Married At First Sight season 17 is more than halfway over, and so far, it seems like the experts have failed to match any couples that have staying power. Relationship experts Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Calvin “Cal” Roberson, and Dr. Pia Holec matched a total of six couples this season. However, three of the couples have already broken up, and the remaining three aren’t looking much better.
The long-running dating series doesn’t have a good track record. Since premiering in 2014, the show has been marrying strangers paired together by a group of relationship experts who are also there to help the couples work through any issues. Though the shows had some success stories, like Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner from season 1, they usually break up. By the looks of Married At First Sight season 17, which is currently airing, the track record of the relationship experts hasn’t improved.
8. Trying Again With Michael
Take Two For Michael
Married At First Sight season 17 featured a runaway bride for the first time in the history of the series. A few episodes after the awkward wedding, Dr. Pepper offers Michael another bride and a second shot at finding love. Though the teaser didn’t show his answer, it would appear that Michael agreed to give it another try. It seems Michael did ultimately get married again; however, nothing has been confirmed. Though considering the disaster of their first match for Michael, the MAFS experts can’t be trusted to try again. If this second match fails, they will lose a lot of credibility.
7. Emily And Brennan
Lack Of Attraction
Brennan and Emily hit it off at first, but the attraction didn’t last. Although they initially seemed to have great chemistry together, Brennan started pulling away from Emily during their honeymoon in Cancun. Pastor Cal, Dr. Pia, and Dr. Pepper decided to talk to Brennan about his sudden emotional distance. Brennan said he simply wasn’t attracted to Emily. Brennan refuses to be specific about what it is about Emily that he isn’t attracted to, implying he doesn’t want to embarrass her or hurt her feelings. Brennan hasn’t asked for a divorce yet and has said he wants to keep trying, but this marriage is likely headed for divorce.
6. Becca And Austin
Different Views On Sex
Becca and Austin were the season’s best couple in terms of chemistry. They have a similar sense of humor, which leads to great back-and-forth banter between them. While the couple had lots of positive moments, they had several serious issues, including their different views on sex. Becca wants to have sex right away, while Austin wants to take it slower. Sexual compatibility is an important aspect of a successful relationship and is something that the experts should have known before pairing them. If Becca can’t get her needs met and Austin feels too pressured, this Married At First Sight relationship is doomed.
5. Becca And Austin’s Other Problems
Different Views On Religion
Though their sexual incompatibility is a big issue, Becca and Austin’s religious differences are an even bigger problem. Becca is Jewish but agnostic, while Austin is a devoted Christian. During the last episode, they ran into trouble when Austin told Becca that he would still be able to love her even if she ended up going to hell. When she and the experts questioned him further, he revealed that he grew up believing that non-believers would go to hell. Becca cannot stay with someone who believes she’s going to hell.
This didn’t come up until later because, initially, Becca and Austin refused to talk about serious subjects, preferring to have fun together instead. Though this led to less conflict, it kept the pair from getting to know each other deeply and kept their relationship on a surface level. The experts should have pushed the couple into talking about serious matters early on in the process.
4. Emily Had Never Been In A Relationship
A Difficult Transition
Having never been in a relationship, Emily had no idea what she was getting into when she married Brennan. Marriage isn’t easy for anyone, but it’s more difficult for someone who’s learning to navigate a relationship for the first time. The experts knew that Emily had been single her whole life, and they should have known better than to throw her into the deep end, especially with a man who wasn’t much better than she was at navigating intimacy. Emily and Brennan are still working on the relationship.
3. Clare And Cameron
Religious Differences
On their wedding day, Cameron and Clare had less chemistry than some of the other couples, but they both expressed an immense amount of respect for each other. Especially Cameron, who even referred to Clare as one of the best people he had ever known. That being said, their religious differences got in the way from the moment they met. The devoutly Catholic Clare wants to raise her children with religion, while Cameron does not. This is an insurmountable difference that the experts clearly knew about and decided to overlook when they matched the couple.
2. Lauren And Orion
Orion Likes Being A Victim
Lauren and Orion hit it off right away. They had a great time at their wedding and even enjoyed the first few days of their honeymoon. However, after Lauren commented on Orion’s “red face,” it was downhill from there. Though she was referring to the fact that he was sunburned, Orion, a Native American, took her comment as a racial slur. Lauren apologized repeatedly for the perceived slight, but Orion would rather feel oppressed than be happy. Dr. Pia and Pastor Cal spoke to the couple but failed to guide Lauren and Orion past this problem; Dr. Pepper never even had a session with the pair.
1. Michael’s Runaway Bride
She Changed Her Mind
Married At First Sight season 17 opened on a bad note with eccentric groom Michael being abandoned at the altar. Before the wedding, he told producers he feared his wife would take one look at him and realize she wasn’t interested. He referred to himself as an “acquired taste,” and was open to his potential wife’s feedback regarding his unique appearance.
At the wedding, Michael was at the altar, waiting for his bride, wearing the crown and sword she gifted him before the ceremony. The MAFS runaway bride, whose face was never shown, came down the aisle, saw Michael, and couldn’t go through with it. Michael’s worst nightmare came true because the experts got it wrong.
