Even though there is another main, full-length series running episodes on Sundays, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way is back. Already.
Season 4 just ended a couple of months ago. On Monday night, Season 5 premiered.
We don’t actually know why TLC is doing this to viewers. Perhaps it is an experiment.
Maybe they’re testing to see how many people will tune it for four hours of 90 Day Fiance chaos within a 26-hour time period.
From toxic codependency to MIL nightmares, the new couples offer a lot. There’s also a pair of fan-favorites in the mix.
Brandan and Mary
Though Brandan (from Oregon) and Mary (from the Philippines) are both 23, their age-appropriateness as boyfriend and girlfriend may be the only appropriate thing about their relationship. They are wildly obsessed with one another. It was editors who decided that our first glimpse of them as a couple should take place while Brandon is video chatting with her while on the toilet, but it really does set the right tone for their relationship. Simply put, they are clingy to the extreme — and it’s toxic.
Brandan has had a difficult life
When he was 15, his mother failed a drug test. He had to live with his father, and his younger siblings entered foster care. This is a traumatic memory for him, and began a horrible chapter of his life. Brandan does not say much about his time with his dad, except that it was hostile and miserable. He left, and spent years struggling. He was homeless for a time, living out of his vehicle. His godmother learned of his predicament and came to his rescue. So we can understand why Brandan likes having a girlfriend who is (perhaps literally) crazy about him and never wants any distance from him.
Mary lives in the Philippines
And she is possessive to an extreme that not even 90 Day Fiance viewers have witnessed before. She resents with Brandan spends time around other women. She watches his tooth cleaning and cries after, claiming that he lied to his (pretty) dental hygienist to make her seem like a less important part of his life. He did not. And Mary also bristles when Brandan spends time with his own mother and sister, because they are also women. It’s not hinged in the slightest, and it has not made a good impression on Brandan’s family.
Then there’s Mary’s side of things
The destructive jealousy issue goes both ways, as she has missed out on life opportunities because of Brandan’s insecurities. She also has not been fully open with him about hanging out with male friends. Putting this as cautiously as possible, we don’t think that they’re competing for her attentions. In fact, Mary notes that she is Catholic and has never even kissed. Her only sexual experiences, it seems, have been video chatting with Brandan. If this doesn’t work out, she’ll just become a nun.
Holly and Wayne
Sporting nearly six feet of hair, 44-year-old Holly is every bit as fairytale obsessed as you’d guess — and she knows the OG story of Rapunzel better than most. Though she is not super hardcore, she grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness and would like to marry someone with that background so that they will understand why she, for example, does not celebrate holidays. (This season may be triggering for Jehovah’s Witness survivors; you can of course read their accounts online)
When Holly combined her love search with her love for travel, she met Wayne
Of course, she met him on a Jehovah’s Witness dating app. Wayne is in South Africa, he works hard (setting him apart from a couple of previous South African cast members in this franchise), and he shares her religious background. She traveled to see him. Three days later, he proposed. Holly actually ran away at the time, freaked out, but then they ended up going ahead with the engagement.
But …
Apparently, Wayne is totally opposed to “American culture” (for now, that’s pretty vague) and has no desire to move to the US. Which means that Holly plans to permanently move to South Africa. This will be a major change, far away from her friends and family. Additionally, there’s a safety concern. South Africa’s rolling blackouts are a DAILY occurrence, and robberies are common in Wayne’s area. Even in her limited time there, Holly has lost her belongings this way. So … Holly’s friends think that she has lost her mind.
When she gets there, she’s marrying Wayne after one week
Holly and Wayne are both deciding to wait until they marry to have sex, so they are very eager to marry ASAP. “We’re gonna give honeymoon a new name, baby,” Wayne promises. Holly explains that she and Wayne aren’t “active” JWs but that they want to do this relationship differently than they’ve done past romances. And Holly’s mom intends to help them keep to that plan.
Holly’s mom is flying out with her
This isn’t just about meeting her future son-in-law. Holly’s mom is a devout, practicing Jehovah’s Witness, and she intends to chaperone her 44-year-old daughter for the week ahead of her wedding. This means that she will stay at this man’s home, sharing her grown daughter’s bed before the wedding. Holly’s mom plans to stay for three entire months, even though the wedding is in a week. Both of those lengths of time are bonkers for different reasons. Wayne hasn’t told Holly this yet, but he’s going to want his MIL to go back home after the wedding. He has, um, marital plans.
