S16.E08: Two Cliques

[Sasha888]

6 minutes ago, LilyD said:

I'm trying to understand what Crazy Kodouche is gaining from this situation

- A TV Show (he's not at all interesting as your basic monogamist douche wad)

- The smug satisfaction of watching Meri debase herself over him after listening to the phone messages of her telling Catfish Sam that he was better than Kody on "all f*cking levels"

- The ego boost of being chased

- Revenge

There's probably a lot of stuff a creep like Kody gets from letting pathetic Meri fawn all over him. 

[Jeanne222]

I think Kody was undermined when Meri was all hot and heavy for Sam.   Had Sam been real I think she would have left  

That was the straw that broke the camels back!

Edited January 12, 2022 by Jeanne222

[GeorgiaRai]

1 hour ago, LilyD said:

... Kody and Meri snuggling up together under a blanket on the sofa every evening! 

Even more reason to leave the dishes in the sink and get out of dodge until morning! 

[Cetacean]

2 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

They make and change the rules as needed. 

I never see any bible reading or praying or dressing up to attend church. 

They would be what I call all talk and no show!

There hasn't been religion involved in any of this since the first season.  They worship at the altar of the Almighty Dollar and TLC and make up rules to fit any situation. 

But make no mistake, there is nothing in this toxic stew that resembles any kind of faith-based decision making.  Kootie "talks to god" to get directions but the voice sounds suspiciously like Brian Beno's, the programming director for TLC.

[LuvMyShows]

 

On 1/10/2022 at 8:43 AM, winsomeone said:

The one thing Meri always contributed to Thanksgiving dinners, the turkey, Robyn just decided she wants to try her hand at making it this year? Punishment much? 

It took me a long time to come around to what you wise Forum-ites were saying about Robyn.  She does not act outwardly like a typical bee-yotch.  But this turkey thing is a classic stealth bee-yotch move.  It's the kind of thing where if you just looked at it on its own, you'd say "Well Robyn just wanted to try making the turkey this year.  What's wrong with that?"  But put in context of power struggles and all the other stealth sh*t that Robyn has pulled over the years, it's sooo evident.  I actually thought Meri's rice krispy turkey was brilliant.  It was a zing at Robyn, was really cute and clever, stole the spotlight temporarily, and was a bit of a backbone display from Meri.

On 1/10/2022 at 8:03 PM, lamadeleine said:

Honestly...Robyn sits there and exclaims how happy she is that she and Meri "can finally hang out", and how she wanted to hang out months before but she was sooooo afraid the other wives would be mad about it (cuz she's the victim and scapegoat of the fambly, dontcha know) and how Kody wouldn't step in and fix it so, oh well, it just didn't happen....UGH. I mean, Meri's got her issues but that was rough. Robyn- it's called a phone, and you pick it up and you call Meri- who is supposedly your BFF and someone you're dying to hang out with- and you at least explain the situation to her. Oh right...what am I thinking? You didn't do that because you actually didn't care about seeing Meri until NannyGate and the Super Secret Squirrel Covid Rules were brought to light. You could tell that Meri still didn't quite buy what Robyn was selling, but she clearly loves those kids and swallowing her pride is the price of admission to get to see them.

Although I hated that Robyn got away with it for all those months, I did enjoy her protracted discomfort and tap dancing about it when she was finally called out.  It certainly put her dissembling and deception skills to the test.  What was most bizarro was that she said if she had met with Meri during that time, without the others being briefed about it, there would be "mutiny".  And then Christine says she thought that's what was happening all along! 

IF Robyn had genuinely cared about Meri, Meri being alone, and her children's needs for socialization, and IF she really had asked Kody to let the other two wives know but he refused, then all she had to do was tell him "If you don't let them know by the end of the week, then I will."  But of course, crickets.

I would also truly love it if Meri would ask Kody, with no build-up, "During all these past months, why did you refuse to contact Janelle and Christine to clear the way for me to come visit with the kids?"  And then, because his anger at being falsely accused, would override his remembering that he has a stealth b*tch wife who has been scheming, he would react with something like, "That never happened!", and then Robyn would be busted, and then Meri could confront her and enjoy the hell out of watching Robyn flail around and flap her gums and "cry" and remove eye boogers, in a vain attempt to lie her way out of being caught. 

