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Celebrating 1,000 NCIS-franchise episodes

Annie & David: After the 90 Days

gingerella
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gingerella

gingerella

I watched this first episode last night and they've really come a long way from living in that storage unit office apartment. Much of that I think is due to Annie's ability to turn chicken shit into chicken salad. If I were here I don't know that I'd have stayed around, unless the impoverished David thing was all an act for the show, which I don't put past him.

I have spent a lot of time in Thailand and Bangkok in particular, so for me this is arm chair travel enjoyment until I can safely travel there again, so from that point of view I really enjoyed it - the street food, the sights and sounds, I can smell the humidity just looking at the footage!

The whole family angle is weird, I mean I get it, Annie wants to give her niece and brother more advantages in life, but it's going to be a harsh adjustment for them. They should have brought them over at the beginning of summer and put them in English language school so they can at least speak English when they start school over here.

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Sile

Sile

In the adverts for this show David looked like he had really slimmed down, but not so much in the episode.  I'm wondering if that will be part of the storyline.   I hope so, I love seeing success stories!

I was trying to think of a delicate way to inquire if Cindy was a ladyboy, so I was happy for Annie clearing that up right away.

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gingerella

gingerella

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9 hours ago, seasons said:

I missed that part - who is Cindy?

Cindy is the one who met Annie & Favid at the airport, took Annie to her salon , and stayed with them at their hotel suite. She and Annie have been friends since they were little kids. Xu do is what Thai people call a 'ladyboy', born male but presents as female. She actually seems like a lovely person, as do most friends we meet, and all their friends seems to be nice folks but friends of Annie's. The only friends of David's we ever met were the couple who supposedly supported them financially when they got married and came to the US, and those two were batshit crazy IMO.

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Hotel Snarker

Hotel Snarker

13 hours ago, Texasmom1970 said:

Some people think they are too loud and over the top. I like them and for now going to keep watching.

Yeah, I do not find Annie obnoxious at all! 

David and Annie’s story looks so interesting. What they’re doing to improve Annie’s family’s success is so respectable because they’re taking on responsibilities I’d have a hard time taking on. The rubber chicken was hilariously relatable and I loved it.

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SunnyBeBe

SunnyBeBe

I wonder if there’re trying to give David a heart attack having him walk uphill in the heat of the jungle in his condition.  He could collapse at any moment.  Probably not the best idea.  
 

Some of Annie’s family seem rather mean.  She seems to take it in stride.  I wonder if the kids moving to US was their idea or from TLC.  
 

There’s really no reason that Annie and David can’t eat right.  They both cook and buy fresh fruits and vegetables.  

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suzeecat

suzeecat

I am in the same boat as Annie's family, I don't understand their urgency to pull these kids out of Thailand and over to the US in the middle of a pandemic.  I would question whether it's simply (obviously) for a story line to keep the TLC gravy train rolling, at the expense of these kids' well being.  The boy at least says that he does not want to go.  If he is resisting now, I doubt that he will be enthusiastic to immerse himself in the American way of life. 

Annie is a sweetheart and I don't see what she sees in David (she appears to love him unconditionally), but in David's defense, he seems to have an honest acceptance of himself and the mistakes he's made in the past.  They definitely have come a long way from being essentially homeless and unemployed to being in a position to support two more dependents.  I would love to hear how David's children feel about it.  I would also love an update on the water buffalo David purchased for Annie's parents as her dowry. 

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b2H

b2H

I started both of these shows, Loren and Alexei too, at the same time, but this one isn’t all that enjoyable.  I don’t think bringing the two kids over is a great idea for the adults.  I will give it another week or two.

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1011101010001

1011101010001

On 1/17/2022 at 8:57 PM, SunnyBeBe said:

There’s really no reason that Annie and David can’t eat right.  They both cook and buy fresh fruits and vegetables.  

She hasn’t gained like he has.  I bet he still eats a lot of American comfort food and huge portions when she cooks.

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SunnyBeBe

SunnyBeBe

(edited)

Annie appears substantially larger than when they first appeared, but it’s understandable, especially since covid.  
 

David explained that they were trying to break the cycle of poverty by getting the teens education in the US and some practical English skills.   They think that would provide them with many more skills than staying in their rural home.  
 

