30 minutes of the episode. Speaking of which…
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David: Hey man, how ya doin’?
Alastair: Well, I’ll be better once I never have to see you again.
That little exchange between David and Alastair during the Season 3 premiere get-together held at the San Fernando Mall (also attended by fellow cast members Enrique, Jason, and Aiden) tells you exactly what you need to know about David’s relevance in Season 3: without Alastair and (especially) Rafa, and as long as the B&S gang don’t rock with him, David has no place in the show; he can’t even buy a damn storyline. Not that he really had one outside the group, looking back.
And during their conversation, Alastair makes it very clear to David that the radio interview between David and Ryan Seacrest confirmed one thing: "You never wanted Rafa as a friend; you wanted him to be a yes-man. And that’s not who he is." David asks, “So why does he always agree with everything *you* say?” And Alastair says, “He doesn’t. And I don’t make him do anything. That’s what you did, and you know it.” David says nothing against that accusation, but silence does NOT equal denial.
Alastair takes his scathing conversation with David further by saying, “The fact that you used both of us makes you the real shitty friend who shouldn’t be trusted. For someone who claims to keep it real *because you’re from Compton*, you are the fakest piece of shit I have ever met in my life. And you’re the one who needs to grow up.”
It doesn’t take a genius to notice that David was offended by that, because he looked really pissed at Alastair. The last thing that David says to Alastair, very softly, is, “Alright,” before saying in his normal voice, “Well, next time you see Rafa, tell him I wanna talk to him alone.” Alastair’s response, “I’ll tell him that he can talk to you *if he wants to*.”
What else goes on during the premiere party at the San Fernando Mall is... NOT IMPORTANT. But Enrique has this lovely thing to say about Rafa via confessional: "You know, it's really typical of Rafa to not show up to this event because he knew that I would be hosting. Like, seriously, I invited you and you don't show up? You can’t hide from us forever. Either suck it up or get out of my show." Enrique, button your mouth and get over yourself. And yes, Rafa absolutely CAN hide from you forever if he wants to, so I wouldn’t jinx it.
Also, isn’t it ironic that the event is taking place at the San Fernando Mall – the VERY place where a then-unemployed Rafa was scouted for Season 1 back in 2014?
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Rafa would finally appear midway through Episode 2 (talk about a full circle, as his first appearance was on Episode 2 of Season 1), and naturally, he appears very grim (but thankfully all cried out, and he doesn’t cry at all the entire season – except for one time, but we’ll get to that when we talk about his much-needed vacation) when he visits Alastair who gives him a long overdue tight hug. When Rafa asks Alastair, “Have you seen David recently?” Alastair says, “Unfortunately, I did last night during some… cast get-together thing; it was all bullshit, you didn’t miss anything. Anyway *clears throat* David wanted me to tell you that he wants to talk to you.” Rafa sighs and rolls his eyes, saying, “Great…” Understandably, Rafa is annoyed. He does NOT want to speak to David ever again after that radio show stunt, but he already knows that he can't keep avoiding other cast members, or so he believed at first. Alastair also says, “But I told him that it’s *your* choice to talk to him or not. He’s not your master, Rafa.” Rafa asks, “What’s the catch?” Alastair mutters, “I don’t know, man,” and speaks up when he says, “He claims that he only wants to talk to you alone. But given that I was told the same thing last year, only to be ambushed, and David has lied to you multiple times, I wouldn’t be so quick to believe David, if I were you.”
Rafa reluctantly decides to accept David’s invitation, "but just in case it *is* an ambush, I think you should come with me." Alastair says, "You got it, buddy."
And as the two chosen brothers would find out hours later, the "alone" invite to David's home was indeed a big fat lie. Because when Rafa shows up to David’s Dronfield apartment alone first, there's David alongside Enrique, which Rafa says, "I knew it. Well, if Enrique's gonna be here, so is Alastair," to which David says, "What? Why?" And Rafa says, "This is an ambush. And I'm not allowing that." So, Alastair who was waiting for Rafa in the car shows up, and says to David and Enrique, "I'm not gonna say anything to either of you snakes. I'm just here to support Rafa and that's that." And with that, he lets Rafa speak to David.
The conversation doesn't go well for David, miraculously. But for Rafa, it needed to happen, now, not later. David asks why Rafa blocked his number. Rafa doesn’t answer his question, and instead says *very carefully*, “You know why; I don't have to answer that question.” David is taken aback by what he thinks is Rafa’s stand-off-ish attitude; “Well if you’re gonna be a smart-ass, go right ahead. I’m just trying to be nice—” Rafa cuts him off, " Why did you put me on blast as a bitch, a crybaby, and a shitty friend who shouldn’t be trusted? Do you have any idea what I went through because of that? Of course not; you were never my friend. So, why would you care at all?" And David, in a déjà vu moment, chastises Rafa about not being there for him and always leaning on Alastair instead (confirming David's once-implied jealousy towards Alastair), and brings up the Vegas trip, AGAIN!
Eventually, Rafa snaps and yells, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME, DAVID?! DO YOU WANT ME TO DRAW BLOOD? SUCK YOUR DICK? READ YOU A BEDTIME STORY? FUCK, MAN! YOU ARE TOO GODDAMN OLD TO BE THIS STUPID AND IMMATURE! IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT NOBODY LIKES YOU!" Oof, that was cold, and I don’t care.
David attempts to argue, but couldn’t make it past, “Alright, you know wh—” because Rafa cut him off by saying, “No, *you* be quiet right now. I let you talk; now it’s my turn.” David scoffs and says under his breath, “And in my house…” Rafa lets it all out once and for all, “I am fucking tired, David. I’m tired of Las Vegas, I’m tired of fighting, I’m tired of crying, I’m tired of walking on eggshells, and I am SICK and tired of *you*. You are pathetic, manipulative, self-righteous, hypocritical, and annoying as Hell! And I'm not going to apologize for the damage you have caused. If you wanna dwell on the fact that you’ve lost me as a personal slave for the rest of your life, that's up to you. But you’re not dragging me into your bullshit anymore; I’m not having that. You don’t get to take your trauma out on me anymore." David – now heated and defeated – says to Rafa, "Well then you can take your long-winded speeches back to the farm."
Rafa calmly says, “Hmph. And you can go crawling back to Enrique,” while taking off his mic and throwing it on the floor so hard (breaking it as a result, with pieces hitting David and Enrique which leaves them in shock) that David and Enrique flinch instantly. And Rafa storms out of David's home and Alastair follows him, neither hearing Enrique's compliment to a shocked David: "Wow… you are one mean bitch, D. I like that." David and Enrique have the weirdest dynamic that we will never understand. But Enrique’s right. David will always need him, no matter how much the two hate each other.
Rafa makes the most meaningful anti-reality show decision via confessional: "I'm done caring about people who don't care about me." Rafa is literally the Boundary King. He has been through so much shit on this show in such a short amount of time, that nobody should care about or be offended by his shameless ability to set boundaries or even break the fourth wall.
For the rest of the season, Rafa and Alastair do NOT interact with David at all until the reunion, and that was their choice. And they do NOT participate in any group activities as long as they know that David will be present. So they’re mostly isolated from the majority of the cast.
Fans wonder if David is secretly intimidated by Rafa in particular. We may never know, but it’s not far-fetched at all, if you already understand David’s sloppily discussed past, how his brain works, and what Rafa is capable of. After all, when Rafa threw that mic, David flinched and was in shock, so there’s that.
Suddenly, Rafa’s earliest Season 1 compliment to David being unpredictable has a whole new meaning. One has to wonder if David was offended by the "unpredictable" compliment the whole time.
David is lucky that Rafa didn't put his hands on him and instead threw his mic at him. Either way, there's a lot of anger in Rafa. And while his fans are not mad at him, they are concerned. Especially since this is technically the second time that he's assaulted Enrique.
Either way, David's decision to publicly humiliate Rafa in that radio show leaves his fate on the show being a big question mark (but not really).
