Brennan Is The Biggest Villain In Married At First Sight History (& Has Ulterior Motives)

Married at First Sight season 17 cast member Brennan Shoykhet has proven to be the most unlikable cast member in the show’s history, and he’s showcased his ulterior motives in his marriage to Emily Balch. Brennan, 28, began the season describing that his parents have been in a solid marriage his whole life and that divorce is not an option for him in this experience. Brennan was matched with Emily, 29, who has never been in a relationship before. Despite Emily’s information bomb, Emily and Brennan said yes to each other at the altar when they met as strangers and moved forward hopeful about their connection and honeymoon.

On the honeymoon, Emily and Brennan showcased their compatibility. Each of their work lives was very important to them, and they described their similar drives and professional ambitions. They also aligned on family values and the importance of letting loose and having fun. During the honeymoon, Emily and Brennan had a good time together, with Brennan expressing that Emily was his “dream girl.” However, since the honeymoon, Brennan has shown that he is a major Married at First Sight villain because of his behavior, his treatment of Emily, and his unwillingness to improve himself.

Brennan Switched Up On Emily

Upon returning from the honeymoon, Brennan totally switched up on how he felt about Emily, stating that he was no longer attracted to her (via ET). He cited being “drained” after spending 24/7 with Emily on their honeymoon. On top of that, he has refused to give Emily or viewers a reason why he suddenly stopped having romantic feelings for Emily. He told Emily she was a “red flag” because he lost attraction for her.

Brennan Wants To Control His Image

Married at First Sight season 17‘s Brennan has been inauthentic because he has been trying to control his image and how he is portrayed on national TV. Emily has voiced frustration about Brennan’s unwillingness to talk about serious topics because he doesn’t want to come off negatively. However, Brennan’s efforts to control his image are making him look bad. Emily is unable to connect with Brennan because he is depriving her of real conversations, and he gets an upset look on his face and challenges Emily’s perspectives when she tries to advocate for herself.

Brennan Displays Toxic Behavior

Brennan has displayed a lot of toxic behavior, including getting defensive when he’s questioned about why he is not attracted to Emily and what his hangups are (via Lifetime.) Brennan has tried to silence Emily when she’s tried to call him out on his unwilling behavior. Brennan has also showcased that he is uncoachable and has a negative view of therapy. During his initial interview for Married at First Sight, Brennan described himself as “affectionate,” “communicative,” and “selfless,” but he has not shown those qualities at all.

Brennan has been overly combative with Emily’s friends, has not helped Emily when she needed it, and throws any questions he doesn’t want to answer back at Emily. Brennan has proven he is on Married at First Sight for the wrong reasons. Since he wants to present himself a certain way on TV, he is being disingenuous and hurting any chance he has at moving forward with Emily. He is not open to accepting the process, has exhibited toxic behavior, and in doing so, has become the biggest villain in Married at First Sight history.

Source: ET/YouTube, Lifetime/YouTube

Married At First Sight

Based on the Danish version of the series, Married at First Sight is a reality show/social experiment that gives singles a chance to find a lifelong partnership with one particular caveat: they must agree to marry a stranger arranged the moment they meet. Experts provide counseling and guidance as they help couples navigate their new marriage with their unknown partner and highlight the journey of the newlyweds from wedding to honeymoon to beginning their new lives together. At the end of eight weeks, couples will decide to stay married or divorce.