Married At First Sight recap, Episode 26: More than one person realises they've made a huge mistake

It's the penultimate episode of Married At First Sight's fourth season! That is, until we are blessed with the incredible gift that will be the reunion special.

For now, our remaining four couples are coming to grips with their decisions to continue their relationships beyond the experiment.

You see, everyone is now in a long-distance relationship and hating it – except Anthony. Anthony is LOVING being alone again.

Let's start with his sordid tale, shall we?

RELATED: Read 9Honey's full recap of Married At First Sight's Episode 25

ANTHONY & NADIA
As I mentioned, Anthony is alone in his Sydney apartment and thriving.

"It's great to be in my own space and considering my options," he tells us, stuffing his face with cereal.

But, he still must make time to Skype with Nadia up in Brisbane.

She tells him that her lease is up and maybe she should consider moving to Sydney after all. While he's previously told us this is all he's ever wanted, the news now seems to make him incredibly anxious.

"My lifestyle is not sustainable for a relationship long term," he hastily tells her. "There are days when you're going to want me to be around on your days off, and I'm not going to be there."

OH.

He then tells us, "I've realised it's too soon for one of us to make the commitment to move."

In case there was any doubt, Anthony trots over to drinks with his friends and promptly tells them, "Nadia and I are definitely not in love."

Nadia quickly realises this whole scenario is not what she signed up for.

"I'd like to think at this point in my life I'm street smart enough to pick a good man," Nadia tells her friends, who look at her with love but also the knowledge that this is definitely not the case.

Nadia decides to fly to Sydney to figure things out and see if there is any sliver of hope with her horseman.

Strike 1: Instead of picking her up at the airport like everyone knows you should do for your partner at this stage of the relationship, Anthony spends his time making a cup of tea and wondering if he's made a huge mistake.

Strike 2: He wasn't wearing his ring and had to put it on before her arrival.

Strike 3: HONESTLY, DO WE NEED A STRIKE THREE AT THIS POINT?

NICK & SHARON
With Nick back in Melbourne and Sharon in Perth, he's had to wrap his head around a lot of new-fangled technology.

Still, he's a trooper! And they've managed to talk every day.

After FaceTiming with Sharon, he hangs out with his construction boys and tells them that he might be moving to Perth.

Everything is going great! AND THEN.

Nick gets life-shattering news: His dad has possibly been diagnosed with motor neurone or ALS disease. It's tragic and serious and Nick has a very real concern that he could lose his father.

"Moving to Perth with Sharon, I guess that's not going to happen," he says, caressing their wedding photo.

We get a sweet montage of Nick's good times with his dad.

And I'm sorry, but I have to ask, what...what is going on in the corner of this scene? WHY IS THERE A GUN POINTED AT HIS DAD?

Sharon handles this very well. She understands that his family MUST come first and that she couldn't possibly ask him to move to Perth right now. In fact, she's considering if she can relocate to Melbourne.

She confers with her parents. They're encouraging and prod her in the direction of Victoria.

I really hope next episode proves Nick's dad has just been misdiagnosed.

ANDY & VANESSA
Things are...not going well for these two.

Vanessa is in Melbourne and Andy is on the Gold Coast where he busies himself by casually LIFTING TREES LIKE TOOTHPICKS.

He also no longer seems to work in Antarctica, but instead spends his non-tree-lifting time installing bathroom fixtures.

Vanessa calls him up on Skype, but man-of-few-words Andy just can't seem to communicate to Vanessa's standards.

"Well, I'm not writing it off just yet," says Vanessa, while also totally writing him off. "Normal relationships don't have time apart."

Andy's not into giving her a timeline for when they could move in together because...

HE'S ABOUT TO CLIMB MOUNT EVEREST.

OK, I understand that some people feel an unfathomable desire to make a life-threatening trek to the top of a large mountain, BUT, just MAYBE, you should factor your partner into all plans you make immediately after going on a show to find a wife?

Just a thought, Andy! You're great, buddy!

Well, understandably, Vanessa is pretty shattered.

She says four months is too long to wait for him. And just when it sounds like they're probably finished for good, she switches tactics to a topic that's sure to convince him to stay: their completely incompatible personalities.

"Real kick in the guts every time you bring it up," he tells her mournfully.

She starts crying, but also GIRL. It is painfully clear that you really just don't like Andy on a fundamental level, apart from his hot bod. Let him go find someone who will appreciate him for his tree-lifting skills and silent ways!

ALENE & SIMON
And then, like a refreshing breeze on a summer's day, in float Simon and Alene.

He starts by taking her home to Ipswich, where they give us this nuzzling show of affection.

Alene then returns to Sydney where she immediately misses the times they had to share her small Sydney bed, and he was forced to snuggle with her.

They try to keep the love alive by Skyping, but it's just not the same.

"I see your face and I want to do what I usually do — touch your nose — but I can't," Alene says with despair.

"After we hang up, you're going to curl up and cry and say, 'Oh, I really miss Alene flicking my nose!'"

It is literally impossible for me to love a TV couple more than these two. They are the best and if they ever break up, I AM DONE.

OH! Speaking of breakups, we're also checking in with the people who checked out at the vow renewals!

JESSE
We cut to Jesse lying tragically in bed in his guesthouse at his mum's place.

And then we cut to him being sad while he carts around bananas and shucks corn at the fruit shop.

Jesse's dad, however, is VERY happy Michelle didn't rip Jesse away from the biz.

"I need to find someone to love and who's going to love me back," Jesse tells us with the saddest half-smile ever. "Otherwise, the whole one person loving the other doesn't work. It doesn't work."

MICHELLE
Meanwhile, Michelle is slightly less devastated.

"It's good to be back in my comfort zone!" she declares strutting around a house that appears to be her parents' based on the number of framed photos of an older couple littering the shelves. 

SUSAN & SEAN
OK, I refuse to separate these two because I also refuse to acknowledge their breakup is real. They shall forever be Sean & Susan, Susan & Sean.

She's still thinking about him all the time! He's still thinking about her all the time! They're talking non-stop!

"I love Sean and always will," Susan tells us. "When you meet an amazing guy like that you never give up hope on something possibly working out. Maybe one day it could be happily ever after."

NEXT TIME: Simon and Alene make out!

Meanwhile, Nadia and Anthony + Andy and Vanessa appear to be crashing and burning. 

Catch a new episode of Married At First Sight Tuesday night on Nine (and tweet me your thoughts @AshleyySpencer). For more on MAFS, including exclusive clips and fun bites, head to 9Now.