S01.E01: Meet Kody and the Wives!

[oceanview]

Thank you to all you suggested how to get these and other programs via your cable co.  I have very limited "Tier" and was able to get it!  So shocked.   Started watching the first episode and my have the the mighty changed in attitude.    I can see Kody was an attractive catch for one wife, forget any others.  Not my cup of tea at all.   When we find out how absolutely poorly he accepts his responsibilities and screws the system constantly, it leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.  Have watched since day 1 and sometimes am embarrassed to admit it.  Hard enough to bring up a  small family.  Even the TLC money has to come to an end eventually.   Jannelle's boys seem to be the adults in the room, as we all know now, they are very   aware of the differences in  their father from other fathers.   Jannelle should be proud of how they have turned out.   It would appear  Kody was just along for the ride.   Christine did a good job too IMO.  I think Meri is very sad and lonely.  Part of the problem to me was her lack of more  children of her own.  I think it would have enhanced her life, despite everyone's kids being family.    Let's not even bring Robyn into the pictures.....please!    I find it interesting that none of the kids want to follow polygamy, although a couple of the girls could be talked into it I think....to their dismay.   Thanks for all the comments.  Sorry I had not even read this section now.   Whole new perspective after 15 years of course

[Kyanight]

1 hour ago, xwordfanatik said:

Joseph Smith.  IMO a con artist, wanting to justify his cheating ass.  It figures Kootie would hold him up on a pedestal.

Most if not all Mormons have Joseph Smith on a pedestal - even those who don't believe in polygamy.

****But I'm not a Mormon so maybe some here will feel differently.  That's just from what I have seen.***

Edited May 2, 2020 by Kyanight

[Chicklet]

David Fitzgerald wrote another good book called "The Mormons" oddly enough. I really enjoyed it, he told the story from the beginning of Joseph Smith's life through Brigham Young's tenure. Really eye opening. 

I love this thread, I missed the first season and never went back to watch, mostly because Kody irritated the snot out of me.

[suomi]

1 hour ago, Chicklet said:

David Fitzgerald wrote another good book called "The Mormons" 

I ran right over to Amazon to get the kindle version. One guess as to the price ...

666 ($6.66) LOL

[DakotaJustice]

@laurakaye are you planning on starting a new thread for Ep 2? I just finished listening to the latest SSW podcast and all I have to say is that I might crack up anytime I hear the term whipped topping from now on. 🤣

[laurakaye]

I will probably watch episode 2 and recap it this week.  I may change the title of this thread to something like "Season 1 Rewatch" so as not to create too many new threads.  I was asked to attach my season 1 recaps to already existing threads but we don't go back that far here.  I have to be in the right mood to re-watch these people - the writing is the fun part. 🙂

[DakotaJustice]

24 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

I will probably watch episode 2 and recap it this week.  I may change the title of this thread to something like "Season 1 Rewatch" so as not to create too many new threads.  I was asked to attach my season 1 recaps to already existing threads but we don't go back that far here.  I have to be in the right mood to re-watch these people - the writing is the fun part. 🙂

That's a great idea! One thread per season sounds good to me! 

[toodles]

8 hours ago, DakotaJustice said:

That's a great idea! One thread per season sounds good to me! 

Me too!!

[laurakaye]

Not sure how to change the name of this topic - I was going to change it to "Sister Wives Season 1 Rewatch" or something like that.  But here comes Season 1, Episode 2!

Spoiler

SEASON 1, EPISODE 2 – COURTING A FOURTH WIFE! (alternate title: THAT TLC PAYCHECK THO!)

 

We open with Meri, Christine and Janelle on an outing, shopping for baby clothes for Christine’s newest Brownie, due in a couple of weeks.  Christine already knows the baby is a girl, and the wives giggle and pick up girly items such as pink booties, a frilly pink tutu, etc.  They seem like such a fun and wacky group – kind of like shopping with your best girlfriends, minus the cocktail lunch and sharing the same dude.  There’s an easy vibe with these three women…I wonder how they’ll do with a fourth giggle buddy?  Time will tell!

On the couch, where Kody has his arms around both Christine and Meri while Janelle manspreads solo, Christine whispers that getting to know Robyn has been super exciting, and tells us that Meri has always been open to bring on another wife while Christine herself has been a bit hesitant.  Meri explains how Robyn came to be: Meri and Kody were at a dance and Robyn was there, the cousin of one of Meri’s friends.  Meri and Robyn “clicked,” and Meri told Kody to ask Robyn to dance.  Now, being new to this show, I was given to understand that any type of physical contact between a man and the woman that he is potentially courting is strictly forbidden, especially when one of the other wives is hovering in the shadows watching…but I could be wrong.  I mean, Meri rilly likes Robyn so maybe she’s cool with it! 

Robyn tells us that she has three kids: Day’un is 9, Aurora is 7, and Brianna is 5.  Her only concern is creating a safe home for them – the Four Musketeers, as she calls them.  Aw, how cute.  What a good mommy.

Back in Lehi, Savannah and Garrison are helping Daddy pack a suitcase for his booty call trip to Robyn’s.  Before he embarks on the five-hour excursion, he goes around the compound kissing each wife.  Meri and Christine are visibly upset that he is leaving, but both are trying very hard to put on a brave face.  Janelle appears just fine – maybe even a bit happy to see him go, LOL – I mean, you know, sometimes the hubby goes out for a round of golf with the guys, or out to the bar to watch the game or perhaps to another woman’s home halfway across the state and you’re like – whew!  Now I get the remote control and the Doritos all to myself for a few hours!  Maybe that’s Janelle’s thinking.  I get it, sister!  On the couch, Christine is weepy as she tells us that it felt like Kody was replacing his current family with Robyn and her kids, but that it had to happen.  Janelle, however, offers a counterpoint and tells us that Kody always makes sure that each wife’s needs are met.  You go, Kodester!  However, the look on Christine’s face tells a different story.  Interesting.

