Married at First Sight season 17 has been very rocky, and the cast members have been making some major mistakes in their new marriages to strangers. Season 17 has been historic because of its low couples success rate, even by the halfway mark of the season. By the one-month anniversaries, Michael Shiakallis got ditched at the altar by the first bride the Married at First Sight experts picked in a franchise first. Orion Martzloff asked for a divorce from Lauren Goodger upon returning from the honeymoon. Adding to that, Cameron Frazer and Clare Kerr got a separation one month in.
The two remaining couples, Becca Haley and Austin Reed and Emily Balch and Brennan Shoykhet, were hanging on by a thread. Brennan lost his attraction for Emily, and Becca has been pushing Austin’s boundaries in her desire to become intimate. The silver lining in Married at First Sight season 17 has been Michael’s second marriage to Chloe Brown, in another franchise first, although they seem to be on shaky ground. The season 17 couples have been responsible for the demise of their marriages with their problematic behavior.
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8 Clare & Cameron Gave Up Too Fast
Cameron and Clare seemed to have a spark on their wedding day, but they struggled to find that again during their honeymoon. Clare’s cold demeanor didn’t mesh well with Cameron, who put a lot of weight on physical touch as a love language. While they had moments of fun and connection during the honeymoon, their divide widened once they were back in Denver.
They discovered they had fundamental differences in how to raise children, and Clare was not giving Cameron the affection he was looking for, causing Cameron to want a separation for his mental health. However, Clare and Cameron didn’t stick any of their hardships out and failed to navigate their differences. They were too hasty in writing their connection off, and Clare never allowed herself to feel anything physically for Cameron.
7 Lauren & Orion Never Learned How To Communicate
Lauren and Orion had several uncomfortable and painful-to-watch conversations. Their first bad encounter happened when Lauren made an insensitive racial joke aimed at Orion’s Native American heritage. The second issue arose after Lauren revealed she had sex with someone three months before the Married at First Sight experience, and it took Orion aback (via ET.) He was not okay initially with her admission, and Lauren felt like he shamed her for her recent sexual history. From there, they spiraled and could not come to a meeting of the minds.
Lauren and Orion both showed poor communication skills. While they endeavored to talk their grievance out, neither could control their emotions and reset for each other. After their separation, Lauren was surprised by Orion saying that he wanted to reconnect with her when they were in a group setting but never followed through with her individually. Orion’s lack of communication when trying to repair things and Lauren’s resentment approach to talking with Orion, have also been detrimental to them even building a friendship.
6 Becca Is Not Respecting Austin’s Boundaries
One of the major mistakes Married at First Sight season 17’s Becca has been making is not respecting her husband Austin’s boundaries when it comes to physical intimacy. While Becca and Austin’s personalities and humor have been fitting well together, and Austin has been extremely affectionate in the PG sense, it hasn’t been enough for Becca. Becca’s insistence on furthering their relationship romantically when Austin has not been ready has been a huge detriment to their marriage and bond.
5 The MAFS Couples Aren’t Committed To The Process
The Married at First Sight process is intended to be eight weeks long. After the weddings, the couples spend a week on their honeymoon before settling into a neutral apartment and resuming their normal lives while getting to know each other. However, the couples are showing a major lack of commitment to the process. Becca and Austin and Brennan and Emily are the only ones who have made it six weeks in, although they have waned in their desire to continue through to Decision Day.
Michael and Chloe have seemed solid since their wedding, but the preview for the next episode showed Chloe moving out of their shared apartment, which is a huge red flag. A lot can happen in eight weeks, and the couples have not been giving their marriages a fair chance. The lengthy Married at First Sight process from marriage to Decision Day has not been taken seriously enough by the couples, who have been easily ready to abandon ship at the first signs of any issues.
4 Chloe Doesn’t Give Michael Enough Words Of Affirmation
The Married at First Sight experts paired minimalist Chloe with Michael, who is fashion-forward and eccentric with his style. Chloe has been off-put by Michael’s style, and that has caused her to be more confused rather than comfort her husband by letting him know she likes him for who he is. Chloe seems focused on the surface things she is averted to and is not giving Michael the positive affirmation he needs and deserves, especially considering they get along on a deep level.
3 Brennan Does Not Want To Look Bad On TV
Brennan is making a big mistake in his relationship with Emily, and that’s that he’s not being his authentic self on camera. Brennan wants to present his best self and does not want to be judged by Married at First Sight viewers, which has taken away from his connection with Emily (via Lifetime.) Brennan’s unwillingness to be vulnerable and admit his faults on camera is a major failure and one of the reasons he is the most villainous cast member of season 17.
2 Emily Is Scared To Speak Her Mind Honestly
Because Brennan has his guard up and won’t let Emily in, he has tried to silence her when she tries to draw genuine answers from him. This has caused Emily to be afraid to speak her mind for fear of being chastised by Brennan for trying to allegedly make him look bad. Emily’s ATV accident has brought Emily and Brennan closer, but only out of the trauma bond they shared. Whether Brennan will become attracted to Emily again and be willing to open up remains to be seen.
1 Orion Is Being Fake
Orion has proven that he is fake. Since asking Lauren for a divorce (via Lifetime), he has endeavored to save face since it has become apparent that he is in the wrong. On the Married at First Sight couples retreat, Orion said he wanted to “build a bridge” back to Lauren, but his actions up to that point have not been representative of that sentiment, which makes him look fake. He has not tried to reach out to Lauren individually nor take full accountability until the retreat, which is a huge mistake for his relationship with Lauren.
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.