Seems like David was never destined to fit into either alliance. And that would’ve been fine if David was a neutral person who could somehow manage both sides while having his own views. But he was hated by B&S (and vice versa) and was a fake friend to Rafa and Alastair.
And in the beginning of Episode 2, he quickly burns bridges with newbies CJ and Matthew as quickly as they joined the show. And while it would've been annoying that it's another season of newbies hating on a non-B&S cast member, the BIG difference here is that CJ and Matthew actually HAVE a logical reason to dislike David: he’s a hateful hater. More on that later.
But until then, now seems like a good time to talk about the 2 new main cast members
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Let’s start with CJ, shall we?
YouTuber, refrigeration engineer, and future mainstay CJ (born March 14, 1995) is a resident of Foothill, Sylmar, having moved to the area from Auckland, New Zealand back in 2014 with his family. He is also mixed-race; being Indian (making him the first Asian main cast member to join the show), Italian, Irish, and English.
He is the son of actor, producer, and singer-songwriter Antonio Niner, who is also of Indian descent and from Auckland.
In addition, he is also now the second youngest cast member this season being born in 1995, and a few months older than fellow newbie Matthew Frias, also born in 1995.
He's a comic book nerd and gaymer, which would NOT be a good fit for a typical reality series once built on nasty drama but is actually a welcomed addition to a show that desperately needed a transition.
But besides his race and background, what makes CJ stand out from the rest of the group is that he is openly bisexual and has a lovely and supportive girlfriend named April Burrows. And because this show was filmed from December 2016 to February 2017, his bisexual identity and heterosexual relationship make CJ a target for backlash among the gay viewers. And even David and B&S, respectively, question his identity time and time again.
CJ is often looked at as a semi-replacement of David, but greatly dislikes this comparison, and ends up disliking David even more as a result of this comparison, especially after David says, "You're basically a weaker version of me, dude," during the Bakersfield trip.
He also has a self-deprecating sense of humor which is very relatable, but becomes a source of contention with the Bullies & Snobs.
Outside the group, he's a caregiver for his younger brother who has Dextrocardia, and a babysitter for his much younger sister. But he brings an interesting storyline with the relationship between himself and his dad, Antonio, who a lot of viewers thought was CJ's boyfriend (because they're both attractive, admittedly, with Antonio sporting a nipple ring 🤭) until they saw Antonio's credits saying, "CJ's Dad" the first time. Oops lol! What's unique about their father-son dynamic as Indians is that CJ didn't grow up traditional because his dad didn't believe in the typical Indian traditions, including the need to have an arranged marriage, saying that he met his wife (CJ's Italian, Irish, and English mom from Rugby, Warwickshire) after he had stepped away from his parents' (CJ's grandparents') box. CJ maintains a healthy relationship with Antonio and the rest of their family, and was raised by both parents to always be open about his feelings. But this is still something that CJ struggles with due to his awareness of homophobia/biphobia within the Asian community, as well as the mental health being a taboo subject within that community. Underneath his fearless personality is someone who bottles things up for so long that it’s amazing that he has yet to explode, which concerns his parents. I'm sure a lot of millennial Indian viewers (and Asian viewers in general) who grew up in a strict traditional upbringing wish that they had this type of dynamic with their family.
What I really like about this season is how natural it feels when an outsider joins a reality show and manages to look like they’ve always been there from the beginning. CJ Niner may be new to us and to the cast, but the cast is certainly not new to him. Even if he didn’t know them personally, he knew of them from observations or word of mouth. As he and David are both Sylmar residents, CJ has crossed paths with David a few times after David moved to Dronfield in 2014 following being cast on FBSF⛈️. But David never came off as someone that CJ would care to talk to, as David always seemed a bit... rude, standoffish, and seemingly against the world, even from a distance. He wasn't sure if Rafa or Alastair would be interested in getting to know him following what they each went through the last two seasons. He had seen Jason and his husband Christian quite a few times, with and without Aiden. And whenever Aiden was around them, or (even worse) whenever it was just Jason and Aiden, it was "pretty weird," as he says via confessional in Episode 2. Every time he saw Enrique, it was comical; as he says in his confessional in Episode 2, "If Enrique thinks he’s living like the Kardashians, honey, he’s got another thing coming." And both CJ and Matthew attend San Fernando Fitness, where prior to the show, they were mainly acquaintances. So they don’t really know each other like that, but this show allows them to truly get to know each other outside of San Fernando Fitness.
CJ even talks about his coming out story via confessional. In 2014, at age 19, CJ came out to his family as bisexual. He had just come to terms with it, but realized he was bi when he was 13 years old. And in the 2000s it was still not a safe time to be queer (especially queer and Indian/Asian), and CJ was very sure that what he was feeling was wrong, disgusting, and abnormal because that's what he grew up believing. Eventually, at 18, he decided that he was tired of hiding and wanted to be honest about himself. And he did just that on his 19th bday on March 14, 2014, coming out to his mother first, and then his father (whose acceptance CJ prayed for, the most). Thankfully both parents accepted him, and CJ had never felt so relieved and happy to finally be honest with his parents and his siblings. He makes note that his dad started to understand the depth of CJ's feelings, especially regarding CJ's depression.
And we get even more insight into his experiences with his depression the next season, but we do know that he has struggled with it, and is an advocate for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention.
With Cory gone, CJ becomes the new main target for Aiden, but it doesn't take long for Aiden to realize that CJ is a lot of things but is definitely NOT the one. CJ even says to Jason and Aiden, "This is why your own husband doesn't trust you *pointing to Jason* or like you *pointing to Aiden*!"
One interesting move - LONG before the Flaming Bros franchise ever launched - has a lot to do with CJ’s name. Up until 2009, the then-14-year-old CJ (while still living in New Zealand) had went by his first name Courtney-Jai since he was born. Meanwhile in Australia, there was an up-and-coming actor named Jai Courtney. When word started spreading about the actor, CJ was sure that the actor would become big-time famous one day, so Courtney-Jai eventually decided to go by his initials CJ to avoid confusion. So obviously, it was a personal choice to stand out, and boy does he ever, especially in this toxic-ass cast!
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And now for our quieter new addition.
Matthew Frias (21 at the time of casting) is another mainstay. He was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and is also the new youngest one in the cast, being born in August 18, 1995 and only being a few months younger than CJ. And he has a bit of an "adorably awkward" vibe, with his biggest defining features (other than his light Texan accent) being his religious trauma, and therapy.
Matthew is very sweet, warm, expressive, and eager to connect. He is also a recovering alcoholic. And we see for the first time, his complicated sobriety journey. Later on in the season, he also opens up to CJ about his strained relationship with his mother. It becomes clear (even to CJ) that Matthew is carrying a lot and was raised to keep things quiet.
Matthew was already acquaintances with CJ as they both attend the San Fernando Fitness gym. They were never friends at the time, and they don’t start off as buddies when we meet them in Episode 2. But they always managed to find their way back to each other, and by joining the show together, they eventually start getting to know each other, especially as the Bullies & Snobs continue to dwindle in presence and Matthew doesn’t know if Alastair and Rafa would be interested in getting to know him and CJ following Rafa and Alastair's previous negative experiences with the rest of the returning cast.
Matthew ends up having the most conflict with Enrique. In fact, Matthew becomes a target to Enrique's bullying out of jealousy, until Matthew baptizes Enrique's face with Enrique's champagne, getting Enrique's shirt stained. 🤣
Enrique's beef with Matthew is absolutely nasty as Hell, as Enrique takes on the bully role, leading the charge of hazing Matthew, unfortunately making Enrique a huge part of Matthew’s story.
