James Weir recaps Married At First Sight Australia 2023 episode 26

A MAFS wife with a baffling dedication to her toxic husband drops a gobsmacking comment after swapping partners. James Weir recaps.

A manipulated Married At First Sight Wife who has fallen under her husband’s spell smugly dishes out an outrageous observation on Monday night in a startling case of pot calling the kettle gaslit.

We’re at that point in the experiment where some of the contestants have memorised a smidge of psychological terminology from the experts and now think they too are qualified to assess other people’s relationships in a know-it-all tone of voice.

Little do they know, it’s the blind leading the blind.

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John Aiken’s voice booms unexpectedly over the TV speakers. It’s the reality TV version of a jumpscare.

“What we’re about to unveil has never been attempted in this experiment,” he says.

“Offering legitimately helpful psychological advice?” we reply, with a raised eyebrow.

John continues. “What we’re about to unveil is going to be risky and controversial.”

We pause … then scrunch our faces. “Ummm. How is that different to any other night on this show?”

This risky and controversial task involves the couples Freaky Fridaying with each other in a partner swap. All the husbands and wives are separated, jumbled up, and re-paired in a stunt that’s formulated for one reason: to lock Melinda and Harrison in a room together. Muahahaha.

Of course they get matched, along with their real-life partners Layton and Bronte.

Melinda flips out at the news.

“Absolutely not! I’m not doing it! No!” she storms off. “I have to share a bed with Harrison? That’s disgusting. I don’t want Harrison near me.”

Girl, same.

Silver lining: Harrison will probably gaslight you into enjoying it.

For Harrison, the feeling is mutual.

“She is so image-driven,” he bitches about Melinda to Bronte. “It’s so obvious. From surgeries to how she presents to who she is as a person. It’s not like she’s gone, ‘Am I the bitch? Am I the problem?’”

Sorry, Harrison, but it’s you — hi, you’re the problem, it’s you. Bronte sits on the couch nodding in agreeance, marvelling at her wise husband who seems to have all the answers.

Despite Harrison’s dislike of Melinda, he’s still thrilled to be given the opportunity to torment her in such an up-close-and-personal way. He immediately gets to work on a scheme.

“Little bit of healthy wife-shaming might be in order,” he chuckles.

Ah yes. Nothing puts a pep in one’s step like some light psychological manipulation.

Bronte, blink twice if you’d like to be winched out of Trash Tower.

Meanwhile, Duncan is paired with Evelyn and promptly does a sexy photoshoot that involves getting naked while humping a KitchenAid. No more context required.

I would lick the batter off those beaters.

Down the hall, Harrison arrives at his fake wife’s apartment where Melinda and Layton are having a fight. Layton doesn’t want to go through with the partner swap and, while Melinda doesn’t either, she also knows she can’t compete with the evil MAFS producers.

“You’re acting like a Harrison right now,” she sighs to her husband.

It ends with Layton ripping off his mic pack and angrily wheeling his suitcase out of the apartment — but not before trying to kiss his wife goodbye.

“I’m out,” he sulks.

She dodges the kiss and holds up a hand.

“If you’re out, you’re out of the relationship all together,” she warns.

Melinda, now you’re sounding like a Harrison.

L-R: Harrison and Harrison.

Harrison sits happily on the couch, unable to hide his excitement at the thought of telling everyone how toxic Melinda and Layton are.

He’s thrilled to witness the implosion he helped instigate.

By the time Layton reaches his fake wife’s apartment, he’s fired-up and ready to rant about his real wife. He knows Bronte isn’t the right person to share this stuff with, but he’s irritated and needs sympathy.

Bronte is delighted to lend an ear and listens to Layton’s issues while smugly nodding. When he’s done, she offers a gobsmacking observation.

“She kinda gaslit you,” she says in a know-it-all tone.

Bron, just because you’re getting gaslit every waking second of the day doesn’t mean everyone else is.

Wow, you should totally replace all the experts.

The next day, we check in to see how Melinda is coping with Harrison. It seems she has misunderstood the task and, along with swapping partners, has also swapped wardrobes.

Melinda, you’re a kajillionaire businesswoman — take off that polo immediately.

But the person we really feel sorry for is that beautiful prince Duncan. He completes his time with fake wife Evelyn and returns to his real wife Alyssa, armed with gifts — including framed prints from his naked mixmaster photoshoot.

I’m so jealous of that KitchenAid.

But Alyssa doesn’t care. She’s having another breakdown and has invented more reasons why Duncan is out to ruin her life.

It leaves him in tears.

“I feel more rejected in this relationship than any relationship I’ve been in,” he doubles over and sobs.

Alyssa, you should feel terrible. Duncan is perfection. He humped a KitchenAid for you.

Twitter, Facebook: @hellojamesweir

I’d be upset too if I got naked and humped a mixmaster on TV for no reason.