Kody is taking Maddie and Aspyn with him on his date with his new girlfriend so they can babysit Robyn’s kids while Kody gets some private snuggle time with Robyn.  That seems – weird.  Awkward.  Disturbing, even?  Anywho, Kody plyg-‘splains to us that his wives are comfortable with their lifestyle but not with Kody having a girlfriend.  I rattle that sentence around in my brain for a bit – I mean - ??  How can they be okay with a wife but not a girlfriend?  How would Robyn get to be a wife if she’s not a girlfriend, at least temporarily?  Are the wives okay with this or aren’t they?  This lifestyle is so fascinating!

We see Robyn trying to wrangle her three kids into her van for a trip to the park.  The kids - clearly performing for the camera - enter the van, then exit the van, then try to shove their bikes in the van, then cry when Robyn says NO BIKES, then the littlest one runs away and down the street.  Kids - they are a handful!  Robyn says that it will be so awesome to have three other wives to help her watch this little band of maniacs.  Sounds good to me!

Next we see Christine directing Meri and a passel of plyglets to rearrange some very large pieces of furniture in a very small bedroom.  Turns out, Christine has no place to put her impending baby, so the baby will be sleeping with Christine in her room.  As Meri and Mariah drag a huge dresser around the room, Christine and Meri joke around like besties.  Meri says that the wives have all worked through their issues and know each other’s quirks by now.  That’s good to know – I’m sure it will make the transition from three wives to four so much easier!

We get a solo interview with Robyn (it looks like she’s still on the park trip, so maybe while she’s being interviewed, the boom operator is watching her kids - I hope so).  Robyn says that she doesn’t want to hurt anyone by joining the family.  Cut to Kody, who says there’s no way around the other wives getting hurt.  I mean – don’t bring in a fourth wife?  That’s one way to not hurt your other wives, Kode-meister!  On the couch, Christine says that Robyn is rilly pretty, like a “trophy wife.”  She also drops the info that she was completely out of the loop on this Robyn chick.  She says that although Kody and Meri received testimony that Robyn should join the family, Christine hadn’t even met her by the time Kody got the balls a’ rollin’, so to speak.  Christine says that with Kody gone so much, she’s lost her best friend.  Now it’s Kody’s turn to get weepy – he tells us about a heart-to-heart he’d had with Christine regarding Robyn…Christine tells us that Kody’s heart was breaking with love-sickness and the only cure was for Kody to marry Robyn!  This is a confusing portion of the show, because basically every adult on the couch is getting the vapors except Janelle, and I’m not even sure she’s awake.  So if bringing Robyn into the family is such a fantastic idea, why is everyone crying?  Color me confused!

Robyn interviews that this lifestyle “rubs off all of your rough spots.”  Like a loofah?  She goes on to say that she is so thankful that Meri, Christine and Janelle rubbed Kody into the man he is today, so that Robyn can reap the rewards of a fully-exfoliated Kody for her very own!  We segue into Kody and Robyn’s restaurant date, where they appear to be eating burritos and drinking hot chocolate and gazing into each other’s eyes and giggling.  I think it’s supposed to be cute but I can’t stop thinking of Maddie and Aspyn back at Robyn’s house, trying to keep Brianna from escaping out the window to play in traffic while Daddy gets his groove on.  Kody gives Robyn a ring made out of string and she gushes over it like it’s the prettiest thing she’s ever seen.  That Robyn – she must be easily pleased with the simple things in life.  How refreshing!

Back on the couch to close the episode, Janelle wakes up to tell us that she, her sister wives and Kody have a “fabulous relationship, and Robyn will make it even cooler!”  Wow, that Janelle!  She’s like a ray of sunshine in this family of sobbers – thank goodness!

NEXT WEEK ON SISTER WIVES: Robyn cries too!  My goodness - what is it about living this lifestyle that makes each of them cry?  We shall see!

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by laurakaye

[Kyanight]

10 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

Not sure how to change the name of this topic - I was going to change it to "Sister Wives Season 1 Rewatch" or something like that.  But here comes Season 1, Episode 2!

  Hide contents

SEASON 1, EPISODE 2 – COURTING A FOURTH WIFE! (alternate title: THAT TLC PAYCHECK THO!)

 

We open with Meri, Christine and Janelle on an outing, shopping for baby clothes for Christine’s newest Brownie, due in a couple of weeks.  Christine already knows the baby is a girl, and the wives giggle and pick up girly items such as pink booties, a frilly pink tutu, etc.  They seem like such a fun and wacky group – kind of like shopping with your best girlfriends, minus the cocktail lunch and sharing the same dude.  There’s an easy vibe with these three women…I wonder how they’ll do with a fourth giggle buddy?  Time will tell!

On the couch, where Kody has his arms around both Christine and Meri while Janelle manspreads solo, Christine whispers that getting to know Robyn has been super exciting, and tells us that Meri has always been open to bring on another wife while Christine herself has been a bit hesitant.  Meri explains how Robyn came to be: Meri and Kody were at a dance and Robyn was there, the cousin of one of Meri’s friends.  Meri and Robyn “clicked,” and Meri told Kody to ask Robyn to dance.  Now, being new to this show, I was given to understand that any type of physical contact between a man and the woman that he is potentially courting is strictly forbidden, especially when one of the other wives is hovering in the shadows watching…but I could be wrong.  I mean, Meri rilly likes Robyn so maybe she’s cool with it! 

