Married At First Sight Season 17 Cast Receives Major Backlash For Manipulating Dating Experiment
Married At First Sight season 17’s cast received some major backlash for admitting that they manipulated the MAFS experience with their group decisions. Throughout Married At First Sight season 17, it was clear that something felt off with the cast as they moved through their experience on the show. The couples struggled to stay together for even a fraction of the time they were meant to, and many found it hard to discern whether they were creating authentic relationships. One of the biggest issues between the couples who lasted longer was who they were on-camera vs. who they were off-camera.
“They intentionally created a false narrative for an entire season.”
During Married At First Sight season 17’s first reunion episode, the cast revealed that they’d been manipulating the system throughout their time on the series. According to u/Original2021, the cast “admitted they intentionally created a false narrative for an entire season. They agreed as a group.” Throughout the early moments of the reunion, the women addressed the fact that early on in the process, they were told by their husbands that they wanted to make sure everyone looked good on camera. To do so, the men allegedly directed how they would all act on camera, hoping to avoid backlash.
MAFS Needs To Change Cast Contracts, According To Fans
The stunning accusations that the Married At First Sight season 17 cast has been lying about their relationships throughout the season shocked fans, who want Lifetime to address the issue. Reddit user u/hypnaughtytist shared, “The Producers need to include a sabotage clause and do everything they can to prevent collusion, among cast members, in the bleak future of this show.” Another Reddit user, u/KikiChase83, explained, “Yes…in future contracts this type of behavior sb considered breach. Sue them, fine them all that. Poor rubbish!.” Fans feel there needs to be legal language added to MAFS contracts moving forward.
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While the accusations that the cast of Married At First Sight season 17 falsified their relationships for the season are awful, the men of the series have denied they were behind the behavior. For MAFS fans, knowing that there is authenticity in the experiment is tremendously important. The series can’t work without authentic relationships and participants trying to make their marriages work. While the cast did share they were hopeful that their relationships would be able to work in the long run, they weren’t being honest about everything on camera, which made it difficult for them to connect with anyone.
As Married At First Sight season 17’s reunion continues, there will surely be questions about what’s been falsified and what hasn’t. Though there is typically some level of production interference on MAFS, the series is one of the more authentic relationship-driven reality TV shows around. After seeing a cast go behind the producers’ backs and try to create an entirely new narrative out of their relationships, the series needs to revisit its policies, procedures, and casting. Married At First Sight has some serious issues to address moving forward into the next season and beyond if it wants to engage fans.
