The husband is 11 years older than the wife! What an outrage!

Yes, the title is pure sarcasm. 

How often do you see a couple where the husband is 11 years older than the wife and freak out? I’m guessing it is not something that sends you panicking. Let’s say she is 37, and he is 48. Let’s say she looks younger, but he is in good shape, and he really cares about her. No, he is not rich. It sounds pretty normal to me. Maybe because I actually did date a guy who was exactly 11 years older than me (21-32) and had a great time.

Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries’ Elena/Katherine) is dating Ian Somerhalder (The Vampire Diaries’ Damon). Nina was born in 1989, and Ian in 1978. I think they make a very pretty couple. And they have always seemed to be getting along so well-so who the hell cares?

Awake TV Series image via thinkhero.com.

But I was visiting the IMDB boards of my current favorite TV show Awake, mainly to spread the word about the petition for the show to get a second season, and I saw that a lot of people were freaked out that Jason Isaacs (born in 1963)’ character was paired with Laura Allen’s (born in 1974). These characters have been married a long time, and have a 15-year-old son.

On the left: Laura Allen. In the middle: Jason Isaacs. Image via screenrant.com.

They made Jason’s character a creep, saying Laura’s too young to have a kid at that age. Like people always have babies in their 30s. Like a 19 year-old never hooked up with a 30 year old. Oh wait- Nina was 19 when Ian was 30. And? So what?

Unless a 50 year old guy is courting a 25 year old woman and vice versa, I am cool with it. A lot of women have been known to be attracted to older men. It’s usually because the girl is mature, and she is emotionally the same age as the guy. At least it has always been the case for me. 10-11 seems OK to me as an upper limit, but it is not like if you get along with someone who’s 13 years older/younger than you, you will say no because it is against the rules. After 20, it is just...well...who cares?

Then of course there is the hypothetical situation when a guy as cute and fun as Gerard Butler asked me out (I know - I wish). Gerard is 15 years older than me. Guess what? I wouldn’t say no because he is at that age.

So for a perfectly good show, people are too concerned that he is just too old to be her husband. They make it sound like she is in high school and he is in a retirement home.

People do amaze me sometimes. Yes, I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Yes, we are all different and all that. But surely when discussing a show, a show’s plot/characters/acting/direction/premise/episodes.... is a much bigger deal than if the actor and actress’ age difference.

Audiences are hard to please. When people are average-looking, people complain that there is no eye candy. When people are good-looking, they call it unrealistic. I’m guessing that if Jason Isaacs’ character was the same age as the wife, people would think the son was too young or something.

Well, if you have seen the show and/or by looking at the pictures, let me know: 

1)Is Jason’s character too old to be Laura’s character’s husband?

2)Do they really look bad together?

3)What do you think about the age difference between Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder?