TLC viewers think 90 Day Fiancé season 9 could do better in many ways, considering how boring the episodes have been so far. The trailer for 90 Day Fiancé’s 2022 edition packed a punch with new faces and one returning couple - Biniyam Shibre and Ariela Weinberg. Previews showed the storylines that fans could look forward to, from Kobe Blaise commenting on Emily Bieberly’s weight gain to Bilal Hazziez wondering if Shaeeda Sween, with whom he’d just spent seven days in person before getting engaged, was a classic 90 Day Fiancé gold digger. TLC teased these instances and more to amp up the anticipation for the new season; however, it had the opposite effect on viewers.
Upon watching the trailer, fans noticed how 90 Day Fiancé had included newer countries in its line-up instead of the lazy rotation of Russia or Tunisia from its earlier editions. The diversity among the cast has been a huge draw for season 9, but what hasn't changed is some of the plots, which have been done and dusted by older couples. The show promised messy storylines, and lessons on what not to do in a relationship, which is expected when one thinks of the franchise as a whole. However, there are some things that TLC could not have avoided entirely to make sure fans were not left fast-forwarding through 90 Day Fiancé scenes instead of reaching for a bowl of popcorn.
It seems what really distracted fans initially was how perfect the cast members looked on screen. Suspicions were raised about these good-looking couples being actors looking to launch their careers. Or perhaps they were just people looking to use the show to become Instagram influencers. The trailer also made certain couples look like replicas of previous cast members in the sense that fans felt the drama had a “been there, done that” ring to it instead of offering newer, more realistic scenarios and situations. For instance, fans who were already complaining of the whole prenup angle in not one but two storylines in 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days season 5 will get to watch it all over again in Bilal and Shaeeda’s story.
Then there’s Kobe and Emily being asked to not get pregnant by her family and then later fans see them taking a pregnancy test, which is reminiscent of Brandon Gibbs and Julia Trubkina’s story. Miona breaking up Jibri Bell’s band is literally what happened in Chelsea Macek and Yamir Castillo’s relationship with his band Myla Vox in 90 Day Fiancé season 2. And if anyone expected Yve Arellano and Mohamed Abdelhamed’s plot to be any different, they will be arguing about her wearing a bikini that’s already created much chaos in Brittany Banks and Yazan Abu Horira’s 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way’s scandalous scenes.
There are viewers who admittedly watch 90 Day Fiancé for its trash TV genre and so far, season 9 has not had an ounce of confrontation or controversy. Perhaps it's too much for anyone to start expecting this from a show that’s just two episodes old, but it looks like the drama in this season will certainly fall short. The bar for train wrecks was set so high by 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days season 5 that this slow-burning season 9 feels lackluster. Whether or not season 9 manages to get better in the future remains to be seen. But loyalists do agree that even if they aren’t happy, 90 Day Fiancé is an endless loop of addiction that they won’t give up on so easily.