The season 11 finale of Married At First Sight aired Thursday on Lifetime. The show features expert matchmakers Pastor Calvin "Cal" Roberson, Dr. Viviana Coles, and Dr. Pepper Schwartz, who pair strangers together only for them to immediately get married. Sometimes the matchmakers get it right, and couples find happily ever after. Other times, well, that's where the drama comes from. This season had the added twist of being produced during the pandemic, which surely brought some extra tension to the proceedings.
Perhaps the most talked about couple from this season was Henry Rodriguez and Christina. When the introvert was matched with a fiery bride, it could've lead to the two extremes balancing each other out. That's certainly what the matchmakers were going for. Instead, the couple had a noticeable lack of chemistry. Their interactions were so awkward that they made viewers uncomfortable. Henry also appeared to not even be attracted to Christina's appearance. When the flight attendant was spotted looking quite different after the show, fans wondered if Henry's reaction lead her to get plastic surgery in Mexico. Meanwhile, Christina turned out to be incredibly chaotic and got flack for complaining about her husband's shyness and comparing him to past ex-boyfriends.
In an interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Henry reflected on his time on the show. He expressed some regrets about the process, and also opened up about dealing with nasty comments from viewers. In particular, he took offense to people speculating whether or not he is not the spectrum. While he is not, he knows people who are, and found the jokes far too offensive and cruel.
But despite the downsides, and his relationship with Christina not working out, he clearly had some positive takeaways from it. In the interview he praised costars Woody, Miles, and Bennett, all of whom he became close to, and intends to remain friends with. He added that due to filming the show together, "We have a unique bond for sure!" The experts may not have picked his perfect match, but he also plans to take the lessons learned from the experience going forward. When asked about the best advice he received, he remembered a conversation with Pastor Cal.
The marriage counselor praised his self-aware nature "but told me I need to take it to the next level by realizing what opportunities lie ahead and addressing them." The clinical recruiter took those words to heart, and stated they will help him improve as an individual and as a partner in his next relationship. Considering how much they've already made headlines, Married At First Sight fans will surely be following what Henry and Christina do next, including their potential new romances.
Source: Showbiz Cheat Sheet