The title I Love a Mama’s Boy says it all. The show follows women navigating the complicated—and often uncomfortable—experience of dating men who are far too attached to their mothers. Throughout the series, we witness just how intense these mother-son bonds can be.
The term “mama’s boy” speaks for itself: it refers to a man who is unusually dependent on or emotionally entangled with his mother, often to the detriment of his romantic relationships. These moms aren’t just supportive—they’re overbearing, intrusive, and constantly crossing boundaries.
Whether it’s meddling in their son’s love life, treating him like a child, or—even more shocking—acting more like a girlfriend than a parent, each episode reveals jaw-dropping dynamics that leave viewers wondering where the line between family and obsession truly lies.
While watching I Love a Mama’s Boy, I was astonished by what I saw. It is crazy to me that there are couples out there dealing with these issues, but it is even crazier that some men are blind to the issues that their partners are facing because of their mothers. I am not sure how some of these couples make it through, but one thing I am sure of – this show sealed the deal that I will never get involved with a “Mama’s boy.”
Not only do I find this show strange for normalizing such behavior, but I also find it deeply unsettling how some of the mother-son pairs interact with each other. Take Season 3, for example, when we were introduced to Leyna Rosen and Ethan Weisman. At first, I thought they seemed like a sweet couple—but on a show like I Love a Mama’s Boy, red flags are almost guaranteed, and this one went far beyond what I expected.
Ethan frequently referred to his mother as “sexy” and even called her a “MILF” on more than one occasion. He openly described her as “hot,” and what shocked me most was that neither he nor his mother seemed to think anything was wrong with those comments. My jaw dropped. In my opinion, no man should ever use words like “hot” or “sexy” when talking about his mother—it crosses a line that feels inappropriate, even for reality television. Some moments may be meant to provoke, but this one genuinely felt disturbing.
We were re-introduced to a mother-and-son duo returning from Season 1 because they wanted another chance at love in Season 4. This duo is Matt McAdams and Kelly McAdams. From what I have watched, Matt relies on Kelly way too much when it comes to his romantic relationships. Instead of Matt trying to take initiative alone, Kelly inserts herself into every corner of Matt’s life – and he lets her. Kelly has tagged along on Matt’s dates, which is crazy to me. Personally, if I ever dated a man, and he took his mother on our date, there would not be a second one. It shocks me that these mothers go to such extreme lengths to cling to their children, but it shocks me even more that these men let it happen.
I Love a Mama’s Boy shows us first-hand the struggles that some of these women have to deal with. I cannot imagine trying to build a relationship with a man and dealing with his mother interfering with everything, or having to worry about the way my partner speaks to his mom. It must be so hard and frustrating trying to connect with someone, while someone else is always stepping in and sabotaging a potential future relationship. I feel for the girlfriends because they are just trying to find someone to spend the rest of their lives with. They do not deserve to feel like they’re in a competition with somebody that their partner is related to – that is just insanity. I am fully aware that sometimes, you cannot help who you fall for, but I believe that every woman on this show truly deserves better than a man who puts all his focus on his mother. Their partner is their future, and that is the sole focus, not their mom.
n’t get me wrong, I see no issues with a mother and son being close, but from what I have seen on this show, some families take it way too far. If I had to name one positive factor about this show, it would definitely be that it has helped me, and I’m sure hundreds of others, steer clear of “Mama’s boys.”