interesting maybe they are actually doing some research on it
I've actually talked with the woman who created the show and she made a point of trying to get to know the poly community in LA as part of the show's casting outreach. She's...very dedicated and very proud of the fact that the show isn't scripted. I'm sure there are moments that are staged to be a little more camera friendly. The groups seem to work hard to keep the show focused ONLY on their relationships and not let it turn into "lets follow poly people around all day" so some re-staging of important events is probably called for.
I've made a point of viewing every piece of media produced on the subject of polyamory and I think I've seen most everything there is. From that standpoint, its an interesting show, definitely worth a look. It shows some great moments with the groups working out problems and the dynamics the show follows are very interesting.
That said, I would not characterize the show as a prime example of a good representation of the community. The show is very, VERY focused on sex. The intro is 99% sexual in nature and the show itself has numerous shots of the groups having sex. Its fairly graphic, I am nowhere a prude but even I found the amount of sex the show displays to be edging on excessive. I think it gives a bit of support to the criticism that we often have leveled at us; that polyamory is a cover for nymphomania and promiscuous behavior.
My critique has to be taken with the understanding that Married and Dating is a TV show and as such has to push the envelope in order to get and keep viewers. The poly people the show follows seem to be a good mix of individuals and the show doesn't try to shove the participants into "roles," taking their worst attributes and making them the only visible aspect of that person. They actually seem like real people.
All in all, its a decent show and it looks at a lot of important aspects of how a poly relationship functions on a day-to-day basis.
As to the comments on the Globe and Mail article, I'm not so sure they're that bad. Yeah some of them are rather knuckle-dragger but there are a lot that boil down to "consenting adults = no one's business." The comments that seem to not understand why the show is such a big deal are also encouraging in their own way; the poster views the idea as normal enough not to warrant the kind of attention a TV show would deliver and general acceptance of polyamory is a positive.