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CJ and Matthew’s first appearance on the show is in the opening scene of Episode 2 outside San Fernando Fitness where they have a first real conversation after finishing a fitness session. It’s a little awkward at first because before they were cast on this show, they were just acquaintances and didn’t really know each other that well, but always got along with each other. Now that they’re both on a show together where the cast dynamic is basically shit, it remains to be seen if the two new guys will be against each other by the end of the season. Neither knows what to make of this journey yet, but they were both aware of the show (San Fernando and Sylmar are small towns, after all) – each having watched it in real time – and are WAY more than aware of what had transpired within the now broken trio of David, Alastair and Rafa, leading to and following David’s radio show nonsense.
“At this point, nobody likes each other. I don’t know if that’s gonna happen to you and me as well because… we’re both… literally stepping into a hostile situation,” CJ says to Matthew who says, “Yeah, like… I can’t promise that between you and me, it won’t be a ‘battle of the newbies’ kinda thing. But if your early impressions of David back in Sylmar are any indication, something tells me that neither of us are gonna leave this show liking him.” CJ, eyes open wide while side-eyeing on the floor inhales and says, “I think you’re right, dude.”
And of course, Matthew was indeed right. Because during that same episode, before Rafa and David’s mic-drop meeting, David is interrogating CJ and Matthew at CJ’s favorite place to play – the El Cariso Community Regional Park. David coldly criticizes Matthew's weight (at the time), asking “Yo, why you so damn skinny, dude? Do ya eat?” Matthew is taken aback by this insulting question, while CJ says to David, “Hey, uh, buddy? I’m skinny, too and so are you. So what?” Matthew calmly says, “And yes, I do eat, if you must know.” Although Matthew was always a skinny person and never a big person in terms of his weight, it’s clear to CJ that Matthew’s weight is a sore subject, so he never pushes it. He still didn’t know Matthew well enough to ask about it, and even when they got to know each other CJ still didn't bring it up because he didn't want to assume anything or accuse Matthew of anything. So basically, Matthew’s weight was never brought up again. It would be seasons before it was addressed, but fans nonetheless are rooting for him and hoping that he’s keeping himself healthy.
But back to that meeting. David also starts questioning CJ’s race saying, “If you’re Indian, why do you look White?” CJ bluntly says, “Because my Mom is Italian, Irish, and English. What’s next on your interview list of questions? Why I don’t sound Indian?” David: “Well… yeah. I mean… shit, you sound Australian.” CJ bluntly says, “New Zealand.” David immediately shuts down the race talk by saying, “Oh, my bad, man. Never mind,” nervously chuckling. CJ and Matthew look at each other like they're over David already. Matthew says in his confessional, “Ooh, sweet Mother Mary. Please help us right now. This bitch clearly wants a reaction from CJ.” But then comes the kicker: David starts questioning CJ’s logic about dating a woman while being gay. This shocks Matthew who says, “David!” CJ looks at Matthew and says, “It’s okay, Matt. He obviously wants an answer, so he’s gonna get one.” He looks back at David and say, “I’m not gay, David. I’m bisexual. Always have been.” When CJ and Matthew first started crossing paths at San Fernando Fitness, Matthew was already aware that CJ was seeing April Burrows, who CJ was clearly in love with. So, when both CJ and Matthew were cast on the show, that’s when Matthew figured that perhaps CJ was bi or pan, or something else. It wasn’t until their conversation during the opening scene of Season 3 Episode 2 that CJ officially came out to Matthew as bisexual. David then says, “But how do you know that you’re bi?” CJ hits him back with, “How do you know that you’re *really* gay?” Poor Matthew is drinking his water bottle like it’s tea. Matthew says in his confessional, “Woah… the new guy firing back at a has-been. Get him, CJ. Get. Him.” Back in-scene, David tries to defend himself with oldest and most inaccurate excuse in the book, “I’m sorry, man! I ain’t know nobody who’s bi or whatever.” CJ monotonally says, “Yeah, I don’t believe that. That’s like saying you don’t know anyone who’s gay, even if they don't say so. Because newsflash, David: queers who are not gay are *everywhere.* Just like pathological liars, like you.” That was a dig at David's fake friendship with Alastair and Rafa. David opens his eyes wide at the dig, and Matthew calmly says between David and CJ, “Boom.” CJ takes it a step further when he asks David, “So, tell me, David: what was it like fuckin’ around on the DL in Compton? Even without Grindr, it still must’ve been some hot and heavy teenage years, huh?” This triggers David who says to CJ, “Excuse me?” and CJ says while staring at David, “You’re excused. Bye,” while waving at David. Matthew holds in a laughter at CJ’s response. David is not impressed and says, “You know what, fuck this I’m-I’m done. I got somewhere to go *referring to his mic drop meeting with Rafa*.” CJ shrugs and says, “Cool.” CJ says in his confessional, “Normally in interviews, we stretch the truth because we need a job. In this case, however, you ask, I answer. And I will *not* tell you what you wanna hear. From one Sylmarite to another, don't come for me, David, because I *can* show you *ACTUAL* realness."
After David leaves, Matthew says to CJ, “Well then… that went well. You really went there.” CJ, still on his clapback high, says, “Yeah, I… I did. I’m just surprised as you are, man. By the way, are you okay?” Matthew softly says, “I am. You?” CJ says, “Yeah. Look, um, what he asked you, I’m not gonna repeat it, and I know that you and I still don’t know each like that. So, I just… wanna say that… you don’t ever have to talk about anything in particular if you don’t want to or if you’re not ready. Sorry, I’m rambling, I know.” Matthew’s voice breaks as he says, “Thank you. I… I—I appreciate that.” And CJ says to him softly, “You’re welcome, Matt.” That’s the second time CJ referred to Matthew as Matt, but CJ’s also the only person who’s called him Matt. Normally strangers don’t refer to each other by nicknames, but because it came from CJ, who he’s seen almost everyday at San Fernando Fitness, it doesn’t bother Matthew at all.
CJ and Matthew both understand that it’s gonna take some time to trust each other, but they always find themselves coming back to each other because they have that mutual understanding.
They also want nothing to do with David *AT ALL*, and go out of their way to avoid David as much as possible. David, on the other hand, won't leave them alone. By the Bakersfield trip, Matthew and CJ are no longer hurt or humiliated by David; they're just ANNOYED with him.
And in the reunion (Episode 14), Matthew and CJ go off on David, with CJ in particular yelling, "I didn't fuck with you then, and I will NEVER fuck with you, EVER!"
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Back to David.
If you remember in Season 1 Episode 1, David was the first “amigo” that we met. But he never had a solo scene on his own; he always needed to share a scene with someone for some reason. And the first person was his sworn enemy Enrique, who brought David on the show, only to spit David out on Season 1 Episode 4 (yeah, remember that?). And then after Rafa showed up in Season 1 Episode 2, David stuck with Rafa and then Alastair. And since then, that’s just how David’s arc was defined: his dependence on somebody (and private mission to *use* that person). This gave us no room to truly know who David is without someone else.
I guess the producers had decided that David just wasn’t interesting enough on his own, because fast forward Season 3 Episode 3. Following his now infamous mic drop meeting with Rafa the previous episode, we see David with one of his so-called “real” best friends from Dronfield – Karlo Shigeo Ishibashi. Born on December 19, 1992, Karlo is another cast member of Asian descent, being half-Japanese and half-Mexican. He’s an actor, stripper, and go-go dancer. Do we see any of that onscreen? No. Does he have a Rafa-less storyline. Also no. Sigh… Karlo shouldn’t even be wanting to have a beef with someone, but evidently he does and has decided that Rafa will be his main target in spirit (even though Rafa’s not dead, but you know what I mean). Every time this go-go HO (lol, go-go ho) opens his mouth, I just wanna smack him upside the head. On Episode 4, Karlo tells David and fellow-friend-of Tino (and tries to convince us the viewers) that, “Rafa ain’t shit but a horny little trick,” which had me gasping. Karlo is determined to be the next baddest bitch, sacrificing likability, no matter how stupid his lies about Rafa are. He clearly has a death wish, and I am very convinced that he wants Rafa to beat his ass. That wouldn’t be such a bad idea, but dude, really?
