With “Home Sweet Hoax,” we’re introduced to another new couple and the drama that will carry the rest through the season. Mostly, we have a great mix that gives us people to root for and true villains. Of course, 90 Day Fiancé can’t help but have some manufactured drama. Couples like Jibri and Miona, and Kara and Guillermo, are examples of the stories that slowed down earlier seasons, but even they have shades of more interesting age and race dynamics.
Jibri, for example, is clearly on this season to promote his band. From their brief phone calls, we can tell Miona does not love him. Jibri’s friend and bandmate already has a problem with Miona, and that seems to be their arc for the season. It all feels pretty fake, particularly when Jibri makes sure to mention he’s in “a very popular band in Serbia, Greece, and Europe.” Miona is apparently breaking up the band in this update of the Yoko Ono–Beatles story with a blackfishing twist. But, hey, if we have to deal with a fake relationship, at least we get an absolute clown in Jibri as he rips his pants and rolls out an actual red carpet at the airport. (Also, I’m sorry, ripping his pants and singing “I’m ready, I’m ready”? Is he a living SpongeBob SquarePants?)
Kara and Guillermo also hyped up their visa drama, even though they knew there was a loophole that would allow Guillermo into the United States with an expired passport. Of course it builds tension, but it was obvious they were never really concerned. And who needs that when there’s enough to talk about with Kara and her Sugar-Mama Pride? Personally, I would never call my adult partner a toddler or compare them to a prostitute, but Kara loves these jokes. Guillermo isn’t comfortable with it and speaks up, but she’s already picking at his insecurities in a weird way.
In terms of heroes, the introduction of Yvette immediately put her in the 90 Day Hall of Fame. The producers know how to pick an underdog — someone who is a widow, or who has an incredibly sweet family, and you just want this romance to work out for them! Usually, these are the people who are being catfished. You might remember Yolanda from previous seasons. She was a sweet mom who was clearly being used by someone over the internet. As soon as Yvette showed us Mohamed’s six-pack, I was worried she would face a similar fate, but no! Yvette has done her due diligence: She has met Mohamed. They have pictures together. He actually proposed!
And, well, it all feels too good to be true! Yvette seems like a wonderful person. If Mohamed even dares to hurt her feelings, we as an audience will have to take him out. Her friends are right to be concerned about the age gap and their cultural differences. Yvette clearly knows who she is and what she wants. Her squad is strong. I will not stand for Mohamed interrupting this in any way. But please, Yvette, don’t write their concerns off as “fear-based negative thinking.” They are being realistic.
“Home Sweet Hoax” gets its title from this season’s lead for Worst Person: Bilal. Bilal’s decision to trick Shaeeda never made sense. If he never showed her pictures of his house or car, why is he worried that’s why she’s coming to America? She left her family and home without any assurance that Bilal was rich, so clearly she loves him for him! And obviously she’s going to feel insulted that after two years together, Bilal didn’t think to borrow a car to pick her up or to fix his dilapidated ceiling. If anything, Shaeeda probably thought Bilal was a responsible adult and was shocked to find out he was apparently financially irresponsible and spending money on nice clothes he couldn’t really afford.
I don’t think Bilal expected Shaeeda to call him out, but I was right there with her when she said she would complain and help! She has every right to let her partner know what kind of life she wants. This prank only made Bilal look foolish. It’s like he thinks Shaeeda should kiss the ground he walks on — and it’s delusional. I can only imagine Shaeeda will be more upset when he reveals this was all a ploy to test her. Like she said: She wasn’t asking for a mansion or a three-story home. She just wants a house that has had renovations in the past 50 years.
Finally, there’s Emily and Kobe, whom I like a bit more now that we’ve met him. He couldn’t stop smiling when he was with Emily, so I think he does genuinely like her. I understand why Emily decided they should have a night alone, but I also get why Kobe would be upset about that. What I really don’t understand is why this was a secret. There’s no need to surprise him, so she could’ve asked what Kobe wanted to do when he got here. They could’ve asked her parents to babysit in the future. I don’t get the sense that Emily is ready to start thinking like a wife. She’s been a single mom for so long; she’s used to making all the decisions. Kobe isn’t just along for the ride, and hopefully she starts including him in her decision-making process.
90 Day Notes
• Kara, Guillermo is a grown man. He can handle sitting by himself on the plane.
• We have one more new couple to meet, Patrick and Thaís, and one old couple to be reintroduced, Ari and Bini.
• Miona showing up in person confirmed that tan!
• I loved the old guy walking on Jibri’s red carpet.
• It was great that the first thing Kobe said when he got off the plane was that he just wanted to see his kid immediately.
• Kara can speak Spanish! Kudos to her! That puts her in a better position than others on the show.
