Photo: LifetimeBrett Nicole appeared onMarried at First Sight’s 13th season, which took place in Houston in 2021.Though she was married to Ryan Ignasiakat the time, the pair decided to divorce and go their separate ways on decisionday.On Jan. 5, season 14 ofMarried at First Sightpremiered on Lifetime, following five Boston-based couples as the reality of their newly-wed lives together sets in. Here, Nicolegives PEOPLE her recap of Wednesday night’s episodeand explains why meeting with the experts is her favorite part of the series.One of my absolute favorite weeks as aMAFSfan is when you get to see the couples showing themselves in new lights and deeper ways via their childhood homes, memories and letters to their younger selves. For some, childhood memories come fondly and sweetly like the Ice Cream Man on a Saturday afternoon (1 Choco Taco please!). But for others, that childhood trauma is very REAL and finally being able to connect the dots as a partner is so crucial to understanding why and how someone came to be. The key to knowing someone is not only listening to stories about their past but also showing a genuine interest in the things they’ve gone through. It’s what made them who they are. We also get a Dr. Pepper drop-in, which I really wish could be a twice-a-week thing as the couples inch closer to decision day.Lindsey and MarkGuys, Mark is drained. You can see it on his face and in his eyes — but at the same time, so is Lindsey. I feel like she was really sending Mark a message with the letter to her younger self. She described her troubles as a kid where she felt like she is “too much” (something she said Mark says to her often) and never quite felt like she belonged. She is searching for pure acceptance from Mark, and while I think he is really looking for opportunities to give it to her, they are on two different speed trains.vLindsey’s train is 100mph barreling ahead and Mark’s is 50mph, making lots of stops along the way, not wanting to go too fast.I think their backgrounds really connect them, but at times it does seem like they are misunderstanding each other. Both Lindsey and Mark seem to be so understanding of each other as people, I think they both want to know how to make the other person happy. I’m really hoping they can meet somewhere in the middle — maybe a 70mph train — where they have time to each give each other a little bit of what the other one needs without compromising their own desires.Steve and NoiSteve and Noi! I pegged them as my favorite pairing since day one, but could their childhoods be any more opposite? From what we see, Steve was a popular, outgoing and confident kid, whose childhood home is still there for him to come back to. I find that so rare, and quite frankly I’m a little jealous. I like that Steve had all his yearbooks and objects that he’s attached to (like his stuffed animals). I found it endearing, while I think Noi maybe found it odd because her experiences were just so different than his.We know there is a lot of pain in her past, and I’m sure that Steve knows even more than we do about it. Noi expressed feeling guilty that her parents had to work so hard to support themselves and because of that, she was forced to grow up quickly. Steve, on the other hand, really seems like he got to enjoy being a kid and had a pleasant adolescence. I think this explains his free spirit regarding jobs and money, while Noi isn’t like that at all.My favorite part was seeing how much music connects them and how they have both used that as an outlet in the past. Music is such a gift and to have that in common with your partner is unmatched. Yes their timelines are kind of weird and they can’t agree on living arrangements and money, but I think they have the stuff that really matters. I’m hopeful with time they will come to the right conclusions for their life together. I think fear may be playing a larger role in making concrete plans. Maybe they just need to throw some music on and get down to the nitty-gritty details.Katina and OlajuwonHere’s another couple that I think genuinely enjoy and like each other but have had incredibly different upbringings. Do I think that you’re doomed if you have a different childhood than your partner? No way. Do I think that the way we are raised and the things we go through affect the adults we become? Absofreakinglutely (ask my therapist).Olajuwon is a prideful man (some may say too much), who is not shy about the way he was raised and the things he witnessed growing up. I think he really needs someone like Katina, whose childhood was more suburban and seemed like something that a lot of people wish they had. She doesn’t judge him; she doesn’t hold anything against him or treat him any differently because he’s rougher around the edges than she might be used to. I think that’s something Olajuwon may have been worried about, but it’s clear that none of that matters to her.Both of their mothers' beating cancer is such a huge lynchpin for them, in my opinion. While they didn’t go through the same social experiences, they did go through the same pain of seeing their parent with a debilitating illness. The fear it must’ve instilled in them is probably still present today, in ways they may not realize.I like that he can recognize how hard he is on Katina, because in my opinion, I think he could let off the gas just a tad. On the other hand, it’s obviously coming directly from his desire to want more for himself and working so hard to reach his many goals. I’m looking forward to them getting on the same page about their future though because at the end of the episode we see a tear-filled Olajuwon saying he thinks Katina should focus on finishing school rather than focusing on being a wife and future mother to their children. I gasped.Jasmina