And then there was Karlo and David’s fellow Dronfield friend Valentino Padilla, aka Tino (born David Leonardo Padilla on January 3, 1987), who also appears in Season 3 Episode 3. Y’all, Tino. Lord, that Tino. Hmm… This guy is a true definition of a desperate pick-me. So basically, Tino claims that Rafa was very mean and “condensing” (he meant “condescending”) to him, saying, “I ain’t never seen no soft-ass bitch like Rafa be so mean and condensing, or whatever the fuck the word is. Then he wanna cry about some fool pickin’ on him. Boohoo, bitch.” He alleges that Rafa called him a “never-was” actor. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, Tino is an actor too. And a burlesque performer. Not that either of that matters. Yeah, so Tino is a lot, you guys; he is a straight-up looney tune in the dumbest way possible. He just sees red whenever Rafa’s name is brought up, and I’m like, “Bitch, what are you talking about?! *YOU* keep bringing him up like he owes you something.”
So, while Karlo and Tino may have apparently crossed paths with Rafa before (which Rafa denies during the reunion), they never appear in a single episode with Rafa or Alastair until the reunion. Until then this pointless duo appears alongside David as his true hangers-on, appearing with David on Episodes 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 14 (the latter being the reunion). And every time they get together, who do they talk about? Rafael Luis Silva. I mean, for real, you guys. They literally have nothing else to talk about. Y’all, I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired of hearing these three idiots complain about Rafa being this shitty person that they want him to be. Like, FUCK! Do they want Rafa to bow down to them and be their butler, personal slave, and babysitter? What the fuck is wrong with these guys?! It just screams to me that they are desperate for his attention, as if they truly believe that Flaming Bros San Fernando is the Rafa Show, and believe me: that is absolutely NOT what Rafa wants.
Child, those 3 niggas are crazy. I’m sorry. They’re not Black so why would I even call them that? But this is David, Karlo, and Tino we’re talking about, okay? And I’m Black, so whatever.
You can already see from a mile away why CJ and Matthew made the cut as full-timers, and Karlo and Tino did not.
In Episode 4, when a producer asks CJ if he's seen Karlo and Tino during his time in Sylmar, he bluntly says, "I've never seen them. You would *think* that I've seen them, since Sylmar is small as Hell, but... no. Noooo... "
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Speaking of which, in Episode 6 during the Bakersfield trip, when Karlo and Tino arrive to the house that the group is sharing, CJ had this hilarious comment to make about Tino’s outfit via confessional: "So Tino comes in the house, looking like he had just wrapped up a cabaret or burlesque show . Hey, he can dress very well - better than me, I must say. The problem is that he's *overdressed*. Like, dude, what are you doing?! "
During this episode, Karlo and Tino have a field day with CJ and Matthew. Karlo calls CJ a “disrespectful cunt” for bringing up David’s past (a reference to the Episode 2 meeting between David and CJ/Matthew at El Cariso Community Regional Park). And Tino says to Matthew that he’s a “scary little bitch” for supposedly not having the balls to stand up for himself. SIDENOTE: it really irritates me when somebody says “scary” when they really mean “scared.” If they’re trying to say that somebody is a coward or afraid, the correct word is SCARED, not SCARY. But then again, this is the same Tino who said that Rafa was being CONDENSING, when the correct word is CONDESCENDING. Illiterate-ass bitch.
"Those two clearly learned from the best: David, spelled C-U-N-T," says CJ via confessional, Episode 6.
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Aiden and Jason are as ruthless (and dangerous) as ever, especially to the new guys; at this point, they are over David. They also love coming off sus to the viewers.
Christian…????
In the season premiere, we see trouble in paradise really start to begin between Jason and Christian, after gossip blogs, reports, and chatrooms allege that either Jason is having an affair with Aiden, or Christian and Jason have an open relationship with Aiden and Aiden's husband Z Halley (who we don't see this season), depending on the source. In the words of RHOC's Brooks Ayers, consider your source.
Either way, viewers are not shocked to hear about these rumors because Jason and Aiden always seemed to have a friendship that always felt more FWB-ish than platonic. Plus, as mentioned in Season 1, Jason always had a reputation of allegedly getting around in San Fernando. And Aiden never seemed to care that he was flirting with someone else’s man. Neither did Jason, who hypocritically dislikes Christian's friendship with Rafa (Rafa never appears in a single scene with Jason this season until the reunion).
Even Zachary and Alastair on the Season 3 premiere (after discussing Rafa's absence) are just wondering how Christian is putting up with being a third wheel in that dynamic, just as the dorks in love are months away from getting married themselves.
And now, the gossip duo that is Jayden/J&A/Jay&Aidencito is being bombarded by these rumors. KARMA. Still, no matter how Jason made Rafa feel, Rafa chooses not to speak of the "open relationship" controversy when asked about it on his Season 3 Episode 11 confessional - "All I'm gonna say is that it's not true, and I'll just leave it at that. Christian trusts me with his life. And whatever he tells me, I just keep to myself. Because... it's his story to tell... not mine."
Remember when David said in Season 2 that there was something oddly familiar about Aiden? And remember when back in Season 1, he accused Jason of cheating on Christian with someone who sounded and acted like Jason (“single white female much”)? Well, as soon as David heard about this tea, he felt vindicated. Of course he did. This is probably the only time any logical viewer was on David’s side, not because they like David (I mean, he literally spread the word about Jason’s alleged cheating via Grindr on Season 1), but because a lot of viewers have suspected this. Even people who watched the 2013 sizzle remember Jason and Aiden’s friendship being rather… well… too playful. Not that Christian ever saw the sizzle himself.
Christian, who was often too scared to speak out against Jason or Aiden's questionable behavior, is now at the center of Flaming Bros drama, something that he never asked for. I gotta be honest: I feel bad for Christian having to deal with the backlash. He married Jason because he was in love with him and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. And now there are plenty of people who clown him for marrying someone as controlling, vicious and manipulative as Jason, with one not-so-anonymous tweet saying, "Christian, you're adorable. But you are also fucking stupid!" Ouch!
The only cast member who does not talk about Jason and Christian's relationship drama is Rafa. In fact, during a confessional in Episode 11, when asked by a producer about the rumors of Jason and Christian having an open relationship with Aiden and Z Halley, Rafa had this to say: "I'm actually not gonna talk about that, except to say that it's not true that they're having an open relationship. Certain things that Christian tells me, I already assume that it's private and just keep it to myself. He trusts me with his life. And I'm not gonna ruin that."
One memorable moment between Christian and Jason happens in Episode 5. Jason is annoyed that Christian won’t come to the Bakersfield trip with him. His whole thing is, “Rafa won’t be there, so I thought you’d be able to pay attention to me.” Of course, Jason. Police Christian while you get to freely play around with Aiden, allegedly. Christian, being the only reasonable B&S-adjacent element who makes sense, looks at him when he makes that selfish comment, and carefully says this to Jason: “I’m gonna let that slide. But Jay, I can tell when I’m not wanted. In case you haven’t cared to notice, your friends don’t like me. So, why would I go? And also, I don’t even think you guys like each other, so why are *you* going?” And of course, Jason doesn’t have an answer to either question, though many viewers are right to assume that he’s going because Aiden will be there. And it’s not like Christian HAS to go on the Bakersfield trip anyway because he’s not a cast member (though somehow, that doesn’t stop Enrique’s brother Carlos or Enrique’s brother Danny from tagging along, so whatever). Without saying so (because he knows Jason will jump to conclusions), he’s following Rafa’s example of avoiding people who bring nothing but drama, negativity, toxicity, stress, anxiety, gossip etc.