Robyn tells us that she has three kids: Day’un is 9, Aurora is 7, and Brianna is 5.  Her only concern is creating a safe home for them – the Four Musketeers, as she calls them.  Aw, how cute.  What a good mommy.

Back in Lehi, Savannah and Garrison are helping Daddy pack a suitcase for his booty call trip to Robyn’s.  Before he embarks on the five-hour excursion, he goes around the compound kissing each wife.  Meri and Christine are visibly upset that he is leaving, but both are trying very hard to put on a brave face.  Janelle appears just fine – maybe even a bit happy to see him go, LOL – I mean, you know, sometimes the hubby goes out for a round of golf with the guys, or out to the bar to watch the game or perhaps to another woman’s home halfway across the state and you’re like – whew!  Now I get the remote control and the Doritos all to myself for a few hours!  Maybe that’s Janelle’s thinking.  I get it, sister!  On the couch, Christine is weepy as she tells us that it felt like Kody was replacing his current family with Robyn and her kids, but that it had to happen.  Janelle, however, offers a counterpoint and tells us that Kody always makes sure that each wife’s needs are met.  You go, Kodester!  However, the look on Christine’s face tells a different story.  Interesting.

Kody is taking Maddie and Aspyn with him on his date with his new girlfriend so they can babysit Robyn’s kids while Kody gets some private snuggle time with Robyn.  That seems – weird.  Awkward.  Disturbing, even?  Anywho, Kody plyg-‘splains to us that his wives are comfortable with their lifestyle but not with Kody having a girlfriend.  I rattle that sentence around in my brain for a bit – I mean - ??  How can they be okay with a wife but not a girlfriend?  How would Robyn get to be a wife if she’s not a girlfriend, at least temporarily?  Are the wives okay with this or aren’t they?  This lifestyle is so fascinating!

We see Robyn trying to wrangle her three kids into her van for a trip to the park.  The kids - clearly performing for the camera - enter the van, then exit the van, then try to shove their bikes in the van, then cry when Robyn says NO BIKES, then the littlest one runs away and down the street.  Kids - they are a handful!  Robyn says that it will be so awesome to have three other wives to help her watch this little band of maniacs.  Sounds good to me!

Next we see Christine directing Meri and a passel of plyglets to rearrange some very large pieces of furniture in a very small bedroom.  Turns out, Christine has no place to put her impending baby, so the baby will be sleeping with Christine in her room.  As Meri and Mariah drag a huge dresser around the room, Christine and Meri joke around like besties.  Meri says that the wives have all worked through their issues and know each other’s quirks by now.  That’s good to know – I’m sure it will make the transition from three wives to four so much easier!

We get a solo interview with Robyn (it looks like she’s still on the park trip, so maybe while she’s being interviewed, the boom operator is watching her kids - I hope so).  Robyn says that she doesn’t want to hurt anyone by joining the family.  Cut to Kody, who says there’s no way around the other wives getting hurt.  I mean – don’t bring in a fourth wife?  That’s one way to not hurt your other wives, Kode-meister!  On the couch, Christine says that Robyn is rilly pretty, like a “trophy wife.”  She also drops the info that she was completely out of the loop on this Robyn chick.  She says that although Kody and Meri received testimony that Robyn should join the family, Christine hadn’t even met her by the time Kody got the balls a’ rollin’, so to speak.  Christine says that with Kody gone so much, she’s lost her best friend.  Now it’s Kody’s turn to get weepy – he tells us about a heart-to-heart he’d had with Christine regarding Robyn…Christine tells us that Kody’s heart was breaking with love-sickness and the only cure was for Kody to marry Robyn!  This is a confusing portion of the show, because basically every adult on the couch is getting the vapors except Janelle, and I’m not even sure she’s awake.  So if bringing Robyn into the family is such a fantastic idea, why is everyone crying?  Color me confused!

Robyn interviews that this lifestyle “rubs off all of your rough spots.”  Like a loofah?  She goes on to say that she is so thankful that Meri, Christine and Janelle rubbed Kody into the man he is today, so that Robyn can reap the rewards of a fully-exfoliated Kody for her very own!  We segue into Kody and Robyn’s restaurant date, where they appear to be eating burritos and drinking hot chocolate and gazing into each other’s eyes and giggling.  I think it’s supposed to be cute but I can’t stop thinking of Maddie and Aspyn back at Robyn’s house, trying to keep Brianna from escaping out the window to play in traffic while Daddy gets his groove on.  Kody gives Robyn a ring made out of string and she gushes over it like it’s the prettiest thing she’s ever seen.  That Robyn – she must be easily pleased with the simple things in life.  How refreshing!

Back on the couch to close the episode, Janelle wakes up to tell us that she, her sister wives and Kody have a “fabulous relationship, and Robyn will make it even cooler!”  Wow, that Janelle!  She’s like a ray of sunshine in this family of sobbers – thank goodness!

NEXT WEEK ON SISTER WIVES: Robyn cries too!  My goodness - what is it about living this lifestyle that makes each of them cry?  We shall see!

 

All of my feelings summed up in one word - UGH!

[suomi]

Nicely done, laurakaye, and much appreciated!

"...by the time Kody got the balls a’ rollin’, so to speak." LOL

Oooh, Stealth Robyn, being appreciative of a ring made out of string back then but requiring a 6-bedroom home now. Barf.

[xwordfanatik]

1 hour ago, suomi said:

Nicely done, laurakaye, and much appreciated!

"...by the time Kody got the balls a’ rollin’, so to speak." LOL

Oooh, Stealth Robyn, being appreciative of a ring made out of string back then but requiring a 6-bedroom home now. Barf.

Ditto X 1,000.

Great recap, LK!  

[Kohola3]

Well said, as always LK.  I bright spot in a dull day.

