In case you aren't familiar with More to Love, its a Bachelor-style reality series with a twist: Everyone on the show is plus-sized. It's definitely not a VH1 plastic surgery drunk-fest. I would love to tell you that this was my first episode, but I would be lying. I've actually seen them all. The show caught my eye from the beginning because the contestants presented themselves so genuinely, wearing their hearts on their sleeves with extreme ease. In fact, it was hard to find the requisite villain. Lauren was the best they could do. She was mean because of her outspoken ways: "I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to win." Ooooh. So bad.

The biggest single difference in the women on this show and every other dating reality show wasn't their size, but their tears. Every time we saw a solo interview with a contestant, the water works let loose. It was uncomfortable at times. These women ADORED Luke. For them, Luke represented a guy who "finally" made them feel good about who they were. He liked them for who they were on the inside. And we heard about it over and over and over. 

Many of the contestants were very upfront about their lack of dating experience. Some didn't need to say a word about it because their inexperience was glaring. For example, several junior high-style saccharine sweet notes were left for Luke to find. If the ladies had only known that males past puberty react to sappy love notes from females in the 'might date' category with only nausea and revulsion. And on one of the first solo dates with Luke, a loose-lipped lady picked the wrong time for share time by dropping the "I'm a virgin" while they cuddled in a sailboat. While Luke struggled to find something a little less wrong to say, she changed the subject, "You know, that horizon is the perfect metaphor for this moment: Endless possibilities." I'm pretty sure Luke disagreed because he shooed her away that very episode. Tim Tebow at least waited until he was asked by the media to drop the V-bomb. 

I thought the show overall stayed away from the usual cheap thrills and antics that we see on most reality programs now. The only tacky part was the series title graphic showing a huge oversized ring thudding loudly as it landed with the voice over, "More to Love". Come on, Fox. That was a little too obvious. 

So the series ended tonight with the most earnest reality show finale I've seen. First Luke told Malissa that his heart belonged to "someone else" (duh). Luke showed empathy and care with her reaction. Malissa was expectedly sad and hurt, but took the bad news with some grace while crying in the limo ride away from the happy couple. Some of the other exits were positively hard to stomach with the bellowing and the, "What's wrong with me?" pleadings at nobody. Luke then asked Tali--the chosen one--to marry him. Not surprisingly, she said yes. They looked like a happy couple. 

So there is more to me than fantasy football. I can watch More to Love. On a Tuesday night without a game to watch, no problem.