Dismal. Crashed and burned. Total BS.
Those are a few choice words that fans on Reddit used to describe season 17 of “Married at First Sight,” based in Denver. Some lamented it might be the series’ worst season yet – and perhaps with good reason.
A quick recap for the uninitiated: “Married at First Sight” (MAFS) travels to various cities across the U.S. searching for single folks ready to get hitched. The show is hosted by a team of matchmaking experts, who pair the singles up based on their perceived compatibility. The first time the couple meets is at the altar and after a two-month trial marriage, each couple decides if they want to stay together or get a divorce in a ritual known as Decision Day.
The not-so-happy MAFS couples from Denver
Denverites Becca and Austin are paired up by the expert matchmakers on season 17 of “Married at First Sight.” (Provided by The DeLaCastros)
Denverites Clare and Cameron are paired up by the expert matchmakers on season 17 of “Married at First Sight.” (Provided by Madison Leigh Creative)
Denverites Lauren and Orion are paired up by the expert matchmakers on season 17 of “Married at First Sight.” (Provided by Kelsey Huffer/Poppy & Co.)
Denverites Brennan and Emily are paired up by the expert matchmakers on season 17 of “Married at First Sight.” (Provided by The DeLaCastros)
Denverite Michael gets paired up by the expert matchmakers on season 17 of “Married at First Sight,” but his bride might not make it to the altar. (Provided by Kelsey Huffer/Poppy & Co.)
Pastor Cal Roberson is one of the hosts and matchmakers on Lifetime’s hit reality TV series “Married at First Sight.” Season 17, filmed in Denver, premieres Oct. 18. (Provided by LaJoy Cox)
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In Denver, the show’s matchmaking experts went 0-5 – not a single couple stayed together after Decision Day. Heck, some broke up long before filming wrapped. And if you count one of the original brides who bailed at the altar – another series first – the experts went 0-6. I’d bet that’s a record.
It’s not just that the Mile High City’s couples didn’t work out; they made clear during the first part of the season reunion that they aren’t on good terms. Not even close.
Accusations of infidelity flew. The whole cast confessed to trying to game the show by deleting certain footage and hiding secrets. Four of the five women wore pink in solidarity after feeling like their now ex-husbands manipulated them throughout the course of filming. (Part two of the reunion airs Wednesday night on Lifetime.)
“There’s drama, there’s comedy, there’s horror, there’s mystery – every genre of theatrics you can think of will be in this season,” Pastor Cal, one of the show’s legacy matchmakers, told The Denver Post last fall. And boy did the show deliver.
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But in online chatter, fans said they ultimately felt betrayed and called for a recasting of the show’s experts. During the reunion, it was clear the individuals who participated were still very hurt. Critics at the entertainment site Collider called the Denver season “the most disappointing due to toxic behavior, conflict, and unusual censorship issues among the couples.”
Was it an issue inherently with the show that led to such a disaster? Or an issue with singles in Denver? There’s no way to know. But the consensus among fans and critics seems to be relief that the trainwreck is over. Well, almost.
Tune into the final half of the season 17 “Married at First Sight” reunion Wednesday night at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime.
