Madlyn And Colby Answer Netflix's The Utlimatum - Exclusive Interview
Madlyn Riley Ballatori and her boyfriend, Colby Kissinger, reached a point in their relationship that many other couples may face. While Kissinger was ready to settle down and get married, Ballatori was more on the fence. Although it's quite a familiar sticking point for couples, what happened next was less common. The pair went on Netflix's latest reality dating show, "The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On."
In the series, they and five other couples were challenged to make a final decision on how to move forward. They had eight weeks to do so, and during that time, the original couples separated and paired up with another person from the group. Throughout the experience, they lived like a couple with their new partner to explore what another possibility might look like.
With the first episodes of the series now streaming on Netflix, Ballatori and Kissinger sat down for an exclusive interview with The List. They shared what the experience was like for them, how they feel about the series coming out, and gave advice to anyone at a similar standstill.
What were their thoughts going into the series
Colby, you were the person who issued the ultimatum. What made you want to then take the next step to go through this show process versus just the real-world scenario of that?
Colby: I'm still riding the same train. I threw [it] into a different gear, pretty much. I knew within the first few months that she was the one. Shoot, I knew as soon as she walked through the double doors, she was the one, but you got to give that time to reassure those feelings and make sure you can handle the craziness behind those feelings. She was incredible from day one, and I chased her.
Madlyn, at the beginning of the show, you seemed like you were scared of both options, almost an equal amount. Do you feel like going through the process, outside of who you did or didn't end up with, you were able to kind of learn more about yourself?
Madlyn: Absolutely. Watching it back, it was very enlightening to see me struggling with thinking that giving in to Colby's love would be taking something away from myself instead of adding to it. Hearing other people's perspectives and experiences and spending that time really opened my eyes and made it possible to be where we are now.
What advice would they give to couples at a crossroads
Colby, in hindsight, do you think giving an ultimatum like that is a good way to move a relationship forward?
Colby: In my perspective, yeah, it's pretty good, but overall, it was a hard choice to do it. I knew where my feelings were at, and they were very strong. In order to make a decision like that, you have to really think those things through and make sure you're prepared to make a decision like that.
Madlyn, if you could give advice to anyone who's reached that point in their relationship where they can't decide how to move forward, what would you tell them?
Madlyn: It's hard, and there's no one right way for everybody. As s***ty an ultimatum can be, whenever you do take things to the extremes and really weigh out what your loss would be versus your gain in either direction, it's pretty crazy. It can be wonderful.
Do either of you have any concerns for the show coming out? I know that a lot of people get worried about how they're edited and what the perception will be.
Madlyn: Yeah. I don't think either one of us can say we're 100% proud of every single moment, but all in all, it was a really crazy experience. We did the best we could, so it's dealing with it one day at a time. No real regrets or concerns. We'll be all right.
Episodes 1-8 of "The Ultimatum," as well as the finale and reunion, are now available on Netflix.