90 Day Fiancé may have started making big headlines back in 2020 when cast member Big Ed Brown went viral for putting mayonnaise in his hair and insulting his ex-fiancé Rose Vega, but the franchise has been part of TLC going back to 2014. fact, it’s grown substantially in recent years, to the point that Warner Bros. Discovery referred to it as the “90 Day Fiancé Universe” during an earnings call. Valid or not, the term gained some snarky responses from Twitter once it circulated the internet.
The jokes really started rolling in thanks to an image from Warner Bros. Discovery, which showcased the massive franchises currently available to anyone with a Discovery+ or HBO Max Subscription. Referring to the TLC franchise as the “90 Day Fiancé Universe” is one thing, but some couldn’t help but joke about the company positioning it alongside some other iconic franchises:
Exciting times right now. So thrilled to see cultural touchstones like Batman, Wonder Woman and Game of Thrones finally take their rightful place alongside Shark Week and the 90 Day Fiancé universe. #warnerbrosdiscovery pic.twitter.com/wn0Fb9HelRAugust 4, 2022
Even if you’re a fan of 90 Day Fiancé, there’s no denying it is pretty funny to see it propped up alongside the Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and DC franchises. The humor wasn’t lost on others, who felt like it was the odd one out in the lineup:
What the hell is the “90 Day Fiancé Universe” doing up there with HARRY POTTER AND BATMAN ???????????? pic.twitter.com/y5cueC92FrAugust 4, 2022
Creatives who worked on some of these Warner Bros. Discovery series weighed in with their thoughts as well, like Game of Thrones executive producer Bryan Cogman, who made a snarky remark about standing on equal ground with the TLC franchise:
Who knew all those years ago, mapping out season 1 in that little makeshift office in West Hollywood, that one day we’d be listed alongside the ‘90 Day Fiancé Universe’. Dream big, kids!
Believe it or not, even some at CinemaBlend had something to say about it. Despite the backbreaking hours (in my humble opinion, anyway) that other employees have devoted to chronicling Ariela Weinberg and Biniyam Shibre’s greatest moments and the like, Senior Content Producer Laura Hurley couldn’t help but crack wise about 90 Day Fiancé:
I guess I’m happy for 90DF fans, but I never EVER needed to see the words “90 Day Fiance Universe.” https://t.co/iueCre2HhbAugust 4, 2022
There were also people who were legitimately surprised 90 Day Fiancé had enough shows to have a universe:
Wait, there’s more than one 90 day fiancé? A universe you say?!August 4, 2022
There are no shortage of spinoffs in the 90 Day Fiancé universe, to that point that it is akin to the multitude of hero shows and movies in the MCU. Granted I don’t think we’ll see an Avengers-esque ensemble spinoff anytime soon, though the cast list for the upcoming Season 7 of Happily Ever After? might be as close as we ever get.
Y’all missing out on the 90 Day Fiancé Universe pic.twitter.com/JNZe64zeFYAugust 5, 2022
The masses may know the impact and significance of 90 Day Fiancé soon enough, especially with Warner Bros. Discovery featuring it so prominently alongside other major franchises. It may only be a matter of time before more of the world will know of Angela Deem’s rage-induced boob flashing, or that time Asuelu Pulaa tried to return to Utah from California by hopping on a city bus. They may even be able to better appreciate the time former cast member Stephanie Matto’s fart jar-selliing empire went up in smoke after a trip to the emergency room, though I think that’s a story that can stand on its own.
90 Day Fiancé airs on TLC on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. The flagship series is right at the tail-end of its latest season, but a new season of the spinoff Happily Ever After? is just around the corner.