What To Know About Married At First Sight: Unmatchables
During the intense casting process of reality dating shows, there are plenty of applicants who don't make the final cut. This is especially true when it comes to series that are designed to result in committed marriages like "Married at First Sight." Singles can be cast aside because they just aren't ready to be in serious relationships for obvious — or sometimes more discreet — reasons. And with the premise of "MAFS" being that those who are ultimately chosen are legally married without ever having met their spouse or knowing anything about them, it's crucial that the show's experts are selective.
So what happens to all those love seekers who were denied their happily-ever-afters? Well, we are about to find out! The new "Married at First Sight" spinoff, "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables," premieres on April 21. The show takes those individuals who were once deemed unworthy of being matched and pairs them up — with each other!
With the help of two of the show's relationship experts, the cast members undergo necessary transformations, both physical and personal, and then get matched up with one another. Each episode will center around two singles, referred to as "memorable diamonds in the rough who aren't quite marriage material... yet" and will culminate in their going on a date together. As loyal fans of the franchise, we are well aware of the drama that can ensue when the pairs were actually considered ready for a commitment, so we can only imagine what's in store for these couples!
There are 16 singles in their 20s and 30s who get matched on the show
As we know from "Married at First Sight," cast members must be at a suitable age to be able to commit to a legally binding marriage. The age range of contestants always runs from mid-20s to late 30s. In fact, we did some digging and found that the youngest star of the Lifetime original was Season 4's Lillian Vilchez at 24 years old, and the oldest ever so far were Season 7's Dave Flaherty and Season's 8's AJ Vollmoeller, who were both 37 at the time of filming. According to the casting call for the fourth season of "MAFS," applicants must "appear to be between 25-40 years old." However, the call for Season 9 upped the age to 26.
As for "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables," we know from A+E's announcement that we will see singles ranging in age from 24 to 39. The 16 chosen will be grouped into eight pairings, including the franchise's first same-sex couple. That's way more contestants than we are used to seeing! When "MAFS" debuted in 2014, it only featured three couples, and that was the format up until Season 7. By its 8th season, that increased to four couples, and in January 2020, the pairs were increased to five (via Deadline). With more couples comes more drama as well as more potential to find lasting love, and we are here for all of it!
Cast members were selected from the tens of thousands of Married at First Sight applicants
The hopeless romantics selected to appear on "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables" actually came from the pool of participants who applied to be cast on "Married at First Sight." So how were these singles found in the first place? A casting team spends six months scouting in the city in which that season of "MAFS" is filming on the lookout for those who they think would be a good fit. "We go to bars, mixers, singles events and church groups," executive producer of both "MAFS" and "Unmatchables" Chris Coelen told People. "We also go on every dating site you could possibly think of — OkCupid, Match.com, Tinder, Hinge. We also go on Facebook, talk to family and friends and try to make the pool as big as possible."
There are also others who apply via the casting calls on the show's website, and as the show gained popularity, applications increased. In fact, the stats are that Season 1 secured not quite 1,000 applicants, Season 2 got more than 7,000, and Season 3 garnered more than 20,000 applications (via People). In 2018, E! reported the applications were up to around 50,000! "Each season we see so many amazing, complex and charming people that apply for the main show, but we simply can't match everyone," Gena McCarthy, executive vice president of programming at Lifetime, told the New York Daily News. "'Unmatchables' allows these people a shot at love following our expert-led interventions and transformations."
Experts from Married at First Sight are brought in to rescue the Unmatchables
"Married at First Sight" calls on the much-needed assistance of three experts — Dr. Viviana Coles, a licensed therapist; marriage coach Pastor Calvin Roberson; and sexologist Dr. Pepper Schwartz. For "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables," Coles and Roberson were selected to give their professional counsel, as they have more than enough credentials to help these unlucky singles in the dating department. Certified sex therapist Dr. Viviana joined "MAFS" in Season 9 and has a bachelor's in psychology, as well as master's and doctoral degrees in marriage and family therapy. Ordained minister Cal, who joined the cast in Season 4, also holds bachelor's and master's degrees, but in theology and divinity. He's also a motivational speaker and author.
As viewers of "MAFS," we know that we are in for a very eye-opening season, because these experts do not hold back. Pastor Cal, for one, is known for his candor and always puts contestants in their place. For instance, when sitting down with Season 10's Zach Justice, who infamously started communicating with his new wife's friend behind her back, he said, "Up to this point, you know you have sucked as a husband." Similarly, in a clip from "Unmatchables" (via Us Weekly), one male contestant said, "Everybody wants to date the hottest chick in the room. Well, that guy's me." Pastor Cal responded with his signature brutal honesty, saying, "I don't know if you're ready for this, dude."
According to the MAFS experts, these are five things that make a person 'unmatchable'
In an exclusive clip promoting the show (via Us Weekly), Pastor Cal Roberson and Dr. Viviana Coles outlined the five factors that, in their expert opinion, can make a person "unmatchable." The first one, quite simply, is if you're not willing to be in a monogamous relationship. "Most people are looking to be exclusive with a partner. If you're not ready to be monogamous, you need to keep that expectation open and honest," Dr. Viviana explained.
