Ranking the Success of TV Dating Shows: ‘Bachelor,’ ‘Married at First Sight’ & More
Trying to turn a reality TV romance into a long-lasting marriage is quite the challenge, it turns out! But if you have must, you have better odds on some dating shows than you do on others, as you can see here.
We’ve ranked eight of the most popular dating shows by their success rates, i.e. the average number of marriages per season. And we gotta say, Married at First Sight was a surprise!
Scroll through the gallery below for the ranking, ordered from least to most successful.
Temptation Island
Of the couples who appear on this USA reboot, not many survive the temptations of the island. At least we’ve heard about two engagements from the show: Shari Ligons and Javen Butler are set to be married, as are Kristen Ramos and Julian Allen. For now, however: 0 married couples, 4 seasons.
The Bachelor
Only one Bachelor is still together with and married to his winning woman: Season 17’s Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici (above) tied the knot in 2014. Two other Bachelors are married to their runners-up, however — Season 13’s Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney and Season 22’s Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham — and Season 25’s Matt James recently reunited with winner Rachael Kirkconnell. Still, we’re calling it: 1 married couple, 26 seasons.
The Bachelorette
Four Bachelorettes are still in wedded bliss with their Final Rose recipients: Season 1’s Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter (above), Season 9’s Desiree Hartsock and Chris Siegfried, Season 12’s JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers, and Season 13’s Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo. 4 married couples, 18 (completed) seasons.
Bachelor in Paradise
So far, The Bachelor’s Mexico-set summer offshoot has produced two surviving marriages: Season 2’s Jade Roper and Tanner Tolbert, and Season 4’s Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk. Ten other couples are still dating or engaged, including seven from Season 7, the most recent go-round. But for now: 2 married couples, 7 seasons.
Are You the One?
A handful of the contestant couples from this MTV show are still together, even ones who weren’t “perfect matches.” As far as we know, though, only Season 1’s Amber Lee and Ethan Diamond (above), Season 4’s Cam Bruckman and Carolina Duarte, and Season 6’s Uche Nwosu and Clinton Moxam have walked down the aisle. Current status: 3 married couples, 8 seasons.
Married at First Sight
For a reality series about marriages as first dates, this Lifetime show’s success rate is surprisingly high. Still married are—deep breath!—Season 1’s Jamie Otis & Doug Hehner (above); Season 5’s Anthony D’Amico & Ashley Petta; Season 6’s Jephte Pierre & Shawniece Jackson; Season 7’s Bobby Dodd & Danielle Bergman; Season 8’s AJ Vollmoeller & Stephanie Sersen and Keith Dewar & Kristine Killingsworth; Season 9’s Elizabeth Bice & Jamie Thompson and Deonna McNeill & Gregory Okotie; Season 10’s Jessica Studer & Austin Hurd; Season 11’s Amelia Fatsi & Bennett Kirschner, Karen Landry & Miles Williams, and Amani Smith & Woody Randall; Season 12’s Briana Miles & Vincent Morales; and Season 14’s Noi Phommasak & Steve Moy and Katina Goode & Olajuwon Dickerson. Track record: 15 married couples, 14 (completed) seasons.
Love Is Blind
Love may be Blind, but it’s not always built to last. Of the six couples who made it to the show’s first season finale, two duos said their I do’s: Lauren Speed & Cameron Hamilton (shown above) and Amber Pike & Matthew Barnett. Of Season 2’s duos, Jarrette Jones & Iyanna McNeely and Nick Thompson & Danielle Ruhl are still married. 4 married couples, 2 seasons.
90 Day Fiancé
By our last count—calculated through our exhaustive (and sometimes exhausting) research — it seems 29 couples from this TLC reality show are still married and actually together, including Season 4’s Pedro and Chantel Jimeno (above). 29 married couples, 8 (completed) seasons.
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