Ep 4. Hello Stranger

Married at First Sight season 12 episode 4, "Hello Stranger", sees the couples diving deeper into their relationships with their new spouses. With three weeks into their experiment, the newlyweds are starting to feel the pressure of being legally bound to a stranger they have just met.

The episode starts off with a recap of the previous episode, reminding the viewers of the struggles the couples have faced, such as Karen's disappointment with Miles' lack of masculinity, Christina's worry about being sexually incompatible with Henry, and Olivia's frustration with Brett's communication skills.

As the episode progresses, the couples are seen having their first official group dinner with their married-at-first-sight peers. While they all seem to be getting along, the newlyweds all have their own individual concerns about their relationships. For Karen and Miles, it is their lack of physical intimacy, for Christina and Henry, it is the lack of communication and passion, and for Brett and Olivia, it is Brett's tendency to shut down and avoid conflict.

On day 22 of the experiment, the couples are tasked with communicating their love languages to their spouse. While some couples have already started to figure it out, such as Woody and Amani, who both express that physical touch is important to them, others are struggling, such as Christina and Henry, who seem to have completely different love languages. This exercise helps the couples to gain a better understanding of each other's needs and how they can fulfill them.

The newlyweds are also given individual tasks to do throughout the week to strengthen their connection. For instance, Miles and Karen are tasked with planning a date night and putting effort into dressing up for each other. Brett and Olivia are tasked with learning more about each other's hobbies and interests, while Christina and Henry are tasked with having an open and honest conversation about their lack of physical intimacy.

The couples also start to experience some conflicts, especially when it comes to living together and compromising on their lifestyles. Woody and Amani, who seem to have the strongest connection, struggle with Woody's decision to have his cousin come stay with them for a few nights. While Amani is understanding, Woody's cousin's presence puts a strain on their alone time and forces them to navigate through new waters.

On the other hand, Olivia and Brett's lifestyle differences become apparent when Olivia expresses her frustration with Brett's lack of cleanliness and organization. While Brett promises to make more of an effort, Olivia worries that they will always have this disconnect.

As the episode comes to a close, the couples attend a virtual group therapy session with Dr. Pepper, where they discuss their fears and insecurities about their relationships. This therapy session helps the newlyweds to open up and understand each other better, and gives them hope for their future together.

"Hello Stranger" is a pivotal episode in season 12 of Married at First Sight, as the couples start to face the realities of living with a stranger and navigating through their differences. The tasks and exercises given to them throughout the episode aim to strengthen their connections, but it is clear that the journey will not be an easy one. The episode leaves viewers on a cliffhanger, wondering what will happen next in the couples' relationships.