and MichaelThese two have been my worrisome couple throughout the season, as it seemed like they got off to a semi-bad foot and never quite made their way back. I am so proud of the growth they’ve shown from then until now! Seriously, they’re both crying and being vulnerable and sharing their feelings. Love. To. See. It.The more Michael opens up, the more I understand where he’s coming from, so you know the wealth of understanding Jasmina must have with each vulnerable moment. It’s almost like you can see Jasmina’s eyes softening with each word as Michael is describing his “lone wolf” way of dealing with emotions, and it gave me so much insight. I think they’re just two stalemates of strength, almost too similar in their independence. It seems like for once, there are walls are being broken down and communication is flowing. It makes me so happy to see because genuine connections take time and people who are averse to opening up just need a little bit of that. Dr. Pepper can see their connection, and now I can too. Time to get to kissin', you two.Decision day is less than two weeks away and I really want the couples to look beyond the finality of the eight weeks. I think it’s difficult to do when they feel like it’s always looming over their heads and Dr. Pepper showing up to visit the couples must feel like a very grounding experience. She tells it like it is, and her insight into each couple is filled with honesty and admiration. She believes in them, and it makes me believe in them too. I think now is the time to go completely no-holds-barred and let it all out with their partners because liking someone is not enough. Wanting to make it work is not enough. They’ve got to figure out if the good outweighs the not-so-good and really dig their heels into the process. I’m really looking forward to seeing the couples make even more progress in the next two weeks.HANG IN THERE Y’ALL.
Photo: Lifetime
Brett Nicole appeared onMarried at First Sight’s 13th season, which took place in Houston in 2021.Though she was married to Ryan Ignasiakat the time, the pair decided to divorce and go their separate ways on decisionday.On Jan. 5, season 14 ofMarried at First Sightpremiered on Lifetime, following five Boston-based couples as the reality of their newly-wed lives together sets in. Here, Nicolegives PEOPLE her recap of Wednesday night’s episodeand explains why meeting with the experts is her favorite part of the series.One of my absolute favorite weeks as aMAFSfan is when you get to see the couples showing themselves in new lights and deeper ways via their childhood homes, memories and letters to their younger selves. For some, childhood memories come fondly and sweetly like the Ice Cream Man on a Saturday afternoon (1 Choco Taco please!). But for others, that childhood trauma is very REAL and finally being able to connect the dots as a partner is so crucial to understanding why and how someone came to be. The key to knowing someone is not only listening to stories about their past but also showing a genuine interest in the things they’ve gone through. It’s what made them who they are. We also get a Dr. Pepper drop-in, which I really wish could be a twice-a-week thing as the couples inch closer to decision day.Lindsey and MarkGuys, Mark is drained. You can see it on his face and in his eyes — but at the same time, so is Lindsey. I feel like she was really sending Mark a message with the letter to her younger self. She described her troubles as a kid where she felt like she is “too much” (something she said Mark says to her often) and never quite felt like she belonged. She is searching for pure acceptance from Mark, and while I think he is really looking for opportunities to give it to her, they are on two different speed trains.vLindsey’s train is 100mph barreling ahead and Mark’s is 50mph, making lots of stops along the way, not wanting to go too fast.I think their backgrounds really connect them, but at times it does seem like they are misunderstanding each other. Both Lindsey and Mark seem to be so understanding of each other as people, I think they both want to know how to make the other person happy. I’m really hoping they can meet somewhere in the middle — maybe a 70mph train — where they have time to each give each other a little bit of what the other one needs without compromising their own desires.Steve and NoiSteve and Noi! I pegged them as my favorite pairing since day one, but could their childhoods be any more opposite? From what we see, Steve was a popular, outgoing and confident kid, whose childhood home is still there for him to come back to. I find that so rare, and quite frankly I’m a little jealous. I like that Steve had all his yearbooks and objects that he’s attached to (like his stuffed animals). I found it endearing, while I think Noi maybe found it odd because her experiences were just so different than his.We know there is a lot of pain in her past, and I’m sure that Steve knows even more than we do about it. Noi expressed feeling guilty that her parents had to work so hard to support themselves and because of that, she was forced to grow up quickly. Steve, on the other hand, really seems like he got to enjoy being a kid and had a pleasant adolescence. I think this explains his free spirit regarding jobs and money, while Noi isn’t like that at all.My favorite part was seeing how much music connects them and how they have both used that as an outlet in the past. Music is such a gift and to have that in common with your partner is unmatched. Yes their timelines are kind of weird and they can’t agree on living arrangements and money, but I think they have the stuff that really matters. I’m hopeful with time they will come to the right conclusions for their life together. I think fear may be playing