[toodles]

On 5/11/2020 at 11:38 AM, laurakaye said:

Not sure how to change the name of this topic - I was going to change it to "Sister Wives Season 1 Rewatch" or something like that.  But here comes Season 1, Episode 2!

  Hide contents

SEASON 1, EPISODE 2 – COURTING A FOURTH WIFE! (alternate title: THAT TLC PAYCHECK THO!)

 

We open with Meri, Christine and Janelle on an outing, shopping for baby clothes for Christine’s newest Brownie, due in a couple of weeks.  Christine already knows the baby is a girl, and the wives giggle and pick up girly items such as pink booties, a frilly pink tutu, etc.  They seem like such a fun and wacky group – kind of like shopping with your best girlfriends, minus the cocktail lunch and sharing the same dude.  There’s an easy vibe with these three women…I wonder how they’ll do with a fourth giggle buddy?  Time will tell!

On the couch, where Kody has his arms around both Christine and Meri while Janelle manspreads solo, Christine whispers that getting to know Robyn has been super exciting, and tells us that Meri has always been open to bring on another wife while Christine herself has been a bit hesitant.  Meri explains how Robyn came to be: Meri and Kody were at a dance and Robyn was there, the cousin of one of Meri’s friends.  Meri and Robyn “clicked,” and Meri told Kody to ask Robyn to dance.  Now, being new to this show, I was given to understand that any type of physical contact between a man and the woman that he is potentially courting is strictly forbidden, especially when one of the other wives is hovering in the shadows watching…but I could be wrong.  I mean, Meri rilly likes Robyn so maybe she’s cool with it! 

Robyn tells us that she has three kids: Day’un is 9, Aurora is 7, and Brianna is 5.  Her only concern is creating a safe home for them – the Four Musketeers, as she calls them.  Aw, how cute.  What a good mommy.

Back in Lehi, Savannah and Garrison are helping Daddy pack a suitcase for his booty call trip to Robyn’s.  Before he embarks on the five-hour excursion, he goes around the compound kissing each wife.  Meri and Christine are visibly upset that he is leaving, but both are trying very hard to put on a brave face.  Janelle appears just fine – maybe even a bit happy to see him go, LOL – I mean, you know, sometimes the hubby goes out for a round of golf with the guys, or out to the bar to watch the game or perhaps to another woman’s home halfway across the state and you’re like – whew!  Now I get the remote control and the Doritos all to myself for a few hours!  Maybe that’s Janelle’s thinking.  I get it, sister!  On the couch, Christine is weepy as she tells us that it felt like Kody was replacing his current family with Robyn and her kids, but that it had to happen.  Janelle, however, offers a counterpoint and tells us that Kody always makes sure that each wife’s needs are met.  You go, Kodester!  However, the look on Christine’s face tells a different story.  Interesting.

Kody is taking Maddie and Aspyn with him on his date with his new girlfriend so they can babysit Robyn’s kids while Kody gets some private snuggle time with Robyn.  That seems – weird.  Awkward.  Disturbing, even?  Anywho, Kody plyg-‘splains to us that his wives are comfortable with their lifestyle but not with Kody having a girlfriend.  I rattle that sentence around in my brain for a bit – I mean - ??  How can they be okay with a wife but not a girlfriend?  How would Robyn get to be a wife if she’s not a girlfriend, at least temporarily?  Are the wives okay with this or aren’t they?  This lifestyle is so fascinating!

We see Robyn trying to wrangle her three kids into her van for a trip to the park.  The kids - clearly performing for the camera - enter the van, then exit the van, then try to shove their bikes in the van, then cry when Robyn says NO BIKES, then the littlest one runs away and down the street.  Kids - they are a handful!  Robyn says that it will be so awesome to have three other wives to help her watch this little band of maniacs.  Sounds good to me!

Next we see Christine directing Meri and a passel of plyglets to rearrange some very large pieces of furniture in a very small bedroom.  Turns out, Christine has no place to put her impending baby, so the baby will be sleeping with Christine in her room.  As Meri and Mariah drag a huge dresser around the room, Christine and Meri joke around like besties.  Meri says that the wives have all worked through their issues and know each other’s quirks by now.  That’s good to know – I’m sure it will make the transition from three wives to four so much easier!

We get a solo interview with Robyn (it looks like she’s still on the park trip, so maybe while she’s being interviewed, the boom operator is watching her kids - I hope so).  Robyn says that she doesn’t want to hurt anyone by joining the family.  Cut to Kody, who says there’s no way around the other wives getting hurt.  I mean – don’t bring in a fourth wife?  That’s one way to not hurt your other wives, Kode-meister!  On the couch, Christine says that Robyn is rilly pretty, like a “trophy wife.”  She also drops the info that she was completely out of the loop on this Robyn chick.  She says that although Kody and Meri received testimony that Robyn should join the family, Christine hadn’t even met her by the time Kody got the balls a’ rollin’, so to speak.  Christine says that with Kody gone so much, she’s lost her best friend.  Now it’s Kody’s turn to get weepy – he tells us about a heart-to-heart he’d had with Christine regarding Robyn…Christine tells us that Kody’s heart was breaking with love-sickness and the only cure was for Kody to marry Robyn!  This is a confusing portion of the show, because basically every adult on the couch is getting the vapors except Janelle, and I’m not even sure she’s awake.  So if bringing Robyn into the family is such a fantastic idea, why is everyone crying?  Color me confused!

