Married At First Sight: When the Season 17 Experts Missed the Mark and Failed Couples

The experts on Married at First Sight season 17, including Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Calvin "Cal" Roberson, and Dr. Pia Holec, were tasked with matching the Denver hopefuls and guiding them through the experiment. They were responsible for counseling the couples and helping them navigate the challenges they faced. The couples matched by the experts were Emily Balch and Brennan Shoykhet, Lauren Goodger and Orion Martzloff, Becca Haley and Austin Reed, Clare Kerr and Cameron Frazer, and Michael Shiakkalis and Chloe Brown.

On Decision Day, only Becca and Austin chose to stay together despite their numerous issues. Emily and Brennan decided to part ways, while Cameron and Clare also chose to end their relationship once again. After a troubled honeymoon, Orion asked for a divorce from Lauren. The outcome of Michael and Chloe's marriage decision remains unknown. The season 17 experts faced criticism for the failures in matching the couples.

Pastor Cal Could Not Get Brennan To Open Up About Attraction Loss

Brennan Stayed Close-Lipped

After a seemingly positive and connected honeymoon, things took a turn when Brennan returned to Denver. He chose to spend the first few days back at his own apartment, away from Emily, and admitted that he no longer felt attracted to her. Emily and Brennan sought help from Pastor Cal to understand what was going on with Brennan, but he was unable to provide any clear answers. It became crucial for Pastor Cal to help Brennan open up about his feelings, as the lack of communication was causing significant problems for both Emily and Brennan in their relationship.

"We're not doing that," Brennan said to Pastor Cal when Pastor Cal asked what about Emily he wasn't attracted to.

Pastor Cal & Dr. Pepper Didn't Help Becca & Austin With Their Intimacy

Pastor Cal & Dr. Pepper Lacked The Wherewithal

Dr. Pepper MAFS Season 17 in pink cardigan talking - Pastor Cal & Dr. Pepper Lacked The Wherewithal - Pastor Cal & Dr. Pepper Didn't Help Becca & Austin With Their Intimacy

Dr. Pia Caused More Problems Between Brennan & Emily

The experts tried a new tactic when Becca and Austin were hitting a wall due to their lack of intimacy and mistrust of each other. Both Pastor Cal and Dr. Pepper met with them to offer varying insight into what their core issues were and how to move forward. However, it seems the Married at First Sight experts failed to realize Austin's triggers and how Becca should be reacting to them, because the couple went on to have more fights about the same issues discussed during the session, signaling that the experts failed.

An Ugly Therapy Session Went Viral

After facing more problems due to Brennan's sudden lack of interest in Emily, they had a tense session with Dr. Pia. Brennan kept interrupting Emily, which upset Dr. Pia. The situation got uncomfortable, but eventually Brennan agreed to let Emily share her thoughts as directed by Dr. Pia (via Lifetime).

Dr. Pia showed her frustration towards Brennan and suggested that he could benefit from therapy.

Brennan left the session feeling resentful, adding to the awkwardness between him and Emily. It seemed like Emily was more aligned with Dr. Pia's ideas and suggestions.

This session only created more tension between Brennan and Emily, highlighting the ongoing struggle for the experts to connect with Brennan and help improve his marriage with Emily on Married at First Sight.

The Experts Chose The Wrong Bride For Michael

Michael Was Left Devastated

In an unprecedented twist on Married at First Sight, a bride ran away from the altar, leaving Michael heartbroken. Despite going through all the preparations, she backed out at the last minute, shocking everyone involved (via ET).

Michael was told by the mystery woman that she didn't think she could continue, before leaving.

Michael had put all his hopes and emotions in the hands of the experts, but unfortunately, their matching completely failed. They should have recognized the signs that his first bride wasn't ready for a commitment and not selected her.

