MAFS 2021 Episode 21 recap: Stay? Leave? Why not both?

Enlightened philosopher LeAnn Rimes once told us, "Commitment, and everything that goes with it... I need honour and love in my life from somebody who's playin' for keeps," and there really are no wiser words to keep in mind for this week's Commitment Ceremony.

Our brides and grooms, however, appear to be committed to gossiping about last night's Dinner Party — more specifically, Booka and Brett's complete meltdown.

"They seem done," Jason says to Alana while Patrick stews on his involvement in the spat, which all began over a "brutal" letter he wrote the bride after hearing negative things about their marriage from Brett.

Commitment, and everything that goes with it...

Booka herself has woken up feeling "defeated".

"By the end of the Dinner Party, Brett and I were pretty wrecked. Either he feels genuinely remorseful or he doesn't," she says after the vey public breakdown of her marriage.

Attempting to reconcile, Brett visits his wife and explains the actions that led up to the letter being written, apologising for the impact that it's had on her. But the conversation is left in limbo as neither spouse fully commits to remaining in the experiment.

I need honour and love in my life from somebody who's playin' for keeps...

The Commitment Ceremony

Admitting that Melissa is feeling "worn down" by the drama in the experiment, Bryce vaguely promises that he's going to "make a statement" at the Commitment Ceremony, clearly deciding that stirring up more drama to combat the effects of drama will be a good decision for his wife.

Hmm.

As the Commitment Ceremony begins, Mel throws a bone to Chris and Jaimie (wait, who?) as they left the experiment earlier in the week after a dumpster fire of a relatio— I mean, after "not seeing a future together".

But there's no time to waste! Because first up on the couch are Georgia and Liam.

Having encountered their first fight in the experiment over... well, the fact that Georgia is not particularly interested in "rolling around in horse s--t", this couple still seem to be going from strength to strength, and they both decide to stay.

The experiment's other newcomer couple, Kerry and Johnny, are equally smitten, with the pair admitting that everything in their marriage is "easy and flowing", especially when it comes to their "intimacy behind closed doors".

Cue yet another approving bro-nod from John Aiken, followed by the bride and groom choosing to stay together.

OK, now let's get to what we're all here for.

Booka and Brett

"Tell me about the highs and lows of your week this week," John implores Booka and Brett as they take to the couch, and the question is met with dead silence as the pair ponder any possible highs.

"There is no resolution because we just spin around, over and over again. I give her examples of understanding but it's invisible to her," Brett finally suggests, clearly giving up on the unreachable positives.

"She's so afraid to let me in that she does everything to push me away," he adds.

Picking up that perhaps Booka pushes her husband away not because she's disinterested, but because she's afraid to lose him, John poses his hypothesis to Brett, who agrees.

"She likes me. I think she really likes me," he says, suddenly deciding to ignore the past 48 hours.

"Lol no," Booka responds. Well, at least in so many words.

When pressed to remember the good times, she simply begins to cry before showing her decision to leave.

Brett however, determined to resolve their problems, chooses to stay, keeping them in the experiment for another week of Palace Brett and Booka discussing how great her band is.

Rebecca and Jake

"It's probably been our worst week yet," Rebecca admits as she and husband Jake take their turn in front of the experts, and the bar is now so low that it's almost surprising to hear.

"It did get to the point where we both said we wanted to leave. AND THEN!" Rebecca says ecstatically, recounting the positive upturn in their marriage after their role reversal challenge.

"We made out for about an hour," Rebecca admits, and Alessandra's eyes widen with glee as both Rebecca and Jake decide to stay.

Alana and Jason

Still riding a high from his "best night in the experiment" where Alana cooked for her husband in racy lingerie, Jason admits that he and his wife are most certainly back on track.

"So what happened that night after the lingerie?"

John, you dog!

"Well Alana and I were watching TV in bed," Jason begins.

Oh, never mind.

"... and we danced to our wedding song and we were both pretty much crying," he adds.

"After whatever happened during that dance or whatever, I've struggled to see the future without you in it at the moment," Jason continues, and Alana begins to cry.

Good tears though.

We think.

Both deciding to remain in the experiment, Alana says that her husband can look forward to many more sexy evenings, even though "he wore the red lingerie and stretched it out".

Whatever floats your boat, Jason.

Belinda and Patrick

Also feeling the love, Belinda and Patrick take to the couch and discuss their raunchy nude drawing session, with Belinda admitting that she felt rather "excited" after the activity.

"That night we took it a step further with our intimacy. There are steps you can take that lead up to having sex without actually, you know..." Belinda hedges.

"Such as?" Alessandra presses, and the bride is forced to make a split decision between describing to the room her and Patrick's sexual journey or gouge her eyes out with Melissa's earrings.

It was a close call.

"We... explored each other's bodies. Like... touching. And, I don't want to say it! I uh, saw him..."

Unable to hold his excitement in, Patrick bursts out exactly what it was that they did, and despite clearly wanting to strangle her husband, Belinda announces that she will stay in the experiment, followed by an enthusiastic agreement from Patrick, who seems to be very keen to get back to the apartment for some reason.

Bryce and Melissa

Tackling the 'meet the family' exercise first up, Bryce and Melissa appear ready to celebrate a week in which there was relatively little drama that revolved around them.

Melissa reveals that her family were largely concerned about her appearing "unhappy" in the experiment, and admits that, so far, she has not been happy.

But not because of Bryce! Never because of Bryce!

"I'm just sick and tired of my wife being targeted by Rebecca," Bryce says, pointing the finger at his fellow participant.

"Bryce, you're the one who throws the derogatory comments to the group all the time!" Rebecca spits back, but the groom announces that he's googled the meaning of the word 'bullying' and is not afraid to wield his newfound power.

As the discussion continues, the experts press Melissa, who has admitted to a fear of rejection, if she is falling in love with Bryce.

"I think I am," she finally says, and looks to her husband for a response.

"It's a good feeling," Bryce responds. "Am I in love with her? No. But I'm hoping something clicks in me moving forward. I just don't want to put that pressure on myself."

The room falls silent, and, if only just to break the tension, Melissa shows the experts that she has decided to stay. As it becomes Bryce's turn, however, the groom hesitates.

"Usually this would be a really easy decision for me. But I feel like I've gotten to a point... ahh, it's just really hard to say," he equivocates as his wife crumbles inwardly.

"I actually decided to leave," he eventually manages as the room sits in a shocked silence, and the groom brandishes his ballot, on which 'leave' is written, but then crossed out and replaced with 'stay'.

"Oof," John says on behalf of all of us.

"Wait," Patrick interjects. "So... you knew she was going to write 'stay', but you still wrote 'leave', so you know you're going to stay in anyway. Then you scrubbed it out. That doesn't make sense," the groom says and, like... yeah.

"I'm protecting her from bullying," Bryce offers confusingly.

"I wish you'd just written 'stay'," Melissa says, tears welling in her green eyes.

Married At First Sight airs Sundays at 7pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm on Nine and 9Now. Stream every episode of Married At First Sight for free on 9Now.