*This Review Contains Full Spoilers*

On this week’s episode of AMC’s Soulmates, Little Adventures, the show delves into open relationships as the Soul Connex test turns a couple with a happy, but unconventional marriage into a complicated throuple.

Open relationships have become a more talked about topic when it comes to modern romance and relationships. Whether it’s polygamy, a practice where someone has more than one husband/wife at the same time, or friends with benefits, there’re relationships now that don’t fit the traditional mold – and that’s exactly what we see with Libby (Lala Costa) and Adam (Shamier Anderson). While these two are happily married to one another, they allow one another to explore other exploits, even sexual ones, that fit within their rules. They stick to only using a dating app to find other partners and only have one fling with them to make sure there’s no lingering feelings. It’s an agreement that to some would seem strange and even blasphemous, but for Libby and Adam is really works.

Just from the first few moments with them, it’s easy to see that Libby and Adam really do love each other and that they’re really happy. They’re able to joke to each other about their dates and the people they meet without conflict as they always know that they still love one another. Costa and Anderson share some very genuine chemistry that instantly makes you love them in the same way they love each other and it’s just very sweet. They definitely showcase some of the positive aspects people see in having open relationships as it allows them some independence and continues to spice things up in their relationship. As Libby says to a co-worker, it seems like they’ve cracked the monogamy code – which truly ends up being famous last words once her soulmate Miranda (Georgina Campbell) arrives.

Although she took the test a while back, Libby is curious about her match and Adam becomes even more curious when he sees that she matched with a woman. At first, they all just see this as an opportunity to form a strong friendship and it seems like boundaries are established and respected. However, just as like all of the relationships in this show, the concept of missing out on your soulmate questions everything so there’s plenty of boundaries crossed. Admittedly, it’s becoming a little old seeing the test affect marriages, but Adam and Libby’s situation is a little different and adds a different kind of view to a marriage being disrupted by this test.

While they’re used to making things work and accepting of exploring other people, Adam has a lot of hesitation about Libby exploring a relationship with Miranda and it exposes some of the pitfalls in their kind of relationship. The one thing that can easily destroy an open relationship is catching real feelings for someone else and that’s exactly what Adam fears and what ultimately tears them apart. Libby and Miranda’s flourishing relationship gives Libby an ultimatum that speaks to the challenges of an open relationship. The feelings can never be too real for someone else or even for each other since it creates emotional pain that can become too insurmountable to overcome. That’s exactly what we find with Adam and Libby as she chooses to be with Miranda and end things with Adam.

With how much the episode makes you care about these characters, it’s actually a pretty heartbreaking moment when we see that Adam and Libby are done. On paper, it’s easy to see Adam telling Libby to choose him or Miranda as him being unfair to Libby’s new situation, but it perfectly speaks to how complicated their open relationship has become. Before Miranda, it didn’t matter who they were with, but now that she’s here and is labeled as Libby’s soulmate, everything changes. It’s a strong showing of how impactful relationship labels can be and makes for a very emotional and interesting end.

Although, things seem happy at first with Miranda and Libby supporting each other’s artistic aspirations and going to very strange performance art shows, it doesn’t last that way forever. There comes a realization that maybe they’re just not meant for just a singular relationship as Libby just can’t find the same nurturing qualities that Adam had in Miranda and Miranda just wants her space. With the ending of them going back to Adam and including his soulmate in their group relationship, the episode changes perspective on open relationships. Them coming together to have a more open relationship shows that they simply just can’t find all the qualities they need in a relationship with one person and why an open relationship gives them an opportunity to feel fulfilled. There’s a strangeness and odd vibe that comes from them asking Adam’s soulmate if she wants to be involved leaving things on a bit of weird note, but I like that it’s weird because it is. It establishes that what they have isn’t exactly normal, but that there’s the possibility for them to have the great qualities of a great relationship like any normal relationship.

Little Adventures delivers Soulmates’ best episode yet as it delves into the highs and lows of open relationships as the test continues to make people question everything about love. I’m still hoping that we eventually see the effects of the test on couples that aren’t married, but this episode touches on a very modern relationship that adds in new perspectives on love and show the potential this series has to be groundbreaking.

Watch the Trailer Here: