At their Last Supper the 12 remaining guinea pigs in this "social experiment" were each presented with an honesty box containing puzzlers designed to "ensure no questions have been unanswered, no stones unturned".

Sean's question cut straight to the chase. "Could you ever see yourself living with me on the farm and leaving city life behind?"

Or, to not gloss over things quite so much, can you imagine ditching your life, your family and your friends in Perth, as well as your job in the mines, to come live on a farm 15 minutes outside of Maryborough in Queensland, where you don't know a soul?

"Umm. I'm actually going to give it a go," she answered. "Who wouldn't? I'm completely wanting to give it a go. I think that you're amazing and I completely think I should be more open to the possibility of us, because I see a future with you."

After weeks of dithering, her declaration came as an unexpected "bombshell", as someone put it - a bombshell that proved the tyranny of distance is no match for true love. Maybe.

And while it may have robbed the program of some of its "will she or won't she" momentum, everyone at the dinner table was delighted. Except, of course, Anthony.

"Ultimately I don't think they'll work," the all-wise race caller observed. "He's a horseman ??? his horses are always going to be his priority. Suse is always going to come second. That's just the way it is."

He might be right - the upheaval Susan faces if she goes through with it shouldn't be underestimated - but it's becoming increasingly obvious that Anthony's view of the world is as blinkered as that of any pricey piece of horseflesh passing the finishing post at Flemington.

Nadia is clearly balking at the last hurdle, but Anthony remains oblivious. He reckons his instant wife just needs to "open up the shoulders, pin the ears back and attack the line". How, you wonder, has he resisted giving her a few deft flicks of his riding crop to giddy her along?

She rolls her eyes through dinner, flinches at his touch and grimaces as he rubs her hair. She makes a dash for the toilet at one stage because she's going to be sick. She looks like she can't stand the sight of her husband.

Yet he says they're "on the same page", that "the evening has been going well". When he finally cottons on that Nadia isn't too happy, he puts it down to a problem with her feedbag and goes into wife whisperer mode. "Do you want a spud? You need some carbs. You're feeling flat." How about a little cobalt, eh girl?

Nadia responds to Anthony's latest attempt at wife whispering. Photo: Nine

Reality dawns for the first time when he springs one of the question cards on Nadia. Have you at any stage of this experiment had second thoughts?

"Absolutely I've had second thoughts," she says.

When and why?

"Every step through the process." Ouch.

Jesse is caught somewhere between denial and de next glass of wine; he knows Michelle is going to spring the old "it's not you, it's me" on him any minute now, and he's trying to drown it out with alcohol.

"You're hot," he slurs.

"You might want to slow down," she says. Steady, tiger.

Jesse finds solace for Michelle's lack of interest in a glass.

He goes on about the door again, revisiting last week's theme, but dejectedly slurs: "My confidence in you finding that door is a bit low."

Alene and Simon seem destined to give this thing a go in the real world - he pledges his troth with the heart-warming "annoying as I thought she was, she's actually pretty quirky" - and Andy stuns everyone by seemingly committing to Vanessa.

In response to her "where do you see us in five years" question, he says, "we'll be on some remote mountain no one knows about, in the middle of nowhere, fists pumping the sky".

"Are you carrying me up this mountain," she asks.

"Probably. Whatever the case, I want to be there with you."

Having looked like the most rock-solid couple, Nick and Sharon have a little wobble over her fear that "naughty Nick" will re-emerge the second they part.

"If that ring comes off, it's over buddy," she says.

To reassure her, he pours himself another huge glass of red.

Is this the return of Naughty Nick?

Why are you so afraid that the party animal will come out to play, he asks? Haven't I been Mr Devoted?

"I don't know you outside this experiment," says Sharon. "We're all well and good in this bubble of the experiment, because there's no exterior noise, no exterior distraction, temptations etc.

"I think trust needs to be earned, and no one really knows anyone properly until you go through life out of this experiment."

It's the sanest thing anyone has said all night. Hell, all season.

So how does Nick respond? He gives it a second or two's thought and says, "I reckon that's a f---ing load of shit".

Oh well. If it doesn't work out I guess they can always apply for the next season of Seven Year Switch.

Karl Quinn is on facebook at karlquinnjournalist and on twitter @karlkwin