'Married at First Sight' recap: Domynique is "over" Mackinley, Gina won't move in with Clint, Kirsten feels nothing with Shaquille, and Nicole and Chris surprise

Married at First Sight featured Domynique Kloss turned off and "over it" with Mackinley Gilbert, Kirsten Grimes feeling no physical chemistry with Shaquille Dillon, Gina Micheletti refusing to move in with Clint Webb, and Nicole Lilienthal and Chris Thielk making a surprising decision during the Season 16 episode that aired Wednesday night on Lifetime.


The five Nashville-based Married at First Sight couples for Season 16 are Gina and Clint, Kirsten and Shaquille, Domynique and Mackinley, Chris and Nicole, and Airris Williams and Jasmine Secrest.

RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS RE-MARRIED? (PHOTOS)

Married at First Sight experts Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Pepper Schwartz matched the five couples for matrimony in Tennessee.

The show features strangers meeting at the wedding altar and then spending the next eight weeks embarking on a honeymoon, moving in together, and navigating the joys and struggles of daily life together.


And at the end of the experiment, Married at First Sight's Season 16 couples will reach "Decision Day" and have to decide whether to remain married or decide to end their marriages and divorce.

According to Pastor Cal, this is going to be the "most intense season of Married at First Sight yet."

The Married at First Sight broadcast began on Day 9 of marriage with Nicole meeting Chris' two dogs, Kodah and Kobe, who never had a "mama" before, according to Chris.

Chris was excited to bring his new family together. While Chris was giving Nicole a tour of his apartment, Kodah was humping all the furniture, and Nicole joked how if Kodah learned his moves from his dad then the couple was probably going to have a good sex life.

Meanwhile, Mackinley sarcastically called himself "a big loser" since he was living with family and friends in their basement. When he checked out Domynique's apartment, he was clearly in a bad mood and seemed disinterested in exploring her place.


"I expected him to want to be in my apartment and want to get to know me, but, like, this is who Mack is. It's a lot," Domynique complained in a confessional. "Honestly, the look on his face, his energy, I'm not really getting the fact he wants to be here."

When Domynique asked Mackinley if he could see himself staying in her apartment later on, he replied with little emotion, "I don't know. We'll see."

Clint and Gina were then shown reuniting in Gina's former apartment. He thought her place was organized, clean and well decorated, and he seemed to love her dog Hank.

Clint said he was looking forward to sharing a place with Gina, explaining, "We have got to spend time to understand who each other is, if we're going to grow and develop. We have a lot to work on."

Clint didn't think there would be any surprises upon living with Gina, but she admitted she was a little nervous. Gina didn't know how she was feeling about moving in with Clint right away.


"Right now, I'm just not seeing the progression I had hoped for... Over the last week, there's been nothing romantic, and that's a huge part of being in a marriage. Something is seriously missing," Gina explained to Clint.

Gina believed living together would pull them apart rather than help them to grow because she'd feel uncomfortable and would be walking on eggshells when trying to determine if they're truly compatible. The relationship wasn't working like Gina had hoped.

Clint, however, said being in a marriage is sometimes uncomfortable and they needed to compromise and work through things. Clint therefore pointed out how they should stick it out, put effort in, and see what happens.

RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' SEASON 16 COUPLES: MEET THE NEW COUPLES AND LEARN ABOUT THE CAST (PHOTOS)

Meanwhile, Jasmine welcomed Airris into her parents' house, where she was still living. She was anxious about introducing Airris to her nine puppies, and she actually had 13 dogs in total.


Jasmine showed Airris all of her beauty-pageant sashes, crowns and trophies, and he said Married at First Sight had literally given him "a Black Queen." He was impressed by her achievements and enjoyed having her try on the crowns for him.

Airris then held one of the mini-goldendoodle puppies and got to meet Jasmine's large dog Duchess, who would be joining them in their new apartment. Airris seemed to like the puppy and said he would allow the puppy to share his bed, and Airris' reaction made Jasmine more attracted to him.

"I fall in love quick, so it also worries me, like, am I going to fall in love with this man and he'll be like, 'Cool, thank you. Great job.' I mean, who knows!" Jasmine explained.

Shaquille was then shown touring Kirsten's "minimalist" apartment that had absolutely nothing on the walls. The decor was totally different from Shaquille's place, where he had photos on the wall, a sewing station, and a lot of belongings.

"I was like, 'Is this the model home?'... It doesn't look lived in," Shaquille noted, adding how he had been hoping to learn more about Kirsten's personality from her apartment.


Shaquille also got anxiety when looking at Kirsten's closet, which lacked organization and was a bit cluttered. He told his wife, "This is not okay," and admitted the scene made him "so stressed." Kirsten, however, laughed it off and didn't seem bothered by Shaquille's reaction.

After seeing Domynique's place, Domynique and Mackinley got into an argument while driving in the car. Mackinley said it seemed there was "one thing after another" that Domynique didn't like about him.

Mackinley said while he's introverted and not outgoing, there were also things about his wife that he wanted and wasn't getting in Domynique.

Mackinley, for example, said his dogs are like his kids and so they'd be on the furniture and in his bed, which Domynique didn't like or approve of. Domynique had previously said dog hair all over her apartment would gross her out.

"My things with the dogs is you've been here five months and you haven't brought your dogs," Domynique said.

"So you don't think my dogs are a big deal to me?" Mackinley asked.


"I mean, if they were, I feel like they would've been here by now," Domynique said.

"Yeah, you're right. I guess I don't like my dogs and I don't care if they're here," Mackinley clapped back.

"That's not what I said," Domynique noted.

Mackinley explained that he wanted to move to Nashville, take only a few of his belongings, and test it out before moving his dogs to a new city. Mackinley also didn't want to relocate his dogs until he got an apartment or house.

Mackinley said Domynique didn't seem to think he was "stable" but he did pretty well for himself in cannabis.

RELATED: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS) 


Mackinley assured his wife that money wasn't a problem at all, and he added, "I don't feel good about where we're at. I don't think you've asked me once about my dogs either... It's kind of hurtful to me since I've expressed how important they are to me."

After Nicole and Chris introduced their three dogs to each other at a dog park and they got along just fine, Nicole told her husband that she'd need extra attention at home since she wouldn't have her beloved dog Charlie around all the time. (The couple's apartment had a two-dog limit and so Nicole's father was going to watch Charlie most of the time at her old place).

Meanwhile, Clint suggested he and Gina could sleep in separate bedrooms in the new apartment and give their relationship an honest shot, but Gina didn't want to feel "forced" to do anything. She simply wasn't feeling ready to move in with Clint, which was a bit upsetting to him.

Clint thought it would be healthy for Gina and himself to have more exposure to each other, but he also wasn't going to force his stranger wife into anything that would make her feel uncomfortable.

"I don't want to get to the end of the eight weeks and then we're just going through the motions of trying to make it work for the sake of we signed up for this," Gina shared with Clint.

Over at Domynique and Mackinley's new apartment, they unpacked in silence.


Mackinley then asked Domynique to reveal her plan, and she confessed that she was "not really feeling it" with her husband at the moment. She didn't want to have more "petty arguments," but Mackinley said his dogs weren't petty to him.

Domynique was afraid the situation was going to "spiral," but she assured Mackinley that she didn't hate his guts. Mackinley reminded Domynique that she's a great person, but then he admitted he's been spiraling ever since the honeymoon.

"Every day, I feel there's something else about me that you don't like," Mackinley told his wife. "I've made compromises over and over, whether it's horseback riding or the sailboat and the dog -- and I feel like there's no compromise on your end, and it's just [about] things I'm doing wrong."

Domynique insisted that she never expected anything to be perfect, but Mackinley felt otherwise.

Domynique said she had expected Mackinley to do more and not push back when they'd try new things together. She called it "mentally exhausting" to always have to be the smiling face and the supporter, who must convince Mackinley to take on activities.

Mackinley shared how he felt like "complete sh-t" since the honeymoon, like he had ruined her time and was "a super negative assh-le who makes bad jokes." Domynique said she felt "like sh-t" too, but Mackinley didn't understand how since he had allegedly said nothing bad about her in Jamaica.


Domynique then complained to the cameras about Mackinley's bad attitude, pettiness and lack of apartment. She said everything was combining together and she didn't want to deal with it.

"So no, I'm not going to move in. I'm going to go home and take a bath," Domynique concluded.

Mackinley was okay with Domynique giving him some space, and they planned to reunite later on for a meeting and counseling session with Pastor Cal.

RELATED: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

On Day 10 of marriage, Pastor Cal sat down with Airris and Jasmine first. Jasmine revealed how she thought Airris was "fine" and "easy on the eyes," but Airris confessed that his physical attraction to Jasmine was lacking.

"My wife is very, very attractive and into me, and I'm not on that same level yet. It's not equal," Airris explained. "She's physically attractive..."


