Married At First Sight has struggled to create lasting relationships on the series, and in the process of trying to make genuine matches, has paired up some of the worst couples in reality TV history. Throughout the run of MAFS, which began in 2014, there have been several couples per season that aren’t up to par for the experts of the viewers. Though some couples do wind up in a lasting, loving relationship, others struggle to find chemistry or connection in their match.
For the Married At First Sight couples who find themselves in a working relationship, keeping their lines of communication open tends to be the most difficult part of the series. Though couples are speaking as openly as they want on camera, they often struggle with miscommunication that make them uncomfortable on the show. Even with the ability to sit down with the MAFS experts, who currently include Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Dr. Pia Holec, and Pastor Cal Roberson, the couples face challenges that push them apart.
Even without communication problems, the couples featured on Married At First Sight often struggle to find a connection that makes sense between them. Despite being matched up based on the qualities that the experts felt would be compatible, many of the couples on Married At First Sight lack a sense of chemistry that feels necessary for a romantic relationship, let alone a marriage. The couples often have to seek out their chemistry or physical connection with help from the experts, who advise them as best they can, but don’t always have a helpful fix.
For couples who struggle to find a spark, things can get tough on Married At First Sight. Their relationships tend to be more of a struggle, making it harder to find success in their marriages. This has led to a lower success rate on MAFS, especially in the last few seasons of the show. Married At First Sight couples have notoriously high divorce rates, and many believe it’s because of lackluster initial matchmaking. Instead of factoring in the physical, the MAFS experts and producers tend to focus on where the emotional connection will come from, which can make things tough.
With Married At First Sight season 18 on the horizon, many have been wondering about what the matches will look like in the upcoming season. Though there were no lasting relationships on MAFS season 17 and only one on MAFS season 16, viewers hope to see successful relationships in the next season of the series. Even so, revisiting some of the worst MAFS matches of all time can help ensure new relationships are more successful.
10. Matt & Amber
Married At First Sight Season 9
Married At First Sight season 9’s Matt Gwynne and Amber Bowles had a promising wedding, but their relationship changed quickly and turned sour after seeming like it could be sweet. Amber, who was excited to be handing control over to the experts on Married At First Sight, was happy to be sharing her life with someone other than her twin sister, but Matt wasn’t ready for a mature relationship that required him to be attentive. Throughout his marriage with Amber, he insisted she was too needy.
While Amber did have some specific requirements for Matt as her husband, nothing was out of the ordinary for a healthy marriage. Matt’s consistent poor treatment of Amber was a struggle for their relationship, pushing the couple to split up on Decision Day. While Matt and Amber may not have worked out, they were a key example of how miscommunication can develop into a genuinely poor relationship.
9. Mindy & Zach
Married At First Sight Season 10
Married At First Sight season 10’s Mindy Shiben and Zach Justice appeared that they’d be a good fit on paper, but their relationship was far more harmful than positive. Mindy was excited about the prospect of meeting someone on MAFS, but her relationship with Zach never quite launched in the way it should’ve. Though Zach had applied for the process, he ultimately didn’t find himself attracted to Mindy, which kept him from trying to pursue their marriage in the way he would’ve otherwise.
Throughout Mindy and Zach’s marriage, he was disconnected and emotionally distant. While Mindy tried to connect with her Married At First Sight husband, Zach’s attitude made it impossible for the couple to even try to resolve their issues. As Mindy began to realize that Married At First Sight wasn’t working out, Zach pushed away further and effectively ended their relationship.
8. Emily & Brennan
Married At First Sight Season 17
Married At First Sight season 17 produced several couples who struggled through their relationships, including Emily Balch and Brennan Shoykhet. Emily, who had never been in a serious relationship before her time on Married At First Sight, chose to sign up for the show in order to kickstart her future, while Brennan was going with the flow after his last relationship ended. The pair seemed like they could be a good match during their wedding and throughout their honeymoon, but things quickly took a turn.
While Brennan was trying to find physical attraction to Emily, he knew early on that he wasn’t going to be able to build anything more with his MAFS wife. Rather than being honest, Brennan kept his feelings to himself and bottled them up, makingEmily believe there could be a chance for them in the future when he knew there wasn’t. Despite going through some tough times, Brennan and Emily’s relationship became hostile by the end.
7. Alyssa & Chris
Married At First Sight Season 14
Married At First Sight season 14 introduced Alyssa Ellman to Chris Colette, and though they were both hopeful about their relationship, things weren’t easy for the couple. Alyssa and Chris had very different outlooks on what they wanted in a marriage, and while they were both looking for commitment, it didn’t appear to be something they’d find within each other. While Chris did his best to bond with Alyssa and try to build up their relationship, they weren’t able to make anything work.