a larger role in making concrete plans. Maybe they just need to throw some music on and get down to the nitty-gritty details.Katina and OlajuwonHere’s another couple that I think genuinely enjoy and like each other but have had incredibly different upbringings. Do I think that you’re doomed if you have a different childhood than your partner? No way. Do I think that the way we are raised and the things we go through affect the adults we become? Absofreakinglutely (ask my therapist).Olajuwon is a prideful man (some may say too much), who is not shy about the way he was raised and the things he witnessed growing up. I think he really needs someone like Katina, whose childhood was more suburban and seemed like something that a lot of people wish they had. She doesn’t judge him; she doesn’t hold anything against him or treat him any differently because he’s rougher around the edges than she might be used to. I think that’s something Olajuwon may have been worried about, but it’s clear that none of that matters to her.Both of their mothers' beating cancer is such a huge lynchpin for them, in my opinion. While they didn’t go through the same social experiences, they did go through the same pain of seeing their parent with a debilitating illness. The fear it must’ve instilled in them is probably still present today, in ways they may not realize.I like that he can recognize how hard he is on Katina, because in my opinion, I think he could let off the gas just a tad. On the other hand, it’s obviously coming directly from his desire to want more for himself and working so hard to reach his many goals. I’m looking forward to them getting on the same page about their future though because at the end of the episode we see a tear-filled Olajuwon saying he thinks Katina should focus on finishing school rather than focusing on being a wife and future mother to their children. I gasped.Jasmina and MichaelThese two have been my worrisome couple throughout the season, as it seemed like they got off to a semi-bad foot and never quite made their way back. I am so proud of the growth they’ve shown from then until now! Seriously, they’re both crying and being vulnerable and sharing their feelings. Love. To. See. It.The more Michael opens up, the more I understand where he’s coming from, so you know the wealth of understanding Jasmina must have with each vulnerable moment. It’s almost like you can see Jasmina’s eyes softening with each word as Michael is describing his “lone wolf” way of dealing with emotions, and it gave me so much insight. I think they’re just two stalemates of strength, almost too similar in their independence. It seems like for once, there are walls are being broken down and communication is flowing. It makes me so happy to see because genuine connections take time and people who are averse to opening up just need a little bit of that. Dr. Pepper can see their connection, and now I can too. Time to get to kissin', you two.Decision day is less than two weeks away and I really want the couples to look beyond the finality of the eight weeks. I think it’s difficult to do when they feel like it’s always looming over their heads and Dr. Pepper showing up to visit the couples must feel like a very grounding experience. She tells it like it is, and her insight into each couple is filled with honesty and admiration. She believes in them, and it makes me believe in them too. I think now is the time to go completely no-holds-barred and let it all out with their partners because liking someone is not enough. Wanting to make it work is not enough. They’ve got to figure out if the good outweighs the not-so-good and really dig their heels into the process. I’m really looking forward to seeing the couples make even more progress in the next two weeks.HANG IN THERE Y’ALL.
Brett Nicole appeared onMarried at First Sight’s 13th season, which took place in Houston in 2021.Though she was married to Ryan Ignasiakat the time, the pair decided to divorce and go their separate ways on decisionday.On Jan. 5, season 14 ofMarried at First Sightpremiered on Lifetime, following five Boston-based couples as the reality of their newly-wed lives together sets in. Here, Nicolegives PEOPLE her recap of Wednesday night’s episodeand explains why meeting with the experts is her favorite part of the series.
One of my absolute favorite weeks as aMAFSfan is when you get to see the couples showing themselves in new lights and deeper ways via their childhood homes, memories and letters to their younger selves. For some, childhood memories come fondly and sweetly like the Ice Cream Man on a Saturday afternoon (1 Choco Taco please!). But for others, that childhood trauma is very REAL and finally being able to connect the dots as a partner is so crucial to understanding why and how someone came to be. The key to knowing someone is not only listening to stories about their past but also showing a genuine interest in the things they’ve gone through. It’s what made them who they are. We also get a Dr. Pepper drop-in, which I really wish could be a twice-a-week thing as the couples inch closer to decision day.
Lindsey and Mark
Guys, Mark is drained. You can see it on his face and in his eyes — but at the same time, so is Lindsey. I feel like she was really sending Mark a message with the letter to her younger self. She described her troubles as a kid where she felt like she is “too much” (something she said Mark says to her often) and never quite felt like she belonged. She is searching for pure acceptance from Mark, and while I think he is really looking for opportunities to give it to her, they are on two different speed trains.vLindsey’s train is 100mph barreling ahead and Mark’s is 50mph, making lots of stops along the way, not wanting to go too fast.