I’m not sure how much I can say about background on the couple, but apparently Annie was extremely poor before meeting David.  I didn’t care for David early on at all.  Once again, they haven’t gone there yet, but David had a serious issue with drinking.  He seems to be different now, though.  

Edited by SunnyBeBe
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Hotel Snarker

Hotel Snarker

I love how everybody just accepts Cindy. She’s nothing out of the ordinary, she just IS.

I feel kinda bad for Jordan. Being 14 in a village with your friends is such a simpler and happier lifestyle than trying to navigate American public school. It'll take him a while to adjust, and I hope he doesn't resent Annie later on.

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endure

endure

(edited)
On 1/18/2022 at 7:07 AM, suzeecat said:

I am in the same boat as Annie's family, I don't understand their urgency to pull these kids out of Thailand and over to the US in the middle of a pandemic.  I would question whether it's simply (obviously) for a story line to keep the TLC gravy train rolling, at the expense of these kids' well being.  The boy at least says that he does not want to go.  If he is resisting now, I doubt that he will be enthusiastic to immerse himself in the American way of life. 

Annie is a sweetheart and I don't see what she sees in David (she appears to love him unconditionally), but in David's defense, he seems to have an honest acceptance of himself and the mistakes he's made in the past.  They definitely have come a long way from being essentially homeless and unemployed to being in a position to support two more dependents.  I would love to hear how David's children feel about it.  I would also love an update on the water buffalo David purchased for Annie's parents as her dowry. 

I think David is probably  a different, better person than he was in his past.  He seems devoted and so respectful to Annie that I appreciate seeing that on this show, and he is intelligent compared to so many of them too. I've tried to not like him but he wins me over lol. I don't understand the reason for bringing these kids over, maybe to create a spin-off???  Not sure the boy is ready and I think he would have a difficult time fitting in there, I would be very concerned for him.  I hope he doesn't go.

Edited by endure
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Texasmom1970

Texasmom1970

On 2/2/2022 at 4:35 PM, Hotel Snarker said:

I wish they could sneak more Cindy in before they leave. She’s a hoot and a half! With the lockdown it seems doubtful now.

Annie’s niece is such a sweetheart. I hope both of the kids flourish and love their new lives once they adjust.

Agree with all you said 100%. I would love to see more of Cindy; she seems like so much fun to be around.

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Hotel Snarker

Hotel Snarker

I feel bad for her cousin and brother, but I wish the lawyer, Annie, and David were more realistic and actually prepared them for the interview. They just told the kids America was the land of milk and honey and it all looks like it was sprung on them so suddenly. They could’ve gotten them some English courses (maybe not feasible in person due to Covid) to adequately prepare for the interview at least. Jordan doesn’t look like he wants to go, he’s just following through so he doesn’t look like a fool towards his family. I just see him struggling to adapt in the US. I’ve had family go to the US and return because they didn’t like the lifestyle and the working to the bone atmosphere. I just don’t like how Annie and David went about it.

Amber has such a great personality and temperament so I think she’ll thrive coming here. She seems to handle difficulties well whereas Jordan seems like a great kid as well but appears to be obligingly doing this to please everyone around him. He’s vocalized his feelings a bit about feeling 50/50 on the move and mostly feeling like he needs to come because it’s a great opportunity his sister is giving him and not because he wants to come here. All a recipe for disaster if things start to overwhelm him. Especially being plucked from a village far away and now having cameras following him everywhere. They’re both great kids and I wish them well.

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FurBabyMama

FurBabyMama

On 2/9/2022 at 11:07 PM, deirdra said:

Why didn't David the former ESL teacher spend the entire lockdown having the kids learn & practice English BEFORE the interview?

He may have, but if they were starting from a place of zero english, it’s going to take a while to even learn very basic English, let alone enough to have a conversation 

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Adeejay

Adeejay

Annie's family is the worst.  They are so friggin ungrateful, especially Auntie Lom.  Had it not been for David, there's no telling where Annie would be and what she'd be doing.  And yet, he is "bad luck."  Horrible woman!

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Stuckathome

Stuckathome

On 2/14/2022 at 9:21 PM, Adeejay said:

Had it not been for David, there's no telling where Annie would be and what she'd be doing. 