Robyn interviews that this lifestyle “rubs off all of your rough spots.”  Like a loofah?  She goes on to say that she is so thankful that Meri, Christine and Janelle rubbed Kody into the man he is today, so that Robyn can reap the rewards of a fully-exfoliated Kody for her very own!  We segue into Kody and Robyn’s restaurant date, where they appear to be eating burritos and drinking hot chocolate and gazing into each other’s eyes and giggling.  I think it’s supposed to be cute but I can’t stop thinking of Maddie and Aspyn back at Robyn’s house, trying to keep Brianna from escaping out the window to play in traffic while Daddy gets his groove on.  Kody gives Robyn a ring made out of string and she gushes over it like it’s the prettiest thing she’s ever seen.  That Robyn – she must be easily pleased with the simple things in life.  How refreshing!

Back on the couch to close the episode, Janelle wakes up to tell us that she, her sister wives and Kody have a “fabulous relationship, and Robyn will make it even cooler!”  Wow, that Janelle!  She’s like a ray of sunshine in this family of sobbers – thank goodness!

NEXT WEEK ON SISTER WIVES: Robyn cries too!  My goodness - what is it about living this lifestyle that makes each of them cry?  We shall see!

 

This is 👍 great.  Please keep it up!!!!!

[Pooky]

On Foxtel here in Australia they repeat them all over and over so I have seen every episode and every season at least 10 times lol. I liked the earlier seasons so much more they seemed more real. Its amazing to me how they have changed in appearance and the clothes they wore. They always looked so dowdy with those long tops then the strapped t shirt things over top.. that was hideous. Imo Robyn was conniving since day one too and she used to talk so much in the couch scenes... still does. Man she loves the sound of her own voice!! 

[laurakaye]

I wasn't going to, but I did it again.

Spoiler

 

Season 1, Episode 6 – A Fourth Wife To Be (alternate title: The Dark Wife Emerges)

For those of us who’ve watched this circus from the very beginning, this episode stands out as singularly iconic.  Many scenes from this short 22-minute glimpse into the Brown fam’ly have been burned into our collective memories to the point that we couldn’t erase them if we tried.  So I decided to recap this one and let you decide which scene wins the title of Most Iconic.  This episode is when the sweet, giggling, raven-haired Robyn began her slow descent into the manipulative, cold-blooded first wife she would soon become.  It’s chilling.  Like, for real, y’all.  Chilling.

Let’s break it down……………

Scene One – The Cold Sore Makes Its First Appearance/The Dark Wife Peeks Out to See What’s Up

The scene opens to one Brown wife, one fiancée, and two sidepieces all sittin’ on the couch.  Robyn is filmed in profile, and on her lower lip is what I can only describe as possibly the world’s biggest cold sore.  It is red.  It is inflamed.  It takes over the lower corner of her mouth.  It is basically front and center.  It should have its own seat on the couch and it should collect a paycheck from TLC.  The focus of conversation here is that Robyn, as a fiancée, believes that she should be included in Kody’s rotation, and that she certainly expects him to visit her every fourth night for cookie inspection.  This draws some interesting responses from the Big Three.  Christine (three weeks post-partum, mind you) is all, “That would be a big ol’ NOPE.”   Christine’s belief is that once Robyn becomes a wife, then of course she can get in on the lil’ Kody action.  Meri agrees with Christine, and starts to say “there are certain things….”  To which Robyn, very clearly ticked off, replies “Like WHAT?”  I believe that this may be the exact moment we see Meri’s brain form thoughts along the lines of, “what have I done?  What is happening?  Why is this skinny beyotch questioning ME?  Does she not know who I am?!”  Meri and Christine are quite taken aback, and even Janelle shifts on the couch to indicate that she’s up from her nap and wants in on this convo.  Robyn - new to this fam’ly and therefore presumptive low wifey on the totem pole – already clearly knows exactly where she stands, and argues that she uprooted her entire life to join this fam’ly.  Her kids need time to get to know Real Daddy Kody, and her plans do not include backing down to anyone, least of all the orange-tinted temporary legal wife seated to her left.  Bold move for the newbie, but I think this underscores that her fledgling plans to rise to power were already firmly cemented in place before she even had a Claddagh ring on it.  We are witnessing the birth of her regime, and it’s unsettling.

Scene Two – Robyn and the Wives Go Shopping

We see Robyn and Her Minions stop at a florist to choose wedding flowers.  In a brief but fantastic moment, the store clerk asks Robyn who is with her today…”sisters?  MOMS?”  I cannot believe that not one wife caught that and decked the clerk over the head with a bouquet of daffodils.  As Robyn tries to lead the other three into choosing individual bouquets, Christine says that she’ll be choosing a corsage, as it would be somewhat impossible to carry a bouquet as well as a tiny infant.  Meri further rains on Robyn’s parade by saying that she would like to wear some kind of bizarre over-the-shoulder floral arrangement that I have never seen in real life, ever.  Janelle as usual doesn’t care and wants to get out of there and hit the next stop, cake testing.

Scene Three – Kody’s Dance at the Cake Store

Kody meets up with his wimminz to try some cake samples.  Dressed in khakis, a lavender dress shirt and tie, he clearly looks like he just came from “work.”  As the bakery owner brings out plates of chocolate, strawberry, and almond cake, Kody and the wives happily tuck in.  Poor Meri unfortunately didn’t inhale her sample of Death By Chocolate fast enough, and Kody – after attempting to take some of Christine’s cake, which she promptly shoots down with “don’t even think about it, Curly” – eats Meri’s cake right off her plate.  Since these brainiacs cannot ever do anything the easy way, they call on the baker to take a tally of their votes while the wives all close their eyes so they can’t see which cake the other is voting for.  While the wives have their eyes closed, Kody realizes that, for a hot second, he is not the center of attention so he stands up and does his patented “Caveman Fist-Clench Hair-Whip Booty Shimmy” dance, for the benefit of – who?  His wives have their eyes closed.  My guess is that this is his primal mating dance and he’s maybe trying to woo the baker?  I could be wrong.  We will see this dance in approximately 1,467 flashbacks over the next 74 seasons of Sister Wives, so if you can’t immediately bring it to mind, don’t fret.  You’ll see it again soon enough.

