I’m excited by several twists coming inMarried at First Sightseason 19 that prove the franchise is headed in a new direction.Married at First Sightpremiered in 2014, andMAFSseason 18finished airing its final reunion and catch-up episodes in March 2025. The show has been a staple of TV network, Lifetime, since its debut, but that is the first thing about to change withMAFSseason 19. Instead of keepingMAFSwithin the traditional TV channel structure, Peacock, a streaming giant,will be taking over in 2025with the release of season 19, which I think is a great move.
Peacock is known for producing powerhouse reality TV franchises likeBelow Deck,Real Housewives,The Traitors, and many more. I’m certain moving platforms will be beneficial for the show’s engagement and audience retention, and I see that it’s giving way to unprecedented new twists. TheMAFSexperiment is eight weeks long, and is led by a panel of three “expert” therapists who not only matchmake the couples but also guide them through the process to decision day. While that matrix appears to be staying intact, there are several shakeups with the cast in season 19 that have me anticipating.
MAFS Is Trying To Gain Its Credibility Back
After Many Seasons Of Irritation
Under Lifetime, the last 18 seasons ofMarried at First Sighthave declined in the couples' success rates, the editing quality, and overall viewer reception. The contributing factors to this include the issue of many couples calling for a divorce before the experiment ever really gets started. In season 14, Alyssa Ellman asked for a divorce in a record 12 days from Chris Colette, after she claimed she was"robbed"of the experience because she wasn’t attracted to her husband.
In season 15, Morgan Bell called for a split from Binh Tranh shortly after the honeymoon, as did season 16’s Domynique Kloss and season 17’s Orion Martzloff.The early marriage exits have diminished the show’s qualityfor me, as only one to two couples in recent seasons have even made it to decision day and seen the experiment through. Moreover, clout chasing has become a huge problem that I see. In season 18, Juan Franco married Karla Juarez after having just gotten into a relationship with someone else before filming.
He admitted to going on the show partially as a business venture, and he’s been trying to capitalize on his appearance ever since. Juan isn’t alone in cast joining the show with ulterior motives, and I am continuously upset that disingenuous clout chasers keep getting air time. Along those same lines,MAFScast have been deceiving in other ways. In season 17, the cast tried to pull a group dupe, where they presented themselves falsely on camera to get good edits.
Then in season 18, Madison Myers and David Trimble carried on a secret affair, ditched their spouses to start a relationship, and then were rewarded with air time.Producer interference has also been another blunder plaguing the show.A producer’s off-camera bar-hopping hang out night with Austin Reed in season 17 ended his marriage to Becca Haley. And then in season 18, a producer prompted Madison to admit to the affair. All these elements I feel have severely damaged the show’s credibility, but the cast changes coming season 19 are giving me hope.
There Will Be Older Couples In MAFS Season 19
Which Bodes Well For Future Casting
MAFSseason 19 will be a breath of fresh air for me as I’ve learned (via@mafsfan) thatthere will be two sets of older couples.Belynda and Chad, in their late forties/early fifties, and Rhonda and Patric, in their late fifties/early sixties, are part of the cast. This proves to me that MAFS is heading towards a narrative of inclusion, and I’m here for it.
I’ve noticed that casting younger people has not been working, and season 19 is aiming to switch things up, which I view as a wholly good idea.
I think production has taken note of what hasn’t been working and their working towards solutions. With varying cast ages, I’m certain the quality and entertainment value of the show will increase, as myself and other viewers are looking for successful pairings.
There Will Be A Mother-Daughter Duo In MAFS Season 19
An Interesting Dynamic
The other fun twist involving the cast coming in season 19 is that there will be a mother-daughter duo. It’s unclear which cast this will involve, but I surmise thatBelynda or Rhonda will be the mother involved just due to their ages.Not only will it change the cast dynamics between the couples involved with the duo but I sense that the shakeup will bring a fresh change to the way the couples interact with each other as a group.
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MAFS Is Following New Reality TV Cast Age Trends
The Golden Franchise & The Later Daters Have Seen Success
The other huge positive I see with the introduction of older couples and a mother-daughter duo, is thatMarried at First Sightis now following modern reality TV trends towards inclusion and less ageism.
ABC’sThe Golden BachelorandThe Golden Bachelorette, and Netflix’sThe Later Datershave seen major positive reception and viewer engagement as the focus of those shows has been on older people dating. Fans across all three shows have been enamored with the low-drama/high emotion that come with the cast, who are taking on new love journeys later in life.
WhileMarried at First Sight’s older pairs might not be without their own set of drama, having a more mature and seasoned group of participants will be an interesting perspective for the show to take on. I am thrilled thatMarried at First Sightproduction is finally listening and understanding the pitfalls of season’s past and affecting change. I’m positiveseason 19 will bring new layers of interest to the dwindling reality TV franchise, and I can’t wait to see how the changes play out in 2025.
Late 20s
Early 30s
Late 50s or Early 60s
Late 40s or Early 50s
Late 30s
