90 Day Fiance Recap: Brandon Gibbs' Parents Demand Julia Trubkina Do MORE Farm Work!
by Simon Delott at .90 Day Fiance Season 8 continues with Episode 7.
On this episode, Brandon and Julia get to finally enjoy some time alone.
Unfortunately, their naked funtimes are short-lived, as Brandon's parents began to make even more outrageous demands.
Amira is finally out of detention ... but she's not reuniting with Andrew any time soon.
Yara is alone in New Orleans, and has a tense get-together with Jovi's family.
She also may have a surprise that neither she nor Jovi expected or feel ready for.
Rebecca is terrified that Zied will get cold feet and want to go back home ... and she may be right.
Hazel has learned Tarik's secret, and the two of them unknowingly brace for the COVID-19 pandemic to hit.
Finally, Natalie ransacks the house searching for the engagement ring.
But her behavior when Mike gets home turns cruel, and it's clear that they're not ready to move forward.
1. Brandon Gibbs and Julia Trubkina
Brandon's parents have tasked Julia with farm chores, monoplized almost all of Brandon's time when he's not working his full time job, mandated that the two of these grown adults who are engaged sleep in separate bedrooms, and pushed them to change their wedding date. Now, they're actually doing something non-awful for once by leaving.
2. They'll be gone overnight
Brandon and Julia can barely contain their excitement at having a little peace instead of the constant passive aggressive hostility and Betty's pathological need for control.
3. FINALLY
"This is what I want with Brandon every day," Julia says in her voiceover as the two of them actually get to enjoy each other's company for a few hours, like a normal couple.
4. Party time!
Julia surprises Brandon by flashing him, and the two are so excited to enjoy this time to themselves.
5. Brandon joins the fun!
The two race to the hot tub while Brandon strips and jumps right in, to Julia's amazement and delight.
6. Get used to it ...
Brandon tells Julia that this is all a "preview" of what their married life will be like. But ... is it? Because Brandon's parents don't seem to be going anywhere any time soon.
7. The next day, it's back to reality
That means Betty dragging Brandon and Gibbs for the ultimate "your friend's parents lecturing your friend while you're over at his house" vibes. She's annoyed the the hot tub cover isn't smooth. She also insists that the water is cloudy, accuses the two of them of wearing clothes into the hot tub (they did not; we have video evidence), and refuses to believe Brandon's denials.
8. Can we discuss the contradiction?
Julia very fairly expresses confusion -- so the hot tub doesn't allow clothes, ever, but Brandon and Julia must sleep in separate rooms? She's unclear on what Betty ultimately wants. The truth, of course, is that Betty just wants control.
9. Brandon nods along with Mother Dearest
Julia talks to him and to the camera about how he's not assertive at all with his mom -- he just agrees to whatever she says so that it can be over.
10. Meanwhile ...
Betty and Ron start griping to the camera that Brandon -- who gets up at 4 in the morning every day to do hours of farm labor, then works for 8 to 9 hours at his real job, then returns home to do more labor on the farm -- seems to be slacking off now that Julia is here. These people are truly detestable.
11. Brandon makes time for Julia
Early in the mornings, he will bring Julia her favorite tea.
12. It's so cute
They don't get real time together like a normal couple, but he makes sweet little gestures towards his fiancee, who has given up her entire life to move to be with him.
13. Meanwhile, outside
Betty and Ron express their hopes that Brandon and Julia will grow to "love" laboring on a farm in the middle of nowhere. It's important to remember that people with control issues often believe that their way is THE right way, and would be right for everyone if they had any sense.
14. Betty says the quiet part out loud
Some 90 Day Fiance fans have speculated that maybe Betty is being obnoxious on purpose to drive Brandon away, to shove him out of the nest, so to speak. That is not the case -- she says plainly to the camera that she wants it to be that they've "gained a daughter" rather than "lost a son." In other words? Betty wants Brandon close at hand to labor under her direction for years to come.
15. Lecture time!
An irate Betty and Ron confront Brandon and Julia about Brandon's alleged "slacking off" at farmwork.
16. As for Julia ...
Remember the early morning chores that they have already assigned Julia to do? Betty is hoping that Julia will do even more. It has become clear that, in Betty's mind, Julia is an indentured servant.
17. Julia tries to explain SO delicately
She's not great at getting up in the mornings -- like a normal young person in her 20s, she has more energy in the afternoon and evening instead of in those miserable pre-noon hours. Ron and Betty explain that the animals expect to be fed at dawn. (Then feed them yourselves)
18. Julia is horrifed
She points out that she is already being a very good sport about feeding animals on the farm, something that she never volunteered to do.
19. She didn't come here for this!
She came here to marry Brandon because they fell in love.
20. Instead, they see her as an extra pair of hands
She is on a K-1 visa, not a work visa. If she'd come here to work on a farm, she'd have a work visa.
21. Brandon shifts the blame ... to Julia?
More than two decades of living under the roof of people with serious control issues means that Brandon is eager to appease his parents at every turn. Unfortunately, this means throwing Julia under the bus. He shares that he has been bringing Julia tea, and that this is what is slowing him down when it comes to his 4 AM farm chores. Ron forbids him from bringing her tea anymore.
22. Inside ...
Brandon tries to urge Julia to just be patient and miserable for another few months. He keeps acting as if being married will change things, but there are no indications that his parents will melt into puddles of goo on his wedding day. The problems that they're having right then and there are likely to continue. Does he know something that the rest of us do not?
23. The next day ...
Betty takes Julia around to show her different things that she wants done. Julia tells the camera that she knows exactly what's going on -- Betty is making sure that Julia knows who's the boss.
24. Brandon assures his dad
As they do something with hay, Brandon assures Ron that Julia is willing to continue giving this nightmare a try.
25. A threat ...
Ron thinks of it as a promise, a light at the end of the tunnel, when he tells Brandon that this whole farm will one day be his. Brandon has never wanted this -- this is his parents' dream, not his. His dream is Julia.
26. Andrew Kenton and Amira Lollysa
In Puerto Vallarta, Andrew dines alone at a largely abandoned resort while hoping to hear from Amira soon. She has been in detention in Mexico City for three days.
27. Amira is free!
She is, however, in Amsterdam. She updates Andrew on her status, but briefly.
28. It's still hard for her to talk about it
Amira's phone was taken aways almost immediately. She is still processing the traumatic ordeal.
29. In Amsterdam
Amira pauses before speaking but ends up crying anyway -- it's not easy to discuss something horrible happening. She answer's a producer's questions (via speakerphone).
30. Why was she detained?
Amira does not know, as she was never told. She was put into a prison-like room. It was a large shared space.
31. She regrets allowing herself to be pressured
She once again notes how Andrew pressured her to come to Mexico for his unwise scheme. In many ways, the edit of Andrew seems to be unfair, but pressuring Amira as she describes ... that's not good, and that's not production's invention.
32. Amira is still haunted by her time in detention
She very correctly notes that even her brief stay in detention was eye-opening, and no one in the world deserves to be treated like that. It's true!
33. Right now she wants to "move on"
We think that she means process what she went through before trying anything new, rather than break up with Andrew, but Amira worries that he won't understand her need to wait.
34. Jovi Dufren and Yara Zaya
Yara reminds viewers that Jovi is out of town for work, so she is alone in New Orleans.
35. She did talk to him, however
When she brought up his friend Sara's account of him having been a party boy, he assured her that this part of him was all in the past.
36. Yara meets up with Gwen
Yara goes to chat with Jovi's mother, Gwen, and with his aunt, whom she has not previously met.