The second red flag, according to the show's professionals, is immaturity. "You still have those attitudes of just, 'I want to party all the time,' you're gonna be unmatchable," Pastor Cal plainly stated. The third sign is if you're a know-it-all. "Nobody's perfect, so don't expect it from anybody else," warned Dr. Viv. The experts have also seen that not being vulnerable or open to love prevents people from finding and keeping a partner. "It's important that if you've built up walls around your heart, that you really work on breaking those down," advised Dr. Viviana.
And lastly, having a bad temperament is not conducive to maintaining a lasting relationship. "If you have a bad temper, and you don't know how to control your emotion, you are definitely going to stay unmatchable, probably for a very long time," Pastor Cal said. We're definitely interested to see just how many of these hang-ups hinder the cast of unlucky-in-love singles on "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables."
Married at First Sight: Unmatchables is based in Atlanta, Georgia
The debut season of "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables" is set in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Season 12 of "Married at First Sight" is based in Atlanta as well, so, with the COVID-19 pandemic, it's safe to say this location decision was a practical one for the cast and crew.
The franchise has come a long way from its first season of "Married at First Sight," which was set in New York in 2014. "We were just hopeful that we would get people to sign up for it," Chris Coelen, executive producer of "MAFS" and "Unmatchables," confessed to E! News. "We were like, there's no way people are going to sign up for this, are we even going to be able to make this show because this is insane!"
Although "MAFS" has surely changed over the years, the location format remains the same in that applicants live in the city where the season is filmed and remain there after their weddings. That makes it easier for the couples once they are married, since they're meant to leave their individual homes and move in together after they say "I do." With "Unmatchables," we're just rooting for a second date, so let's hope the fact that they're from the same zip code will assist in the decision to pursue a relationship!
MAFS: Unmatchables was created by the same company behind this hit reality dating show
"Married at First Sight," "Unmatchables," and other "MAFS" spinoffs like "Married at First Sight: Couples' Cam," which chronicles the lives of the "MAFS" couples that stayed together, were all created by Kinetic Content. In an interview with Deadline, Kinetic's founder and CEO Chris Coelen said of the success of "Married at First Sight," "It's the number one rated entertainment or sports series on cable on Wednesday night consistently. It had its highest ratings ever this season, which for a show in its 12th season is a really great place to be."
Coelen and his esteemed production company are also behind the hit Netflix series "Love Is Blind," so it's safe to say they know the recipe for creating successful dating series that include a dramatic twist. The premise behind "Love Is Blind" is that singles go on dates and even get engaged without ever having seen the other person's face. Although its premise may sound unrealistic, its first season resulted in two lasting marriages, and the show's also been renewed for a second season. This just proves that audiences are responding to watching singles find love in very unconventional ways. "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables" definitely fits that criteria, and we're certain that fans of both "Married at First Sight" and "Love Is Blind" are excited to tune in!
The ladies in the cast include a woman who hasn't kissed a man in over a decade
So who are the single ladies that the show chose for the debut season of "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables"? The lineup of females is very diverse, to say the least. But each of them does have one thing in common — an idiosyncrasy that could be considered a red flag when it comes to finding and keeping lasting love.
According to A+E's announcement of the show, there are seven ladies ranging from ages 24 to 39, who are sure to experience some awkward first dates and uncomfortable kisses. There is 32-year old Ashli, a pastor's daughter, who hasn't locked lips in a staggering 11 years and who boldly admits in the trailer, "I don't really know how to kiss." Then there's Danielle, 29, who doesn't believe in monogamy, which seems like it could present a problem once she's matched! Gabrielle, 27, is also a star of this season, and she's never gone on a date that didn't occur over text message. Then there's Evan-Nicole, 24, who revealed a strange habit in the show's trailer by saying, "I can literally eat a whole meal while I'm on the toilet."
Viewers will also meet 27-year-old Megan, who only eats two things — chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. We'll also be introduced to Renise, 33, who's into bondage in the bedroom. And lastly, there's Stephanie, 39, who wants a man with money who'll pay for her pricey lifestyle.
As for the men in the cast, one has already had four broken engagements
Now that we've discussed the women of "Married at First Sight: Unmatchables," it's time to visit the men on the show, who also have difficulty maintaining romantic relationships because of some pretty obvious quirks. Here is the roster of the gentlemen who are looking for love in this new series and hopefully putting their pasts behind them.
According to A+E's announcement of the show, we'll get to meet party animal Brandon, 34, a club promoter with an alter ego he refers to as "Legend," and 26-year-old Caleb, who thinks all he needs to do is flash his charming smile to score a date. Then there's serial dater Chaz, 30, who is more focused on his partner's looks than what's in their heart, and Clyde, 30, a neat freak who wants a girl with equally obsessive cleaning habits.
Another man in the mix is Xavius, who is little too concerned with the way a woman smells. We'll also be introduced to Frank, 29, who's an only child desperately trying to please his parents and overthinking his relationships. The cast also includes Niraj, 29, who is a perennial bachelor, having been single for over 15 years, and 29-year-old Sam, who focuses more on his wardrobe and career path than finding a husband. Lastly, there's Ervin, 37, who already has a staggering record of not one, but four broken engagements.