'The Ultimatum' Fans Are Convinced the Show Is Scripted After New Clue Emerges

The latest season of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On is here, and the drama is already in full swing. From two couples leaving the show early to Nick's erratic behavior toward his girlfriend, Sandy, it's clear this season is shaping up to be a messy one.

But that's not all — viewers are now starting to question whether the show is scripted. So, is The Ultimatum real, or is it all staged? Here's what we know so far.

With most of the season now streaming on Netflix, reality TV fanatics are binge-watching The Ultimatum and sharing their thoughts on social media. In fact, on December 8, one fan took to the show’s subreddit to question if it's staged.

The OP shared a photo they took during a scene, showing Caleb and Aria sitting on the couch. In the shot, Aria's laptop is propped up with a folded piece of paper in front of it.

"Took this photo during a scene: There's a folded piece of paper with writing in front of Aria’s laptop. Script? Notes?" they wondered.

A few people in the comments shot down the idea, with a fellow Reddit user pointing out that the contestants "have to work their normal jobs" while filming. So, it’s more likely that the piece of paper in front of Aria has to do with her day job.

Another person noted that while they don't think The Ultimatum is scripted, they understand that the production team does "stage scenes."

"If a convo happens off camera and they wanna use it for entertainment, they'll make them reenact," the Redditor added.

The photo has since spread to Facebook, where fans again pointed out that the cast is still working while filming. However, some speculated that the document could be "talking points" to guide the couples toward specific discussions on camera.

The photo has since made its way to Facebook, and again, many fans are noting that the cast still has to work while participating in the experiment. However, others claimed the document could be "talking points" to guide the couples toward specific discussions on camera.

Even then, would the producers really let something like that slip into the shot on a reality show? We highly doubt it, but you ever know!

In April 2022, creator Chris Coelen spoke with E! News and dished a few secrets about The Ultimatum. He even suggested that the show isn't scripted, stressing that it thrives on relatable, real-life scenarios of couples facing challenges around marriage.

"Look, an ultimatum is a very relatable thing and the situation that the couples find themselves in is very relatable," he explained. "I think every person, I certainly have been, every person has been in a situation where you are in a relationship for a while and one of you or your partner is ready to get married and the other one isn't quite as sure."

He continued, "It's about, 'Am I willing to commit to you for the rest of my life?' So, starting off of that impulse and relatable idea, we felt like if you put a group of couples together who are all seriously thinking about getting married and all potentially questioning their relationship in the long-term and allow them to choose one another based on things that they thought that they might want in their future, that's going to be a really interesting window in a different possible future."

The Ultimatum is now streaming on Netflix.