entertainment / Sunday, 24-Aug-2025

Married At First Sight Season 18’s Messy Ending Proves The Show Isn’t Entirely Washed Yet (Will Things Improve On Peacock?)

Married At First Sightseason 18 may have been a messy one for the cast and viewers alike, but after the dust has settled, I think the messy ending proves the show hasn’t washed out entirely just yet. While many have been critical of Married At First Sight season 18, the second Chicago season of the series came to play with a lot riding on it. After several of the previous seasons of the series left viewers underwhelmed with the success of the experts, they were hopeful that MAFS season 18 would be able to build the show back up.

As Married At First Sight season 18 unfolded, it was clear that it wasn’t going to be one of the best seasons of the show there’s ever been. Despite viewers seeming excited by the Married At First Sight season 18 cast, it was clear that there wasn’t the same level of drama that other, more successful seasons of the series have been. With five couples hoping to find their way through the experiment, MAFS season 18 made it clear that there were some personality types that shouldn’t be part of the cast, but brought new drama to the forefront regardless.

MAFS Season 18 Rested On The Show’s Worst Habits

Miscommunication Ran Rampant All Season Long

a montage of dr. pepper schwartz, dr. pia holec, pastor cal roberson from mafs looking upset with striped background
a montage of dr. pepper schwartz, dr. pia holec, pastor cal roberson from mafs
Custom image by Cesar García 
 

Married At First Sight season 18 often rested on some of the show’s most difficult to watch habits and moments, especially when it came to the experts. The MAFS experts, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Dr. Pia Holec, and Pastor Cal Roberson, all seemed to be fairly absent this season. This has happened more frequently in the last few seasons, becoming more common that the participants seek help from each other than the relationship experts.

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Participants also had a major issue with miscommunication this season, especially in their marriages. While past seasons have seen the participants turning to each other to talk, this season saw that along with the inability for the couples to communicate directly in their marriages. While cast members like Michelle Tomblin sought out outside advice on her marriage, she couldn’t speak directly to her husband David Trimble, which caused him to develop more interest in talking to others, as well. The miscommunication hurt the cast overall.

Even With Melodrama, MAFS Season 18 Wound Up Interesting

The Couples Weren’t Successful, But Were Fun At Times

Although there were issues with the season overall, the melodrama of Married At First Sightseason 18 proved to still be entertaining in moments. There was a lot going on with the couples, especially those in turmoil, and that made it easier for viewers to engage with. From David’s affair with Allen Slovick’s MAFS wife Madison Myers to the impending blowup of Ikechi Ojoré’s relationship with Emem Obot throughout the season, there was a lot of drama happening, some more interesting than the rest. Even so, viewers were engaged in the drama of the season, which was a plus.

MAFS May Do Better Overall On Peacock

There Can Be More Transparency In Streaming

While Married At First Sight may feel like it’s on its last leg on Lifetime, there’s a new breath of fresh air coming for the series. Despite the fact that the show is resting on its laurels and relying on melodrama for viewers to remain interested, the series has new life coming with its eventual move to Peacock. On a streaming service, Married At First Sight could do a lot better if it’s able to offer more transparency into the couple’s lives. With a better look at the marriages, Married At First Sight could find itself far more successful.

Married At First Sight airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime.

Source: Married At First Sight/Instagram

Married at First Sight Season 17 poster

Your Rating

Married At First Sight
124
6.0/10
Release Date
July 8, 2014
Network
Lifetime
Showrunner
Sam Dean
Directors
Charlie Mysak, Michael Fitzpatrick Lawrence Jr., Nick Petrie
Writers
Lotte Offenberg Bergqvist, Razor Rizzotti

Cast

See All
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Pepper Schwartz
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Calvin Roberson

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