Julio and Kirsten
27-year-old Julio is from New York. He works as a “school safety officer” by day and a DJ by night. Julio had a rough life growing up in the DR. His mom went on her own marriage journey when she immigrated to the US. He had a hard time adapting, and music helped him to gain confidence in his social life in the US — overcoming language barriers and hostility. As an adult, he has traveled to dozens of countries and had numerous wild and adventurous experiences.
Julio also met Kirsten, the love of his life
She is 24 years old, and she lives in the Netherlands. They met online, and Julio is quick to gush over her beauty. He finds her relatable because she travels a lot and likes to go out to eat. Julio also admires the European work-life balance. Did you know that many civilized countries have weeks of guaranteed paid time off — no matter what job you have? In addition to universal healthcare? Anyway, Julio considers that a definite perk. Meeting Kirsten for the first time “was like a breath of fresh air.” But ending up quarantined together put them at an awkward start … but then helped them to get to know each other very well.
Julio has already applied for residency
But he has not told his mother yet. She knows about Kirsten, and she knows that Kirsten is traveling to the US to see Julio. He has only told her about a lot of this at the last minute. And Julio now tells her that he is planning to live there, at least for a while. In his mind, it’s time to “start his life.” His mother feels hurt. She will miss him, she will worry about him. Julio tells her that this is “the life I always wanted,” but she is still on the verge of tears. There will be an ocean between her and her son.
It’s an emotional moment
We’re not judging or condemning Julio for wanting to live his own life. But after so many years living close together, they have a close bond. The knowledge that Julio plans to leave for Europe could really add to potential friction between his mom and Kirsten. This isn’t Kirsten’s doing and it’s no one’s “fault,” but sometimes the friction arises regardless.
Kenneth Niedermeier and Armando Rubio
These 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way fan-favorites are back for Season 5. Obviously, Kenny has already made his The Other Way journey. We all watched their wedding. The two of them are happily married and raising Hannah together in Mexico. However, they have a couple of decisions to make. One of those is which part of Mexico they should call home.
Kenneth wants to move to Mexico City
He’s been there and he loved it. Armando is from a small town and they still live in a fairly remote area. Kenneth would love the community and opportunities of living in a city, but Armando worries about safety. His perspective is that the city is a dangerous place where crime is rampant. We do not claim to know what life is like in Mexico, but we can say that there is often a similar urban-rural divide in the US. In 2023, there are Americans who believe that major cities are “war zones” due to specific propaganda from recent years and due to earlier perceptions. Similarly, there are city-dwelling Americans who would feel unsafe in rural communities. Perhaps that is at play here. Either way, they’re taking an extended summer trip to Mexico City to see what the vibe is like for themselves. That’s a healthy compromise!
That’s not the only topic of discussion
Armando would once again like to discuss the idea of having a kid. Kenneth is in his late 50s. He raised four children, he’s helping raise Hannah. He’s a grandfather. But Armando would love to have a baby with him. He worries that waiting for too long is the opposite of what Kenny needs. Kenneth says that he’s being open-minded, but not making any promises. He really feels the weight of what it would mean to bring a new life into the world. Of course, he also points out that if they wanted a surrogate, they’d likely need to move to a city anyway.
Moving on (literally)
Kenneth is happy as they drive for their six week “mini move” to Mexico City. Armando is uncomfortable with change (mood). But Kenny puts it into perspective for American viewers. The closest grocery store where they live is 20 minutes away. Hannah’s school is even further away. “There’s not even a traffic light,” he adds. So we can imagine their current residence as rural Iowa and Kenny’s goal as a move to New York City or Charlotte or Miami. That gives American context for Kenneth’s quiet desperation and Armando’s anxieties.
Hannah, at least, is excited
While Armando treasures their private community back home and the sense of security that comes with that, Hannah is excited to see their condo for the summer. And Kenneth promises that he’s aware that any place can have its dangers — but he’s not “letting it take over” his thoughts. Kenny and Armando note that this is their first major topic of disagreement, as they tend to agree.
It’s a beautiful place
The interior of the (furnished) condo is nice. And so is their view. Of course, they have an ocean view back home. Kenneth and Armando both resolve that they don’t want this difference of opinion to come between them. Of course, it’s possible that, in six weeks, Kenny and Armando will agree. At the very least, maybe they’ll better understand each other’s perspectives. Again, this is one of the franchise’s most healthy and respectful couples. Even the best partners can disagree sometimes.