Why Married At First Sight Season 17’s Failure Was Actually Good For The Franchise
Married at First Sight season 17 bombed in many ways, but that might not be a bad thing for the franchise as a whole moving forward. Lifetime’s hit reality show has been a compelling show in the reality romance genre and is just as beloved as The Bachelor and 90 Day Fiancé franchises. Dr. Pepper Schwartz has been an expert therapist on the show since the beginning, while Pastor Cal Roberson has been around since season 4. The newest expert, Dr. Pia Holec, has been involved for the last three seasons.
The trio have the responsibility of matching the Married at First Sight couples and guiding them in the eight-week journey. Where a lot of ugly situations arise for the participants who decided to marry a stranger is on the honeymoon. Over the years the honeymoon has been a make-it-or-break-it time for the couples as they spend 24/7 together before beginning the second part of the experiment where the pairs move in together and blend their lives. Married at First Sight has given fans a lot of entertainment value, even if the latest season was not successful.
There Were Many Unprecedented Moments In MAFS Season 17
Shocking Situations Took Place
There were several Married at First Sight firsts that took place in season 17 that shocked viewers, the experts, and the Reunion and Afterparty hosts alike. Season 17 started out by showing Michael Shiakallis meeting his bride at the altar. Unfortunately, the mystery bride told Michael she wasn’t ready to marry a stranger and then ditched him and the experience. That led to devastation for Michael. However, the experts asked him if he would be willing to get Married at First Sight again, and he obliged.
They then paired him with Chloe Brown, and the pair started their journey while the other couples were already halfway through the experiment. Unfortunately, that match was for nothing, because while Chloe said yes to Michael on Decision Day, Michael said no to her, citing that he was not ready for marriage and couldn’t give Chloe what she deserved. In fact, none of the couples from season 17 stayed together, making it a major failure.
The main reason none of the couples were successful was because each couple had a high level of animosity toward their partner for a failed group dupe that took place. The Married at First Sight season 17 cast got together to try and outsmart the process by trying to control their narrative and the on-screen optics by making themselves look better on camera. This meant there were lies, dishonestly, and inauthenticity in each marriage, and that caused a lot of resentment.
The resentment boiled over at the Reunion, where it was clear that a bitter girl group had formed between the season 17 women aside from Chloe (via Lifetime.) Nobody was a winner in season 17. Between the attempted dupe that took place, the cast anger, the runaway bride, and the 0% success rate, season 17 was shocking and can be considered a disappointment. Season 17 was also the longest season ever, having started in mid-October 2023 and ending in late April 2024.
“This has been the most contentious cast in the history of Married at First Sight,” said Reunion host Kevin Frazier.
The MAFS Experts Have A Lot To Come Back From
A lot of blame for the shortcomings of Married at First Sight season 17 can be put on the experts. It was their responsibility to match the right people together and they didn’t get it right six times.
Moreover, they failed to recognize that the couples were being inauthentic during the dupe and didn’t identify what the problems in each marriage were tied to.
That said, the experts have a lot to come back from and will need to improve their abilities as matchmakers and therapists for future seasons.
MAFS Season 17 Still Had Fans Talking
Season 17’s failure was annoying and frustrating for fans to watch, but they were still engaged with the season. On social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, along with social news forums like Reddit, fans were bringing up topics and talking about the cast members and drama all season. While the reviews were mostly negative because of how badly the season played out, the viewer reactions meant that fans were still watching and trying to connect with it.
MAFS Viewers Still Want To See Better Matches & Cast Members
Married at First Sight has a huge fan base, with many who have been watching the show for years. Since the premise of the show is to prove that matchmaking and therapy work in an experiment like this one, the couples that have worked out are very enviable and have gone on to have successful marriages. That said, fans want to see the experts make better matches and choose more quality cast members. Viewer attachment will increase if future seasons can showcase more successful couples.
The failure of season 17’s couples gives viewers something to look forward to in seasons to come.
MAFS Season 18 Is Highly Anticipated
Coming off a season with so many frustrating elements, Married at First Sight fans are ready to start fresh. Married at First Sight season 18 is highly anticipated because fans want a redemption season. There is plenty of opportunity for fans to love season 18 and engage with it more because season 17 was such a negative experience. There are many fronts that Married at First Sight could improve on in season 18, and that’s what makes continuing to be a fan so enticing.
Since no two seasons have been the same in terms of drama and cast quality, every season is like a new chance for viewers to like the show more. Even if season 17 turned a lot of fans off, they will most likely come back for future seasons because of the fresh situations and the potential for viewers to watch engaging content. Married at First Sight season 17 was not an ideal season by any stretch but it did poise fans to want to watch another season.