Scene Four – The Dark Wife’s Wedding Dress Conspiracy

Kody’s Harum go wedding dress shopping.  In yet another iconic moment, we see Meri’s initial infatuation with ugly green dresses that don’t fit and look ridiculous – this time, it’s a shiny lime-green frock with fluffy skirt layers.  Keep in mind, if you will, that Robyn’s color scheme is brown (get it?  BROWN), so if lime green goes with brown, then I totally get why Meri now shills LuLaRoe.  The wives all end up trying on hideous brown dresses in varying shades of poo, tan, and skidmark.  At one point Janelle takes refuge on a couch and holds a large pillow in front of her, telling Robyn that she doesn’t like any of these stupid dresses because she just wants to be “comfortable.”  Robyn pretends to care, and then sashays off to flounce around and strut her skinny stuff in several form-fitting wedding dresses…which, as we shall see in the following scene, is actually one of the more cold-hearted things she’s done in her tenure as HBIC.  And this chick is just getting started.

Scene Five – In Which the Court Jester Reveals the Dark Wife’s Secret

Here is where things get difficult to watch, and I say this sincerely. Even if you don’t like any of these women, what Robyn and Kody did to them was calculated and cold-blooded.  It turns out that everything that went down in Scene Four was just for show, because the Future Legal Wife already had a wedding dress – chosen by Kody.  Which he most certainly did NOT do with his previous three wives.  So while the Big Three thought that they were bonding with Robyn – turns out they were being played and played hard.  When Kody gleefully drops this bomb on his current unsuspecting wives, he is wearing the giddy grin of a naughty school-boy about to get in trouble for pulling the pigtails of the girl seated in front of him.  So when Christine stands up, pulls off her mic and exits stage left, Kody is quite befuddled.  Meri and Janelle remain behind, but the looks on their faces are full of pain and confusion at being duped.  Robyn, meanwhile, sits in stony silence until she tells the others that she didn’t think it was that big a dill, and that she simultaneously wanted to have a bonding shopping trip with her future sister wives and STILL sneak out behind their backs and let Kody choose her dress.  It’s at this point that a straight-up chill runs down my spine, because here we see the Dark Wife’s very first brilliant and stealthy work of manipulation come to fruition at the expense of the women she’s supposed to care about.  Evil, thy name is Sobbyn’ Robyn.

And speaking of Sobbyn, the five adults re-congregate on the couch, and if the Surviving Sister Wives podcast has it correct this reunion happened three days later – that’s how long it took for Christine to come back.  True to form, Robyn adeptly turns her “dry-cry” dial up to “11” and fake-sobs her false apology whilst never actually speaking the words “I’m sorry.”  It’s fantastic acting on her part because, since it’s early days, the other wives don’t yet know that Robyn can and will cry at the drop of a cookie, and will use this very tactic to manipulate Meri right out of that meaningless marriage certificate in the not too distant future.

See what I mean?  You’ve got Cold Sore Intro, Meri and the Green Dress, and The First Manipulation, topped off with Kody’s Stupid Dance of Spazz.  All in 22 minutes!  I wasn’t rilly filling like doing any more recaps but this one is just too chock-full of WTF to let pass by.  Thanks for indulging me, and fill free to vote on Most Iconic Moment of S1, Ep. 6!

 

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by laurakaye

[Kohola3]

Brilliant, @Laurakaye!  You couldn't pay me enough gold bullion to go back and watch any of this so loving the recaps.

[Kyanight]

20 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

Robyn is filmed in profile, and on her lower lip is what I can only describe as possibly the world’s biggest cold sore.  It is red.  It is inflamed.  It takes over the lower corner of her mouth.  It is basically front and center.  It should have its own seat on the couch and it should collect a paycheck from TLC.

::::::Dying laughing::::::

[Kyanight]

26 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

Kody’s Harum go wedding dress shopping.  In yet another iconic moment, we see Meri’s initial infatuation with ugly green dresses that don’t fit and look ridiculous – this time, it’s a shiny lime-green frock with fluffy skirt layers.  Keep in mind, if you will, that Robyn’s color scheme is brown (get it?  BROWN), so if lime green goes with brown, then I totally get why Meri now shills LuLaRoe.  The wives all end up trying on hideous brown dresses in varying shades of poo, tan, and skidmark

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

Such a GREAT recap!!

And then.... even through the humor it was really sad.  CLEARLY Robyn was the downfall of this "family".  This folks, is the death of a polygamist family.  Kody and Robyn are absolutely 100% monogamist no matter how you want to slice it - and the other three are exes and has-beens.  Baby mamas.  I would be willing to bet a chunk of money (if I had it) that Kody hasn't had sex with Janelle and Christine in YEARS.  And of course he hasn't been with Meri since before "Sam", which is why she fell in love with her computer.

Edited June 10, 2020 by Kyanight

[xwordfanatik]

❤️ X 1,000.  Love that recap!

I can't decide which scene is Most Iconic.  Robyn played that family perfectly from "day one."  

Cunning and calculating don't begin to describe it.  Pure Dark Wife.  She probably had voodoo dolls of Meri, Janelle, and Christine and cast evil spells on them.  Scary stuff!

[LilWharveyGal]

3 hours ago, laurakaye said:

 

  Hide contents

poo, tan, and skidmark. 

 

I'm dead. These should be the original 3's nicknames.

