Married At First Sight- is this for real?

[BitOfFun]

This can't be real, surely? Who would be insane enough? I've never seen the show, but do they explain if it's actually an official marriage? I would have thought that the whole concept goes against the solemn nature of the legal contract.

Yes Alun -Boy George!

I wonder if this format could be improved by selecting several couples , matched on what they say they like in looks as well as other attributes & let them have a couple of dates each & then re-interview them & decide who to put forward for marriage.

I can’t understand why the ‘experts’ overlook such basic things. Feel so sorry for Verity in particular.

The first date matchmakers would have done a better job. I actually feel sorry for all the contestants, they didn't match them at all well. Right at the beginning Jack's dad knew his son wasn't going to be happy with Verity. Poor girl. Her self esteem must be at rock bottom now.

I was wondering why the series wasn't longer? In the Australian and American versions it's longer and there is a lot more involvement from the psychologist type people and also the contestants meet up with each other to give advice and support. I was pleased when Jonathan gave Steph the papers although I did think he was trying to shock her into making an effort. I wish he'd stuck to his guns and dumped her then. I think it was a massive blow to her ego. Hope he finds someone nice soon.

Absolutely thought Jonathan was creepy. Fine to give Steph the annulment papers but to put them under her pillow inside a card and gift?

Actually quite intrusive... I definitely thought there was something wrong with the way he read situations (unless it was deliberately edited that way).

I'm disappointed we didn't get to see verify and Jonathan. I think they were both fully committed, geeky and a bit different. I think they might have had a chance.

Yes I think this too. Actually, I'd also have liked to have seen Steph & Jack.
Maybe if it doesn't work out in future they could switch, Wife Swap anyone ?

Yes the dinner for 2 at the end was horrible. Really cheap and nasty narrative. Totally unnecessary.

Interesting about how the other shows have more content over more episodes. The US ones also have A LOT more recapping. It takes up so much time going over the previous episodes. They also really draw out anything that can be drawn out for dramatic effect.

Jack's dad was right- although he was still unpleasant about Verity, which he didn't have to be. It started to become increasingly obvious that Jack was going to go for the annulment and he really did come across as a game player.

I started to feel a little more for Steph in that episode. She came across as strong- but still a bit unpleasant. I agreed with her wanting to give the necklace back, and she was upfront, although if she'd been nicer and more enthusiastic in the first place and met him in the middle, their experience could have flowed more smoothly. Jonathan is a bit of a drip, though- he's too much of a people pleaser. Although I think he honestly didn't know what to do with her. He tried to frame the annulment as him trying to give her what she wanted, I think, but if he'd given her the card upfront with no gifts, it would have been a more honest move. I think he then hoped that the thought of it would make her back down and change- hence the retraction. I was very uncomfortable that he wouldn't take the necklace back. If she's said no that vehemently, she means it!!

I don't know why everyone is insisting that Jonathan and Verity would have been a goodmatch - he's too old for her. And they both lack confidence and need to be with somebody a bit more assertive who can bolster them a bit. If they were a couple I can't imagine them ever getting anything done, just constantly dithering "I don't mind, really, what do you want to do?"

I also don't think he's as nice a guy as he wanted everyone to think, but he had the gift-showering posh bloke thing going on...

It seemed like there were no decent matches this year so they just put two couples together that lived within travelling distance of each other as the show had to go ahead. I also got ‘weirdo’ vibes from Jonathan and that is something that doesn’t come across on these paper exercises and scientific tests, you need to see someone in reality. The excessive gift giving, inability to read situations, playing jenga/board games all the time at 40 and just generally being a drip. And why did he lie about not having a cat allergy? Have to say that her two cats were gorgeous, she will be much happier with them than Jonathan.

Jack just wanted his 15 min of fame, I quite liked verity, but she is needy, bless her

I felt quite bad for Verity. I think jack was playing the long game by not sleeping with her, knowing he'd have a better chance of an annulment if they didn't sleep together. I hope they did get the annulment and Verity can pretend it never happened.

I think Jonathan was far too desperate for that show. He was trying way too hard which would really have put me off too from the start. If he had just played it a bit cooler with Steph then I think things would have ended a bit better. I'm glad he gave her the papers. It showed he actually had balls but then to retract and apologise... wimp!!

Do we think Jack kept up the no sleeping together rule for another two months? If he did then I'm not sure why Verity carried on with the relationship either. I can understand maybe waiting until decision day (they both mentioned a few times they were advised to? ) but if he still kept up with the 'waiting for the right time' crap I would struggle to believe it for so long afterwards. Maybe some of that is what she meant about putting herself first in the future.

Jack was in a no-win situation. He quite clearly didn’t fancy Verity at all, but she fancied him and they got on very well as friends, so he genuinely tried to give the relationship a chance. There was no way he could have got out of it at any point without looking like the bad guy. Opting for annulment by refusing to consummate the marriage was probably the least bad option as he saw it.

Did anyone watch the US one where Jamie married Doug? That was hilarious, she cried the whole day because she didn't fancy him. Would literally flinch when he went anywhere near her. It was so hard to watch. Fast forward to now they are still married with a kid. Amazing how they managed to turn it around

Surely there will not be any more series of this show? Not one of the marriages has lasted and most have been a complete disaster. I don't know how they managed to even find anyone this time round if they had seen the previous ones and just how the supposed "science matching" is a load of bollocks. Matching a dog hater with someone who has dogs! This time matching someone who is allergic to cats with some who has cats!

I felt really sorry for Jonathan but found it hard to feel sorry for Steph. It came across that she just didn't even try. She made me angry when she got annoyed that Jonathan gave her the annulment papers. She came across as a miserable, spoilt and somewhat arrogant bitch.

As I have said before, this show makes a mockery of marriage. Annulment rather than divorce does not really make it any better that they were only married for such a short time.

Verity was far too good for Jack. He just came across as an immature “lad” type to me. She has a lot more depth to her and needs someone more sensitive (and intelligent).

Steph was a miserable cow throughout. I think she decided on the first day of her honeymoon that she didn’t fancy Jonathan and then refused to budge from that opinion.
Jonathan came across well sometimes, but also came across as a bit strange too. He seemed completely oblivious to the way Steph was feeling. I don’t think she could have made it clearer to him.

I don’t think any of them were unpleasant (apart from Jack’s dad), just found themselves in a tricky position.

I think they had the pairs the wrong way round. Verity and Jonathan seem a better match to me and same for the other two.

There has to be physical attraction! If you fancy someone, you are motivated to make it work.

Jack did a live on Instagram last night after the programme aired and came across surprisingly well. I did feel sorry for verity but I suppose if you don't fancy sometime then that's hard to fix.

The show is also a reflection on modern day sexism and misogyny. An expert said something along the lines of Jonathan bringing a stable home to the relationship and Steph bringing beauty and youth. Verity was basically portrayed as not being good enough in the looks department by both Jack and his father and even her own father described her as a homely girl.

Yes, but Steph obviously did not fancy Jonathan. I don’t remember her or her family obsessing over his (lack of) looks as the main factor for this.

Science

In giving veritys dad the benefit of the doubt that he misspoke and meant she was a homebody ...