The Experts Did Not Step In To Help Clare & Cameron Earlier On

Deeper Issues Were Going On

Clare Kerr and Cameron Frazer from Married at First Sight season 17 wedding photo and pink background photo montage - Deeper Issues Were Going On - The Experts Did Not Step In To Help Clare & Cameron Earlier On

Clare and Cameron hit it off at the wedding, but things took a turn for the worse on their wedding night and during the honeymoon. This led to Clare losing interest in Cameron, Cameron feeling unappreciated, and Clare not meeting Cameron's romantic needs. The experts on Decision Day recognized that Cameron and Clare could have benefited from their advice much earlier in the process.

When Dr. Pia finally sat down with Cameron and Clare, it was clear that they were on the brink of ending their relationship. Their underlying issues were never properly dealt with from the start, which ultimately caused their connection to completely fall apart. The experts had the chance to intervene and possibly help them salvage their relationship before it was too late.

The Married at First Sight experts did not manage to assist Cameron and Clare, and they should take responsibility for the couple's breakup.

The Experts Failed to Assist Cameron and Clare in Overcoming Their Differences on the Honeymoon

Lauren & Orion Didn't Have A Chance

The Married At First Sight Season 17 Pastor Cal, Lauren, and Orion montage - Lauren & Orion Didn't Have A Chance - The Experts Did Not Help Lauren & Orion Overcome Their Honeymoon Differences

During their honeymoon, Lauren's insensitive joke and Orion's hurtful remarks about her recent sexual past left them both feeling deeply unsettled. They realized they needed help from experts to address the uncomfortable situations and learn from them. However, the experts were unable to pinpoint exactly what Lauren and Orion needed to rebuild trust and acceptance in their relationship.

Despite the obvious tension between Lauren and Orion, the experts failed to challenge Orion to stop playing the victim and see the bigger picture. Dr. Pepper did not make any attempt to intervene and provide the necessary guidance, ultimately allowing Lauren and Orion's marriage to deteriorate further.

The Experts Didn't Take Accountability For Mismatching Michael

The Experts Stood On Precedent

Married At First Sight experts - The Experts Stood On Precedent - The Experts Didn't Take Accountability For Mismatching Michael

When Dr. Pepper talked to Michael about the runaway bride incident, she did express regret on behalf of the experts for the unfortunate situation. However, she did not accept blame for what happened. The Married at First Sight team pointed out that such a situation had never occurred before, which felt like they were avoiding responsibility. Ultimately, it was their job to ensure everything went smoothly, but they clearly fell short in this case.

The Experts Let Becca & Austin Derail After Decision Day

Issues Arose The Same Evening As Decision Day

Married At First Sight Season 17 Becca & Austin. Becca crying, Austin holding her - Issues Arose The Same Evening As Decision Day - The Experts Let Becca & Austin Derail After Decision Day

After Decision Day, Becca and Austin found themselves in a fragile state. They had been arguing about Becca feeling neglected by Austin's lack of physical intimacy and Austin feeling like Becca was portraying him negatively on camera. Although they both agreed to continue their relationship off-camera, Becca was hurt when Austin went out with Brennan and their female producer immediately after Decision Day.

The experts did not check in with either party that night, and Becca showed up to their Married at First Sight season 17 group gathering the next day feeling upset. She decided to end things with Austin. It was clear that Becca and Austin needed more support from the experts to make their relationship work, especially since they were the only original couple left. Unfortunately, the experts failed to provide the necessary help, showing their shortcomings in season 17.

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

Source: ET/YouTube, Lifetime/YouTube, ET/YouTube

Editor's P/S:

The experts on Married at First Sight season 17 faced criticism for their failures in matching the couples, leading to a disappointing season with only one couple choosing to stay together. The experts appeared to struggle in connecting with Brennan, who refused to open up about his attraction loss, and failed to provide adequate support to Becca and Austin with their intimacy issues. Additionally, they did not intervene early enough in Cameron and Clare's relationship, allowing underlying issues to fester and ultimately lead to their breakup.

The experts also made a significant error in matching Michael with a bride who ultimately ran away from the altar, leaving him devastated. While they expressed regret, they did not take full accountability for their mistake and pointed to the unprecedented nature of the situation as an excuse. The experts' lack of accountability and inability to support the couples effectively highlighted their shortcomings and raised questions about their expertise in matching and guiding couples through the experiment.