The new Peacock reality show Couple to Throuple explores the world of polygamy as it follows four couples while they add a third person to their relationship.
The show premiered on Feb. 8, 2024 and airs new episodes on Thursdays.
Throughout the series, Access Hollywood co-anchor Scott Evans serves as the host and sexologist Shamyra Howard offers guidance and support.
Decider hopped on a Zoom call with the two to chat about the show’s diverse cast, whether it was hard to not intervene during some of the intense moments, and the journey that the couples go on as the series continues.
“All of our couples are spectacular human beings,” said Evans. “All of our couples had this really beautiful way of showing up to this experience open-minded and ready to jump in headfirst, not really knowing what was in store for them.”
That said, Evans thought it was “really cool” to watch the show’s only same-sex couple Ashmal and Rehman go through the experiment and “give it all they have.”
Howard echoed the sentiment that the couples brought something special to the table, but she was most impressed by the diversity in the cast. “I would be remiss if I didn’t say that when I saw Brittne and Sean, I was like, ‘Yes!’ Specifically because they’re a Black couple and Black individuals represent one of the least amount of people in polyamorous communities. I was really excited to see Black communities represented in this way.”
As one can expect, the couples struggle to maintain their balance while adding a person to their relationships which emphasizes the importance of Howard’s presence as she coaches the new partnerships through therapeutic sessions and exercises revolving around boundaries, jealousy, and more.
Howard expressed that she was surprised by some of the situations that unfolded on set, but found it natural to not intervene. “I am a voyeur. I’m a watcher even in my practice on the green couch. I like to watch the dynamic play out,” she told Decider.
“It used to be hard for me to not jump in, but now I just follow the tail of the comet… But I will say, there were some times when I had to fix my face. There are a lot of different scenarios that happen. There are a lot of different emotions, a lot of different feelings, big feelings, small feelings,” Howard continued. “Some things took us by surprise but you got to understand we’re dealing with people’s real lives. This is a real-life scenario. These are real people, real emotions, and sometimes I had to step back and fix my face. As a coach in this space, I often have to fix my face. I found myself doing it a lot.”
Evans felt similarly and said, “Dr. Shamyra maybe had to fix her face a couple of times, but I had to pick up my jaw.”
He added, “The things you all have thought about, the things that maybe you have fantasized about, the things that are maybe even your nightmares happen in the show. There were several points where I was like, ‘I cannot believe this is happening on the internet, on international TV. They’re gonna see this everywhere.'”
Evans shared that not only are the couples “welcoming a different dynamic” into their relationships, but they are also allowing a camera crew to follow them. “Don’t get me wrong, it was a lot — a lot of fun. There is joy in this experience, there is curiosity, and of course, there is connection… there’s physical connection, there’s mental connection. You’re gonna be surprised that it is not all about the physical desires or all about the physical exploration… The heart of the matter is still in the middle of this thing: How we get along as humans, how we mean to connect, how we mean to show up in our relationships, and how we communicate. [The couples] are challenged on a regular basis.”
Couple to Throuple airs Thursdays on Peacock.