[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Married at First Sight, Season 16, Episode 13, “I’m Not Acting Crazy With You Tonight.”]
Married at First Sight Season 16 is well into its run, and as couples begin preparing to consider Decision Day, they’re learning a bit more about each other in the latest episode, “I’m Not Acting Crazy With You Tonight.”
With the expert’s advice handy, the pairs are trying to open up and be vulnerable with their partners for a chance at fostering stronger bonds. Below, we’re breaking down all of the key moments and reveals, so beware of spoilers.
Reflective Time
(Credit: Lifetime)
In the opening moments, Shaquille meets Kirsten at a house she’s currently showing as a realtor, allowing her to show off her skills but when the conversation turns to their own family planning, the joyful possibilities are marred by a comment she makes. While they agree that they want kids and to host game nights, Shaquille is in shock when he learns Kirsten expects him to pay for their future home together. She explains that her friends’ husbands have bought homes for them, and the expectation is an obvious red flag for him.
Meanwhile, Jasmine meets with a friend to talk about the rollercoaster of married life and her relationship with Airris. She essentially tells her friend that he’ll need to put in more effort by finding common ground with her in order for them to move forward.
Sharing the Past
(Credit: Lifetime)
Per the advice of the experts, the couples are encouraged to share parts of their past with their new spouses as a means of connecting. First up is Nicole who brings Chris to an Italian deli. She explains that it reminds her of the comforts of back home and reveals that during her teen years, she gave her family a hard time by making bad choices and lying. Chris is admittedly unsure if he could have been with someone like “past” Nicole, but both seem confident in their future. Meanwhile, Chris brings Gina to a soccer field and explains that although he wasn’t the best or most confident player, it ultimately ignited the competitive spirit inside of him today.
Airris brings Jasmine to a card shop and tells her about how it was an important place to him as a child because it was a place that helped him meet friends. He is honest when he says that certain situations would sometimes force him to walk away without a second though, which doesn’t warm an already skittish Jasmine to him.
Kirsten brings Shaquille to her old family home and explains that it represents a happy place for her, but that it also hurts because it reminded her of the times when her family was whole before her parents’ divorce. She assures Shaquille that the experience made her stronger and further explains that some of her expectations about her husband buying a home stem from her dad’s actions as a provider. Even though he feels like he understands her better, it still is an odd expectation to him and he’s further frustrated by the fact that she’s refusing to introduce her dad until they’re further along in the relationship.
Gina brings Clint to her former hair school and reveals that she had a college degree and was working in broadcast before she pivoted to cosmetology. The revealing tour allows Clint to gain more patience regarding her constant talk about work, realizing its importance in her life. Meanwhile, Chris brings Nicole to a paint store, sharing his dad used to run one where he and his siblings worked. It was a bit of a painful memory though as Chris reveals his dad wasn’t the best role model as he often expected perfection. He shares a promising update though regarding his relationship with his dad, saying that when he needed someone to care for his dog and his dad offered, it was a turning point in their bond.
Letters to Your Younger Self
(Credit: Lifetime)
The couples are also tasked with writing letters to their younger selves with Nicole reading Chris’s aloud. It expresses that he needs to learn the lesson of not letting people walk all over him, and uses one of his mom’s abusive relationships as an example. Through the letter, Nicole realizes she relates to Chris’s mom before reading her own which advises her past self to not let people influence her so easily and to not let people make her feel less worthy. Despite the confidence they have in their relationship, Nicole notes that if she and Chris were to break up, the heartbreak would be worth the experience they’re currently having.
Airris reads his letter, noting that despite the confusion he went through as a kid, it wouldn’t last and that it’s important to share your feelings with others instead of bottling them inside. This moves Jasmine who notes that her letter is keeping things a little lighter, saying that she struggled when she moved as a kid because she was bullied for being too proper. This willingness to open up impresses Airris who feels like they’re moving in the right direction.
Getting to Know Each Other
(Credit: Lifetime)
Shaquille introduces Kirsten to his godmother and godsister, who share family traditions and memories including Christmas breakfasts and how they all got closer after the accident that nearly killed him as a kid. Kirsten is impressed with the visit and loves how close he is to his family. At Clint and Gina’s house, she has her colleagues over for dinner. The gathering allows Clint to see the work dynamic as he makes small talk asking the women about their marriages and teasing Gina about the lasagne she’s made.
Nicole and Chris break out the paints for an art session in their apartment. As they paint on the canvas, the pair go back and forth speaking in silly accents and just love being weird together. At Jasmine and Airris’ apartment, he shares a letter his late father wrote to his mom that he keeps close at all times. The personal artifact helps Jasmine understand her husband better and he notes that it helps remind him of his dad’s love for him.
New Perspectives
(Credit: Lifetime)
Jasmine and Airris meet up with Kirsten and Shaquille to play airsoft, shooting each other with foam arrows and while the girls team up on the men, the outing offers the couples to gain a new perspective. Separating in different pairs, Jasmine and Shaquille chat about their situations, with her feeling better about Airris while staying true to herself, and he admits that it bothers him that Kirsten won’t introduce him to her dad. Kirsten tells Airris that her attraction to Shaquille grows each day.
When the couples return to their respective apartments though, the conversation about the housing comes up again between Kirsten and Shaquille. While he expresses concerns over her expectations noting that she walks away when she doesn’t get her way, she backpedals on her original idea, saying they’ll both pay for a future house. It’s clear there’s friction brewing, but will it break them apart? Only time will tell for certain. Stay tuned as Married at First Sight continues on Lifetime.
Married at First Sight, Season 16, Wednesdays, 8/7c, Lifetime