The Married at First Sight experts really dropped the ball with matching in season 17, and they should be called out by the cast members come Decision Day. Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Calvin “Cal” Roberson, and Dr. Pia Holec were the experts tasked with choosing the right partners for their Denver hopefuls. The Married at First Sight application process starts with an involved questionnaire before in-person interviews are given to those who qualify. Next, the experts do home visits before they sit down to match the pairs.
This season, a total of six couples were matched, and it’s not looking like any of them are matches made in heaven. Lauren Goodger and Orion Martzloff called it quits upon returning from the honeymoon, and Clare Kerr and Cameron Frazer separated after one month together. Participant Michael Shiakallis was ditched by his first bride and his second bride Chloe Brown isn’t vibing with his style. Furthermore, Brennan lost attraction for Emily Balch, and Becca Haley and Austin Reed are drifting apart after starting out well.
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8 The Experts Did Not Give Clare A Religious Husband
Cameron and Clare quickly found out that they had at least one fundamental difference. Clare is deeply religious and wants to raise her future children in the church while agnostic Cameron doesn’t hold Clare’s beliefs and wants kids raised away from religion. That, coupled with Clare’s icy personality and lack of affection for Cameron, who needed physical touch as a love language, sent them over the edge toward their separation.
The Married at First Sight season 17 experts should have looked at Clare’s top asks, including her desire to have someone who shares the same religious values as her. Overlooking that pivotal difference between Clare and Cameron was a major fail on the experts’ part. They also missed the mark on understanding that Cameron needed an affectionate partner, something that Clare could not provide.
7 Brennan Thinks The Experts Didn’t Give Him A “Positive Person”
During the latest episode of Married at First Sight season 17, Brennan finally dished on why he lost his attraction for Emily. Brennan’s attraction appeared to be there on the honeymoon, but upon returning, he would not identify what his problem was (via ET.) During an ugly dinner, Brennan said Emily’s negativity is what turned him off.
Had the experts gotten to understand Emily better, they would have noticed Brennan’s notion that she complains often and uses the word “hate” when describing things frequently. The experts not recognizing that Brennan needs an abundance of positivity in his partner is something Brennan should address with them come Decision Day. Emily should also have her moment to defend herself in front of the experts since they thought she was what Brennan wanted.
6 Becca Got A Husband Who Had A Much Different Intimacy Pace
Becca and Austin have experienced one of the most cringy mismatching in Married at First Sight season 17. Becca has wanted physical intimacy and sex with Austin since very early on, and Austin has not wanted to go at that fast pace (via E! News.) The experts should have realized how important sex was to Becca and paired her with someone who held intimacy in a much higher place than Austin. In the experts’ subsequent coaching, they have failed to help Becca and Austin secure the physical connection Becca so desperately needs.
5 The Experts Chose A Wife For Michael Who Wasn’t Ready
The Married at First Sight experts made their first matching mistake of the season when they paired Michael with his first bride who wasn’t ready to marry a stranger (via ET.) While Michael did get to address the clear mess-up with the experts before they paired him with Chloe, the whole matter should be addressed again during Decision Day because it was a traumatic experience for Michael. The experts should be made to understand that they are at fault.
4 Brennan & Austin Didn’t Want To Look Bad On TV
The latest episode of Married at First Sight season 17 showcased that neither Brennan nor Austin wanted to look bad on TV. In turn, that made them inauthentic and disingenuous toward their partners because they cared more about their image and the optics than having an honest experience with their wives. The experts should have vetted Brennan and Austin better and picked up on their discomfort with being on TV and potentially being edited or projected a certain way.
Becca and Emily should vocalize to the experts that they are to blame for the failures in their marriages because a large part of the problem with both men was their lack of participation in the process because of optics. The experts could have guided Brennan and Austin better so that they could feel more comfortable expressing themselves in front of the camera instead of baiting them to say things on camera that made them look worse. The experts need to get called out for choosing people who weren’t right for reality TV.
3 The Experts Didn’t Help Cameron & Clare Soon Enough
Cameron and Clare developed their clear disconnect early on, but the experts did not help them when they needed it. They stepped in when it was too late. Both Cameron and Clare should address the experts separately and judge them for not guiding them to come together enough and find more commonalities. There was still time to save their marriage early on, but the experts let them drift apart.
2 Lauren Got Cheated Because Orion Has A Victim Complex
The experts once again chose a poor match in pairing Orion for Lauren. Orion highlighted his inability to let things go and showcased his victim complex in the demise of his relationship with Lauren (via Lifetime.) Should the experts have asked Orion how he would handle certain situations, they may have gotten a clear picture that Orion was not mature enough for the Married at First Sight process. Lauren should lay into the experts for matching her with Orion since they didn’t recognize his detrimental weaknesses.
1 The Experts Did Not Get Through To Brennan For Emily
Emily deserved answers way sooner than she got them in Married at First Sight season 17, and the experts didn’t even have anything to do with Brennan finally admitting why he wasn’t attracted to Emily. Neither Dr. Pia, Dr. Pepper, nor Pastor Cal were able to get through to Brennan to get him to give Emily the honest answer she deserved to know so she didn’t have to be strung along like she was. Emily needs to call out the experts on Decision Day for being ineffective and not helping to show Brennan’s true colors.
Married At First Sight
Based on the Danish version of the series, Married at First Sight is a reality show/social experiment that gives singles a chance to find a lifelong partnership with one particular caveat: they must agree to marry a stranger arranged the moment they meet. Experts provide counseling and guidance as they help couples navigate their new marriage with their unknown partner and highlight the journey of the newlyweds from wedding to honeymoon to beginning their new lives together. At the end of eight weeks, couples will decide to stay married or divorce.
