Warning! The following contains spoilers from the 90 Day Fiancé: Before The 90 Days episode "For Whom The Bell Tolls." Stream the episode with a Max subscription and read at your own risk!
Another 90 Day Fiancé spinoff episode has come and gone, and for the second time in recent memory from the Fall TV season, I'm genuinely shocked by something I've seen in a storyline. Season 7 of Before The 90 Days remains entertaining despite boasting a largely unlikable cast, and now I'm giving it a bit more credit for showcasing a curious family dynamic that isn't often seen on television in general, and not within this TLC series.
Brian Muniz and Ingrid's storyline has been a mixture of good and bad moments, and an argument in the bedroom might have been the final nail in the coffin for them as a functioning couple. It set the stage for a moment I certainly didn't see coming — no pun intended — and I feel less hesitant about actually appreciating it after giving it some thought.
Brian Called Up His Sister To Detail His Sex Problems With Ingrid
As we heard in the episode, Brian and Ingrid's attempts to have sex were hindered when she learned he didn't have a condom handy. In an attempt to salvage the situation after being unprepared, he offered to perform oral sex on her, but was rather firmly rejected.
Ingrid later said off-camera that she felt Brian was a little too desperate for sex, which turned her off on the whole situation. They argued about it, and the night ended with them going in separate ways.
With no one to talk to in Brazil the following day, Brian phoned up his older sister, Reese. He prefaced the phone call by saying he and his sister were close, but I guess I wasn't prepared for the extent of what that meant. He detailed his entire bedroom encounter the night previously, sparing no awkward facts, and she didn't bat an eye.
In fact, she went on to offer the insigh that perhaps Ingrid felt his second offer was even more intimate than intercourse itself, and that was why he was rejected. Even if that didn't match with Ingrid's reasoning, Reese helped put her brother at ease and, at least, calm down after it seemed like he was about to end the relationship.
It's Rare To See Close Brother And Sister Relationships On Television, Especially On This Level
I'll be the first to admit I was shocked initially because I cannot imagine discussing sex with either of my sisters. But I do appreciate 90 Day Fiancé highlighting such a rarely seen close sibling dynamic on TV, scripted or otherwise. This is especially true after my wish to see more of Rayne Fernandez's story after learning about her belief in the paranormal turned out to be way more upsetting than I imagined.
It reminds me of my feeling when, after several seasons, we finally saw Jasmine Pineda hang out with her children. We see so many of these couples locked into relationships that can appear cartoonishly fake, so it's always nice to see authentic family moments between those whose care for each other is obvious to audiences.
I feel as though Brian has been getting a bit of a villainous edit in Before The 90 Days Season 7, so it was just nice to be reminded as well that he is a normal human being. So many 90 Day couples break up over the years, and the fans are quick to paint one as the villain over the other. Sometimes, it's justified, but more often than not, it's just two people that are incompatible.
Without this scene, a 90 Day Fiancé fan might've sided with Ingrid's initial assessment that Brian is some type of sex fiend. But after seeing him talk to his sister, I think I'm more on the side of the fact that Brian felt he was being rejected because of his disability, which was a fear he had before this trip even started. I may not be as close to my sisters as Brian is with his, but I'm really happy and shocked we got that scene.
90 Day Fiancé: Before The 90 Days airs on TLC on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. After watching the episode check up on the 2024 TV schedule to see what else is on the way this week, as more exciting shows make their way down the pipeline.