[Mother of Odin]

8 hours ago, TurtlePower said:

Same. It’s better to get it done and wake up to a clean, tidy kitchen than have to worry about a mess first thing in the morning. I hate messes and clean up even as I’m cooking, with most of the cookware cleaned and put away before sitting down to eat (it could also be OCD, I cannot relax knowing there’s a mess to be dealt with). 

That does explain a lot about Janelle—sort of a lazy, procrastinating nature. 

Meri is kind of anal and controlling

4 hours ago, GeorgiaRai said:

I worked full time, had 4 kids at home, and a husband who usually worked opposite hours than me.  It was all I could do to get the kids fed, homework done, laundry for the next day, baths & bedtime in the evenings.  I didn't want to spend my kid-centered time OR my few minutes of quiet/tv time doing dishes at night.  Much easier to clean up, load the dishwaher, and leave anything else soaking until the morning, when I'd get it done quickly before anyone else was up.  

I'm not sure what timeframe Meri's statement was referring to, but if it was after Janelle had some kids and was working... I'd have been right there with her in the "lazy, sloth-like, procrastinators" club.  

It's not a big deal. If Meri wanted it done, she should have done it herself

[LuvMyShows]

 

On 1/10/2022 at 12:21 AM, Ms.Lulu said:

Two very different perspectives: Meri says she has been begging Robyn and Kody for months to see the kids.  Robyn says she and Meri have been counting down the days.

But I don't think they were talking about the same thing -- Meri was talking about the many months before she was granted the coveted access to see the kids, and Robyn was talking about the time after she so benevolently granted Meri the access.

On 1/10/2022 at 12:21 AM, Ms.Lulu said:

I was glad that Meri called Robyn out on how she was trying to portray the separation.

Loved it!  Robyn was not expecting any pushback from Meri, and I want to see more!

On 1/11/2022 at 3:40 PM, UsernameFatigue said:

As far as I can see, polygamy at least in Kody's world is for emotionally vacant, manipulative, and controlling men. 

I'm guessing some of you watched My Five Wives with Brady Williams.  I always got a respectful loving vibe from him, and got curious as to how they were doing.  Very very interesting article at https://starcasm.net/what-happened-to-brady-williams-and-his-family-from-my-five-wives/ .  Also notable is his assertion that 90-95% of polygamist men do not marry for love (paging Kody Brown).

[Teafortwo]

12 hours ago, Absolom said:

obyn's older daughters acting way out of ordinary and making a huge fuss to the extent of pushing the son's full siblings out of the way when one of the older sons came home from somewhere.  Who it was is lost to memory.  They'd been taught or encouraged to over emote by that point.

Aurora leaped on Logan screaming when he came back from a summer at Winn's ranch. He was still in h.s. at that point.

[crimson23]

Something is off with Robyn's kids.  The idea they put down Gabe for having a gf and socializing. That all can be done safely if care is taken, sanitizing, etc.  The idea that Robyn's teenage girls are okay with sitting at home, no friends, no social life is bizarre.  They are never marrying those 2 off. 

[Rabbit Hutch]

What's wrong with Robyn's kids is their mother.  They've ostensibly developed that uber-sensitivity of those who have either one or both parents as narcissists.  Kids will tiptoe around them and be ready to "feel"  however the narcissist feels at any given moment.  They will listen closely and parrot back whatever the parent says.  It's also easier when the kids are as sheltered as these seem to be.

When it comes to this, Aurora is a lost cause at this point.  Brianna is on the fence, and the 2 youngest may still have a shot, we'll see.  Robyn has a lot to answer for, both to the wives and her kids.

That display with the kids and Meri was shameful.  What kind of kid hugs and cries like that when seeing a cherished old auntie or uncle?  In my experience, if a kid sees me who hasn't seen me in a while then they RUN up to me with unrestrained JOY and HUGE grins and BIG, warm hugs like only kids can give. 😍  No crying and picking eye boogers, that's for sure!

Of course, as a trucker, there's no telling what I've got for them in my tote, so maybe that's the reason!  But Robyn's kids do act odd, and it's not on them. For these reasons i feel bad for them, and it's gonna take years of work until they themselves to undo that damage.

