TVFAN

So, Sarah Bunting will be gone??????? Really???????? That is the best news I've heard in ages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sybil and Tom were my favorite couple. (They should have had so many more scenes together!) I just could not stand the thought of that rude, pushy, snob trying to step into Sybil's shoes. Now, Madeline is another matter. She showed more heart in one episode than that Bunting creature showed in a whole season. Go, Tom and Madeline!

I know they each entered into this situation of their own free will, but I feel for both Mery and Janelle. I just don't see how being involved in a polygamous relationship can do anything but hurt your self esteem. Meri was raised with the idea that her worth is measured by the number of children she bears. She was very, very young when she married Kody and must have been devastated when it took so long to conceive. Janelle comes in and immediately starts popping out babies. Meri's issues with fertility certainly were not Janelle's fault, but Meri's resentment is only natural. I probably would not have been the nicest person in the world to Janelle either, particularly at the age of 22 or 23. In a monogamous relationship, infertility would have been both Meri and Kody's problem, but in their relationship it became Meri's problem alone. (Similarly, today, the "empty nest" is Meri's problem.) Janelle walked into a hornet's nest. Perhaps had Meri had a child first, things would have been different, but that was not the case. Janelle must have felt like an interloper from day one. Meri and Kody already had a home and a routine. Janellle never had the chance to have her husband all to herself. She never had the joy of being someone's true love--of being THE ONE.

Robyn announced nothing. She had to go answer the phone. (I kid you not!)

I think they mentioned once that she worked in an office, but that was about all that was said.

There are just too many to narrow the list to one, the Kerosene Cucumbers, Barney's Car, Opie the Birdman, the Christmas episode, and just about any of the black-and-white episodes. They never lose their charm.

I've always felt that they treat appearing on the show as the equivalent of holding down a job. Each of the five adults is paid a salary for his/her work, and salaries are not paid based on the number of children you happen to have. The Brown family has made the choice to live in separate homes and have separate budgets. One wife cannot be held responsible for that decision. As for Meri's contribution, I agree with those who have said that driving is a big job and that Meri also seemed to have been in charge of the shopping. I also agree that the other wives likely would not have appreciated have Meri show up and start interfering with their packing. This is not a situation where anyone is dealing with lots of young children. Really, the only two wives with small children are Robyn (Solomon) and Christine (Truely). The rest of the children are certainly capable of packing a bag with a small amount of oversight. If you watch the group scenes, you frequently see Meri interacting with the children. Actually, I recall seeing her interact with the children who are not hers more than the other wives. For instance, I have never seen Janelle holding a child who was not her own. That's not a criticism of anyone. (And it may be that Meri stands out for me because I know that none of the younger children are hers. Janelle may be interacting with the other children, and I may not notice it because the younger Browns tend to blur together in my mind.)

I honestly wish that they would recognize the benefit of getting some good financial counseling. They just spent $360 to get five t-shirts. There is no way on earth my father would have let me enter a contest that cost that much. I would have known better than to even ask. They are going to need that money when the show ends. I only hope TLC footed the bill.

I have always found it interesting that Meri seems to be a lightening rod for criticism for things over which Kody is given a pass. For instance, if she is indeed receiving 1/5 of the proceeds from the show, that means Kody is receiving 1/5 as well. If there is a problem with her getting 1/5, why is it okay for him to get 1/5? (BTW I honestly have no problem with the adults divvying up the proceeds equally.) Similarly, Meri has been slammed for having a big house and for the delay in getting in the paperwork for the house. But my understanding is that her house is also in Kody's name. I believe she is the only wife who is sharing title (though I could be wrong). If paperwork needed to be submitted, why was it her job, not their job?