Midway through the last season of Married at First Sight Australia, Bryce Ruthven’s fate as one of reality TV’s most loathed “villains” was sealed. Tasked by producers with ranking every female participant in order of attractiveness, he placed his bride, Melissa Rawson, in fourth position while sitting next to her. “I know you were probably hoping you’re number one … but you know that I can’t lie,” he told the visibly upset Melissa. “I think if I put you at number one, you’d be able to tell that [I’m lying].”
The program, which returned for its ninth season in Australia on Monday night, matches complete strangers who meet for the first time at the altar. This scene was a particularly low moment in the series for Bryce, who had already been accused by viewers of appearing to gaslight and manipulate Melissa. But moments like this are part of what has helped make MAFS, as it has become known, a spectacularly successful reality phenomenon.