Also, notice that Christian referred to Jason as “Jay.” That has apparently never happened before until Christian reminded Jason, “I can tell when I’m not wanted.” We’ve always thought that Aiden was the only one who called Jason “Jay.” Jason even cringed when Christian called him “Jay,” but when Aiden does it, it’s a totally different mood, as if Aiden makes him feel special (and maybe even aroused). Yeah, I’m starting to see why Jay and Aidencito never have any scenes between the two of them during the Bakersfield trip; they are always with somebody else. That’s the best producers are *willing* do. This is why Aiden never should’ve joined the show, even if he was a better addition than Estuardo.
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Let’s talk about Bakersfield.
When the majority of the cast (Enrique, Jason, David, Matthew, CJ, Karlo, and Tino), as well as “non cast members” Carlos (Enrique’s brother) and Danny (Enrique’s husband), go on the trip to Bakersfield (which lasts Episodes 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10), much of the on-screen focus is on the bonding between CJ and Matthew. Normally, cast trips are meant to bring cast members together for bonding and activities, and so far, no one is really doing that with each other, or even with CJ or Matthew. So, in a way, the two main newbies are pretty much iced out, which would've made for a miserable trip for both of them. David’s friend group is rude as fuck, and Enrique’s friend group is messy, but even CJ says in his confessional, “What’s the fuckin’ difference?” But actually, without those toxic groups constantly in their ear, CJ and Matthew are able to get to know each other, for real. By this point, the two newbies were not exactly besties, but always found their way back to each other. They just understood each other in a way that no one else did, which made communication between the two easier by the time they went to Bakersfield.
Episode 7 is where the two open up to each other in a room that they are sharing together, while the rest of the already-fucked up group is doing God knows what. CJ is very heated after David had just called him the weaker version of David, and Matthew checks up on him. The episode marks the first time CJ (and we, the viewers) learns about Matthew’s strained relationship with his mom. According to Matthew himself, growing up, he has always had a lack of motivation, direction, or control, "as if I couldn't do anything right," which put a strain in his relationship with his mother Lori Frias, who he hasn't seen or spoken to since leaving Dallas, Texas and moving to the City of San Fernando in 2015. He has never met his father to this day, and none of his mom’s past boyfriends have ever been nice to him; in fact one of them was actually physically abusive towards him when he was 12 years old. But Lori would always take their side because she couldn’t stand the thought of losing another boyfriend. Although Lori always saw Matthew as the real problem in private, she always paraded Matthew as this perfect golden child in public, which he struggled to maintain for her. The stress over that became too much for Matthew, that at one point he had a panic attack, which she saw as him being "dramatic as usual." And when he was 14 years old, he told his mom was that he was gay, which she did not take well. And he knew that he couldn't control how his mom felt (and apparently still feels as of 2026). He actually started drinking when he was 17 years old to cope with his religious trauma and abuse trauma, and feeling like a disappointment, and went to rehab months later during the Spring 2013 semester of his senior year in Dallas High School. He’s been sober since then, but still attends meetings in Northridge, and still finds it hard to fight the temptation in 2017. He’s still trying to figure out his purpose in life. He's not very consistent as an actor, and wonders if he was just doing it for the fame. He didn’t have friends back in Dallas, and he didn’t have any friends throughout his short time in the City of San Fernando, but the many rare times he’d speak to CJ at San Fernando Fitness prior to their casting on FBSF gave him some hope.
That same episode, Matthew (and we, the viewers) learns about CJ’s first love and heartbreak, which he experienced with a childhood male friend. He met this person at age four, and they grew up together, sharing many memories and a deep connection. Their relationship evolved from friendship into physical intimacy and emotional exploration, where they planned a future together. Despite their strong bond, they never explicitly labeled their relationship as "boyfriends," but CJ considers him his first boyfriend because of the depth of their connection and shared experiences. The relationship ended when his friend started year 11 (which is 10th grade in the United States) and the friend’s new friend group disliked CJ, leading to him being pushed away and bullied by the friend. The heartbreak culminated in a distressing incident where his friend physically pushed him down and verbally abused him and called him a faggot. CJ explains to Matthew that experiencing this heartbreak while closeted was particularly difficult, as he was still in the closet and couldn't share the true reason for his sadness with his family. He had to "bottle it up," and believes this contributed to him being in denial and in the closet for a long time and refusing to be with the same sex ever again, as he didn't want to feel those feelings for real. CJ admits that even though he never hid from April that he is bisexual, he doesn’t feel comfortable talking about men (or his experiences with men) with her because of the negative stigma that comes with being anything other than straight or gay. Still, he never felt love again until he met April, who CJ refers to as the best thing that ever happened to him; female, male or non-binary (the latter being a term that wasn’t regularly used in 2017).
Episode 7 is when CJ and Matthew start exploring Bakersfield without the rest of the group (who mainly just stay in the house all week), and it’s really refreshing to see just the two of them away from the others. In his confessional, Matthew says, “If we stay in the house all day, all we’re gonna do is fight with the others, and we already did that last night. We need fresh air, damn it.” The visit the Flight Adventure Park, a trampoline park that they instantly find irresistible! And boy do they have a blast!
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Now, if you thought I had a bad case of APML, you are absolutely wrong. But it means that you noticed that I did not mention Alex Paredes at all when I mentioned earlier who’s in, who’s out, and who’s returning.
So, if – for whatever reason – you’ve been wondering where the Dumb Pussy has been since storming out of the reunion last season, look no further.
Starting in Episode 7, Alex Paredes is back, and y'all, Alex is still Alex. Just boring. Just blah. Just a blank sheet of paper. Just nothing. Just hateful. Just full of shit. Just gullible. And just a dumb pussy who STILL refuses to think for himself.
Still sticking with Jason's story about Alastair wanting to have sex with Peter (for the last time, that is NOT what Jason said), while the viewers simply DO NOT care about or believe the accusation at all.
Seriously, nobody cares about that stupid story. Even Jason has moved on from that story. Fuck, so has Alastar, who does not share a single scene with Alex P this season.
But on Episode 7, he appears out of nowhere, making us viewers go, "Woah, where did you come from?" And during that episode, on the group trip to Bakersfield (remember, Rafa and Alastair do not attend) – which could be described as Bad Boys Club when the attention is off CJ and Matthew – tensions are at an all-time HIGH when Alex P confronts Jason about the allegation, wanting to know if Jason was telling him the truth or not, this is Jason’s response:
“Well, I didn’t actually say that Alastair wanted to have sex with Peter, I just said that Alastair *tried to make a move* on Peter. You just assumed what you wanted to assume, and I didn’t say yes or no.”
Well, damn, Jason! Just petty! 😜🤪
And on Episode 10 (the final day of their Bakersfield trip), a game of "Q&A" with the trip attendees turns physical when Alex P calls Jason a liar for telling him that Alastair wanted to screw Peter (ALEX! That's not what fucking said!).
Alex P: "YOU'RE A FUCKING LIAR, JASON!" Jason: "HOW AM I A LIAR?!"
Well, Jason, you did make up a lie about Alastair trying to make a move on Peter. WHY ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT THIS?! AND ALASTAIR'S NOT EVEN ON THE TRIP WITH THEM (nor does he ever interact with or share any scenes with Alex P)!
Anyway... this vicious exchange of words leads to a fight where Alex P breaks a glass on a table and goes toe-to-toe with Jason and Aiden. And Matthew and CJ (who just had their own aforementioned bonding moment in their room away from the group earlier) are just so flabbergasted by the brawl and everyone's behavior that they just stuck with each other for the rest of the trip. But rest assured, they were ready to go home lol.
The LOUD AND DEAFENING argument between Alex P and J&A becomes so heated; they are at each other's faces YELLING AND SCREAMING AT EACH OTHER, and Alex P pushes Aiden down spits at Jason face. Matthew gasps when witnessing this, and CJ is just in shock. This foolish act, provokes Jason to run to beat Alex's ass. But of course, the security doesn't let that happen, and all Jason (with all his Miami energy) can say to the guards is, "GET THE FUCK OFF ME! LET ME GO!"
Alex P is quickly removed from the trip and fired from the show immediately. And he doesn't even show up to the reunion.
Wow. Talk about a short-lived stint as a friend-of. Just four episodes (episodes 7 through 10), and that’s it.
Bye, Dumb Pussy!
Moments after witnessing all that chaos, and while everyone else is calming down, Matthew and CJ are back in their room. Matthew says to CJ, "Hey, we're getting out of Bakersfield alive, together." CJ - still stunned by the fuckery they just witnessed - says, "Good 'cause I don't wanna fight you, dude." Matthew: "Deal." And both chuckle and shake hands.
The beginning of a long-running dynamic duo.
And what were David and Enrique doing this entire trip? Beats me. Who cares?
I guess you could say that for only four episodes (7-10), Alex P was only brought back into the show to semi-replace Alastair and Rafa, and I agree. But did it need to happen? No.
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And by Episode 8 everyone minus CJ and Matthew can’t stop talking about Rafa. There was a lot of tension within the B&S cult, as well as tension between B&S and David’s group… the Sylmar Sinners (thanks for the name, fandom lol). But rest assured, the Bullies & Snobs are always gonna get along when they complain about Rafa’s absence, how Rafa is a drama queen, how Rafa is boring, how Rafa runs away from his problems, how Rafa should stay off the show because he’s ghetto and violent. Meanwhile you got the Sylmar Sinners (which CJ wants NO part of) who complains about how Rafa is fake, how Rafa is a coward, how Rafa is mean, how Rafa is a terrible friend, how Rafa can’t get a man…
I was just like, “OH… MY… GOD!”
You guys, if CJ and Matthew didn’t go on this Bakersfield trip, I would not be discussing the events that go on during the trip. I hope y’all realize how much I love y’all. But even CJ and Matthew have had it with these people. “This is why CJ and I almost didn’t go on this trip,” says Matthew via confessional, “Every time we turn around, nobody else is truly bonding until Rafa’s name comes up. I realize that I’m not the right person to be bringing this up, because I don’t know Rafa at all. But everything they’re saying about him just sounds SO made up because they *have* no substance. They are nothing without him. Why can’t they just say that and be done with it?”
CJ rolls his eyes when they start complaining about Rafa again. In his confessional, he says, “If these bitches start complaining about Rafa one more time… I mean… WHAT IT WRONG WITH YOU GUYS?! WE’RE IN BAKERSFIELD FOR A WEEK! WE SHOULD BE HAVIN’ A GOOD-ASS TIME AND BONDING AND WHATNOT. Instead, we got Jason complaining about Rafa, Aiden complaining about Rafa, Enrique complaining about Rafa, David complaining about Rafa, Tino complaining about Rafa, Karlo complaining about Rafa… I don’t know why *Alex* is complaining about Rafa, since Rafa doesn’t even remember that recycled-ass bitch. And Karlo and Tino don’t even *know* Rafa. It’s literally just me and Matthew who are trying to have a good time. All these other people? They are so obsessed with Rafa, it’s kinda scary. Or, I’m sorry, the word is *scared*, you know, if you speak the *Tino* language. *rolls eyes*”
Luckily, CJ and Matthew don’t stay in the house for too long because they take tours of the Fox Theater at Downtown Bakersfield, visit the Bakersfield Museum of Art, and go to the BLVD for dinner and bowling. And again, they just really enjoy each other’s company
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But Episode 9 starts off stressful, and here’s why:
When CJ, Matthew, Karlo and Tino (basically all the Season 3 newbies) are sitting down in the living room the next day, there is a lot of tension. Basically, when CJ asked Karlo and Tino, “So are y’all ever gonna explore Bakersfield or are you just gonna stay in this house all day like you’ve done for the past three days?” Tino says, “Well there ain’t nothing in this city that I wanna do.” CJ side-eyes that response while Matthew says, “Well, um, CJ and I traveled and went to all these different places like, the BLVD, Museum of Art, and Flight Adventure Park. It was really fun and we got to stay active during those few days.” CJ adds, “Yup, and we also went on a walking tour of the Fox Theater at Downtown Bakersfield; it was so surreal. I think everyone in this group would’ve enjoyed those activities. Great distractions, if you ask me.” Karlo gets a bit negative when he says, “Hmm, maybe. Although Alastair and Rafa would probably be sulking.” CJ covers his and lets out a muttered, “Oh my God…” Matthew says via confessional, “Yeah… I think CJ and I both know what – or rather *who* – Karlo and Tino are gonna be *talking* about for the rest of this trip. So much for bonding.” CJ wastes no time expressing his frustration via confessional, “Here we go again. I mean seriously. I can’t stand this group anymore, and I know Matt feels the same way. But at least he and I are making an effort to see what Bakersfield – a city that we’ve never been to – has to offer for tourists. And least Enrique was paying for this trip, so thank you, Enrique, for making yourself useful. That doesn’t happen very often, mind you.”
CJ asks Tino and Karlo, “So you guys are just gonna stay here and be moping all day about Rafa and Alastair? Is that what it is? Because I know one thing: I did not come into this trip to be moping about drama that has absolutely nothing to do with me.” The rest of the group shows up just as CJ says to Karlo and Tino, “You guys and, really, *everyone else* – not you, Matt – have been going on and on and on about Alastair and *especially* Rafa. It is driving. Me. Crazy. Talk about something else! Talk about Donald Trump being our next president, for all I care. Just anything will do; anything but the same ol’ drama that you’ve been whining about since you got on this show. Please! Because this shit is getting ridiculous, I’m sorry.”
David butts in and goes the misogynistic route by saying, “Man, calm down. You on your period?” CJ quickly says, “No but I know you’re on *yours*,” which shocks David and gets an “OOH!” from Matthew. CJ is not intimidated by David’s posturing the way a few others have been.
Matthew says, “Look the point is, Rafa and Alastair are not here. So, stop talking about them every five seconds.”
In his confessional, CJ shakes his head and says, “I can’t wait till Rafa and Alastair to see this for themselves. Lord, have mercy.”
Matthew looks at Enrique and challenges him by asking, “What do you think Enrique? Hm? You’ve been encouraging this behavior for three years now. And now none of your so-called friends can go a single minute without talking about two people who’ve refused to film with y’all.”
Enrique has heard enough and says, “You know what, bitch? You and CJ don’t even know the story to be having an opinion about this?” Matthew argues back, “Neither do Karlo or Tino. And the only reason you’re not saying anything about them is because they don’t like Rafa or Alastair either. Don’t be a hypocrite.” Enrique says, “Well Matthew, I’m getting really tired or you and CJ complaining about what we do, when you two didn’t even have to come here with your foul attitude, okay? We were doing just fine whenever you weren’t around, and I don’t appreciate you questioning my role as the leader of this show.” Matthew says, “The fact that we weren’t around when you have your conflict with Rafa is irrelevant when you allow outsiders - who weren’t there either - to share your opinion on Rafa and agree with everything that you say. That’s not fair.” Enrique deflects by saying, “Well, look, if you don’t like our ‘behavior,’ then I suggest you do something about it before I do. Okay?” Matthew is taken aback by this threat and says, “Really? You wanna go there?” Enrique yells, “YOU DAMN RIGHT I WANNA GO THERE!” Matthew says, “Girl… I mean if we’re gonna talking about things that happened when we weren’t there, I’m reminded everyday of why Rafa said that you were garbage. Because that’s exactly what you are.” Enrique angrily looks at Matthew and says, “Bitch, you wanna get smart with me? You wanna do that to me? ‘Cuz I can do much worse to you, *and more*. Alright?!” While CJ is visibly disgusted with Enrique’s threat, Matthew laughs out of disbelief, and softly says to Enrique, “Now who’s ghetto?” Oooh… Enrique is ANGRY.