[Teafortwo]

3 hours ago, laurakaye said:

Robyn - new to this fam’ly and therefore presumptive low wifey on the totem pole – already clearly knows exactly where she stands, and argues that she uprooted her entire life to join this fam’ly.  Her kids need time to get to know Real Daddy Kody, and her plans do not include backing down to anyone, least of all the orange-tinted temporary legal wife seated to her left.  Bold move for the newbie, but I think this underscores that her fledgling plans to rise to power were already firmly cemented in place before she even had a Claddagh ring on it. 

Loved the whole thing! In fact I clicked on the heart icon before even reading it. You outdid yourself with this recap, @laurakaye  I watched the first season again back in October but this makes me want to go back and look at the couch scenes again. To see the sad expressions of the OG 3.

16 minutes ago, LilWharveyGal said:

I'm dead. These should be the original 3's nicknames.

hahahahaha which is which? I vote Meri as Poo, Christine as tan (the least offensive) and Janelle (the lazy) as Skid.

[toodles]

And who can forget this beauty?  The long reach of the Dark Wife grows and grows.  Apparently, Robyn erased Meri's knowledge of support garments too.  

Edited June 11, 2020 by toodles

[suomi]

Ohhh man, that photo never gets old! LOL

[Kyanight]

7 hours ago, suomi said:

Ohhh man, that photo never gets old! LOL

Meri had ONE kid!  How did she end up with that paunch?

[toodles]

39 minutes ago, Kyanight said:

Meri had ONE kid!  How did she end up with that paunch?

I think that dress is about 3 sizes too small.  I tried to find the one with the sun behind her and you can see right through it but no luck.

[Sandy W]

10 minutes ago, toodles said:

I think that dress is about 3 sizes too small.  I tried to find the one with the sun behind her and you can see right through it but no luck.

She came out of the dress shop change room looking SO pleased with herself.  The modesty panel and little shrug/bolero were additions to the original dress.  She thought she had tied it all together by adding the satin ribbon belt.  Too bad she didn't think to invest in a slip and a pair of Spanx while she was at it.

[Kyanight]

They are all dressed hideously!  It's like a costume party where they are all supposed to find the ugliest outfit they can.   Robyn is dressed the best, and she looks like she's attending a funeral!

[Elizzikra]

22 minutes ago, Sandy W said:

She came out of the dress shop change room looking SO pleased with herself.  The modesty panel and little shrug/bolero were additions to the original dress.  She thought she had tied it all together by adding the satin ribbon belt.  Too bad she didn't think to invest in a slip and a pair of Spanx while she was at it.

If Meri stood up straight with her shoulders back, it would help.

[Roslyn]

3 hours ago, toodles said:

I think that dress is about 3 sizes too small.  I tried to find the one with the sun behind her and you can see right through it but no luck.

[Pickleinthemiddle]

3 hours ago, Kyanight said:

They are all dressed hideously!  It's like a costume party where they are all supposed to find the ugliest outfit they can.   Robyn is dressed the best, and she looks like she's attending a funeral!

Agree.  Christines looked okay, but was not the right dress for the party, Janelle's was just a hot mess, but I think she really was the only one who wanted to give the person who made it a chance.  Robyn's while the nicest one, makes me think the show was "My Amish Wife".  Meri's was really bad.  As my grandmother who was a seamstress used to say.  You need proper undergarments for you dress or clothing to look right.  She was a person who thought even slim women should have on a girdle and slip.  Because it made the outfit look better.

[laurakaye]

16 hours ago, toodles said:

And who can forget this beauty?  The long reach of the Dark Wife grows and grows.  Apparently, Robyn erased Meri's knowledge of support garments too.  

Christine looks like a background extra in a made-for TV-movie about medieval England.  Janelle looks like she's wearing the drapes.  Robyn looks like a righteous schoolmarm but the fact that ANY of these women let Meri hand over her credit card for that green monstrosity proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that these women are all subversive, passive-aggressive, and stealth beyond what most of us can imagine.

[toodles]

32 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

Christine looks like a background extra in a made-for TV-movie about medieval England.  Janelle looks like she's wearing the drapes.  Robyn looks like a righteous schoolmarm but the fact that ANY of these women let Meri hand over her credit card for that green monstrosity proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that these women are all subversive, passive-aggressive, and stealth beyond what most of us can imagine.

I just watched this a few days ago and I would pay real money to see the Meri Upholstered fabric dress.  So edgy.

Meri went shopping with her "BFF" Andrea.  I suspect it was on clearance and she couldn't return it.  But Meri must have done something to piss off the others because they gushed over it.  I'm sure they laughed their asses off when they finished filming for the day.

[xwordfanatik]

I rewatched the episode recently.  I noticed Queen Schoolmarm elbowing Kootie when her precious spawn Aurora had the microphone (like he just HAD to pay attention.)  He only held King Sol.  Even in the picture with just Christine and her six, he didn't hold Truely.  That fake shit-eating grin Kootie put on in the picture with the whole fambly was gag-worthy.  What a putz.

Mr. Blackwell (I think that was his name, the fashion critic) would have had a field day with those dresses.  

[suomi]

11 hours ago, Roslyn said:

OMG OMG it's like she's standing there naked. Naked! Myy eyes!

[Kyanight]

9 hours ago, suomi said:

OMG OMG it's like she's standing there naked. Naked! Myy eyes!

Ha ha!!!  I wonder if she was embarrassed when she saw pictures?  I would be mortified!

[AZChristian]

19 hours ago, laurakaye said:

. . . the fact that ANY of these women let Meri hand over her credit card for that green monstrosity proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that these women are all subversive, passive-aggressive, and stealth beyond what most of us can imagine.

Like any of them could have talked Meri out of doing ANYTHING she wanted to do.  Which is NOT to see they're not subversive, passive-aggressive aggressive, and stealth.  She taught them to be that way.

