Summary

• MAFS has hit a low point, with only 1 successful couple in 5 seasons.
• Season 17's drama has eroded trust in the show and caused viewer skepticism.
• Season 18's trailer hints at potential drama similar to its predecessor.

Married At First Sight season 18 may be the worst of them all. Throughout the last few years, MAFS has been one of the least successful dating shows on reality TV. With only one couple having stayed together successfully in the last five seasons, the metrics of Married At First Sight marriages succeeding have been inordinately low. The drama of the show, alternately, has been at an all-time high throughout the recent seasons.

While the drama from Married At First Sight season 17 has been some of the most interesting that the franchise has ever seen, it’s diminished the trust the audience has in the show. After showing that it’s possible to manipulate the producers from the inside, the sense of trust between Married At First Sight viewers and the production team behind the series is at an all-time low. While I’ve seen many lamenting online that they’re ready for a new season of Married At First Sight for ages, I fear that the season may be even worse than the last.

Married At First Sight Season 17 Was A Disaster

The Drama Wasn’t Planned Or Expected

Throughout Married At First Sight season 17, viewers could tell there was something off about what was happening on screen. The cast were barely functioning in their marriages, and though that’s not new for the series, there was a lack of genuine shock about the failure of each relationship. Couples like Cameron Frazer & Clare Kerr and Lauren Goodger & Orion Martzloff called it quits early on in the season, but neither seemed genuinely hurt about the end of their relationship, they were merely ready for the experiment to be over. Meanwhile, the other couples stuck it out with similar ennui.

It seemed some MAFS couples were expecting their relationships to fail, and those who weren’t, like Michael Shiakallis & Chloe Brown, appeared to be fighting twice as hard for their marriages to work. When it unraveled that four of the five couples on Married At First Sight season 17 had worked together to create stories they felt would play on camera to make them look good to the general public, it was finally clear that the season had been a sham from the start. I don’t believe production was in on the cast’s plan, which made the season a complete disaster.

The Trailer For Married At First Sight Season 18 Looks Similar To Its Predecessor

There’s A Potential Runaway Bride

As the drama from MAFS season 17 finally died down, the series switched gears and gave viewers a sneak peek at the MAFS season 18. The trailer, shown during the season 17 reunion, was a quick look at the participants before and after their weddings. While not much was revealed, I was shocked to see that the trailer was incredibly similar in tone to what was shared about Married At First Sight season 17 in the beginning. The participants, this time living in Chicago, had issues to unpack before their weddings, but were ready to make a commitment.

The trailer for Married At First Sight season 18 doesn’t give much away, but one of the main focal points of the sneak peek surrounds a bride who is struggling in her decision to participate in the experiment. As MAFS viewers know, the previous season had a historic moment during the weddings when Michael’s original bride left him at the altar, remaining nameless and faceless to the audience. The Married At First Sight runaway bride was a big deal during season 17, but to repeat the same drama on MAFS season 18 would be an odd choice for the series.

MAFS Season 18 Was Filmed Before The Season 17 Drama Came Out

There Was No Time To Process

While we’ve been asking for Married At First Sight season 17 to finally end since midway through the season, knowing that Married At First Sight season 18 could repeat eerily similar drama is disheartening. The MAFS producers and the experts themselves, including the criticized Dr. Pia Holec, have shared that they don’t believe there will be a repeat of Married At First Sight season 17. Unfortunately, they have no control over what the Married At First Sight season 18 cast could do, seeing as the drama from the previous season hadn’t been revealed while the new season was being filmed.

It’s probably cynical of me to think that another cast could repeat the same behavior that the MAFS season 17 cast displayed in the future, or maybe at least unrealistic. Regardless, the point stands that the series has had a problem with its casting for years, one that led to this issue in the first place. For seasons, the Married At First Sight participants have struggled with the way they feel they’re going to be perceived by the public.

Seeing MAFS cast called out on social media is something new cast are wary of, and they often try to mitigate the problem by being quiet about their more difficult feelings on camera. Even without knowing what happened during Married At First Sight season 17, the new cast could easily pull the same cards when it comes to their time on screen. Though it’s probably not the case, I’m wary of another cast having filmed Married At First Sight without knowing about the backlash that came from the season 17 cast orchestrating their own drama for the cameras.

MAFS Needs To Overhaul Everything About The Show

It Needs To Be Revamped Entirely

Although Married At First Sight season 18 could be one of the best the show’s ever seen, I’m feeling cautious about the idea of another season coming so quickly after the wreckage of MAFS season 17. While MAFS has been a staple for reality TV dating connoisseurs since its debut in 2014, the show hasn’t changed much with the times, and before putting participants through the experiment again, I think it could use a revamp. Participants of MAFS are asked to deal with the fallout of the show after the fact, and I think that needs to change.

In the past, Married At First Sight has put the onus on its participants to keep themselves private throughout the show, but once they’re able to share more about the process and their experience, it’s clear that what we see on screen isn’t always true to life. I believe that with an overhaul in the way MAFS treats its contestants and stories, the show could become even better than it’s been in the past. Though Married At First Sight season 18 may not be the season we’re hoping for, it could usher in a new era of MAFS.

Married At First Sight is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

Source: Married At First Sight/Instagram