Well, I have never watched this show before, so can't compare it to other episodes.  And I have very mixed emotions about it -- they don't show later the same night, or several nights hence, when hopefully the last wistful "turn back the clock" gets its own rewards, and they are no longer ignoring the baby.

But several questions -- first of all, this was supposed to be just bedtime right?
They were planning to pick her up and feed her during the night still, weren't they?  And they do share the bedroom with the baby, so what were they going to do for the rest of the night/rest of their lives?  Not make a noise in the bedroom so she doesn't know they're there?  Why am I trying to understand a TV show, for goodness sake?

Anway, I did e-mail to the station thanking them for bringing up the issue, however realistically, or un-, and hoping that in future episodes they would look back on "that terrible night" vowing never to stand back from their baby again.

My son's father and I (not my current SDH) have ever after had a joke about the one night we tried this system, and failed.  We weren't ready for his independence yet either (at six months of age), it turned out, and continued to go to sleep with him until he was about five.  Our joke was to wonder, whenever he developed disagreeable behavior patterns, whether this was in payment for "that night", or due to some other errors in parenting we had made along the way.

Sincerely,  Chanita, San Francisco