Everything is right in the world when we get snippets of Kenmando in Mexico.
At this rate, after the events of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Season 2 Episode 11, they’re the only couple who will get their happy marriage. We’re manifesting that positive energy, dammit.
Sadly, one can’t say the same about Brittany and Yazan.
The Kids are Alright
Kenny has had a trying time adjusting to life in Mexico, so it was positively the best that he got to reunite with some of his children.
His daughters are beautiful, and the love between them and their father is enough to make you hold your hand over your heart. They were the perfect people to accompany him as he picked out an engagement ring for Armando.
It came as a surprise that they had never met Armando before. For some reason, it felt as though they would’ve spent some time together.
His daughters felt out the situation and wondered if Kenny was moving too fast in popping the question to Armando, but they saw how happy he was — his adamance and they were following his lead through and through.
And then we heard Kenny’s voiceover/diary conversation with producers, and the rest of this series fell away as you were in that moment with Kenny understanding the magnitude and significance of this moment.
As an aside, I’m fresh off binge-watching Pose. I highly recommend the series as a must-watch, important television series.
As a result, I have still been ruminating on how at its peak, the HIV/AIDS epidemic ravaged communities society didn’t give a damn about and the devastating loss, the tragedies, the sheer ignorance around that time.
And as much as we joke about how amazing Kenny looks or how annoyed we get when he’s pushing Armando too much, it’s moments like that piece of dialogue that hits you hard.
Kenny came out in the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the ’80s, when most still only associated it as a “Gay man’s plague,” and the LGBTQ community were being wiped out by it. He said he lost most of his friends and loved ones, roughly 80% of them.
When I came out in 1988, HIV/AIDS was running rampant, and by the early ’90s, 80% of the people I knew were dead. And it’s hard because if you could just go back and talk to some of these people that you came out with and tell them that the world has changed for the better … so, this is actually a big deal.
Those were bleak times, and those poor souls had no idea that less than 30 years later, there would be a time when with medicine and safe-sex awareness this crisis wouldn’t be so bad, or that they could legally get married or several things.
The significance of that for Kenny is enough to make you emotional with him. Even with a couple of long-term partners, he never thought he’d see a day where he would want to marry the man of his dreams, but he found that with Armando.
And Armando didn’t think he would reach that day in his life either. It was so sweet to see him get so wrapped up in the moment that he for once forgot to care that they were out in public and that others saw them kissing.
They were both so in love and so free in their engagement bubble, and the allergy flare-ups Armando and Kenny prompt are getting out of hand.
Did anyone else melt a little when Kenny told Armando he was perfect? It wasn’t solely romantic, it’s something fundamental that Armando needed to hear, and I’m happy that he has someone like Kenny to tell him that as many times as he needs to hear it before he starts to believe its truthful sentiment.
We don’t know if Armando’s family will come around to his sexuality or Kenny. Kenny’s point about meeting them as an engaged couple so that Armando’s family realizes how serious they are is reasonable.
But Armando does have support with Kenny’s family, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Baby, What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate
Brittany and Yazan almost went an entire installment without an argument. Who would have thought that was possible?
Brittany gets some props this time around for behaving respectfully and being willing to embrace the culture.
She voluntarily donned a hijab in public. She went with Yazan to the mosque to pray.
He showed her the proper way to cleanse herself before prayers, and she joined him in his prayer routine. It was rather precious that she was making such a genuine effort.
Of course, nothing lasts forever with these two, so before they could even get food at the lovely restaurant they attended, it was explosive again.
Yazan, bless his heart, thought that after a day at the mosque, Brittany planned to convert to Islam, and when she said she needed more time, he gave her three days.
The problem keeps going back to Yazan, assuming Brittany planned to convert to Islam to marry him, and Brittany believed she doesn’t have to do that to be with Yazan.
Brittany keeps saying that converting is news to her, and he never told her that becoming a Muslim was a necessity.
The problem is every time we’ve seen them together, it’s clear. It’s hard to understand where Brittany’s confusion is here regarding that specific expectation.
Yazan does spring random timeframes and other matters on her, and he speaks as though she understands certain things. He also saw this woman he planned to marry and had to know she was going to resist to his way of life.
The disagreements and poor communication will be the death of this relationship, but for all of Brittany’s temper tantrums and concern, she hasn’t told Yazan the truth.
She’s always the one you can’t help but scrutinize more because of her omission.
Disappointing Dad
Tim’s remorseful tears and apology tour is probably all for naught.
He wanted to be a man and tell Melyza’s father the truth about his infidelity. He knew he was risking the close bond they shared by doing it.
Props to him, I guess.
Tim is fighting a losing battle here. It’s a sure sign things are going bad when I can’t help but feel bad for the guy, and personal sentiments about cheating are more aligned with Melyza and her family than Tim.
If they’re writing the man off completely after this transgression, then there’s no way this relationship can work. They can’t forgive him nor forget, and nothing he does is making the situation better.
Go home, Timmy. It’s a wrap, sir.
It does give a full perspective of how infidelity affects more than just the people in the relationship. He didn’t hurt Melyza alone; his actions have severely impacted his relationship with her whole family.
It’s especially sad when you can tell everyone was super close to one another. Melyza’s father said Tim was like a son to him, and he trusted him with his family, his daughter — everything.
But Tim and Melyza’s relationship drama hinging on a one-night stand he had a year ago has run its course. It’s bordering on absurd that they’re still dwelling on this, and it makes them one of the dullest couples on the season.
Dogpiling on Jihoon
Jihoon cannot catch a break for anything in the world.
He and Deavan settled into their new temporary apartment, and it’s a nice pad. Elena approved of it, and she hated to admit it was decent since it meant she couldn’t drag Deavan back to the States.
All the adults got to sit down and pass that abominable translator machine around to have a conversation. Shockingly, it was on its best behavior this time.
They all agreed that Jihoon and only Jihoon needs to do and be better, and it felt as if he was sitting in on a parent-teacher conference.
It’s true that Jihoon’s parents, especially his mother, have to stop babying him. He does need to grow up and be more responsible. But boy, do they love to drag the man to pieces every chance they get. It’s tiresome.
The optimism is short-lived since now they’re about to blame him for Drascilla running into traffic or something.
Druscilla is a kid, and she barely listens to anyone and is notoriously rambunctious. It’s not Jihoon’s fault if she takes off into God knows where even after they’ve been screaming at her to stay put.
But somehow, Jihoon will receive the brunt of the blame for her actions. Again, this man can’t catch a break for anything in the world.
Over to you, 90 Day Fanatics. Are you happy for Armando and Kenny? Should Tim give up and return home? When will Brittany and Yazan give it up? Hit the comments below.
You can watch 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way online here via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.