‘I’m a straight man and I love MAFS’

The dinner parties are explosive and the relationships can be toxic but this straight man is not ashamed to say that he loves Married At First Sight.

I’m a straight man and I love MAFS – and I’m not ashamed to say it.

It was Covid that brought MAFS into our household. After being stuck at home for weeks on end, bored and with nothing to do when we weren’t working, my housemates turned to watching MAFS to fill the time. And shortly after, I got sucked in.

Whenever I would go downstairs to the living room, my housemates at the time would be watching MAFS and had encouraged me to join them in watching the show. At first, I found the concept to be really dumb – why on earth would two strangers who had never met each other before think it would be a good idea to get married to each other on national television?

‘At first, I found the concept to be really dumb – why on earth would two strangers who had never met each other before think it would be a good idea to get married to each other on national television?’ Photo: Channel 9

While my opinion on the matter hasn’t changed, over time, I found myself watching short snippets of the show whenever it would be on, to gradually watching full on episodes without even realising I’d spent my whole evening doing so.

Watching Married At First Sight ‘inadvertently became a routine’. Picture: Channel 9

It got to the point where it inadvertently became a routine, in which I would know the schedule off by heart. There would be times where I would pop out of my room and casually ask “hey, isn’t MAFS on tonight?”, very well knowing the newest episode was about to start.

I like to think I lead a calm and settled life, so watching newly wed couples scream and shout at each other across the table during MAFS dinner parties had an unyielding grip on me. The chaos of it all was so gripping and made it hard to look away, like I was watching a car crash in slow motion.

‘The chaos of it all was so gripping and made it hard to look away’. Picture: Channel 9

I often had viewed the show as a guilty pleasure that I looked to keep as low-profile as possible. Yet it was a shock to find out that I was not the only straight male who had developed an affinity for MAFS, and that others in my inner circles were also avid and regular watchers.

When I met my girlfriend Bella, one of the first topics of conversation that came up was about MAFS. She had not watched it at the time, in which I recall telling her how I strongly disliked the show and claimed that my housemates ‘forced’ me to watch it.

Of course, she saw straight through this and knew I secretly loved it, never wasting a chance to berate me in the process.

’When I first met my girlfriend Bella... I recall telling her how I strongly disliked the show and claimed my housemates ‘forced’ me to watch it.’ Picture: Channel 9

Months went by until the latest season was about to begin, in which we recounted our previous conversations from earlier in our relationship. To my surprise, she brought up the prospect of watching the show together, despite the fact that she had not previously watched much reality TV. On the outside, I appeared reluctant but obliged to do so, yet inside my head, I was mentally punching the air in celebration.

‘I was mentally punching the air in celebration’ at the idea of watching Married at First Sight. Picture: Channel 9

We’ve since been highly invested in the latest season, often finding ourselves so engrossed in the drama to which we would be screaming at the TV in frustration. There have been times where my girlfriend and I have both felt like we needed to take a walk to cool down in the midst of the many ‘scandals’ (thanks Carolina, Daniel and Olivia!).

Married at First Sight has been ‘an outlet to escape the grim reality and pressures of everyday life’. Picture: Channel 9

Nonetheless, MAFS has been an outlet to escape the grim reality and pressures of everyday life, which has only been compounded by the ongoing pandemic. I know I’ll miss it once the season wraps up, and I’ll certainly miss how much better it makes me feel about my relationship!

Originally published as ‘I’m a straight man and I love MAFS’