Married at first sight Season 17 was such a huge mistake for the franchise that it had ripple effects on Season 18 and the couples’ potential for success. Married at first sight Season 18 premiered on October 15, 2024 and has three episodes currently released. There was also a “Matchmaking Special” and a “Kickoff Special” that gave more information about the quality of the roster and the viability of the matches paired by the expert panel. THE Married at first sightPepper Schwartz experts Pastor Cal Roberson and Dr. Pia Holec are returning for a fourth season together.
Experts are tasked with making the right matches and guiding couples through the eight-week process. So far, every season 18 couple has been married with an invisible stranger at the altar. In Married at first sight season 17, a pair didn’t even make it that far. While this could be a good sign for Season 18 couples, the trends and pitfalls of Season 17 are carrying over into Season 18 and setting couples up for failure. With so much season still to go, season 18 is heading towards chaos, just like season 17.
Every MAFS Season 17 Couple Failed
And there was extreme animosity
Lifeof Married at first sight Season 17 was arguably the most disastrous season in the franchise’s history due to several elements that caused the couples to fail and the season to be poorly received. Season 17 began with contestant Michael Shiakallis being abandoned by his fiancée at the altar after she stated she wasn’t ready to marry a stranger. Michael was then hit back by the experts with Chloe Brown, but the pair split on Decision Day because Michael said he wasn’t ready for marriage, in a surprising turn of events given that Chloe also said yes to staying married.
What’s more, Orion Martzzloff and Lauren Goodger broke up immediately upon returning to Denver from their honeymoon, and Cameron Frazer and Clare Kerr broke up on their one-month anniversary. Becca Haley and Austin Reed, and Emily Balch and Brennan Shoykhet effectively split before Decision Day, even though Becca and Austin said yes, only to end things the next day. Season 17 couples too they tried hard to deceive the viewers’ eyes, coordinating with each other to deceive the group.
The intention was for the couples to present themselves positively in front of the cameras to achieve a good edition. But what happened was that individuals felt silenced and the masking of what was really going on created tension in the marriages and throughout the cast, which exploded epically during the reunion. What’s worse, the experts had no idea about the dupe and were completely misled, adding to the list of mistakes that damaged their reputations.
There was a lot wrong with Season 17, from the bad match, the cast members not being ready or emotionally available to get married, the attempted deception, and the blatant animosity between the cast. With so much to look at in Season 17 and fix to avoid similar situations in Season 18, there needed to be more changes between seasons. Why Married at first sight Season 17 failed so epically that one can expect the same problems to arise in Season 18.
MAFS Experts Have Remained the Same
What is a red flag
If Married at first sight If Season 18 had the chance to produce successful matches and show viewers that the show is sticking to its premise rather than manufacturing drama, pundits would have changed. Pepper, Pastor Cal, and Dr. Pia have proven their biases, inability to fulfill their professional obligations, and demonstrated their detachment when it comes to ensuring everyone is their authentic self.
This panel of experts is dragging the season down with each failure, and since all the couples failed, and failed horribly in season 17, season 18 will also be dragged down by the trio.
MAFS Season 17’s Proven Production Doesn’t Care About Casting
Or else they would have paired people better
The other allegation with Season 17 that affects the Season 18 couples’ potential for success is that the casting is just as bad in Season 18 as it was in Season 17. The Season 17 cast were clout seekers, clearly unmarriageable, intransigent, or dubiously immature. These same qualities are present in the casting choices for season 18. Since the chosen set of contestants in each season presents abundant red flags, it proves that the production does not care about the casting, and it is more concerned with the drama of manufacturing.
The previously selected cast Married at first sight seasons, along with its success and low drama, but high-quality entertainment proves that the show can maintain its premise and be well-received.
However, the franchise has seemingly moved away from this matrix and is not concerned about negatively affecting the lives of its cast members, given its propensity for incompatible people and poor casting in general. Season 18 is falling victim to the recent pattern Married at first sight seasons, like season 17 and all its chaos.
MAFS Season 18’s Couples Are Just as Mismatched as Season 17’s
There is a lack of compatibility
The cast of Married at first sight Season 17 had obvious incompatibilities in terms of moral compasses, cultural backgrounds, communication styles, religious preferences, and non-negotiables. In Married at first sight season 18 (via @mafslifetime), experts and production have chosen equally incompatible people who will encounter insurmountable problems together. For example, David Tremble lives at home with his parents, which is not a compatible or attractive quality for his fiancée Michelle Tomblin, who is fiercely independent. There’s still a lot to be seen in Season 18, but if the Season 17 drama is any indication, Season 18’s couples are going to fail.
Married at first sight airs Tuesdays at 8pm EDT on Lifetime.
Source: Life/YouTube, @mafslifetime/Instagram