Whiskey a No-No
Season 16 • Episode 15
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Married at First Sight, Season 16, Episode 15, “Whiskey a No-No.”]
Lifetime‘s social experiment continues with the latest episode of Married at First Sight, which sees struggling pairs make concerted efforts to improve their relationships.
While some tasks are easier said than done, most couples are taking major leaps and bounds forward ahead of the all-important Decision Day. Below, we’re breaking down all of the drama from the installment, so beware of spoilers ahead.
Extra Help
(Credit: Lifetime)
It’s no secret that Airris and Jasmine have been struggling, and for that reason, guest expert Devon Franklin is having individual meets with the couple starting with Jasmine. During their conversation, she says she’s at her breaking point and although she doesn’t think she can connect with Airris on deep topics, and that she only feels comfortable being transparent with the other brides, Devon proves her wrong… sort of. She admits that she was bullied for years when she was growing up and that she never spoke about it. He points out that Jasmine needs to open up about her experiences to build a better connection with Airris who in turn complains about his wife’s lack of openness.
During their private session, Airris and Devon uncover that he needs to put as much effort into the marriage as he would a job despite the feeling that there are lesser stakes involved. Airris is told to ask more questions and verbalize his commitment with the hope that Jasmine might open up more.
Making Connections
(Credit: Lifetime)
Chris and Nicole have a candid conversation about communication regarding her signals, especially when it comes to wanting alone time. She tells him that even if she says she wants alone time, he should assume she doesn’t. Confusion sets in and she does her best to clear it up, noting that she just needs reassurance and validation when it comes to their marriage. Chris tells Nicole she has nothing to worry about as he’s in this for the long haul.
Kirsten tries to get a better hold of understanding Shaquille during a phone conversation with his mother, asking what she can do to support him. Ultimately, Shaquille’s mom tells Kirsten she needs to support him more and better than how she has been, noting that he’s been having a tough time. As for Clint and Gina, he tries fostering a deeper connection by cooking his wife a meal which they enjoy on their apartment balcony.
And in a steamier excursion, Jasmine and Nicole go lingerie shopping together, during which Kirsten reassures Nicole that she can wear anything despite her insecurities. The outing also involves a “sexy walk” lesson which Kirsten hilariously demonstrates in the middle of the shop.
Whiskey Business
(Credit: Lifetime)
The couples gather for an evening out where they do a whiskey tasting and enjoy some conversation, learning more about recent gatherings between the husbands and the wives. Jasmine admits that she got emotional when meeting with the other wives in the previous episode, to which Nicole tells Airris he needs to try harder alongside Jasmine to make their marriage work because it’s worth it. As the evening carries on, Clint brings up how he opened up to Gina about losing a friend to suicide which leads to a shocking revelation from Shaquille who admits he was that person in his friend group, revealing his depression and anxiety.
The revelation leads Nicole to note that he has the support of Kirsten, but when she doesn’t verbalize that support, Shaquille gets up and walks away from the table. In a conversation separate from the others, Shaquille tells her that he needs her support and that it isn’t a “want.” She tells him he needs to be clearer about his expectations because this is a mere miscommunication. Ultimately, they kiss and makeup. Once they get back to the table, the conversations pick back up and lead to relationship updates, with Kirsten and Shaquille, revealing that they’ve consummated their relationship.
After some excitement, the couples hit the dance floor for a lesson which quickly turns sour when Jasmine gets upset that Airris is paying more attention to the instructor than her. He apologizes to her for how it looks, noting that he wasn’t intending to make her feel that way. They end up leaving early and he sleeps on the couch when they get home.
Expert Advice
(Credit: Lifetime)
Each couple has a house visit from the experts with Airris and Jasmine kicking off the sessions. Sitting down with Dr. Pepper, the duo explains their situation with Airris reassuring Jasmine he’s still committed to seeing their relationship through. She admits she wants to feel less like a friend and more like a wife and Dr. Pepper suggests that Airris start using text affirmations during the day and put a little extra effort in to show Jasmine he’s all in.
Dr. Pepper then visits Gina and Clint who admit they still feel like they’re in the friend zone with each other. The expert advises that they use the friend vibe to get closer, suggesting watching movies like Driving Miss Daisy as a way of building emotional intimacy. As for Shaquille and Kirsten, they meet with Devon who they are honest with about needing to build better communication. Devon points out that Shaquille’s frustration with Kirsten’s lack of support is unfounded considering he never shared how much her support means. He tells them to work on unspoken expectations and verbalize what they need from one another.
Rounding out the home visits are Nicole and Chris who sit down with Pastor Cal. The expert listens to them as they discuss their progress and Nicole admits that although Chris hasn’t given her any reason to doubt, she still worries in the back of her mind that he didn’t “pick” her to marry. Pastor Cal reminds her that they picked each other when signing up for the show, and Chris reassures that he’s not going anywhere, ending the episode on a positive note. Will that positivity continue? Tune in next week to find out.
Married at First Sight, Season 16, Wednesdays, 8/7c, Lifetime