We need to talk about MAFS Netherlands for a moment

This morning it aired, the very last episode of Married At First Sight: Match or Mistake. In other words, ‘our’ version of MAFS Australia, because the Netherlands would finally adopt that format. And rightly so (they should have done that much earlier), because it remains the most entertaining show there is. So I was genuinely looking forward to this Dutch variant, but after watching the last episode (only one reunion awaits us) I must honestly say: I am extremely disappointed. And I want to talk to you about that.

First of all, the number of episodes: seventeen? SEVENTEEN? In the Australian version, you can binge-watch about a workweek's worth of episodes and I would have liked it to go on even longer. This is not even half of that. How on earth are we supposed to care about people we don't know and haven't gotten to know in the episodes?

I always find the least interesting episodes of MAFS to be the weddings (they take too long) and the final ceremonies where they announce whether they want to continue together or not (also takes way too long). I already find those so drawn out in the Australian versions, and yet I am genuinely interested in who stays together or not. But here... Why are we watching a quarter of an hour of Feyyaz and Deveny who could barely tolerate each other from the first glance? I don't understand why they saved the end. I believe there is only one couple that hasn't made it. And those final ceremonies are already two episodes out of the mere seventeen in total. Add to that the weddings, and that we get three new episodes every week: one dinner party, one ceremony, and one to actually see the candidates together. Awkward.

By the way, almost two couples had already quit: Mark and Yvette both wanted to leave, but the experts disagreed. No idea how you interpreted that, but for me it was clearly a case of ‘there goes our ratings cannon’. The drama between Mark, Yvette, and Evelien was about the only exciting thing happening, so if they leave, there's nothing left.

Creators, I am very happy with the new direction of this program, but can we just REALLY pick up the Australian variant? Give us at least 36 episodes and maybe slightly more varied couples. I still have hope for that Dutch Mike and Heidi, Cam and Jules, and even Jess and Mick.

Image: RTL