The Married at First Sight has not seen much success in the last few years in terms of their prosperous matches, and there are ways the show and franchise could improve as a whole. While the show has been popular since it first started airing in 2014, it has seen its share of ups and downs with mismatches and poor casting choices. In fact, none of the couples from Married at First Sight seasons 14 and 15 are still together. There are, however, matches that have been long-lasting, but they have been few and far between these days.
Married at First Sight season 17 is currently airing, and it has not been a smooth journey. While there is reality TV entertainment value in messy relationships and clashing personalities, the point of the show is to showcase compatible people as they navigate a new marriage to a complete stranger. This season has featured two firsts: a runaway bride and a second shot at marriage for Michael Shiakallis. Two couples have also called it quits, leaving only two couples without the addition of Michael and his new wife. The Married at First Sight franchise could improve in a number of ways to boost its viewership, authenticity, and scope.
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9 Married At First Sight Needs New Experts
The Married at First Sight matchmaking process is led by a panel of three experts, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Calvin “Cal” Roberson, and Dr. Pia Holec. They are tasked with pairing compatible people and coaching them along the eight-week journey to Decision Day. Over the last three seasons, there has only been a 6% success rate among the matched couples. The experts have dropped the ball not only with their matching skills but also with their ability to help couples out of dire situations. They’ve proven to be irresponsible and unreliable when creating viable couples on the show.
Married at First Sight needs an overhaul of the experts which ends in the firing of all three. Having new experts on the show would be a refreshing move since Pastor Cal and Dr. Schwartz have been the experts since Married at First Sight season 1. New experts with new skill sets and perspectives could greatly benefit the show and the potential success of the matches.
8 Married At First Franchise Should Expand With LGBTQ+ Spinoff
Reality TV has been trending more towards inclusivity, and Married at First Sight should follow suit. Shows like The Ultimatum: Queer Love and Are You The One? season 6 have proven to be wildly popular among reality fans, and the Married at First Sight franchise should take note and expand to include an LGBTQ+ spinoff. Not only would Lifetime and the franchise open up to a wider audience, but it would also help boost representation for the queer community.
Married at First Sight should at least include more cast members from the LGBTQ+ community like they’ve done this season with Lauren Goodger and Orion Martzloff. The international versions of Married at First Sight have already included a gay couple. a lesbian couple, and a transgender participant. An expansion into inclusive reality TV could only have positive outcomes for the franchise, which has been notoriously heterosexual.
7 New Married At First Sight Seasons Should Air Back-To-Back
There’s nothing reality TV fans hate more than having a gap in the time their favorite show airs. Married at First Sight does not always air seasons back to back, which has caused viewers to have to wait weeks for the next season. The show should air seasons one after the other to keep fans drawn in and so as to not annoy them. With too much time in between seasons, there is room for viewers to find other shows and grow frustrated with the airing schedule of Married at First Sight.
6 Married At First Sight Should Revisit Old Cast Members For Updates
Married at First Sight is seriously lacking a “Where Are They Now?” kind of show. Much like 90 Day Diaries catches up with 90 Day Fiancé fan favorites, a spinoff updating fans on notable cast members and couples could serve the franchise well. Since there are seventeen seasons of Married at First Sight, there are a ton of cast members that have fallen out of the spotlight but not out of viewers’ minds. A series touching on the milestones, relationship updates, and personal dramas of the cast members could be a good way for the show as a whole to improve and keep fans engaged.
5 Married At First Sight Should Go To New Cities
Every season, Married at First Sight goes to different locations to find their participants, but they don’t always go to new cities, which means they’re missing out on whole pools of people in different cities. Married at First Sight has been in Boston in seasons 6 and 14, Atlanta in seasons 3 and 12, Chicago in season 5, and Married at First Sight in season 18, which will be the next season to air. The show would do well to expand to different areas of the country, so fans can get to know what people and couples are like in different parts of America.
4 Married At First Sight Should Feature More Couples
Since there has been such a low success rate for the show’s matches in recent years, they should try adding one or two more couples every season. That way, in case there are future runaway brides or marriages that don’t last past the honeymoon, viewers won’t be stuck watching the repetitive drama of only a few couples, as is the case this season. Having more couples would mean they could choose the best, most dramatic, and screentime-worthy moments from each couple instead of having filler moments air.
3 The Married At First Sight Experts Should Be More Involved
If Married at First Sight season 17 has proven anything, it’s proven that the experts need to be more involved and there for the couples at critical times and before it’s too late. The experts stepped in when it was already too late for Lauren and Orion, since Orion had made his mind up about getting a divorce (via Lifetime.) The experts have not found the best ways to be effective guides in the couples’ marriages, and that is reflected by the low success rate.
2 Married At First Sight Should Ditch After Party
Married at First Sight has had Afterparty the last few years, an aftershow where current and former Married at First Sight cast come on and are interviewed about their experiences on the show and the behind-the-scenes drama (via Lifetime.) Afterparty does not have much entertainment value, and the host, Keshia Knight Pullia, recently came under fire for being disrespectful to Married at First Sight season 17 cast member Emily Balch, who did not like Keisha’s questions and approach. There is also too much room for viewers to get an impression of whether the couples are still together, which is a major spoiler.
1 The Married At First Sight Casting Process Should Get An Overhaul
Married at First Sight is clearly lacking in the casting department since they are choosing people who are not ready to get married. This is evidenced by Michael’s runaway bride, Dom Kloss from Married at First Sight season 16’s immaturity and eagerness to give up and current cast member Brennan’s defiant attitude toward improvement, among other examples. The Married at First Sight questionnaires might not dive too deep enough, the experts are not good judges of character, and the casting process does not dive deep enough to explore potential red flags; a casting process overhaul could greatly improve the show.
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.
