'Hooking Up' Show Guide

ByABC News
August 11, 2005, 6:44 AM

— -- Here is a look at what happened on ABC's documentary series "Hooking Up," which followed 11 women through a year of online dating.

In episode five, we meet Christen, a Philly native new to the city, who goes online to find a ruggedly handsome man. Christen finds New York dating highly competitive and often disappointing. "There are a lot of gorgeous, skinny, polished women," Christen says. "There are a lot of rejections." On date number one, she's feeling the sparks enough to extend her traditional 20-minute first date rule; but Sandro doesn't feel the same and cuts the night short. Date number two with Brian is a "train wreck," according to Christen. He shows up for their date wearing a plaid suit, white shoes and braces, prompting a vow from Christen to "never go out with a guy without a picture ever again!" Her next date is more her speed. Rob seems like a good fit, but the spark just isn't there. He proposes another date and after Christen is honest about the lack of attraction on her end, he gets angry, refuses her "pity pay" for their beer tab and leaves without a goodbye.

Meanwhile, Sonja and Mitchell grow closer. She visits his apartment in New Jersey and he takes her shopping for what he calls a "pre-engagement ring" -- a place keeper on her finger as they "continue to try on the relationship." After Sonja's difficult choice between Mitchell and Ken, she's happy to report that things with Mitchell are "getting better and better." But then Sonja gets surprise dumped. Mitchell says he took stock of their future and realized she wasn't the person he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. She is flummoxed. "Normally when you're dating someone there are hints and clues. I never heard any relationship issues from him," she says. Sonja visits a psychic who tells her to let go of attachments, like Mitchell, so she can be in the right mindset to meet her future husband. She is hopeful that she'll find her Mr. Right.

In the previous episode, Kristin suffered a string of bad first dates and then meets Mike, the first man she wants to see again. She is excited to go on a second date with him, but the date takes a wrong turn. "I feel him all over me," Kristin says. "He's moving way too quickly and I'm feeling smothered." He's ecstatic about their chemistry and future; Kristin, however, is plotting how to get out of pre-planned third date to visit his home in Connecticut. She calls to cancel, but Mike convinces her to come out just for dinner. Kristin thinks maybe she's being too dismissive. "I could be Ms. Picky and end up alone," she says. Just an hour into the third date, Kristin is wishing she trusted her gut. Mike is talking incessantly about their relationship, telling her, "When I looked into your eyes that first date, you had the same feeling I did. You can't deny that." On the long drive back to the city, Kristin gathers the courage to break things off. "This is the first time I had the courage to say to someone: this might be feeling good for you, but it's not working for me," she says.

Shelly, an opera-singing former dominatrix, goes online to find casual encounters. "Why can't you order up men like Chinese food?" she asks. Anthony answers her ad, but this clean-cut self-described "male prude" -- who freely admits that it's been a long time since he kissed a girl -- is visibly nervous. He goes home with her, but only to discuss his reservations and he leaves with a high-five and a hug. "It's a crap shoot," Shelly says, "sometimes you get crap." Undeterred, she goes back online and finds Frank. Even Frank is intimidated by the whips and chains on display at her house, but is game to play. While Shelly didn't go online to find her Mr. Right, it seems she stumbles upon him. We leave Shelly happily in love and planning marriage with Clint, a man she meets online.

And we check in with Maryam, Kelly and Amy. Since filming stopped, Maryam's bad Internet dating luck changed and she met Idriss online -- a handsome man who is in love with her. Their first meeting was only to last a half hour, but it ran seven hours and they've been together every day since then. "I feel very lucky," Maryam says. Kelly and Steve reconnect almost a year later. They talk about what went wrong before and are both excited to see what the future might hold for them. And we meet some new additions in Amy's life: her new niece and a boyfriend, Jeremy. Since her break-up with David, Amy fielded her share of online dating failures and successes, but she's still hopeful she'll find her elusive Mr. Right. "I'm certainly hopeful I'll find my future mate," she says, "I'm just a dumb romantic that way."

Amy begins to realize that she and David don't have so much in common. She envisions a future with him where he would just play with the kids and she would be doing all the dishes, all the time. Keeping her options open, she invites Matthew over for dinner and a video. At the end of the evening, a kiss with Matthew confirms what she feared -- the physical attraction is lacking. Amy considers her choices: fire and chemistry with David but no common goals, or a personality connection with Matthew but no spark. She decides she wants neither guy and consoles herself with a batch of freshly baked cookies.

For Sonja, a fun-loving, 38-year-old Tennessee woman, the adventure is just beginning. She meets two very different men but finds herself attracted to both of them. Mitchell is a big personality in hot pursuit, although he can be loud and obnoxious. Ken, arguably better looking, doesn't woo Sonja with the same intensity. Sonja dates them both because, "I'm in my 30s and you know what? I am not waiting around for Prince Charming to knock on my door." Mitchell showers Sonja with flowers, chocolates and a champagne-fueled Valentine's Day extravaganza, winning the horse race and Sonja's undivided attention.

Acie and Reisha are growing closer, and Reisha even feels comfortable enough to let Acie spend the night at her apartment -- on the couch, and only after calling her police officer friend and giving him all of Acie's vital information. She's still not kissing Acie, but he's being patient. Reisha throws him for a loop when she tells him she's also dating other men until she's sure about him. "That was one of my true reasons of going online," Reisha says, "not to just become so focused in one thing that if it doesn't work out then I get hurt, that person gets hurt." For the next visit, Reisha visits Acie in Atlanta. Things start to go downhill when she feels like Acie snubs her at his friends' Christmas party. They end the relationship the next day. "It started out so lovely with Acie," Reisha said, "and then it fell apart."

