Lifetime's popular romantic reality TV series Married At First Sight has had viewers on the edges of their seats for years, and it's time to rank the installments. Every episode is a wild experiment that may provide lifelong happiness or fantastic disappointment. Each season casts several individuals who could have grown closer due to their tasks, or experienced setbacks.

Based on a hit Danish series, the American version has aired 16 seasons since premiering in 2014. While not every MAFS season 16 couple stayed together, this is par for the course for the less-than-successful show. However, some seasons aren't as good as others, based on casting, drama, and outcomes.

Season 4

While the season had enough drama to satisfy viewers, season 4 in Miami is definitely the worst. The main reason was due to Tom Wilson and Lily Vilchez' dull and unlikable personalities, and the dissolution of couple Derek Schwartz and Heather Seidel, who left the show a few days into their honeymoon. While Tom and Lily and Nick Prendergast and Sonia Granados said yes during the Final Decision, all three couples who appeared during the season are now divorced.

Season 15

After the letdown of MAFS season 14, season 15 lowered expectations even further. None of the couples from the season are still together, including Lindy Elloway and Miguel Santiago-Medina, who divorced in early 2023. This season only increased speculation that producers forced incompatible couples together for clout, rather than attempting to make actual matches. Amid deep dissatisfaction, fans are calling for a MAFS revamp.

Season 13

MAFS season 13 was a bit of a disappointment. Not only did none of the Houston couples stay together, but there was also drama surrounding dating fellow cast members after divorce. The spiciest bit of reality TV drama was Zach Freeman dating Bao Huong Hoang four months after Decision Day. Unfortunately, this new pair also called it quits.

Season 9

Season 9 of Married at First Sight occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, with four competing couples. One dramatic subplot involved the series mainstay, Dr. Jessica Griffin, revealing that she would not return due to her romance with season 6 contestant Jon Francetic. They are now married, and the otherwise lackluster season culminated with two 'Yes' and two 'No' Final Decisions. The two couples who agreed to remain together, Jamie Thompson and Elizabeth Bice and Gregory Okotie and Deonna McNeill, are still married.

Season 3

After a whirlwind of chaos featured in season 2, season 3 felt like a disappointing letdown that lacked the same level of drama. However, the Atlanta-set season did mark the first time in show history that a couple disagreed during their Final Decision. Nursing student Ashley Doherty said 'No' to her husband David Norton, who, in turn, said 'Yes' to wanting to remain together. Likewise, Niel Bowlus also declined to stay with his wife Samantha Role, who said 'Yes' during her Final Decision. All three couples that competed are now divorced. David is seen enjoying life above, post-split.

Season 14

While MAFS season 14 certainly brought the drama, some fans thought that MAFS season 14 was a failure. With Katina Goode and Olajuwon Dickerson as the only couple still standing from the second Boston season, the other three relationships crumbled quickly under pressure. This season prompted concerns that MAFS was no longer attempting to make perfect matches, but focusing on stirring up drama between incompatible pairs.

Season 16

While the Nashville season was better than some recent installments, it continued to be less than successful. While the MAFS season 16 reunion doesn't air until June 21, the only couple to remain together after Decision Day is Chris Thiek and Nicole Lilienthal. Unsurprisingly, the other three couples split, with Domynique Kloss and Mackinley Gilbert breaking up halfway through the season. However, the drama with Mackinley and Gina Micheletti going on dates was an interesting twist after the fallout of Decision Day.

Season 12

Season 12 featured four couples from Atlanta, and although only one couple stayed together, it was decently entertaining. It was the first season to feature a former divorcee, and Briana Myles and Vincent Morales make a cute couple. The pair have welcomed a daughter, Aury Belle, to their family. While Clara Berghaus and Ryan Oubre said yes on Decision Day, they broke up a year later. Additionally, the villain, Chris Williams, provided one of the more dramatic storylines in MAFS history.

Season 7

For just the second time in the history of the series, all three couples said 'Yes' to their Final Decision during the season 7 finale. While that makes for happy endings, it only inspired a little drama in the rest of the Dallas-set season. Of the three couples who competed, only Bobby and Danielle Bergman-Dodd remain married. They have a son named Bobby Jr. and a daughter named Olivia Nicole. The other two couples, Mia Bally and Tristan Thompson and Dave Flaherty and Amber Martorana, have since divorced.

Season 6

Despite the low aggregation of its IMDb score, Married at First Sight's sixth season is one of the more entertaining of the lot. The season took place in Boston, where a trio of couples in their twenties did their best to remain loyal to each other. With no shortage of relationship drama and commitment issues, the season culminated with two 'Yes' Final Decisions when cosmetologist Shawniece Jackson and elementary school teacher Jephte Pierre agreed to remain together, as did sales rep Jaclyn Schwartzberg and firefighter Ryan Buckley. Alas, only the former couple remains married.

Season 8

Season 8 of Married at First Sight marked the first time the competition in the show expanded from three couples to four. Set in Philadelphia, many memorable moments occurred during the season, ending in a 2:2 split decision. One of the season's biggest highlights came following the couples' honeymoon vacations, when they struggled to move in with each other. The two married couples include Stephanie Sersen and AJ Vollmoeller and Keith Dewar and Kristine Killingsworth, while Will Guess and Jasmine McGriff and Luke Cuccurullo and Kat SIsk have since divorced.

Season 2

With an unparalleled level of dramatic dustups and explosive familial train wrecks, season 2, set in New York and New Jersey, remains one of the most memorable of the series to date. The season's high point came when the three couples underwent therapy with Dr. Joseph Cilona and let their true feelings fly. While all three couples are divorced, two agreed to remain together during the show's Final Decision: Jaclyn Methuen and Ryan Ranellone, and Jessica Castro and Ryan DeNino. Unfortunately, both pairs later divorced.

Season 5

Set in the Windy City of Chicago, Married at First Sight season 5 ranks among the upper half of the series (to date). With a good mixture of drama, humor, genuine romance, and epic lover's quarrels, couple Anthony D'Amico and Ashley Petta emerged as one of the best pairs in show history. Anthony and Ashley not only remained married, but they also have two children since exiting the show. While the other couples, Cody Knapek and Danielle DeGroot and Nate Duhon and Shiela Downs, also said 'Yes' during their Final Decision, they split up.

Season 1

Given the sheer ingenuity of the premise and the raw excitement of seeing a new romantic reality series for the first time, season 1 of Married at First Sight remains among the top three. Set in New York and New Jersey, the most compelling aspect of the season was the loving relationship between Doug Hehner and Jamie Otis-Hehner (a software salesman and nurse who remain married to this day). The couple has one son and one daughter. Unfortunately, couple Cortney Hendrix and Jason Carrion divorced after five years of marriage.

Season 10

Despite the polarizing nature of the cast of characters, season 10 boasted an undeniable level of compelling marital strife. In the Virginia and Washington, D.C. area, the season improved drastically following the departure of the despised fitness instructor Zach Justice. Season 10 also marked the first time the number of couples was expanded from four to five in the competition. As a result, the show ended with the first two annulments (in the same season) when couples Tyler Dunklin and Brandon Reid and Meka Jones and Michael Watson decided to undo their wedding vows.

Season 11

With six years and ten seasons to hone their craft, refine their format, and find the right matchmaking level, season 11 ranks as the most entertaining collection of Married at First Sight episodes. Set in seductive New Orleans, season 11 boasted the best collection of couples in the series to date. Moreover, seeing five couples who did not suffer from delusions of grandeur was refreshing. The three couples who agreed to stay married after the show remain so to this day, while those who got divorced knew as much on Final Decision day.

Source: David Norton/Instagram