Alyssa’s attitude toward Chris throughout the season was difficult, as the Married At First Sight star wasn’t willing to compromise to meet any of Chris’ desires. Although Chris knew that the relationship was going to be a struggle, he was willing to put in the effort to try and make it work. Unfortunately, Alyssa wasn’t as willing to try with her MAFS husband.
6. Clare & Cameron
Married At First Sight Season 17
Another Married At First Sight season 17 couple, Clare Kerr and Cameron Frazer, seemed like they were happy to find each other during their wedding ceremony, but they quickly realized their connection wasn’t something they were interested in maintaining. Cameron, who is originally from New Zealand, tried to make a connection with Clare, but she was struggling due to some comments he’d made flippantly about her looks after their wedding. With very little connection between them, Clare shared she felt like she was in a platonic marriage.
Clare and Cameron’s relationship devolve quickly after the pair returned from their honeymoon. Their marriage wasn’t something that either were interested in putting work into, and so rather than stick it out all the way to Decision Day, Clare chose to step away from the relationship entirely. Though they stayed connected throughout the experiment, Cameron and Clare’s relationship grew hostile after their marriage ended.
5. Ryan & Jessica
Married At First Sight Season 2
Ryan De Nino and Jessica Castro were married during Married At First Sight season 2, and while the couple made it through Decision Day successfully, their relationship was nothing short of a nightmare during their time together. Ryan and Jess were happy during their wedding and shortly thereafter, but he was often angry with her for simple mistakes or miscommunications. The couple both wanted to make their marriage work, but Ryan’s frequent outbursts weren’t easy for Jess to handle.
After the couple chose to stay together on Decision Day, many were concerned about the relationship being safe for Jessica after hearing the way that Ryan spoke to her. During the Married At First Sight season 2 reunion, Ryan was heard offstage threatening Jessica’s life, which made things even more difficult. This dangerous pair thankfully divorced after Married At First Sight season 2 ended.
4. Katie & Derek
Married At First Sight Season 10
Married At First Sight season 10’s Katie Conrad and Derek Sherman were a couple who actively tried to make their relationship work, but ultimately found that they didn’t have the connection needed to succeed in a marriage. Katie, who had been in a long-term relationship prior to Married At First Sight, was excited at the prospect of meeting someone completely fresh and new. Derek, who was equally excited but perhaps a bit more realistic about his expectations, was ready to put in the work for their relationship.
After Derek and Katie spent some time together, he began to feel odd about the way she talked about her long-term ex. Katie spoke about him as though she still had feelings for him, but she denied that they were still there. After the pair chose to stay married on Decision Day, they revealed they were in the middle of a divorce months later, and Derek has alluded to Katie cheating on him.
3. Michael & Chloe
Married At First Sight Season 17
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Married At First Sight season 17’s Michael Shiakallis and Chloe Brown were an interesting pair, but their marriage ultimately left audiences surprised when he chose to divorce on Decision Day. Michael was the first ever Married At First Sight participant to have a second wedding, as his first MAFS bride chose to walk away, leaving him at the altar alone. The experts offered to re-match Michael, who accepted and chose to try again with Chloe.
Though both were open and honest about their feelings on Married At First Sight season 17, Michael and Chloe still had struggles in their relationship. They were able to build a connection, but they didn’t know if they’d have enough time to commit to their relationship since their wedding was later in the season. Ultimately, while Chloe chose to stay married on Decision Day, Michael chose to split up.
2. Chris & Paige
Married At First Sight Season 12
Married At First Sight season 12’s Chris Williams and Paige Banks had a tough time from early on in their relationship, and the couple’s difficulties were continually getting worse throughout the season. While Paige was happy to work on their marriage throughout any troubles, Chris was often the one to consider throwing in the towel, even though he was the one presenting issues in their marriage. Shortly after the couple were married, Chris’s ex shared that she was pregnant with his baby, and though he wanted to be involved, he didn’t want to include Paige.
She was happy to let Chris handle his own problems, but Paige felt snubbed that he wouldn’t let her support him. As their marriage continued, Chris treated Paige poorly, belittling her and talking down about her looks. Though the couple seemed to have some attraction towards each other, their relationship was too troubled to succeed.
1. Lauren & Orion
Married At First Sight Season 17
The most troubled Married At First Sight season 17 couple was Lauren Goodger and Orion Martzloff, whose marriage imploded after a severe miscommunication. Lauren and Orion seemed to be succeeding in their marriage early on in MAFS season 17, but things came to a halt when there was some hesitation on Orion’s part. Lauren tried to connect with her MAFS husband, but it appeared that he didn’t want to discuss what was going on with her.
During a therapy session, Orion revealed that he wanted to end his marriage to Lauren, which he hadn’t discussed with her prior to the meeting. Instead of giving Lauren the opportunity to talk to him about the decision, Orion continually shut her down and left the relationship entirely. He continually tried to reach out to her throughout the season end, but Lauren had no interest in her former Married At First Sight husband after he ended their relationship without her consent.
