The 20th season of “Married at First Sight” is nearly here, and fans of the romantic reality hit can expect to see some big changes in the new season.
In an expansive interview with Variety, the head of the production company behind “Married At First Sight,” Kinetic Content, reveals the changes were the result of the series’ new home on NBCUniversal-owned streaming service Peacock after more than a decade on Lifetime. (The first five seasons aired on A&E.)
A Major Overhaul in Season 20
According to Chris Coelen — exec producer of the show in addition to his role as Kinetic founder and CEO — the show has undergone a major overhaul that fans won’t help but notice.
This, he explained, was because of the shift from Lifetime to Peacock, which happened while production on the previous season was already underway.
“Season 19 was made for Lifetime,” he said. “We edited it for Peacock, but we had already shot the show for Lifetime, so we had shot with a Lifetime lens on it. This season, for the first time, is a true, full-scope Peacock season.”
A New Team of Experts
PeacockPerhaps the biggest change that fans will notice is that “Married at First Sight” will now have an entirely new team of experts. Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Pastor Cal Roberson and Dr. Pia Holec all left the series after the 19th season.
Taking their place is Paul C. Brunson and Dr. Lisa Paz, who’ll be offering their sage advice to each of the show’s couples.
The Ongoing Evolution of a Reality Hit
While fans may wonder about the necessity of fixing something they don’t perceive to be broken, Coelen is insistent that change is a positive and necessary factor in any long-runing TV series. That, he explained, included the show’s experts.
“Every season, it’s an ongoing conversation about what’s working, what’s not working, and I think our experts have worked for a really long time,” he observed.
“I just think the opportunity came across to look at two really exciting new experts,” he added. “It made sense for us, moving to a new platform, a new home, to be able to bring some new experts to the table. And we’re really excited about the people that we brought on board.”
Trimming the group from three to two, he explained, has made “Married at First Sight” more streamlined.
“It felt a little less crowded and more focused, in terms of the ability for the experts to really develop a relationship with the participants in a different way,” he shared.
Older Couples and a Family Face From Reality TV
PeacockThe new season is set in Seattle, and another difference viewers will encounter are couples who are older than those who’ve traditionallty appeared on the show — and may be more inclined to tie the knot.
“Different people are ready at different ages for a big commitment and the group of people that we have in this iteration felt like the right age that they were serious about marriage as a next step in their lives,” he continued.
Another first for “Married at First Sight” this season comes with one of the participants: Nick Uhlenhuth, no stranger to fans of TV dating shows from his previous appearances on Netflix hits “The Circle” and “Perfect Match.”
Coelen admitted he was hesitant about bringing a reality TV star into the mix. “I don’t even know that we originally went out thinking, ‘Let’s find somebody from another show.’ Those are things that we all talk about, but I think getting to know his family, getting to see the relationship role models around him and the way they talked about him, all of that added up to feeling like he was a really good choice,” he said.
When Will Season 20 of ‘Married at First Sight’ Premiere?
The season premiere of “Married At First Sight” arrives Sunday, July 12 on Peacock.
Batches of multiple episodes will drop each subsequent Thursday, with the season finale and reunion special arriving on August 27.