I think their backgrounds really connect them, but at times it does seem like they are misunderstanding each other. Both Lindsey and Mark seem to be so understanding of each other as people, I think they both want to know how to make the other person happy. I’m really hoping they can meet somewhere in the middle — maybe a 70mph train — where they have time to each give each other a little bit of what the other one needs without compromising their own desires.
Steve and Noi
Steve and Noi! I pegged them as my favorite pairing since day one, but could their childhoods be any more opposite? From what we see, Steve was a popular, outgoing and confident kid, whose childhood home is still there for him to come back to. I find that so rare, and quite frankly I’m a little jealous. I like that Steve had all his yearbooks and objects that he’s attached to (like his stuffed animals). I found it endearing, while I think Noi maybe found it odd because her experiences were just so different than his.
We know there is a lot of pain in her past, and I’m sure that Steve knows even more than we do about it. Noi expressed feeling guilty that her parents had to work so hard to support themselves and because of that, she was forced to grow up quickly. Steve, on the other hand, really seems like he got to enjoy being a kid and had a pleasant adolescence. I think this explains his free spirit regarding jobs and money, while Noi isn’t like that at all.
My favorite part was seeing how much music connects them and how they have both used that as an outlet in the past. Music is such a gift and to have that in common with your partner is unmatched. Yes their timelines are kind of weird and they can’t agree on living arrangements and money, but I think they have the stuff that really matters. I’m hopeful with time they will come to the right conclusions for their life together. I think fear may be playing a larger role in making concrete plans. Maybe they just need to throw some music on and get down to the nitty-gritty details.
Katina and Olajuwon
Here’s another couple that I think genuinely enjoy and like each other but have had incredibly different upbringings. Do I think that you’re doomed if you have a different childhood than your partner? No way. Do I think that the way we are raised and the things we go through affect the adults we become? Absofreakinglutely (ask my therapist).
Olajuwon is a prideful man (some may say too much), who is not shy about the way he was raised and the things he witnessed growing up. I think he really needs someone like Katina, whose childhood was more suburban and seemed like something that a lot of people wish they had. She doesn’t judge him; she doesn’t hold anything against him or treat him any differently because he’s rougher around the edges than she might be used to. I think that’s something Olajuwon may have been worried about, but it’s clear that none of that matters to her.
Both of their mothers' beating cancer is such a huge lynchpin for them, in my opinion. While they didn’t go through the same social experiences, they did go through the same pain of seeing their parent with a debilitating illness. The fear it must’ve instilled in them is probably still present today, in ways they may not realize.
I like that he can recognize how hard he is on Katina, because in my opinion, I think he could let off the gas just a tad. On the other hand, it’s obviously coming directly from his desire to want more for himself and working so hard to reach his many goals. I’m looking forward to them getting on the same page about their future though because at the end of the episode we see a tear-filled Olajuwon saying he thinks Katina should focus on finishing school rather than focusing on being a wife and future mother to their children. I gasped.
Jasmina and Michael
These two have been my worrisome couple throughout the season, as it seemed like they got off to a semi-bad foot and never quite made their way back. I am so proud of the growth they’ve shown from then until now! Seriously, they’re both crying and being vulnerable and sharing their feelings. Love. To. See. It.
The more Michael opens up, the more I understand where he’s coming from, so you know the wealth of understanding Jasmina must have with each vulnerable moment. It’s almost like you can see Jasmina’s eyes softening with each word as Michael is describing his “lone wolf” way of dealing with emotions, and it gave me so much insight. I think they’re just two stalemates of strength, almost too similar in their independence. It seems like for once, there are walls are being broken down and communication is flowing. It makes me so happy to see because genuine connections take time and people who are averse to opening up just need a little bit of that. Dr. Pepper can see their connection, and now I can too. Time to get to kissin', you two.
Decision day is less than two weeks away and I really want the couples to look beyond the finality of the eight weeks. I think it’s difficult to do when they feel like it’s always looming over their heads and Dr. Pepper showing up to visit the couples must feel like a very grounding experience. She tells it like it is, and her insight into each couple is filled with honesty and admiration. She believes in them, and it makes me believe in them too. I think now is the time to go completely no-holds-barred and let it all out with their partners because liking someone is not enough. Wanting to make it work is not enough. They’ve got to figure out if the good outweighs the not-so-good and really dig their heels into the process. I’m really looking forward to seeing the couples make even more progress in the next two weeks.
HANG IN THERE Y’ALL.
source: people.com