[TurtlePower]

14 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

I think Kody was undermined when Meri was all hot and heavy for Sam.   Had Sam been real I think she would have left  

That was the straw that broke the camels back!

She would have, she was 100% smitten—I listened to the voicemails Meri left “Sam”. They’re still out there, too, for the listening: http://www.notbatmanyet.com/voicemails/

We know that Meri and Kody were having issues long before this character showed up, but this ultimately told Kody that Meri was DONE. I think what’s more humiliating for both of them is that ”Sam” wasn’t real and Meri was even warned about that possibility. And of course we all know what happened next, Meri shifted blame all onto the catfish. 

And now, Meri is trying to slither her way back Into favor the only way she knows how—by playing games. I’m convinced it’s Kody she wants back—he was her first true love and she buggered it up. And even though Kody said he’s done romantically with her, here we are, watching her swoon over his breadcrumbs and trying to alliance with Robyn. Highly entertaining. 

[Jeanne222]

29 minutes ago, TurtlePower said:

She would have, she was 100% smitten—I listened to the voicemails Meri left “Sam”. They’re still out there, too, for the listening: http://www.notbatmanyet.com/voicemails/

We know that Meri and Kody were having issues long before this character showed up, but this ultimately told Kody that Meri was DONE. I think what’s more humiliating for both of them is that ”Sam” wasn’t real and Meri was even warned about that possibility. And of course we all know what happened next, Meri shifted blame all onto the catfish. 

And now, Meri is trying to slither her way back Into favor the only way she knows how—by playing games. I’m convinced it’s Kody she wants back—he was her first true love and she buggered it up. And even though Kody said he’s done romantically with her, here we are, watching her swoon over his breadcrumbs and trying to alliance with Robyn. Highly entertaining. 

I had never heard those voicemails!  Wow.

Comes to mind.  There's no fool like an old fool!

[suev3333]

12 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

had never heard those voicemails!  Wow.

Comes to mind.  There's no fool like an old fool!

Wow...she sounds like a needy and desperate school girl.   Very unflattering, "baby this ...baby that...  Baby baby baby x 1000 ... good lord

[Jeanne222]

1 hour ago, suev3333 said:

Wow...she sounds like a needy and desperate school girl.   Very unflattering, "baby this ...baby that...  Baby baby baby x 1000 ... good lord

First I read it then I listened because I thought ‘no that’s not Meri’. 

But darn it was her. She sounds ridiculous!

[MsMalin]

Quote

, and I love how Douche Nozzle is always quick to diss monogamy, as if being plyg is some grand martyr's cross he bears for the world. You know what's more difficult than this charade of four 'wives' and your child army Douchey? Truly committing to one person for life, and making that shit work through good times and bad, through sickness and health, til death do you motherfucking part. THAT'S what's hard. Not your sad little parade of lameness. Fucking asshole.

I have been married for 41 years and you are right. Its not as easy as that Dick thinks. I can't escape to 3 other husbands and stay away for a week when we have a disagreement.

[HelloOutThere]

22 hours ago, suev3333 said:

Wow...she sounds like a needy and desperate school girl.   Very unflattering, "baby this ...baby that...  Baby baby baby x 1000 ... good lord

I admit I just read through all of the voicemails and listened to some. I’d heard about the catfish and knew there was a banana 🍌 pic and voicemails, but WOW I had no idea it was hundreds and how compulsively needy she comes across. Because she was that compulsively needy. And continues to be. And she was born needy. 
 

I wonder how many family members have listened to / read these. DEFINITELY 100000% Robyn has. I’m sure the other wives have too but that seems like way too much work for Janelle. My guess is all of the kids including maybe even Sol 

(jk about Sol) 

Robyn probably reads them to the girls as bedtime stories. 

Edited January 15, 2022 by HelloOutThere
Look at the mountain!

[Sandy W]

11 minutes ago, HelloOutThere said:

I admit I just read through all of the voicemails and listened to some. I’d heard about the catfish and knew there was a banana 🍌 pic and voicemails, but WOW I had no idea it was hundreds and how compulsively needy she comes across. Because she was that compulsively needy. And continues to be. And she was born needy. 
 

