There are clues thatMarried at First Sightseason 18 will damage the franchise, and it may be irreparable.Married at First Sightseason 18finally has an air date of July 09, 2025, after fans have had to sit through a six-month hiatus. While long hiatuses are common in the show’s history, this has been one of the longest. Not to mention,Married at First Sightseason 17was the longest season in franchise history due to a situation that threw the scheduling into chaos.
Season 17 cast memberMichael Shiakalliswas ditched at the altar by his original bride, leaving the outset of the season with only four couples to follow. TheMAFSexperts asked Michael if he was keen to be rematched, and with his approval he was matched with and married Chloe Brown. However, the pair started their eight-week-long journey while the other couples were already halfway through theirs. This led to a lot of filler scenes and editing between the other couples, all of whom had broken up on or right after Decision Day.
What happened with the runaway bride was a first for the franchise, and following the cast and broken up couples post-Decision Day was completely new for the show. The new format was not received well by fans, who thought that the runaway bride situation should not have happened in the first place. What’s more, of the original four couples, only one truly made it to Decision Day, the other three had broken up early, mid, or late in the season. Over the last few years,MAFShas failed to produce many lasting and well-matched couples,which has put off viewers and diminished the show’s credibility. With season 18 poised to premiere soon, unfortunately, it looks like the upcoming season will continue to be damaging.
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10The MAFS Experts Haven’t Changed In Season 18
Changing Experts Could Have Been A Selling Point
Married at First Sightseason 18 will be keeping the same experts that have been the therapist panel since season 15, and that’s not a good thing. Dr. Pepper Schwartz has been with the show since season 1 debuted in 2014. Pastor Cal joined as an expert in season 4, and newest expert, Dr. Pia Holec, became an expert in season 15.
Each of the experts has their own individual faults, and they also have faults collectively.Dr. Pepper is known for not having a good pulse on the issues of the couples and for being off-base with her advice. Pastor Cal comes off as having a bias against some cast members, and he gives overly harsh criticisms when he should have a more supportive approach. Dr. Pia tends to harbor disdain for some couples and cast members, and does let her personal opinions hinder what should be good counseling.
As a whole, the experts do not intervene and try and help guide the couples when the time is crucial. They are often aloof and don’t help the couples navigate their problems when they should.
Changing theMAFSexperts in season 18 would have been a smart move given the negative reputations the three experts have developed.
Their inability to match solid couples and their shortcomings as therapists were also grounds for an expert overhaul. Changing the experts would have been a selling point for season 18, and the lack of change in that regard is not a good sign.
9MAFS Is Repeating A City
New Cities Could Have Been Explored
Married at First Sightseason 18 is back in Chicago for a second time. Season 5 also highlighted a Chicago-based cast.Exploring a new U.S. city would have given the show a fresh takeand a chance for viewers to connect to a new city, and since it hasn’t, the season lost a potentially fun element. There might be reasoning behind the choice to takeMAFSback to Chicago for a second time.Married at First Sightseason 5 saw the success of Ashley Petta and Anthony D’Amico, so the network might be calling on fans to reflect on the success of Ashley and Anthony to pull away from the terrible outcomes of the recent seasons, but that’s a stretch.
8MAFS Season 18 Has A Bride With Cold Feet
Michael’s runaway bride situation (viaET) was disastrous for the franchise’s credibility, and the same situation happening again was hinted at in one of the unofficial trailers for season 18. The scene showed the bride questioning whether she wanted to go through with marrying a stranger.
“Would it be the end of the world if I just literally didn’t do this?”
If one of the brides were to get cold feet, the show might not want to label it as yet another runaway bride. It’s possible the bride in question did also run from the altar only to be replaced by someone else, perhaps a swap. However, the bride getting cold feet scene might have been all for show, and the original bride might have gone through with the marriage.
7MAFS Has Not Changed Its Casting Approach
Clout Chasers & Problematic People Have Been Cast Historically
InMAFSseason 18, there is no indication that the network changed up their casting approach despite all the failures of the couples. While there are a group ofMAFShopefuls from each city that apply to get matched and married on the show, the show also has another casting tactic.The production team scours dating appsand finds TV-worthy candidates and propositions them to apply for the show.
This leaves the door open for clout chasers to make their way on or for people who aren’t ready for marriage to seize the TV opportunity. In season 18, the network should have brainstormed new ways to find quality cast members.
While it is unknown if the co-opting tactic was the main source of casting this season, there are likely a few cast who got on the show this way if past seasons are any indication.
6MAFS Season 18 Could Run Too Long
MAFS Fans Don’t Want Another Lengthy Season
Married at First Sightseason 17 ran for six months, and viewers were worn out by the end of it, especially considering the lackluster drama, poor matching choices, subpar counseling, and the fact that none of the couples stayed together.MAFSfans don’t want another lengthy seasonfilled with low-value drama. Shortening this season in anticipation to change things up in season 19 would be a smart idea on the network’s behalf to appease fans who are not interested in sitting through another six months of a low-success season.
5MAFS Has No Backup Couples
That Are Known About
Given the runaway bride situation and its rippling repercussions,it would have been smart for theMAFSfranchise to start securing backup couplesin the event one or more couples breaks up early. However, season 18 does not seem to have enacted that strategy, but it’s not out of the question. Having backup couples would ensure that viewers always had five couples to keep up with and root for.
4MAFS Season 18 Will Have A Cheating Scandal
Which Is Damaging
As denoted by the leakedMAFSseason 18 trailer (via@mafsfan),a first ever cheating scandal will rock the show. It’s unclear who is involved in the scandal and what will transpire as a result, but the circumstance is wholly not good for the show’s reception. Not only does a cheating scandal speak to the experts' inability to choose good and honest people for the show but it also diminishes the credibility of the franchise.
3MAFS Season 18’s Cast Is Likely Not Mature As Claimed
In the official description of season 18, the network claims that this season will have a more"mature"cast. In the past, the show has cast participants who claimed to be emotionally mature, but they have been far from it.
Given the marred history with the show choosing people unfit to enter a new relationship and marry a stranger, the notion that season 18’s cast is more mature does not hold a lot of weight.
2MAFS Season 18 Will Have A Couples Swap
The First In The Show’s History
Not only willMAFSseason 18 feature a cheating scandal, but it will also feature the first-ever couples swap, as depicted in the cast release from@mafslifetime. At this time,it is unclear whether the cheating scandal and couples swap are related, but either way, both situations are a bad look for the show. The show can only recover from a couples swap if one or both of the couples involved make it past Decision Day.
1There Are Signs The MAFS Season 18 Couples Won’t Work Out
MAFS' Success Rate Is Low
Married at First Sight’s total success rate over the last 17 seasons hovers at just 18.75%. That is a strong sign and statistic that bodes negatively for the outcomes of the couples in season 18. Between the experts not changing, scandals prevailing, and the casting approach remaining the same, season 18 has a lot going against it. However, there are very few spoilers about how season 18 will go down, sothere is still a lot of room for hope that there will be successful pairingsand that season 18 will deliver high-quality and entertaining drama.
Married At First Sightseason 18 premieres Wednesday, October 2 at 8 p.m. EDT on Lifetime.
Married At First Sight
Cast
Based on the Danish version of the series, Married at First Sight is a reality show/social experiment that gives singles a chance to find a lifelong partnership with one particular caveat: they must agree to marry a stranger arranged the moment they meet. Experts provide counseling and guidance as they help couples navigate their new marriage with their unknown partner and highlight the journey of the newlyweds from wedding to honeymoon to beginning their new lives together. At the end of eight weeks, couples will decide to stay married or divorce.
