The Married At First Sight companion show, Married At First Sight: The Afterparty, was intended to enhance the show, but instead, it’s hurt it. Since the series first premiered in 2014, its relationship experts have been matching together strangers in legal matrimony. Though there have been a few successes over the years, the show has a terrible track record, as most couples break up by Decision Day. Married At First Sight season 17 recently wrapped up, and all five married couples ended their relationships by the finale.
Since 2022, Married At First Sight has been accompanied by the interview style after show Married At First Sight: The Afterparty, which is hosted by Emmy-nominated actor, host, and MAFS super fan Keshia Knight Pulliam. In each episode, Keisha hosts three MAFS cast members as they react to the most recently aired episode. She asks them about their relationships and tries to delve deeper into the stories presented during the main show. Though the idea behind Afterparty may have been good, the show is unnecessary and doesn’t improve the viewing experience.
Host Keshia Knight Pulliam Can Go Too Far With Contestants
During the January 17 episode of Married At First Sight: The Afterparty, Keisha was asking Emily about a couple’s therapy season with Dr. Pia that she and Brennan had attended when Emily lost her cool. Emily was frustrated by Keisha’s questions because Keisha wasn’t going along with Emily’s characterization of her experience with Brennan. Though Keisha wasn’t taking Brennan’s side in the conversation, she should have been able to read that Emily wasn’t in the right frame of mind for the interview. Keisha isn’t supposed to be conducting hard interviews.
The exchange, which was posted on Instagram by a MAFS fan account, was made frustrating by Emily desperately trying to make herself a victim during the exchange despite accusing Brennan of playing the victim. Emily paints Brennan as a master manipulator who, at one point, tried to emotionally blackmail her into staying quiet on camera about their problems. She also claimed Brennan screamed at her but was annoyed when Keisha asked further questions about the allegation. Neither woman came off particularly well during the tense exchange, and it didn’t add anything of entertainment value to the franchise.
The Afterparty Format Could Be Better
The format of Married At First Sight: The Afterparty is an interview style. Keisha hosts three different MAFS cast members each week, and they discuss the episode. The problem is that they are literally discussing their relationships but don’t go in-depth because there isn’t enough time. For the show to work, it would have to change its format. One solution to the problem would be for the show to interview only one cast member in each episode so that Keisha can go into more depth with her questions.
Another option would be to have people from past seasons of Married At First Sight instead of the current season. The tone of this show would be more fun and lighthearted, which would be a nice contrast to the show itself. A lighter, more fun tone would suit Keisha better, as she is not a hard-hitting journalist or a world-class interviewer. With the current participants on the show, the stakes of Afterparty feel too high.
It could also be interesting to replace MAFS cast members with celebrity fans of the show, like Keisha herself.
The Afterparty Gives Too Much Away
During another Married At First Sight: The Afterparty clip posted by the MAFS fan account, Emily attacks fellow Married At First Sight season 17 cast member Austin Reed about his intimate relationship with his wife and castmate, Becca Haley. Emily comes out and bluntly asks Austin, “Why don’t you just have sex with her?” Austin, taken aback by the question, gently asks if it’s fair for Emily to ask the question. He implies that Emily is a hypocrite because she claims to be sex-positive but isn’t extending that positivity towards him.
” You keep saying “I want to improve intimacy” and she keeps trying, but you’re not putting in any effort, reciprocation, and definitely not initiating anything .”
Emily then throws Becca under the bus by revealing Becca has told her things about Becca and Austin’s lack of intimacy. “She keeps telling me you guys are having these talks,” Emily said, adding, “You keep saying “I want to improve intimacy” and she keeps trying, but you’re not putting in any effort, reciprocation, and definitely not initiating anything.” The fact that Austin stayed calm and didn’t snap at Emily for her inappropriate behavior shows how patient he is. These exchanges made it clear that neither couple would survive Decision Day.
The existence of Afterparty diminishes the entertainment value of the main show.
A Married At First Sight Spin-Off Would Be Better To Focus On
Instead of trying to make Married At First Sight: The Afterparty work, the show’s producers should focus on a Married At First Sight spin-off other than the short-lived Unmatchables. One idea is to follow the singles from the couples who got divorced, similar to 90 Day: The Single Life. Continuing to use the 90 Day Fiancé franchise as a model, the MAFS spin-off could also chronicle the lives of the few couples who stay married, like on 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?
Another option for a potential Married At First Sight spin-off is to go in a different direction. Producers could decide to combine the singles from past seasons, put them at a resort, and make it a dating show similar to Bachelor In Paradise. Another fun idea would be to try to reunite past couples for a second chance at love. A follow-up show that looks in on former cast members could also be interesting. There are many ideas for potential Married At First Sight spin-offs that would be more interesting than Married At First Sight: The Afterparty.