There Was a Lot Missing From the `Married at First Sight Denver’ Midseason Recap

The Big Picture

• The hosts of Married at First Sight failed to address important issues, such as emotional damage and racial slurs, during the discussion.
• The panel did not hold Orion accountable for his use of a racial slur and failed to address his hypocrisy.
• The remaining couples face major obstacles, including lack of physical attraction, differing religious beliefs, and a failure to discuss important topics.

The Denver season of Married At First Sight has been extremely disappointing for viewers as two divorces were filed before the couples moved into their shared apartments. From a runaway bride to a couple in crisis, Denver has offered far more disconnections than connections with the selected couples. Host Kevin Frazier was joined by entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton, Senior Director of Partnerships with Essence, Nicole Haynes, Senior Entertainment Writer for Variety, Angelique Jackson, and Comedian and Podcaster Sarah Fraser. Nicole and Angelique have been returning panelists for the MAFS audience, joining Kevin for pre-season predictions and often re-capping the season with predictions before decision day. All four panelists are self-proclaimed MAFS fans and are well-versed in the show’s nuances and culture.

Having both male and female perspectives is key to hosting a well-balanced conversation that is objective on both sides and allows for multiple explanations for various behaviors and circumstances. Kevin, himself, is a veteran MAFS host and has a reputation for holding the singles accountable for their behavior when hosting the reunion. Kevin asks the questions the audience is waiting with bated breath to hear from the couples, so it was very surprising when he skirted through commentary during The Journey So Far and omitted some of the most obvious issues social media viewers have been discussing about the current season.

The ‘MAFS’ Experts Were Irresponsible With Michael’s Runaway Bride

Kevin started the discussion by acknowledging the runaway bride and asking the panel if they believed Michael should get another chance to marry at first sight. The panel didn’t blame the experts Pastor Cal, Dr. Pia, or Dr. Pepper for the unsuccessful match, but they also failed to acknowledge the obvious disconnect the experts and producers are missing when preparing singles to be married to a stranger. Michael acknowledged the experience tested his sense of self-confidence and realized his greatest fear. Kevin and his panel never discussed the further emotional damage Michael could endure if pushed to go through another disappointing marriage ending in divorce. Over the 17 seasons, there have been numerous singles who suffered emotional abuse trying to save a marriage with a spouse who admitted not being physically attracted to them. The biggest issue on the show has been mismatched spouses.

The experts have encouraged couples to stay together at all costs, but what happens when the effort is one-sided? Often, the spouse working on the marriage is working despite being constantly rejected by the other spouse. If Michael signs up for another chance to marry a stranger, hopefully, the experts will meet him halfway and make sure his potential spouse is truly committed to the process in every way and despite any outcome. To offer Michael a second opportunity to be humiliated publicly would appear irresponsible and downright negligent.

Orion Was Not Held Accountable For Acknowledging His Prior Use of the N-Word

The biggest train wreck this season has been Lauren and Orion. Matching two singles from distinctly different cultural backgrounds seemed like a great opportunity for both to learn and appreciate the others’ backgrounds. The marriage started out promising but quickly bombed when the subject of race was broached during the honeymoon. Kevin played the clip showing Lauren making an unfortunately insensitive remark about a Native American racial slur. Orion immediately bristled and became standoffish towards his wife. What the panel failed to address was that before Lauren’s faux pas, Orion admitted that when he was younger he ignorantly used an African American racial slur when reciting music with friends.

Neither the experts, nor Kevin’s esteemed panel, pointed out Orion’s hypocrisy in his judgment of Lauren. When Orion admitted using the common racial slur used against African Americans, Lauren was visibly appreciative of his honesty, but didn’t take the opportunity to chastise him about his past. She could’ve pointed out the painful history of the word and shared how most members of the black community feel when the word is used by someone who isn’t a part of their racial background. Instead, Lauren granted Orion the kind of grace and understanding that should be exchanged during the initial six weeks of getting to know one another. Furthermore, Orion’s declaration of his community being hurt by Lauren’s words without realizing his infraction was hypocritical and showed his immaturity.

Of the remaining three couples, major obstacles are blocking them from giving a “yes” on the rapidly approaching decision day. Brennan and Emily didn’t show any cracks in their exterior during the honeymoon. The other members of the group were led to believe the couple was quickly moving toward connection by the end of the honeymoon. Emily was convinced she’d possibly met the man of her dreams before she was blind-sighted when Brennan revealed he didn’t want to move in together right away.

That admission caused the experts to go down a rabbit hole, and soon it spilled out that Brennan wasn’t physically attracted to Emily. The revelation came as a surprise to everyone, but Brennan refused to give any insight into what characteristics about Emily he found off-putting. Kevin and his diverse panel refused to delve into Brennan’s reasons, specifically when he finally acknowledged being turned off when Emily shared experiencing hookups during her single life. Although Brennan verbally retreated and refused to share anything else, Kevin and his panel of journalists failed to explore the idea that Brennan could be sex-shaming Emily or hiding more than the cameras had captured.

Becca and Austin Face Huge Differences With Their Conflicting Religious Beliefs

Quirky couple Becca and Austin shared the most tangible connection of all the couples from the day they laid eyes on one another. Realizing early on that there were areas in which they were opposites, the couple decided to forgo the difficult topics and instead chose to table them until they returned to their shared apartment. The pink elephant in the room is the fact that Becca has very strong anti-Christian beliefs, while Austin is a practicing Christian. Religious differences can prove debilitating if there are strong beliefs on one or both sides. The panel for The Journey Thus Far failed to touch on the issues of religious polarity the couple is facing and instead focused on their inability to jumpstart a physical connection.

The MAFS experts have proven over 17 seasons that issues with physical and emotional intimacy are precursors to much bigger issues. Fans watching the MAFS special were more than likely disappointed that the discussion remained surface-level and didn’t delve into the real issues facing the remaining three MAFS Denver couples.

Teasers showed more drama awaiting audiences during the remaining episodes this season. The trailer even pre-empted a scene with Lauren and Orion talking amicably, ending with him asking for a hug. Producers are desperate to keep the audience engaged, but with the amount of problematic behavior witnessed thus far, it’s highly unlikely this season of MAFs will end with any successful marriages.

Season 17 of Married At First Sight returns on January 3rd and airs Wednesdays on Lifetime at 8 PM ET. Episodes can be streamed on Lifetime.

Watch on Lifetime