[Roslyn]

2 hours ago, Kyanight said:

Ha ha!!!  I wonder if she was embarrassed when she saw pictures?  I would be mortified!

After a generic google search (because I knew I had seen that photo before) I didn't find it.  So I did a search with TLC and this photo is one of their "slideshow of photos" of the event on the TLC website.  I always thought it was a screen cap or something but nope...an official TLC still.

[Kyanight]

2 minutes ago, Roslyn said:

After a generic google search (because I knew I had seen that photo before) I didn't find it.  So I did a search with TLC and this photo is one of their "slideshow of photos" of the event on the TLC website.  I always thought it was a screen cap or something but nope...an official TLC still.

So you have to wonder.....   did TLC just not notice... or did they keep this "still" on purpose?  lol

[Teafortwo]

On 6/12/2020 at 12:54 PM, Kyanight said:

So you have to wonder.....   did TLC just not notice... or did they keep this "still" on purpose?  lol

I would guess TLC is sick and tired of working with these fools, but at the same time, the show still seems to get decent ratings so they are stuck with it. The production company has to be grateful to Meri for the catfish. If not for the catfish, as others have pointed out, this show would have been cancelled long since

[laurakaye]

In search of something mindless to watch before work in the mornings while I am having my coffee and trying to level up on Candy Crush, I have decided that I will just let old seasons of SW play in the background.

Just watched The Wedding of the Century episode.  The best part - Robyn is trying to get ready for her wedding day at home...ironing, sorting, packing, getting her three children dressed in their wedding attire, combing their hair, cleaning them up, etc. while all three slap and kick each other and cry (I laughed out loud, not sorry).  Meanwhile, the Big Three are relaxing at the salon with all the potential babysitters their girls, getting their hair and nails done, chilling and chatting.  In a scene I found so funny I had to look up from my iPad to watch because I didn't remember it from the first time around - the wedding invites had somehow been printed with the wrong address (most likely Kody's fault) so Kody was enlisted to get in his car with a big glass jar full of slips of paper with the correct address on it and deliver it to the WRONG address so guests knew where to go.  On this jar was a cheesy picture of Kody and Robyn, and it was topped with a ridiculously huge bouquet of balloons from Party City.  Naturally, Kody gets lost and this simple task takes him five times as long as necessary to accomplish - and THEN, he just drops off the jar in a neighborhood in front of some random person's house.  I hoped we'd see the occupants of the house come out after Kody had sped away, release all the balloons, throw away the papers and use the jars for cookies, while confused wedding guests drove around aimlessly for hours looking for this party.

To summarize - the bride, on the morn of her wedding, is playing referee to her three slap-happy kids while every single solitary member of this family that SHOULD be helping her out is nowhere to be found - and when asked, the Big Three are all like - if she'd needed us, why didn't she just ask?  Hahahahahahaha!!!

This show is like an onion - peel away one layer of subtle passive-agressiveness and you find layers of evil subversiveness, mind-numbing jealousy and barely-suppressed rage, with Kody right in the center, spinning around in circles going "Durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

EDIT: the other best part is Robyn telling us that her sister wives got her a "colada" ring. 🙄

Edited June 15, 2020 by laurakaye

[xwordfanatik]

@laurakaye, I anxiously await your recap of the Honeymoon episode.  Even Janelle was pissed!

Robyn, she of two shirts but tight jeans to flaunt her (then!) little butt.  Now I'm wondering, did her infamous cold sore appear in Season One?  Heehee.  

[Sandy W]

24 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

@laurakaye, I anxiously await your recap of the Honeymoon episode.  Even Janelle was pissed!

Robyn, she of two shirts but tight jeans to flaunt her (then!) little butt.  Now I'm wondering, did her infamous cold sore appear in Season One?  Heehee.  

The cold sore may have been part of the dowry Robyn brought to the family.  She got the "colada" ring, they got the Herp.

[galaxychaser]

On 6/10/2020 at 10:49 PM, toodles said:

And who can forget this beauty?  The long reach of the Dark Wife grows and grows.  Apparently, Robyn erased Meri's knowledge of support garments too.  

They look like they work at a local renaissance fair. Horrible horrible clothes.

[DakotaJustice]

10 minutes ago, galaxychaser said:

They look like they work at a local renaissance fair. Horrible horrible clothes.

Meri looks like she works at Goodwill. 

[laurakaye]

1 hour ago, xwordfanatik said:

@laurakaye, I anxiously await your recap of the Honeymoon episode.  Even Janelle was pissed!

Robyn, she of two shirts but tight jeans to flaunt her (then!) little butt.  Now I'm wondering, did her infamous cold sore appear in Season One?  Heehee.  

It sure did.  And knowing what I know now, I shall be reporting on which wife is sporting it in any given episode, because I know for a fact that on this show, the Herp should be multiplied, not divided.

I've heard plyg wives discuss how a pregnancy is the physical manifestation of intimacy between the husband and his various women.  I'd argue that a cold sore is the flipside of sharing a dude - after all, one wife can't "catch" pregnancy, but she can certainly catch the Herp!

Edited June 15, 2020 by laurakaye

[deirdra]

Has Meri ever had a cold sore?

[laurakaye]

Not sure - I know Janelle has, and I think Christine too.  

Hmmm....interesting.

[Sandy W]

Mariah has been frequently seen sporting a cold sore but I doubt that would be from kissing on the mouth any members of the family.  Possibly paying $5. for a latte in one of the bistros she frequents is no guarantee that the dishes have been washed hygienically.

[Pickleinthemiddle]

4 hours ago, laurakaye said:

Three are all like - if she'd needed us, why didn't she just ask? 

You know darn good and well that her parents were probably there taking care of the kids, that scene was just for the cameras.