Last night, on episode one million and three of Married at First Sight, Jesse stood on a beach at sunset opposite his fake wife Michelle.
“I’m so thankful our paths have crossed,” she told him.
“I do want you in my life forever, but not as your partner. I want to be the friend you confide in… to continue the friendship that we have formed here in this experiment.”
Michelle held back tears, as Jesse reassuringly held her hand.
Listen to Clare Stephens and Kelly Glover recap Married at First Sight. Post continues below.
It was a moment that had been coming for eight weeks. From the beginning, Michelle had struggled to find any romantic chemistry with Jesse, and viewers were at a loss for why. Week after week, she continued in the experiment.
Perhaps she was deeply conflicted because she very much liked Jesse. He was funny, respectful, laid back and kind. He was everything she thought she wanted.
But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t feel it. Something was missing, and she might never know what. Most people know the feeling of being drawn to a person, and really enjoying their company, but not having any real desire to kiss them.
In an ideal world, Michelle would have ended it sooner.
Jesse’s feelings developed, while her’s plateaued, and in not being entirely transparent, she might have caused him more pain than was necessary. But that’s just the ‘game’ isn’t it? It’s messy, and confusing, and complicated, with alarmingly high stakes.