A clue about a major shakeup coming inMarried At First Sightwas recently dropped by production that will greatly impact the show.Married at First Sightpremiered in 2014, and it now has 18 complete seasons behind it.Married at First Sightseason 18just wrapped up its “Where Are They Now?” episode, the last of the season. Typically, new seasons ofMAFSpremiere in the Fall and run into the Spring, this has left the show running 1–2 seasons within a year. The show follows 10 people, who theoretically becomefive couples at the altar.
They are matched by a panel of “experts,” who are licensed therapists and counselors meant to matchmake the couples themselves and guide them in the eight-week-long journey.Dr. Pepper Schwartzhas been an expert since season 1, Pastor Cal has been an expert since season 4, and Dr. Pia Holec joined as an expert in season 15. The experts don’t go on the honeymoons with the couples, but do offer counsel at every stage. The expert panel has largely been ineffective throughout the show’s history, but a big change is coming viaMAFSproduction.
MAFS Has Been Disappointing Fans
Throughout the 18 seasons ofMAFS,69 couples have been matched, and 13 are still together. In season 18, two participants ended up matching themselves after carrying on an illicit affair and ditching their original spouses. Only one original couple in season 18 said yes on decision day, and inMAFSseason 17 in Denver, none of the couples stayed together, and only one couple really made it to decision day. One couple from season 16 in Nashville is still together, and none fromMAFSseason 15 in San Diego are still married. These are examples of what has been years of poor matchmaking.
Married at First Sight’s credibility and viewership are at stake, as fans are constantly disheartened by the experiment working out for no one or for only one pairing.The experts have proved their incompetence at matchmaking and at deescalating situationsbetween the couples that have gone off the rails. Moreover, the experts are not skilled at detecting deception from the cast members, as many poor casting choices have been made and scandals, like the season 18 cheating scandal and the season 17 group dupe, have shined a light on the experts' inability to do their jobs effectively.
MAFS Production Is Hiring New Experts
It’s Official
But there is good news on that front via@mafsfan. @mafsfan is a fan account that has been reliable over the years in providing up-to-date information about the show and some spoilers. They found a casting call fromMAFSproduction company, Kinetic Content, that announced the show was seeking new experts. The above post highlights the new citiesMAFSis casting in, but a recent Instagram Story from @mafsfan revealed the network is also looking for updated experts. The casting calls can also be found on Kinetic Content’s casting page.
While the casting call doesn’t necessarily mean new experts will be chosen, it is a very strong sign that production is looking to replace the current ones. Since season 19 has already been filmed and is likely in the editing phase, so it’s unclear whether new experts will be some of the new faces inMAFSseason 19. However,the casting call does bode well for the show’s future and affecting solid changesthat improve the matchmaking and the style of counseling and therapy.
How Will New Experts Impact MAFS?
It Will Improve Viewership & Credibility
Married at First Sighthas been long overdue in finding new experts.Viewers know what to expect Pastor Cal and Dr. Pepper, and they are also of a different generation and have different values, which makes them ineffective at counseling modern couples. Dr. Pia has shown herself to be confrontational, offensive, and unable to conceal her opinions from her face. Replacing at least Dr. Pepper and Pastor Cal would be a step in the right direction towards revamping the show and getting its credibility back.
Not only are new faces fun to watch, but new experts could bring new skillsets and matchmaking prowess to the show that has been teetering on total failure regarding producing successful couples.
Production could even hire a legitimate matchmaker as an expert in the future.
Nonetheless,Married at First Sighthas been around more than a decade, and will be switching streaming platforms from Lifetime to Peacock, which all bodes well for the show’s future as expert casting changes come into the fold.