"But I'm not his type," Jasmine interjected. "Do I want him to be attracted to me and want to rip my clothes off? Yeah."

Airris said he felt that from his wife during their honeymoon and so it stressed him out. Airris said he almost felt "guilty," wondering, "Why don't I feel the same way."

Airris told Pastor Cal that usually it's the other way around in his relationships.

"I'm a very sexual person. And then I see the hotel suite in Jamaica. We've got a private shower, and normal single me, I'm on the balcony going crazy... Making an R&B video in the bathroom. But my mind wasn't there, and I was like, 'What's wrong with you?' Is it the mental pressure?" Airris reasoned.

Pastor Cal told Airris that he was making this a huge deal when it didn't need to be. Pastor Cal also reminded the couple they had some physicality between them by holding hands or having natural touch, such as Airris putting his hand on Jasmine's leg.

Pastor Cal noted how this process can be "a lot" and the pressure to perform can sometimes shut people down.


Jasmine then shared with Airris how she liked his honesty and openness, as well as his hard work ethic and ability to make her feel comfortable. Airris appreciated hearing that he was doing some things right, and he thought they had established a strong foundation on which they could build.

In turn, Airris complimented Jasmine on being a great role model and working with kids. He also said he loved how she's a go-getter and family-oriented woman.

Airris shared with Pastor Cal how if he died young, he would feel secure in knowing his children would be well taken care of and in good hands with Jasmine. Airris said he learned that about his wife quickly, and so Pastor Cal advised Airris to focus on and fall in love with those qualities.

Airris saw Jasmine for her value, but Jasmine also wanted to feel wanted and desired.

Airris said it was clear the experts had matched him with someone he "needed," and he was growing to understand and appreciate that.

Pastor Cal paid a visit to Clint and Gina's new apartment next.


Gina shared how she had attempted to bring out Clint's positive features instead of lasering in on the ones she didn't like at their wedding. But she said Clint's "slender and athletic" comment really rubbed her the wrong way.

"I'm like, 'What the heck?!' Because you cannot sit here and honestly tell me that this woman is unattractive," Pastor Cal told Clint.

"I never, ever said that. I apologized and I learned from it. It's no longer in my vernacular and I want to be adaptable as possible. There have also been disparaging comments to me, like, 'Ginger,'" Clint replied.

But Gina argued that talking about someone's weight is an accusation and not a fact. She said Clint pointing out her weight made her feel lazy when she actually worked out six days a week and considered herself an athlete.

RELATED: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

Gina never moved in, and Gina said it would be beneficial to get to know Clint on her own time without feeling pressure to check off a box. Pastor Cal told Gina that wasn't the right mentality because there wasn't major hostility between them.


"Let's just be honest with ourselves. The intention of not moving in together was actually a step in you not being together," Pastor Cal said.

"I've seen couples go through much worse than this... I need to know, 'Are we moving forward, or is this the day you're getting a divorce?' If you continue to be separate, let's call it what it is: it's a step towards your demise."

Clint told Gina that they had strong points in their marriage and he was committed to her and wanted to see their relationship through. Gina also didn't want to give up, and so she said she really wanted to see if they could make it work.

Gina, however, still didn't feel right about moving in with Clint. She thought it would be worse to sleep in separate bedrooms and would automatically set them up for failure.

Gina started crying during the conversation, but Pastor Cal told Gina that she needed Clint's fun in her life and Clint needed some of Gina's qualities in his life.

Pastor Cal asked Gina to just take things day by day, and she agreed to keep trying. Pastor Cal said if two individuals aren't ready to compromise and change, then they're not ready to be married.


On Day 11 of marriage, Chris brought up to Nicole how their leases on their old apartments were going to be up around the same time. Chris needed to give them 60 days notice, and so he said he didn't want to be rushed into making the big decision of giving up his former apartment.

Chris said he and Nicole had never lived with a person before and they were in unchartered territory.

"If we have forever together, what's the rush to move in right away?" Chris asked his wife. "I feel like we should take our time in finding the right place for us. So I think we should renew for nine months, if that's an option for you. That would give us until next summer and we can have sleepovers."

Nicole thought it would be difficult to live separately after being tied at the hip for eight weeks. She didn't want to fall back into "dating," but Chris said if they made it past Decision Day and ran into problems and ultimately split, they'd be homeless.

Nicole didn't like the idea and worried about how she and Chris weren't on the same page about their living situation after the show. She feared this would be a reason for them to not stay together.

Pastor Cal then met with Kirsten and Shaquille in their new apartment.