Don’t worry, CJ and Matthew excuse themselves out of the house to see what else they can find when in Bakersfield. Matthew was right to say in Episode 7 that they needed air. And they end up going to the entertainment park MB2 Entertainment, in which they got to play mini golf and arcade games, but most excitingly laser tag and go-kart race against each other. They’re having so much fun that they almost don’t ever want to leave. But this is where their competitive edge really shines and they can forget for a few hours that they’re still filming a show.
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Until the reunion, the Season premiere (Episode 1) is the only episode where Alastair shares a scene with Jason and Aiden (the San Fernando Mall cast get-together where Alastair talks down to David). And Episode 2 is the last episode he films with David and Enrique until the reunion. He also never appears in any scene with Alex Paredes (who doesn’t attend the reunion). And he never meets Karlo or Tino until the reunion, but hears so much about them from CJ and Matthew, of course.
While Matthew, CJ, B&S, and the Sylmar Sinners are at Bakersfield, and while the B&S and Sylmar Sinners are struggling to make us care for them this whole season, we see Alastair and Zachary go through so much ups and downs that come with the last few months as boyfriends/fiancés.
In fact, the whole season, it’s a new misadventure for the two – from their sill banters throughout the season, to learning how to domesticate themselves. From the horror stories of cooking for themselves instead of eating out all the time in Episode 5 (Alastair's not that good at cooking or baking, letting you know that Zachary is definitely the future wife in the relationship lol), to signing prenups much to their respective families’ devastation in Episode 6. From drunkenly and horribly singing Selena's "No Me Queda Mas" to each other in acapella in Episode 12, to getting their marriage license early in Episode 13.
What's even crazier (yet freaking awesome) is that later during the season finale (Episode 13) (where the Sylmar Sinners and B&S gang do NOT appear), the two lovebirds (along with Rafa, Matthew, and CJ) go streaking in their neighborhood in the middle of the night, as suggested by CJ. You know, like frat brothers, but queer, funnier, and more likeable. During that finale, while still naked and hiding behind a tree, the fiancés even ponder how they might have met, if not for Instagram, imagining a bar scenario, where Zachary would've made his move first.
This is also the first season we meet Alastair's sisters Tiffany and Amanda in Episode 7, and they are absolutely hilarious.
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Now, you’re probably wondering where Rafa fits into this season.
Well at first, he doesn’t. And that’s okay. After his final interaction with David in Season 3 Episode 2 (until the reunion), Rafa made it crystal clear that he was not filming/interacting with David ever again. And half of the production who wanted messy drama was annoyed by this, but they had no choice but to just respect his boundaries.
And the OTHER half of production respected this and had absolutely no respect for David (or even the rest of the Sylmar Sinners or the B&S brats). So, when the four likable cast members (Rafa, Alastair, Matthew, and CJ) refused to engage with David (all for different reasons), David’s screentime was limited. And when Rafa (as well as Alastair) chose to stop being around the Bullies & Snobs this season, that alliance struggled to carry on without their punching bag and couldn’t even put on a united front, except when Rafa was constantly talked about, especially while they were in Bakersfield. It was literally a lot of infighting within the B&S group (as well as between B&S and the Sylmar Sinners), proving Rafa’s Season 1 accusation of them not liking each other to be true.
So, he never has any scenes with Jason or Aiden prior to the reunion. And he never shares a scene with Alex Paredes (and therefore didn’t even know that Alex P would be back on the show). And he only has one scene with both David and Enrique during the mic drop meeting at David’s home in Episode 2.
While Alastair eventually does connect with CJ and Matthew during Episode 5 before the two newbies leave for Bakersfield the next episode, Rafa has a slightly cold response to them in the beginning of Episode 3 by saying very little and giving them the cold shoulder. He’s still in survivor mode after being bullied and attacked by nearly every cast member, so he’s just simply not ready to trust any cast member other than Alastair.
After his intense-yet-necessary mic drop meeting with David in Episode 2, Rafa’s main arc this season is focusing on putting himself first, or at least trying to. Initially, he was doing whatever he could as the future best man for Zachary and Alastair, alongside fellow best man Bailey Garcia, Zach’s younger brother. But while Alastair appreciates this, he can see that Rafa’s heart was not really in it the way that Rafa wanted it to be, and that Rafa needed to take a break and just focus on himself. “Better yet, I think he needs a break from the entire San Fernando Valley. He deserves it,” Alastair says via confessional.
That’s when we see Rafa’s brother Dominic visit him at his equestrian job in Episode 3. Also thinking that Rafa needs a break from San Fernando period, he invites Rafa to a trip to Belo Horizonte to visit their extended family, and Alastair thinks it would be good for him. He reluctantly accepts the invitation, and even Jason’s husband Christian thinks it's a good idea. And in Episode 4 when Rafa and Dominic are finally back in Brazil, it ends up becoming exactly what Rafa needed. Not only does he visit his relatives, but he also returns to his roots culturally, as he is heard speaking Portuguese onscreen for the very first time in the show’s history. Until this point, we had only heard Rafa speak English and Spanish, but it was never a secret that he also spoke fluent Portuguese, his first language. In Episode 5, while still in Belo Horizonte, when Dom asks Rafa about his status on the show. Rafa admits that he is unsure; “I would like to still be there for Alastair, Zach, and Christian, definitely. But beyond that… I just know that I want things to be different. I don’t wanna be miserable anymore.” In the end of Episode 5, Rafa is seen sitting across a waterfall, saying absolutely nothing the whole time. He is just staying quiet, lost in his own thoughts, and even letting a tear roll down his face. Meanwhile, his confessional, he says, “Breaking out of that box that David and the others tried to put me in, working with horses, acting, helping Zach and Alastair with their wedding plans, taking Christian’s advice to avoid Enrique's alliance, and now coming back to Brazil just sparked this fire in me to make me know for a fact that being around Enrique’s alliance is not where I need to be. Nor do I need to be around David anymore. Still, I would like to start over with CJ and Matthew one day when I come back to San Fernando because I don’t wanna be the guy who dislikes new people. I was a new person once on this show. So… this is not the end of my run as a flaming bro. But it *is* the end of my era as the punching bag.”
And just like that, Rafa is absent during Episodes 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 because he had actually left the series indefinitely, needing to take a mental break. So, we don’t hear from him at all during the Bakersfield trip. However, during those five episodes, during Alastair’s scenes, Alastair keeps us updated with Rafa’s time away from the show. During those off-screen times after coming back from Brazil to the City of San Fernando, he returned to his job and education, resumed his best man duties with Bailey, and acted in the short film “Unpaid Interns.” He’s been able to concentrate on his studies at CSUN. And of course, he’s still working with his beloved horses, so the man has kept himself busy during his time off the show. Leaving was the best thing he could do for himself. But little did he know until his first episode back (Episode 11) that he mortal enemies have been talking endlessly about him and sometimes Alastair while in Bakersfield, and both CJ and Matthew had to put up with that for a whole week.
When he finally comes back onscreen for Episode 11, he is much lighter and healthier, now that he’s avoided David, Enrique, Jason, and Aiden, and is ready to finally start fresh with Matthew and CJ.
Before his brief exit from the show, and following his final interaction with David, Rafa was not exactly interested in getting to know Matthew and CJ as he was very sure that they would be another group of people whose only sole purpose was to hate on him and Alastair. So, he mostly kept his distance from them. Matthew and CJ understood given their aforementioned knowledge of the group’s dynamic, so they weren’t surprised. Alastair didn’t even need to explain Rafa’s distance. But they did feel a little let down because of (again) the group’s already fractured dynamic. And even viewers were a little torn by Rafa’s distance from them, even if it was justified.
