My brother recently got Discovery+ and gave me his login info, so I’ve been getting into some reality TV I’ve never seen before. I barely even understood the premise of 90 Day Fiance, but gave it a shot yesterday and ended up bingeing the first season. Here are my thoughts:

Russ and Paola seemed super mismatched to me at first, but it didn’t take long to realize Paola did indeed have feelings for Russ and wasn’t just being a “gold digger” (as if Russ had gold to dig anyway, lol). She was super entertaining; I thought her interactions with his Oklahoma family were hilarious. Honestly, good on her for having expensive taste, because that risque wedding dress and those pink cowboy boots looked PERFECT on her.

Louis and Aya were really the only “normal” couple to me. Old enough to know what they’re getting themselves into. His ex-wife seemed very level-headed, too. Any “drama” they experienced seemed played up/exaggerated. I don’t really have much to say about them; they didn’t make for great TV. His oldest son was more entertaining than the rest of them, tbh.

Alan and Kirlyam were by far the most disappointing for me. I really enjoyed the Orgazmo subplot they had, the Mormon terrified his fiance will be “swept up in the LA world”. Then he had to go and shut it down because of his own insecurities! I was seething when I found out she didn’t pursue a modeling career. What a fucking waste, she had the perfect look for magazines and all kinds of success! Threw it all away for a groomer (who has aged HORRIBLY, btw) that essentially “picked her out” when she was 11 and he was 20. Her fate was sealed from the start and it’s so tragic to see. I was really hoping to find that she’d divorced him shortly thereafter and lived her best life.

Mike and Aziza were SO frustrating to watch. Aziza was quite obviously terrified and alone throughout the whole thing and Mike wasn’t sympathetic at all. I could tell he didn’t give a rat’s ass if her family came to the wedding. He was being rude about her inability to eat in front of people, too. My jaw dropped when his mom joked about Aziza poisoning them after the marriage, what the actual fuck? Had none of these people ever encountered a shy person before? Such a toxic family.

How about Mike’s (hopefully ex) friends Scott and Kelli’s comments on the wedding? “It’s been quite a wild ride with them. We’ll ALWAYS have concerns. We’ll probably have concerns ten years from now. But as long as Mike is happy, who are we to say any different?” Very telling! What I wouldn’t give to hear what red flag stories they’ve got on him. No surprise he was caught with CP when he was; Aziza is definitely “too old” for him now.

Before I continue onto season 2, is it true that the rest of the seasons are paid actors instead of real people?