Kirsten said being married felt natural and Shaquille didn't feel like a stranger because he was overly communicating. However, Kirsten brought up how Shaquille sometimes joked around too much and she believes there's a time and place for everything.

Kirsten had told Shaquille that she'd let him know if he's doing something that's bothering her, but she also didn't want to have to point everything out.

Pastor Cal advised Kirsten to "brush it off" and just let Shaquille be himself and make his corny jokes, adding, "You don't always have to like it."

Kirsten explained how she was trying to turn down the joking in order to build an emotional connection because chemistry is vital in a marriage.

"Is there any chemistry there?" Pastor Cal asked.

"Not really, no," Kirsten replied.


But Shaquille thought "some chemistry" was there because he kissed her on the forehead and she snuggled up next to him in bed. Kristen conceded there was "some chemistry" there but she needed to let her guard down, express herself to Shaquille, and allow herself to depend on him emotionally.

Shaquille agreed, saying that if he asked Kirsten a question about herself or her past, she would deflect the topic back onto him.

Kirsten acknowledged that if she didn't let people in, she'd never receive what she wanted and deserved. Pastor Cal therefore asked Shaquille to provide a safe space for Kirsten to be vulnerable, and he thought the couple was going in the same direction and want the same things out of life.

On Day 12 of marriage, Pastor Cal had his chat with Nicole and Chris, who said the experiment so far had been way better than they ever expected. Chris said Nicole was "great," but Nicole confessed she's hot-headed and had already lost her temper.

Nicole, however, promised Chris that she would never treat him badly and take her anger out on him.

The couple then revealed they were going to renew their old leases for nine months, just in case things didn't work out between them. Pastor Cal advised the couple to start acting like their relationship was going to last forever, but Nicole didn't want to "rock the boat" with Chris.


Nicole and Chris then announced how they had just consummated their marriage and the initiation of sex was equal.

"It was like a movie. We just looked at each other and knew [it was time]," Nicole shared.

Nicole also said she was asking Chris every day what he's going to say on Decision Day, but Pastor Cal asked them not to do that in case they were having a bad day. Pastor Cal worried doubts or a "no" from one partner would send the other into a tailspin, but Nicole said she respectfully wasn't going to take that advice.

It then became time for Mackinley and Domynique's conversation with Pastor Cal. Domynique -- who is all about living in good energy -- was clearly fed up with Mackinley's alleged bad attitude and lack of "adventurousness."

When Pastor Cal entered the room," Domynique snapped, "You've got some explaining to do," but Pastor Cal countered, "No I don't. You've got some explaining to do!"

Mackinley and Domynique sat on opposite ends of the couch, and Pastor Cal pointed out how they looked "poised for battle."


Domynique explained how they had both asked for things in a spouse that they didn't get. Domynique told Pastor Cal that Mackinley wasn't outgoing, adventurous or optimistic.

Mackinley clarified how he takes risks and wanted a partner who's more adventurous -- but not someone "so adventurous" like Domynique. Mackinley also complained how Domynique had different standards for dogs in the home, and Domynique noted dogs in the bed were a dealbreaker for her.

Pastor Cal said some of this information was "absurd" and there could be compromise.

"I wanted marriage, but I didn't think I was going to get someone that's the polar opposite of me," Domynique griped.

Pastor Cal disagreed with Domynique's statement, saying the experts had so much faith they were going to be a great match. They both wanted an independent partner.

Pastor Cal said Domynique had asked for a protector and an honest and faithful partner, someone who's older and mature. And Mackinley had asked for a woman who would pull him out of his shell, grow with him, and build a family with him.


Pastor Cal said the experts gave them what they had asked for but also what they needed. But Domynique said she wanted a more established man who's secure in his life.

"I expected more," Domynique admitted, adding how Mackinley didn't even have a place of his own.

Mackinley said he felt "judged" by Domynique's reaction to his basement living, and she confirmed it was "a turnoff" to her. She would have preferred Mackinley having four roommates because then he'd at least have his own space.

When Pastor Cal asked Domynique what she wanted to do, Domynique replied, "I don't know. Honestly, I'm just kind of over it."

"What does that mean? 'I'm over this conversation or I'm over the marriage?'" Pastor Cal asked.

The episode then ended on a cliffhanger, before Domynique could provide her response.


RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS RE-MARRIED? (PHOTOS)

Interested in more Married at First Sight news? Join our Married at First Sight Facebook Group or click here to view our Married at First Sight newspage!

And click here for more updates on former Married at First Sight cast members and info on where they are now!







About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski