Something has been missing in the 90 Day Fiancé franchise since The Family Chantel spinoff ended, and I think alum Shekinah Garner and her family will fill that void. The Family Chantel starred 90 Day Fiancé season 4 couple, Chantel Everett and Pedro Jimeno, who were so popular during their run on the OG show and Happily Ever After? spinoff that they got their own show. However, after five seasons and Chantel and Pedro’s split, the spinoff ended, leaving the franchise without a nuclear 90DF family to focus on. In comes Shekinah and her family, in my opinion.
43-year-old Shekinah is the oldest of six daughters, and she and her sisters were raised Amish. Shekinah has been going through her 90 Day Fiancé journey with 44-year-old Turkish native, Sarper Güven. They have made for quite an interesting and entertaining pair, as their relationship has been put to the test several times over, and they are both telegenic and reality TV-worthy people individually and together. Moreover, when Shekinah’s family was introduced in 90 Day Fiancé season 11, I felt that something was brewing behind the scenes for future purposes.
Shekinah Has Already Had A Long Run In The 90 Day Fiancé Franchise
Getting A Spinoff Wouldn't Be A Stretch
90 Day Fiancé fans were first introduced to Shekinah and Sarper in The Other Way season 5, when Shekinah decided to move to Turkey to pursue a relationship with Sarper. They had met when Shekinah was visiting Turkey, and the pair met on a dating website. Sarper, who proclaims to have slept with over 2,500 women, thought Shekinah was going to be another fling, but then he fell for her. The duo were long-distance for one year before her move to Turkey.
Once there, Shekinah, who had to travel back to the U.S. every five weeks to visit her daughter in boarding school in California, found communication difficult with Sarper. While she loved being controlled, she often felt like Sarper didn’t understand her needs. The pair came back for a second season in 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way season 6, and Sarper showcased more of his problematic nature. He was incited by Shekinah’s sister Shariyah’s questions about his motives and treatment of Shekinah and used offensive language towards her.
Shekinah and Sarper also got into an ugly off-camera fight where Sarper pulled out Shekinah’s hair extension, although they made up and called it a misunderstanding. With their rocky foundation laid, Shekinah and Sarper applied for the K-1 visa, and Sarper was approved. He arrived in America in 90 Day Fiancé season 11, and he has tried to turn over a new leaf. Sarper has toned down his aggression, endeavored to be more sensitive, and is on a mission to get Shekinah’s family to like him.
I think since Shekinah and Sarper have become a staple of the 90 Day Fiancé franchise in recent years across spinoffs, it’s not a stretch to think they have enough going on between them to merit a spinoff. When they are not fighting, they are talking about sex life, and when they’re doing neither, they still have comedic relief and dynamic situations arising. Sarper is also still in America, signifying that they got married. What’s more, in season 11, more members of Shekinah’s family were introduced, and I smell a spinoff because of it.
Shekinah's Family Seems Interesting
They Are Telegenic
Shekinah’s daughter Sophie let Sarper know after she met him for the first time that he had to get in good with her family in order for her to fully accept her mom marrying him. Enter Shekinah’s sisters. 90 Day Fiancé‘s Shekinah and Sarper traveled to Whitefish, Montana, so Sarper could meet Shekinah’s sisters, Zionah, Mariah, Shariyah, and Shariyah’s boyfriend, and make a good impression on them, However, Sarper put his foot in his mouth a couple of times, and caused concern among Shekinah’s family.
Shekinah’s family left Sarper on edge with the prompt that his actions had to speak louder than his words.
Outside of the entertaining and potentially dramatic pressure Shekinah’s sisters put on Sarper, I think they are very telegenic and well-spoken.
My favor of them was also helped by each of Shekinah’s sisters’ trendy individual styles and ice queen attitudes that make me want to see more of them.
Shekinah & Sarper Have A Messy & Entertaining Relationship
They Always Have Serious Fights
Upon returning from Whitefish, Shekinah and Sarper got into a huge off-camera fight, much like the one in Turkey. Sarper felt trapped and depressed and under Shekinah’s thumb, and Shekinah thought the old Sarper was coming back and that he didn’t understand he was taking his words too far.
90 Day Fiancé‘s Sarper sounded fed up.
«F**k this lie, okay? F**k everything! The next conversation that I will do with her has to be, we are okay, or it’s over.»
I think Shekinah and Sarper’s constant triumphs and setbacks make them interesting to watch. I want to root for them to succeed, but I also think they aren’t capable of finding true happiness with one another because of their differences. Within that wayward setup, and their willingness to keep trying, Shekinah and Sarper’s journey would be fun to continue ing. I also think they have enough drama and changing dynamics between the two of them to warrant more airtime in their own spinoff.
The 90 Day Fiancé Has Been Missing A Hit Spinoff Since The Family Chantel
The New 90 Day Fiancé Spinoffs Aren't Cutting It
The Family Chantel was very popular because of Chantel and Pedro’s relationship pitfalls and because of how bad each of them was in with the other’s family. That said, the same setup is happening between Shekinah and Sarper.
Shekinah has a lot to prove to Sarper’s family in Turkey and what Sarper needs to do for Shekinah’s family has already been spelled out.
I think the current 90 Day Fiancé spinoffs that were meant to replace The Family Chantel, like 90 Day: The Last Resort and the upcoming 90 Day: Hunt For Love, are not going to cut it in terms of viewership and engaging content, but I think a spinoff with Shekinah, Sarper, and both of their families would. I strongly believe another family-based spinoff would perform well in the franchise, and it seems to me that Shekinah and Sarper are setting the foundation to make that a reality, although nothing is official.
90 Day Fiancé airs Sundays at 8 p.m. EDT on TLC.
Source: 90 Day Fiancé/Instagram, 90 Day Fiancé/Instagram
