Open House: The Great Sex Experiment is a dating and sex program on Channel 4 that explores the idea of non-monogamy with different couples and single people. It follows multiple different couples that are starting their journey being in an open relationship. Set in a rural retreat and puts aside the taboos around polygamy and is all-inclusive.
Season 2 of the program runs for 8 episodes, the last having been published on May 18th of this year.
Throughout the program, you follow different couples coming in and out of the mansion, most obtaining their goals of an open relationship with the help of in-house sex and relationship therapist Dr. Lori Beth where the couples may need it.
With the second season of the program launching, it is clear to say, the confidence has been upped and the show will be far bolder with sex.
Season 2, Episode 1
In the first episode, we follow long-term couple Kursti, 32, and Connor, 30. Married for 9 months and have known each other for 3 years prior to joining the show. Explaining that they are adventurous in the bedroom, they open up about wanting to be in an open relationship.
The episode follows them through their trials and errors of learning to be confident with another person in their couple. The show zooms in on Connors’ insecurities about another man with his wife.
It is refreshing to see Connor, as a man, being open and vulnerable about how he is feeling, and working on his issues with Retreat Therapist Dr Lori Beth.
Following them through the three days they spend at the retreat, their first encounter with Nathan was unsuccessful and created an anxious atmosphere for Connor.
Although, the next night, you can see the couple enjoying a threesome with a singleton Josh, and managing to comfortably become non-monogamous.
Even though the show focuses so much on the sexual aspects of the relationships in the house, the program shows a more emotional side to the couples.
Having attained their goal of non-monogamy, Kursti, and Connor head home with hopes to continue their journey of being in an open relationship.
Season 2, Episode 8
Fast forward seven episodes, the most recent one, episode 8 is a closure for two different couples.
The first couple, Ben, 31, and Nicolle, 38, have been in a relationship for 7 years and want to open up their relationship to other avenues. There is a beautiful show of their relationship with Ben comforting and complimenting Nicolle as a way of making her more comfortable with the non-monogamous situation.
With the show focusing on making residents feel comfortable and making sure that everything is consensual, the sessions with Dr. Lori Beth seem to help Nicolle with the way she’s feeling.
Further in the episode, they have a successful meeting with with married couple Gage and Olivia.
In the same episode, the show follows engaged couple Dan and Katey, who have been together for 6 years. Their aim? Be in an open relationship, the only issue being that Katey doesn’t want to feel like she is cheating on Dan. A perfectly understandable reasoning. Probably a reasoning built off of the mommy issues she describes to Dr Lori Beth.
After a succesful foursome according to Katey, leaving Dan feeling left out, Therapist Dr Lori helps them talk through their issues and their feelings about the events that happend the night before that had left Dan jealous.
After a succesful meeting, they leave the retreatwith an understanding that they will continue on the open relationship but at a slower pace.
This show seems to potray a balance between being sexual but also exploring deeper feelings with in-house therapist.
It has a positive outlook on polygamy and open relationships.