Seriously....do they understand what kind of life she was living before she met him? I am guessing not....I mean, I read rumors on their couples thread that she was a prostitute working in a sex tourist bar in Bangkok when they met. If this is true, I would not be shocked---that is a sad, but common story for women from impoverished families in Thailand. Not judging her at all for it. She has mentioned factory work---it could be true but most likely her cover story for her family, especially since it is on tv----to not shame them. I remember being shocked at her age when their season aired, so looked WAY older than mid 20s----that lifestyle ages you quickly and if she hadn't landed David, her story would probably be pretty bleak. So yes, her family needs to chill..... 

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Mondrianyone

Mondrianyone

It's very common for the daughters of poor families in rural Thailand to be sold into prostitution by their families for the income they can provide or to pay back debts. So if that's true of Annie, the cover story is for herself and to avoid shaming her family for what they did to her, because obviously they would already know what kind of work she was doing.

What bothers me about this show is how they're exploiting these kids for their own purposes. Sure, the kids' lives may improve, but they also have a right to continue living in their homeland if they want to. No one needs to be uprooted so somebody else can have a story line and keep from getting a real job for another year.

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Stuckathome

Stuckathome

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20 hours ago, Mondrianyone said:

No one needs to be uprooted so somebody else can have a story line and keep from getting a real job for another year.

 

So....I will be a little less cynical and say that in terms of the girl (sorry, I can't remember their names), I can see how Annie wants to get her out of poverty and avoid being sold into or forced into the sex trade as she was and if this is a way to spare her that, hell, go for it! She also seems more excited about the move to the US, also probably because she knows what kind of opportunities or lack there of will be available if she stays in Thailand. Someone in a thread related to this couple mentioned that Thai society is very, very classist and a darker toned girl (by Thai standard) in a village is the lowest rung and her only potential husband is a guy from the village. Even if Annie and David paid to send her to a great Uni in Bangkok, those guys in class from upper class thai society won't touch her. 

The boy seems unmotivated and uninterested, but again, I suspect his family wants to get him away from bad influences.......

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Mondrianyone

Mondrianyone

2 hours ago, Stuckathome said:

So....I will be a little less cynical

I find that the outer reaches of my cynicism don't usually extend to what we eventually learn about these folks, but I'm always prepared to be wrong. I have a feeling that Annie's newfound prosperity has helped lift her family out of poverty, so maybe the same fate isn't in store for the girl. The boy seems as if he's really being pressured, and I feel sorry for him. But who knows? I do feel pretty certain that A&D would have no basis for a show without these kids.

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Sile

Sile

On 2/16/2022 at 2:54 PM, Hotel Snarker said:

I would rather watch an hour of David and Annie. The Loren storyline is pretty weak.

I am the opposite.  I basically sit through D&A waiting for L&A to come on.

If Chiang Mai is so close to their village, why didn't they go there first instead of going all the way to Bangkok?  I get that they are probably leaving from there, but if the visas fell through it would be easier to drop off the kids on the way instead of going backwards.  Especially since the lawyer supposedly knew that they'd have a better shot at the smaller embassy.

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Stuckathome

Stuckathome

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I think David and Annie are shady AF but I do like the fact that David loves her and treats her as a partner. She isn’t just à young plaything to him. 

This x1000....I think this is a case of two shady grifters finding their perfect other half, hahaha! I think he def appreciates her for more than her looks/body (which I dont' think are all that, but then again look at David)

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SunnyBeBe

SunnyBeBe

Well, according to Annie, her brother was acting out and that’s what gave them the idea of bringing the kids to the USA.  I’m not sure what people in their community do with out of control teens who don’t abide by house rules, won’t attend school, run away from home, etc.  Do they send them out to live in the fields?  If he refuses to shape up, he may have limited options about where he lives.  His family probably can’t afford boarding school. Maybe, he’d benefit from the military.    

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gingerella

gingerella

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I was so sad for Amber failing her vida interview again. It seems weird that the Embassy or Co skate wouldn't allow an adukt.ro accompany a minor into the interview. David should have gotten a contact in Chaing Mai so he could go in with her. 

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