Married at First Sight features experts with dubious matchmaking abilities, and their misfires may be hurting the show. Out of the 15 couples matched by the MAFS experts over the last three seasons, only one couple is still together. Season 13 scores 0 out of 5, and season 14 had the same poor outcome. The most recent attempt at matching strangers at the altar has left just one couple on solid ground: Lindy Elloway and Miguel Santiago. Although two other couples from season 15 decided to stay married on Decision Day, Alexis Williams and Justin Hall split just hours after deciding to stay married. Stacia Karcher recently asked for a separation (and potential divorce) from Nate Barnes. Although Nate and Stacia haven't officially split yet, it's not looking good.
Although Married at First Sight's track record was never stellar, it has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to the absurd criteria that Dr. Pepper Schwartz and Pastor Cal Roberson use to pair hopeful singles. Although season 15 was the first go-around without a rotating third expert, the two remaining matchmakers have plenty of experience. This means that they should know what works and what implodes. However, they seem to be stuck on the myth that opposites attract. Some fans think that the experts are matching participants more for drama and ratings than for love. After all, they did match sorority sister Krysten Collins with avid environmentalist Mitch Silverstein in season 15, and that is just one of many "head-scratcher" pairings in recent installments.
Why The MAFS Experts Should Have Known Better
Purposefully bad matchmaking by the MAFS experts is a possibility. However, if they're really trying to match the participants with the best possible partners, as Dr. Viviana Coles claimed in The New York Post, they should know that successful couples need common ground. Common ground doesn't mean having qualities that just about everyone shares, such as enjoying the outdoors or valuing family. That is where the experts’ biggest missteps lie. Numerous times, Dr. Pepper and Pastor Cal have used phrases like, “they both want a family” or, “they’re both driven,” to justify matching people who are polar opposites. Over the last few seasons, this tendency has grown, which helps to explain why only one out of the past 15 pairs has stayed together. The experts should dig deeper and look at detailed experiences, and specific personality traits and interests, before asking two strangers to say, “I do.”
MAFS Stars Krysten & Mitch Were A Total Mismatch
MAFS season 15 couple Krysten and Mitch were a duo that was doomed to fail, despite Krysten’s determination to make it work, no matter what. The experts knew that Mitch was an extremely environmentally conscious man, who was doggedly set in his ways, and preferred "natural" women. So, instead of finding him a woman who shares his passion for recycling and conservation (a female likely to go without makeup and shoes), they matched him with an elegant, sophisticated, aspiring house-flipper, Krysten. Yes, they both love the outdoors and family, but the similarities stop there. Those are not good enough reasons for people to stay together for the rest of their lives. Latching on to generic commonalities, and using them as excuses to put two people together in a highly tense and unusual situation, is simply irresponsible.
Another example of the experts using ridiculous criteria to match the couples can be seen in the debacle of Chris Collette and Alyssa Ellman, who never made it past day 12 of the experiment. Alyssa made it quite clear that her mate not having perfect teeth was a deal-breaker. However, the experts set her up with Chris anyway, despite his dental issues. That was just the beginning, as everything about those two clashed, from their hobbies to their personalities to their willingness to try. Many fans think that this setup was made purely to trigger conflict and boost ratings.
If the real reason why the Married at First Sight experts have become so bad at making good matches is because it creates a buzz, then they're doing an excellent job. However, if they're truly on a mission to create lasting marriages, they have veered way off track. They need to go back to the basics, by remembering what makes couples like Ashley Petta and Anthony D'Amico, and Danielle Bergman and Bobby Dodd, successful pairs.