Sometimes lost in the streaming service and social media haze of Love is Blind and Love Island, there’s a longer and more relaxing romance-based reality series to waste time on. Married at First Sight is a Lifetime TV Show that has been airing annually for 18 seasons. Its premise focuses on romance experts going to a different city each season to match singles who fulfill the application and interview process. From the entire applicant pool, only six couples are paired by the experts based on people who show the most compatibility in all aspects.Â
The run of the season follows their meeting, which is at their wedding, and their trials as they adjust to each other and a more fast-paced version of married life. Couples on the show meet at their wedding, go on a honeymoon with the other couples, and move into a neutral apartment together, all in an attempt to grow their connection and commitment to each other. The experts are there to mediate disagreements and assign tasks to the couples to grow in different areas, such as games to better their communication. At the end of the 16 weeks, the couples are then asked to decide to stay married or to get a divorce.Â
The show is a cheesy reality show, yet it digs deep into the emotional side of things, such as exploring the childhood issues of the people on the show. The added psychological aspects make the contestants feel more human, even if you don’t really love every participant. Each season is comprised of 30 episodes that are each about an hour long. Digging deeper and getting to the root of why specific couples act a certain way is a big pull for the show. Having trained experts’ counseling gives them and the audience a guide into deeper insight, showing what makes each contestant who they are.Â
Leaving the match-making up to data and a panel of experts does lead to some interesting drama in all the seasons. In every season, one couple hits it off immediately, and one couple really doesn’t like one another. Due to the long run of the seasons, drama is inevitable. Common items of disagreement for couples are differences between families, a lack of attraction, and a lack of trust. While these are very tough issues to face in a new marriage, they do lead to some hilarious moments. The awkwardness of the couples meeting at their wedding in front of all their loved ones also gives the show its edge. Many of the funniest moments in the show seem to be unintentional, making them even more amusing.Â
While the experts do have their misses when pairing couples, there are also some beautiful success stories among the failures. Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner have been happily married since they were on the show over 10 years ago! There’s something so sweet about watching a couple’s love story in its beginning, especially knowing that they took such a leap of faith when signing up for this experience.
Due to the lack of social media prominence when compared to larger reality shows like Love is Blind, contestants seem more down-to-earth and genuine about the process of finding their partner in life. This makes the people easier to watch during the long episodes and lengthy seasons. The variety of personalities in the show makes each season unique and equally entertaining.Â
Married at First Sight is a staple Sunday morning show for my mom and me. It’s a fun bonding experience to place petty bets on which couples we think will make it or not, even if it’s a bit mean to do. Watching drama with low stakes (the opportunity to annul the marriage at any time) in such a long show is the perfect way to bed rot in comfort.
I wish there was more of an online fan base because I know I have strong opinions on almost every couple that I’d love to share!
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