Kristin, a yoga instructor from Pocatello, Idaho, has more misses than hits when she logs online to find her Prince Charming. Men don't resemble their pictures, and profiles and e-mails don't give Kristin a real idea of who she will meet. After a whole series of bad dates that bore, entertain, and even offend her, she's almost ready to give up online dating altogether. Enter Mike. He's honest, he's into her and -- for once -- she has a good time. A doorstep kiss confirms Kristin's crush and she looks forward to another date with Mike.

On the fourth date, Amy considers having sex with David. He takes her salsa dancing and wins the big prize, but then drops the ball by not calling her for four days. Amy decides to drop the hammer on David and pull his sex privileges until he's ready to commit. He is very responsive at first, but dials down his effort enough that she goes out with Matthew, a doctor. Earnest Matthew wants a family and isn't shy about his interest. After a great date, Amy feels torn between the chemistry she feels for David and the possibility to fulfill her goals with Matthew. The answer to her dilemma lies in Matthew's kissability.

Maryam's karaoke date with David Jr. is hilarious, but not romantic. Maryam is still thinking about Sam. "You can't control your biological needs," she says. The next time she's out with Sam, he initiates talks about his sexuality -- telling her he doesn't like to be with just one woman at a time -- and she shows him the door. Guys, she says at the end of their date, are draining.

Kelly and Steve's Cinderella story continues and on their third date, they both see a future. Steve says he feels something indescribable. Kelly declares that they just might get married. But their future comes to a screeching halt after date three. Kelly says he disappeared. Steve says she became too aggressive, turning him off. Kelly picks herself up and gets back online.

Reisha has her first online date -- a picnic -- with Talib. Despite her jitters and her mother's concern, she has a good time and no one is poisoned. Reisha doesn't feel physically attracted though, so continues to cast her net online. Next up: Acie from Atlanta. The first date is a great success and he comes back to New York for another weekend with Reisha. Chemistry is palpable, but Reisha is not kissing Acie until she knows their relationship is headed to the altar. As they get closer, will Reisha's resolve melt or will Acie go crazy?

Amy and Chris are moving along at a steady clip. She watches his rugby game, and the sight of him shirtless awakens her libido. Amy says, "maybe if I sleep with him, I'll get to the real him." After just one week, she thinks this could be THE guy. All this changes, however, after sister Sarah and her husband, Michael, disapprove. Amy breaks it off with Chris in an e-mail and resolutely gets back on "the dating train," since she doesn't think she has time to waste if she wants babies. Enter David -- a lovable rogue. After three great dates, she's proud of herself for holding off on the next step: sex. David predicts next date he's going to "shag the living daylights out of her."

Cynthia goes out with Nathan, a speed dating fiend who is several years younger than her. He's a university professor and Cynthia is excited about the good-looking babies they would have. They take dance lessons for their first date. She thinks he's nervous, but she feels a lack of chemistry on the dance floor. At the end of the date, she gets another booty call and off she goes again.

And then we meet Kelly. She also goes out with Chris, seven years her junior, who needs instruction in everything from swinging a golf club to opening wine. After that dud, she moves on to Steve, who has all the makings of a Prince Charming -- he's rich, he's handsome and he likes Kelly. Their dates are something out of a fairy tale, except he makes her wash his car even though she wins the bet they make. Steve leaves a mark on her -- he jokingly has his name temporarily tattooed on her back -- and she ends their second date thinking "this could be the big one."

Maryam joins us in the second half hour. She's online to find the father of her kids, but her first date with Patrick doesn't get her closer to the goal. He doesn't look anything like his photo, although he thinks that is true for Maryam, too. Next date is with Sam, who's dangerous -- since his profile clearly states he isn't interested in a commitment. After a circular argument with him about his sexuality, (according to Maryam, he "sounds gay") he ends up naked in Maryam's bed. As the light goes out, she reminds him she's too drunk to have sex.

In the first episode, Claire, Lisa, Cynthia and Amy field deception and bad dates in their online search for Mr. Right.

Claire -- a self-professed heavy screener -- finds three men to date: Nick, Josh and Hunt. Aside from monosyllabic names, the three don't have much in common. Nick is earnest, bringing a plant to their first date. But by the second date Claire realizes he's too vanilla and not enough sprinkles, and she breaks things off over e-mail. Josh is next -- they both felt chemistry via e-mail and are excited to meet for the first time. Sparks fly, and Josh lays a kiss on her. She has a prearranged date with Hunt the next night, but she misses Josh. Hunt is loud, and his effeminate mannerisms ensure this is a short date. Claire continues to go out with Josh and things are going swimmingly until she receives an e-mail from Josh, dumping her. Ironically, Claire is very offended by the e-mail break-up.

Lisa withholds information from her dates -- her picture, her occupation and her real name. The first date is a disaster; Carmine is older than he says and he is inappropriately inquisitive about her grooming. Doug, a plastic surgeon, is a gentleman and the two enjoy a handful of dates, though Lisa is constantly on the verge of slipping and spilling her true identity. She decides to come clean over dinner and while Doug keeps his cool on the date, he's mystified about the deception. It doesn't work out.

Cynthia is excited to go out with Andrew, a self-described slim Fabio. His description of himself is wildly inaccurate and Cynthia calls him on his deception. But then -- in a departure from her mantra to "keep it real" -- she asks a friend to call her at the restaurant and fake an emergency so she must leave. Next up: speed dating and a match with Francis. They begin their date with high hopes but the only energy between them is aggression and the date ends in a verbal tussle. On her way home, Cynthia takes a booty call. Her search for love continues.