Married at First Sight
Common Sense says
- A&E
- Reality TV
- 2014
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Married at First Sight is a reality series that shows the experience of total strangers getting married on the advice of relationship experts. The show addresses mature topics such as marriage, intimacy, and divorce. Arguing is frequent, and sexual intimacy is a major theme. There’s some drinking (wine, beer, cocktails), and Apple products are visible. It’s not really meant for kids, but it's an interesting take on modern relationships and how people get to know each other.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Just another dating show
Terrible matches
It depends on which one
What's the story?
MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT is a reality series featuring couples participating in a radical social experiment about marriage and relationships. Six singles who have done everything to find love are paired by a team of experts, including clinical psychologist Dr. Joseph Cilona, sociologist Dr. Pepper Schwartz, sexologist Dr. Logan Levkoff, and Greg Epstein, a spiritual advisor, to someone they believe will be their ideal partner. Once they're matched, they legally marry their new partner. The catch? The couples don't see each other until the moment they exchange vows. Cameras then follow them for six weeks as they get to know each other. They also go on a honeymoon and try to build a relationship that takes them from strangers to a bonded couple. Throughout the process they check in with experts to share their experiences and receive advice and guidance. At the end of the experiment, each couple must decide if they want to remain married or get a divorce.
Is it any good?
The series puts a modern spin on the concept of arranged marriage and offers a voyeuristic-but-interesting look at the work that goes into building a lasting relationship. It also offers some surprisingly thoughtful moments, which reveal how people come to know themselves and understand what may keep them from having healthy relationships.
Viewers will be skeptical about the plausibility of meeting someone after you marry them, and others may find the awkwardness surrounding the process uncomfortable. There's not a lot of romance here, either. Nonetheless, it's a thoughtful, albeit unorthodox, approach to understanding the effort that has to go into relationships to find real love.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about arranged marriages. Why do people agree to them? Do they work out? Did you know that in some cultures arranged marriages are very common? How has the media portrayed the practice over the years?
TV details
- Premiere date: July 8, 2014
- Cast: Pepper Schwartz, Logan Levkoff, Joseph Cilona
- Network: A&E
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-14
- Available on: Streaming
- Last updated: September 20, 2019
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
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