Married at First Sight has had breakout success with sixteen seasons worth of expert-matched marriages in cities all over the U.S., but it has changed over time. As the show gained in popularity, it evolved over the years from the very basic structure in the first season, to the global sensation it is now. In the first few seasons of the show, MAFS couples had vastly different experiences than those on later seasons.

With Married at First Sight becoming so popular in later seasons of the franchise, it is not widely publicized how much different the show is now from when it started. The key elements that the show is known for now were added much later, leaving a quite shocking side-by-side comparison of MAFS season 1 to season 16. Aside from the structural changes, the show’s increasing popularity has also changed the dynamic, allowing for some of Married at First Sight's worst seasons to occur.

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Married At First Sight's Biggest Changes After Season 1

One of the most significant changes since Married at First Sight season 1 is the amount of time the couples spend together. In the beginning, MAFS couples were on their own to find a shared apartment, and had their own personal bachelor and bachelorette parties. They also went on separate honeymoons and rarely saw the other cast members. The shared spaces and events between the couples seen in later seasons give the show a more competition-style vibe. MAFS couples are left more on their own, as the experts add commentary and ask divisive questions rather than give useful advice.

How Popularity Changed Married At First Sight

As more MAFS cast members are aware of the exposure that being on the show would give them, the quality of cast members who are authentically searching for true love dwindles. It has even been questioned whether MAFS cast members were professional actors. Cast members who enter the process are aware of the show, but unaware of what being married entails, resulting in several marriages ending before the eight weeks are over. Having more cast members aware of the show allows them to seek casting for the wrong reasons, which means less successful marriages in the long run. Creating more matches feels inauthentic and chosen just for entertainment value.

Overall, MAFS has become much more theatrical since the beginning of the franchise. The changes implemented since MAFS season 1 have only added more opportunities for the couples to create drama, and the popularity of the show has attracted a cast ready to bring it. Outlandish behavior like getting matching tattoos gives Married at First Sight a bad reputation. The show started as a mere social experiment to try to find love, and has now turned into a messy look at the ways in which strangers can push each other’s buttons in close quarters.

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