Warning! The following contains spoilers for the 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? episode "The Lovely Duckling" for anyone who hasn't watched the episode on TLC or with a Max subscription!
When I first saw Thais and Patrick Mendez's story on 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? I assumed they'd rank low as a heavy-drama couple, and that letting his brother John McManus come along to Brazil would be the apex. It turns out their rift runs deeper than that, and involves another family member, Thais' father Carlos. The drama is heating up due to his odd request, though I can't help but feel it's all a little pointless.
Carlos demands respect from Patrick, but his way of doing it, and the wedge it drives between the couple, is so bizarre. For anyone who isn't fully caught up on the drama, here's a brief recap of their time from previous seasons, and why I'm kind of confused as to why their latest hiccup an issue at all.
Carlos Wants Patrick To Ask For His Blessing To Marry Thais...Again
Patrick and Thais were first introduced in 90 Day Fiancé Season 9, and their relationship was immediately marked by a big red flag. She insisted on traveling to the United States without telling her father the reason for the trip, which he was against from the start. Thais eventually came clean to Carlos about leaving to get married, and as one might expect, he didn't take it well. This all led to Patrick asking for his blessing regarding their then-impending marriage, a moment that readers can watch below:
Carlos had the chance to make the best out of what he perceived to be a bad situation, but instead confessed he didn't have high hopes for the marriage. That admission likely left Patrick more hurt than satisfied that he had to ask in the first place.
Flash-forward to 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? Season 8, where Carlos now wants Patrick to ask for his blessing once again. Patrick clearly wasn't into going through with that again, and not doing so landed him in the dog house with Thais. My main question is: am I alone in thinking he's completely justified in his decision? Combined with a sub-question: does this even count as "drama?"
I Agree With Patrick It's Kind Of Pointless To Do
Thais is mad at Patrick for not apologizing to her father ahead of re-asking for his blessing, but I think she needs to remember her first season. Or maybe rewatch it to gauge whether the editing was faithful to their experience.
As far as we know, it was never Patrick's fault that Carlos was in the dark about the marriage. And as we saw in the video above, the hubby was nothing but respectful while getting dressed down.
Two years have passed since then. They're already married and have a child together. So if he didn't get the blessing then and everything still turned out fine, why is it a big deal that he has to ask now?
Obviously, Patrick's best interests may lie in keeping the peace to appease his wife. I'm sure this blessing situation isn't such a dealbreaker that he'd risk splitting up with her just to stand his ground. I think if it was that serious, Thais never would have married Patrick in the first place. So I'm sure it'll all tide over well enough, which brings it back to wondering why it's even a thing.
Family troubles tend to be common in the 90 Day Fiancé franchise, even beyond basic differences between cultures. Colt Johnson was inseparable from his mother, Debbie, but his relationships ultimately led to them going their separate ways. There's also the litany of drama between Andrei and Libby Castravet and her family, so this couple will have plenty of castmates to discuss family drama with if it isn't resolved by the end of this season. While I agree it's pointless to ask for the blessing, I wouldn't be shocked if Patrick ultimately does do it in the end.
90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? airs on TLC on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Expect to see more of Patrick and Thais once John finally arrives in Brazil, and I can't wait to see what he has to say about this situation.