Alastair, on the other hand, did eventually work up the courage to get to know CJ and then Matthew (during Episode 5 while Rafa was already in Brazil), and realized that he really enjoyed their company and fresh dynamic. And when the duo returned from Bakersfield and told Alastair all about it, Alastair even asked how they were able to survive that trip (and even shaded Alex P’s short-lived return; “Talk about a freaking jump scare,” Alastair says via confessional). Alastair tells Rafa, “I think you’ll get along well with CJ and Matthew. They both came on this show pretty nervous because... well, nobody likes each other. In fact, they told me that two other new guys... Karlo and Tino were just... unbearable during that Bakersfield trip. I don't wanna say that it's because they're David's best friends. But just a heads up: every time they would get together with David, all three of them talk about is Y-O-U and sometimes me. To which Rafa says, “Oh, no… Well, they better hope and pray that they’ll make it to the reunion. But yeah, I’d still like to talk to CJ and Matthew, if they’re interested.”
Luckily, Matthew and CJ were. And Rafa apologizes to them for his attitude towards them. He explains what he was going through at the time, and that he didn’t feel right about icing them out; “I took it out on you guys, and that wasn’t right. And I’m really, really sorry. The truth is, I was just scared.” CJ and Matthew understood this and genuinely forgave him. And throughout the rest of Season 3, Rafa, Alastair, CJ, and Matthew started to feel less separated, and viewers say that this half of the cast really started to feel like a cast with actual chemistry and stakes, as if they really didn’t need the rest of the cast.
Together they became newly dubbed by fans as The Amigos. And going forward, the show ends up being anchored around them as the stable foundation, something that B&S and Sylmar Sinners failed to achieve because they refused to grow and stop making everything about Rafa.
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Season 3 Reunion Seating Arrangement
Left - Right: Karlo Ishibashi (fifth chair), David Ty Reza (fourth chair), Enrique Sapene (third chair), Matthew Frias (second chair), CJ Niner (first chair), Ross Matthews (HOST), Alastair Patton-Garcia (first chair), Rafael Luis Silva (second chair), Jason Caceres (third chair), Aiden Lee-Halley (fourth chair), Tino Padilla (fifth chair)d
David Ty Reza (aka David Lie Reza, as Rafa calls him during the reunion) wears a pink shirt under a blue jean jacket, black pants and black converse shoes. Enrique has a white shirt with the American flag on it, blue jeans, and brown dress shoes. Matthew wears a black tank top, khaki short shorts, and brown crocs and Nautica Men’s Double Buckle Sandals. CJ (the first newbie to get the first chair in a reunion) wears a bisexual flag shirt, black jeans, and brown vans shoes. Alastair wears a University of Texas shirt, gray sweatpants, and green running shoes, along with his signature dog tags around his neck. Rafa has a Brazilian flag shirt with blue shorts, and green tennis shoes. Jason is wearing a white shirt with red stripes, brown pants, and white Nikes shoes. Aiden is wearing a white shirt with red polka dots, brown pants, and white Nikes shoes. Of course he is.
CJ and Matthew verbally end David's relevance once and for all.
And there was a funny moment from our Brazilian sweetheart Rafa that fans adored and will never let him live down.
Ross: We invited Alex Paredes to the reunion, but he had declined to come. But before we get to what happened at Bakersfield, Rafa...?
Rafa: Yes.
Ross: Do you remember who Alex Paredes is?
Rafa: Yeah, Jason's brother, right?
Alastair: Oh, my God... *facepalms and laughs, along with CJ, Matthew, and Ross. Rafa looks a little embarrassed and tries not to laugh*"
*Jason and Aiden try not to laugh, too, and just shake their heads. Enrique and David just roll their eyes while David mutters, "Stupid..." Shut up, David.*
Ross: Nope. Not that Alex.
Rafa: "😦 OH! Right. The dumb pussy. Yeah. 😶"
The reactions from the audience are just priceless!
Honestly, after 2 seasons of babysitting the very people who did him SO damn wrong, Rafa deserved the break from that group and let them crash and burn by themselves, even if it meant that he had to actually leave the show. Also, I don't believe for a second that Alex P was actually invited to the reunion. If anything, that was just PR talk for, "He wasn't invited, but we're just trying to be nice."
The fact that Rafa did not have a first chair this season garnered a mixed feedback. But when you consider his need to take a mental break from the show so he could stop being the main focus, it makes sense that he didn't have a first chair, and I don't he cares about not sitting closer to the host. It is what it is.
This reunion marks the only time Rafa and Alastair see Karlo and Tino. Rafa denies ever interacting with them, but they stick with their story like it’s their life’s mission to do so. But unbeknownst to Karlo, Tino, or even David, Rafa did what pro-David production failed to do: a background check on the newbie friend-ofs. And he let’s everyone in the reunion know that Karlo and Tino don’t live anywhere in the San Fernando Valley.
Rafa says to Ross Matthews, “When I watched their scenes the same time as everyone else, I could tell that they wanted to be on the show so bad that they were willing to do whatever they needed to do. I think it’s very clear that they just wanted to use me and David as an excuse to be on the show and expose themselves as a couple of disrespectful clowns that they are. But Karlo lives in East Los Angeles, and Tino lives in Crenshaw. They do not live in Sylmar, Pacoima, or anywhere in the San Fernando Valley.” Karlo cuts Rafa off to ask, “Why you gotta say that? That ain’t true!” Rafa quickly and calmly says, “Yes it is. Every confessional scene was done in your East LA home.” Karlo cuts him off again to say, “Lies, bitch. Lies.” Tino says, “Yeah man, we live in Sylmar. Check your fuckin’ sources.” Rafa says, “I did. And I made sure that it was all legit, which it is.” Tino says, “Well you dumb as fuck, bro.” Rafa says, “Yeah, fine, says the guy who says I’m condensing, but don’t worry, I won’t correct you on that.” Hahaha Damn, Rafa!
The bottom line this: David was not being honest about his two minions. As a matter of fact, three seasons in row, and David is still not being honest, or clear about who he is, who he was, or what his intentions were when befriending Rafa. And now he’s not confirming or denying his alleged role in grooming Karlo and Tino to lie about Rafa. He’s already shown himself to be a user and a liar! And at this point, I am sick and tired of David. He refuses to do better, so there is no need for him to come back next season. And most fans of the show couldn’t agree more. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ross Matthews had the same opinion, because this is just ri-damn-diculous.
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Overall, despite how Season 3 started, it ended up being an overdue improvement. And although the season had an overbloated cast of villains not enough tolerable people, it feels slightly more balanced than it ever was, with Rafa, Alastair, Matthew, and CJ being top tier, especially when they finally came together as one.
I will say this: it's actually at its strongest when the show focuses on Alastair, CJ, Matthew, and Rafa. Showing us a reality show that it has every potential to be.
Rafa's absence really hurt David and B&S this season, but honestly, they deserved it. It was an unfortunate loss for fans of the Amigos dynamic, but Rafa’s lack of involvement became B&S’s and David’s karma. And unfortunately for B&S, they do not get any better next season. It’s clear that they need Rafa or they risk being irrelevant, but Rafa is no longer playing that game with them. That alliance's downfall keeps getting worse and worse, it's actually satisfying.
David, Jason, Alex P, Enrique, and Aiden really HAD to work for their spots on the show. But we already knew that Alex P wasn’t gonna last much longer, and Enrique was not willing to do anything special.
It's actually pretty organic how the new dubbed Amigos - Rafa, Alastair, CJ, and Matthew - started this season somewhat separate and then came together after Rafa returned to filming and CJ and Matthew returned from Bakersfield. A lot of it had to do with the lack of trust (from Rafa and Alastair being used by David, leading to Rafa initially not wanting to give CJ or Matthew a chance, to CJ and Matthew themselves not trusting each other just yet until they had no one else to talk to during that first half of the season). Alastair was literally the only one consistently remaining in the City of San Fernando throughout the entire season while Rafa was in Brazil taking time to himself and newbies CJ and Matthew were truly getting to know each other while in Bakersfield.
Fans, who were ready for something different, deem this the beginning of the soft reboot era; the start of the rain lighting up. All 4 likable cast members brought something essential so that everything wasn't just about Rafa this time, and I know Rafa was *RELIEVED*.
