Married at First Sight participant Brennan Shoykhet has exhibited some concerning behavior in his relationship with Emily Balch that could mean he is not ready for marriage. During his introduction, Brennan, 28, described that he was entering into this marriage for life and that divorce was not an option. He was paired with Emily, 29, who had never been in a relationship before. While Brennan was surprised by that information, he did not let it deter him. The pair had a nice wedding night together before taking off to Mexico for their honeymoon with the other three couples.
During the honeymoon, things seemed great between Brennan and Emily, save for one joke Emily made about Brennan not knowing how to have fun, which irritated Brennan. Brennan expressed his interest in Emily throughout the honeymoon, and the pair appeared to be getting along well. They also had more in-depth conversations that proved their values and goals aligned. However, things took a turn when they returned from the honeymoon, and a “drained” Brennan revealed he wasn’t attracted to Emily. After sitting with Married at First Sight expert Pastor Cal, Brennan said he would try his best to form a romantic connection.
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Brennan Didn’t Want To Move In
Brennan did a 180 upon returning from the honeymoon. Instead of moving into the neutral living space designated for them to grow as a couple, Brennan decided to spend a few days in his apartment without Emily. At the time, he did not elaborate on why he felt a detachment from Emily. It’s possible he felt overwhelmed spending 24/7 with Emily on the honeymoon, but he didn’t act like he had a problem with it. When pressed by Pastor Cal on why he decided to distance himself from Emily, Brennan would not give a straight answer. He just said it was an attraction issue.
The situation made Emily cry, but she was determined not to give up on the process and not to take Brennan’s new callous behavior personally. Brennan did agree to move in with Emily and give the marriage a fair shot in that capacity. However, Brennan’s unromantic feelings toward Emily were a blindside, and it will be an uphill battle to get their connection back, especially since Brennan does not want to open up about what is turning him off.
Brennan Had A Contentious Meeting With Emily’s Friends
During the housewarming party, Brennan has a contentious sit-down with Emily’s friends, Alex and Kiara. They were unimpressed by Brennan’s attitude and laid into him for the way he was treating Emily. Instead of hearing them out and taking their criticisms, Brennan became argumentative and defensive. He didn’t give them the answers they wanted about his character flaws regarding how he presented himself to Emily.
Alex and Kiara noted that they felt like Emily was giving more than she was receiving and that the partnership wasn’t equal. Brennan defended that he was doing the best he could and said they were attacking him more than trying to understand him. He said, “I can’t be everything she wants in one day.” Based on Brennan’s reaction to Emily’s friends’ questioning, he may not have the emotional capacity to take criticism for his actions and learn from them. While Brennan defended that he wasn’t being resistant and was standing up for his relationship, he did not come off well.
Brennan Is Inconsiderate Towards Emily
Another red flag in the arena of concerning behavior from Brennan was his inconsideration of Emily while moving and during the housewarming party. Emily admittedly brought a lot of stuff to the apartment and had to do a lot of trips back and forth with a hurt wrist. Emily relayed to her friends that she hadn’t received help from Brennan. Brennan had nothing to say about not helping her but condemned how much stuff she brought in.
Brennan showcased his inconsiderate nature again during the housewarming when he didn’t help Emily plate the food. He was called out for that by Alex and Kiara, who thought he should have stepped in and helped his wife more. At the time Emily was preparing the food to eat, Alex waited for Brennan to ask if she needed help, and when he didn’t, Alex offered help but glared at Brennan when she asked. Whether Brennan is not helping his wife out and going the extra mile because he is uninterested is a major question to be addressed. Were he more attracted to Emily, he might cater to her needs more.
Can Brennan and Emily Romantically Connect?
Brennan needs to become way more present and involved in his marriage instead of being checked out. If they have any chance of forming a romantic connection, Brennan will need to try harder. Since he hasn’t vocalized what his problem is exactly, Emily is left in a tough spot. She has said she is still all in and attracted to Brennan, so the ball is in his court. Brennan will need to stay in the neutral apartment with Emily, in the same bed, and get time together as a married couple. Only then, with enough quality time, will Brennan and Emily be able to grow as a couple and save their connection.
With about half the season left to go on Married at First Sight season 17, there is still time for Emily and Brennan to find their feet and start enjoying their marriage again. The reasons why they matched are obvious, as they share the same visions for the future and hold the same professional drive and love of social settings. If they can come back to the reasons why they were paired and steer away from the negativity left by Brennan’s disconnect, they have a chance.
The Married at First Sight season 17 trailer depicts several fights between the pair that have not happened yet. In the snippets, Brennan’s attitude and disdain are written all over his face, and it seems Emily is offended and annoyed by Brennan’s behavior. The trailer also showed a utility vehicle excursion gone wrong for the pair, which ended with Emily bleeding from the head and being treated by the paramedics while Brennan held her hand. Whether any of those experiences will push them apart or move them closer together is still unknown, so fans will have to keep watching.
