Ok, Let’s Talk About Amanda & Kyle’s Relationship

Take a deep breath and crack open a fresh Loverboy: It’s time to get real about Amanda and Kyle. Their relationship and Summer House are basically synonymous at this point. The cameras have been there since the early days, when Kyle would explain his then situationship to Cristina and the Wirkus twins around the kitchen island, all the way through their long-awaited backyard wedding last summer. I think everyone, the couple included, hoped newlywed life would be all diamonds and rosé but this season has shown their vibe to be more lemons and thorns, with their happiest moments seeming to revolve around Schadenfreude derived from Lindsay and Carl’s explosive demise. Peter Pan and Wendy have a sweet love story until you realize Peter ruins it by refusing to grow up. Are Amanda and Kyle still headed for forever or is their happy ever after as non-existent as Neverland? Here’s a meticulous analysis of where they stand now.

During Summer House Season 8

Image Credit: Bravo

If you’re constantly describing your partner as “trash,” “delusional,” and an “asshole,” it’s safe to assume something is probably not right in the relationship. Amanda speaks about Kyle like he’s her insufferable micromanaging boss and takes every opportunity to avoid him, even on their drives to and from the houses where they both live. But Amanda isn’t the only one slinging digs and throwing cold shoulders. From the first party of the season where Kyle vented to Paige about Amanda being unprepared for motherhood, and unreliable when it comes to their burgeoning business Loverboy, it became obvious they both were on different pages about how their marriage should work. They don’t even have the same sense of humor. Kyle thinks it’s lighthearted jest to imply one BFF is trying to steal the other’s girlfriend, whereas Amanda (like a normal human) doesn’t.

To be fair, they’ve had a few moments of calm within the storm where they agreed to spend more time together and try relationship therapy (though Amanda visibly found the idea unappealing). But Kyle staying out with the boys until 4 a.m. on a school night on last week’s episode reignited their issues to a point it seems hard to come back from. At Paige’s catered Italian dinner (shout-out to Paige’s brand-consistent allergy to the kitchen), Amanda seared metaphorical holes into the side of Kyle’s mullet as he shot down her dream of raising kids in Jersey as far-fetched based on where they stand now. Later at the beach, she explains her agitation is tied to Kyle’s eternal search for the next best party, clearly triggered by their years of trust issues over late nights and cheating allegations.

Currently, Since Season 8 Aired

While the midseason trailer promises a lot more drama, Amanda and Kyle, of course, have been seen together as normal since filming wrapped. Amanda teased that the thought of reliving the rest of the season made her “sweat” and that we will eventually see her and Kyle get along… until they don’t again. On a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live, Amanda told Andy she was aware of how hard she was on her husband while Kyle agreed from his seat in the audience (lol what a way to keep him humble), so at least they’re on the same page about something.

An Educated Guess

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After putting so many years, dollars, and puppies into the relationship there’s no way Amanda nor Kyle despite their frustrations would be willing to walk away from the relationship without a fight. And they have taken the first step by acknowledging their faults (instead of focusing on the failed relationships around them) and starting therapy. But, as Kyle himself says, their challenges are remarkable. Even with Loverboy taken out of the picture, the bigger problem of growing apart (or more accurately Amanda growing sick of their status quo) doesn’t go away. Can Kyle evolve from the Peter Pan he is at his core? Does Amanda even want him to anymore, or is she just willing to pursue the family they agreed upon at all costs? My instinct says while people change their habits every day, the essence of who they are remains the same, especially if you’re nearly a middle-aged man. It seems like it would take a miracle worker, or a hell of a lot of fairy dust, to get their relationship to a happy, healthy place that it’s frankly never been before.