Media commentator Rob McKnight tells WHO that the once wholesome show is trying to replicate MAFS.
Farmer Wants A Wife has been one of the most successful reality dating shows of its kind, with more than 20 marriages and many children. But in recent years, fans have been upset by a noticeable uptick in drama on the show.
There have been suggestions that producers have been borrowing tactics from shows like Married at First Sight, and fans are not happy about it.
Crying contestants, fights between the ladies and rumours of women spending the night with farmers before they’ve made their final choice have become rampant on a show that was once known for bumbling, sweet farmers finding love.
In 2024, Daisy Lamb famously admitted to sneaking into Farmer Todd’s bedroom while the other ladies were asleep, which caused a lot of tension in the house.
Some fans have also been upset to see scenes like farmers taking baths while on a date, saying it’s become too sexualised. Also in 2024, Farmer Joe Bobbin had so many dates that involved baths that it became a running joke!
I guess he’s clean freak?
“Don’t make it into MAFS,” one fan begged producers on Facebook. “It is supposed to be more country, innocent, clean and respectable show like what it used to be.”
Others claimed the MAFS-ification of the show is the reason they no longer watch it.
So, in a bid to add more drama, is the show alienating the fans who have loved it since the beginning?
Rob McKnight, media commentator and former TV producer, tells WHO that he believes Farmer Wants A Wife has historically had more relationship success than MAFS because it has “traditionally felt more sincere and relationship-focused than MAFS“.
However, he adds that there is “no doubt” Farmer Wants A Wife is trying to replicate MAFS‘ success.
“Producers are smart enough to know they will alienate the audience if they go too far. The show needs to keep its heart to keep viewers who find it a nice alternative to MAFS, even if it can’t achieve the same ratings results.”
Why do producers lean so heavily on drama?
Rob puts it simply: “Conflict rates.”
“Married At First Sight really only started finding success when it stopped caring about match-making and started casting for drama. In fact, the changes made here in Australia have been replicated around the world, and our format is seen as the world standard.
“I see MAFS as more of a pantomime than a real experiment trying to get people together. The audience wants villains to boo and heroes to cheer.”
He continues, “Without the drama, what is MAFS? The dinner tables never existed in the original format; now they are the most anticipated episodes of every season. Why? Because of the DRAMA.”
Why drama is bad for the Farmer Wants A Wife brand
A show like Farmer Wants A Wife is built on its wholesomeness and genuineness, but at the end of the day, producers need eyeballs, and if they’re not getting them, they can’t continue to make the show.
Rob tells us that he doesn’t believe that Farmer Wants A Wife can survive if it keeps going down the MAFS-level drama route.
He explains that “this is a big problem for Farmer“, adding, “MAFS had nothing to lose by changing its format and becoming more about the drama.
“I really don’t believe Farmer can do the same because there is an audience expectation of what the show is about. In fact, the show sells itself on how many people have found real love on the show, that’s something MAFS can’t do.”
MAFS is already under “immense pressure”
Rob explains that the MAFS producers are under “immense pressure” to up the drama from season to season, and because they are constantly “setting the bar higher and higher”, he worries this will be the beginning of the end.
“We’ve already seen disturbing reports out of the UK and heard many stories about the tactics used by producers here in Australia. There will be a point where things go too far, and that will be a game-changer for the format with more regulation. Safe Work NSW is already starting to oversee the show and has reported some issues.”
He adds, “For most shows there is a problem taking manufactured drama too far to a point where it’s too unbelievable. MAFS is the rule breaker where the audience has accepted the manipulation and doesn’t care.”
Will audiences ever get tired of the drama?
“There’s an audience for both dramas and authenticity – it all comes down to the brand of the show,” Rob says. “The audience expectation for Farmer Wants A Wife is much higher than MAFS – that is both a good and bad thing for Farmer.
“The show is hampered by having to play within a set of rules, whereas MAFS can do whatever it wants. Despite negative headlines, MAFS hasn’t found the boundary yet as viewers keep coming back for more, but you have to wonder if the show is one crisis away from losing the audience.”
So, what does he think the future of Australian dating television looks like? Could we make the move away from chaos and back towards sincerity?
“That’s the billion-dollar question,” he ponders. “News is the number one show on TV at the moment, and reality shows cost a lot of money for short seasons.
“We’re seeing very few new formats coming and that’s because the commercial networks can’t afford to take risks. So I expect to see more of the same, to be honest.”