There are signs Married at first sight experts will change in the coming seasons, which would improve the value of the franchise. Dr. Pepper Schwartz has been an expert ever since MAFS season 1 in 2014. He received his Ph.D. in 1974 from Yale University and is an author, former sex columnist, and established sociologist. Rev. Cal Roberson, who joined MAFS in Season 4, is a senior pastor of Atlanta ministries, a published author and public speaker. 39-year-old Dr. Pia Holec is the newest expert to join MAFS season 15 in San Diego.
Dr. Pia is a psychotherapist and sex therapist and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the Chicago School. Every season, Married at first sight it is the experts’ responsibility to match the pairs. They seek to connect participants based on their non-negotiables, cultural backgrounds, value systems, and personalities. Once the matches are made and the couples say yes, the experts’ roles switch to mentors and advisors, so that hopefully the couples can overcome any relationship obstacles that come their way. However, they have consistently dropped the ball.
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Dr. Pepper and Reverend Cal have major flaws as therapists
They’ve been in MAFS too long
Lifelong‘s Dr. Pepper and Reverend Cal have been faces Married at first sight for many years now and have flaws that have become apparent over the years. Dr. Pepper tends to hold himself irresponsible in the negative situations he creates. For example, in MAFS in season 17, he had a hand in pairing up Michael Shiakalis and his runaway bride, but he put the situation on the bride over himself and the other experts when he approached Michael for a rematch.
Dr. Pepper often stays away from the core issues of each couple’s marriage, which is why so many couples go off track. Additionally, she’s shown she doesn’t have a pulse on couples’ needs and pitfalls, as evidenced by Season 15’s Krysten Collins’ reaction to Dr. Pepper’s advice regarding her husband’s conception of Krysten. Dr. Pepper’s advice is also missing when he approaches couples because he is not in tune enough with the couples’ ways of doing things. He makes generalizations and does not understand the shortcomings of each individual couple.
Reverend Cal proves to be the most valuable of experts because he strives to understand couples more deeply and to be present and closer. The MAFS couples seem to open up to Reverend Cal more, making him more useful. However, if he falls short is his inability to properly match couples in the first placeresulting in a poor success rate for the program. Pastor Cal’s advice has also been vague and sometimes too harsh. Like in season 15 when he told Justin Hall that he wasn’t masculine enough for his partner Alexis Williams.
Dr. Pepper and Reverend Cal have been in use
Married at first sight
too long, and it is emphasized by their ineffectiveness.
Dr. Pepper would have already tried to change his therapy and relationship approach if it was possible, and it’s become clear that the participants and viewers have seen all they can of him and his effort is lacking. Reverend Cal, aside from Dr. Pepper, hasn’t found the right people, and therein lies the problem. MAFS success rate is only 18.75%that’s 12 pairings in the program’s 17 complete seasons.
Dr. Pia is unprofessional
He is biased and offensive
Dr. Pia has proven to be a detriment to the show as she took on the primary “expert” role MAFS season 16 in nashville. However, his unprofessionalism, aggressiveness and prejudices have been more evident in season 17 and 18. Instead of fostering an environment where participants feel comfortable speaking, Dr. Pia has shown hostility and combativeness towards participants. With Season 17’s Brennan Shoyket, she cut him off, gave him a disgruntled look on his face, and seemed distracted by everything he tried to say.
When Orion Martzloff filed for divorce from Lauren Goodger, he also kept his negative feelings towards Orion on his face, and it was obvious that he wasn’t going to counsel her to the best of his ability. In addition, he insulted Michael and his second fianceeChloe Brown when she told them she thought they weren’t real. In season 18, Dr. Pia was much more excited about the more ethnic couples of the season, and in that her excitement exceeded the other couples.
MAFS specialists need an overhaul
Current experts have proven themselves incapable
It has been clear for several seasons that the experts need an overhaul. They have demonstrated their inability to find compatible and long-term couples, which is what Married at first sightn starting point is approx. With season after season of low success rates and upset fans, it’s clear that something needs to change, and the experts should be first and foremost.
MAFS
viewers know what to expect from Dr. Pepper, Reverend Cal, and Dr. Pia, and their poor track record combined with their ineffectiveness speaks for itself that they should lose their jobs on the show.
A fresh panel of experts will only help MAFS
It adds entertainment value
With @mafslifetime as season 18 kicks off, viewers will have to endure the same experts with the same flaws, and that doesn’t bode well for the season’s reception or potential for solid pairings. Having a fresh panel of experts after season 18 will definitely increase the entertainment value of the show and breathe life back into the franchise. New experts would make the show more interesting because new therapists/matchmakers would offer different perspectives, new skills and give fans new actors to get to know.
Getting good experts can take a few seasons
Will be Trial & Error
Claim Married at first sight getting back on track with the building and producing experts may not happen overnight, but at this point a new panel is needed.
Finding the right fit for the expert role may take several seasons, but it gives viewers more to think about when judging the show rather than dealing with the same experts with the same flaws.
Married at first sight it has a huge fan base and the series needs to start a new chapter in the future by finding better experts.
Married at first sight airs Tuesdays at 8pm EDT on Lifetime.
Source: Lifelong/YouTube, @mafslifetime/Instagram