I wonder how many family members have listened to / read these. DEFINITELY 100000% Robyn has. I’m sure the other wives have too but that seems like way too much work for Janelle. My guess is all of the kids including maybe even Sol 

(jk about Sol) 

Robyn probably reads them to the girls as bedtime stories. 

Did you notice in the voicemails how thick her voice was?  I don't know if she was medicated with alcohol, prescription medications or if she just thought that was sultry and sensual. 

She thought she was talking to a world travelled multi-millionaire, did she really think that whiny, needy, attitude would impress him?

[HelloOutThere]

1 hour ago, Sandy W said:

Did you notice in the voicemails how thick her voice was?  I don't know if she was medicated with alcohol, prescription medications or if she just thought that was sultry and sensual. 

She thought she was talking to a world travelled multi-millionaire, did she really think that whiny, needy, attitude would impress him?

I can imagine Catfish Sam telling her he had to go close a multi-billion dollar deal and move some money around and good ol Mer singsonging about hawking her leggings on FB live. Both big business peeps and all.

Meri is the personification of the “Lowered Expectations” skits on ‘90s Mad TV. I don’t think many other people have had as much humiliating personal stuff like voicemails leaked. It’s sad, but as you said above, she kinda asked for it by thinking so highly of herself and being so completely delusional. 🤦‍♂️ 

Anyway not to get too off topic. Back to this episode. Robyn’s house looks like the country cousins of the Munsters.

[Sandy W]

2 hours ago, HelloOutThere said:

I can imagine Catfish Sam telling her he had to go close a multi-billion dollar deal and move some money around and good ol Mer singsonging about hawking her leggings on FB live. Both big business peeps and all.

 

Love, love your humor.  An hour after reading this, I am still chuckling over visions of Boss Babe Meri equating her business model to billion dollar mergers in the world of high finance.  Thanks for this.

[65mickey]

On 1/13/2022 at 1:19 AM, crimson23 said:

Something is off with Robyn's kids.  The idea they put down Gabe for having a gf and socializing. That all can be done safely if care is taken, sanitizing, etc.  The idea that Robyn's teenage girls are okay with sitting at home, no friends, no social life is bizarre.  They are never marrying those 2 off. 

Robyn's kids were old enough when their mother became Kody's 4th "wife" to remember what it was like to live in povrty before this.  Robyn has instilled in them that all they need to do to stay in Kody's favor is to act respectful to him and not quetion anything that he says. She probably says look at all you have now and remembr how tough we had it before Kody. These girls will do what ever it takes to keep Kody happy with them. Robyn has taught them well.

[Art Of Noiz]

In one of the last few scenes, Robyn explains Thanksgiving, rules, etc. An honorable mention must go to Miss Ari. She yawned through Breanna's confusion, Aurora's tears, and Dayton's kudos.

[lamadeleine]

1 hour ago, 65mickey said:

Robyn's kids were old enough when their mother became Kody's 4th "wife" to remember what it was like to live in povrty before this.  Robyn has instilled in them that all they need to do to stay in Kody's favor is to act respectful to him and not quetion anything that he says. She probably says look at all you have now and remembr how tough we had it before Kody. These girls will do what ever it takes to keep Kody happy with them. Robyn has taught them well.

I totally agree. I mean, the advice Robyn's mother gave her after the first marriage fell apart was to "get her scent out there"- like she's giving advice to a dog in heat. My takeaway is that Robyn grew up in a fambly culture where being married and having children is a woman's only worth...and sweet baby Jesus help you if you don't have either or you only have one without the other. Of course the older girls in this family grew up indoctrinated to the idea that being perfect girls in their new fambly is intrinsic to their survival.

[TurtlePower]

12 hours ago, lamadeleine said:

I totally agree. I mean, the advice Robyn's mother gave her after the first marriage fell apart was to "get her scent out there"- like she's giving advice to a dog in heat. My takeaway is that Robyn grew up in a fambly culture where being married and having children is a woman's only worth...and sweet baby Jesus help you if you don't have either or you only have one without the other. Of course the older girls in this family grew up indoctrinated to the idea that being perfect girls in their new fambly is intrinsic to their survival.

Such a sad way for girls to exist. As someone who chose not to have kids and worked almost exclusively in jobs men tended to do (until recently), I couldn’t imagine my worth being attributed to kids(and not getting to do ANYTHING else). 

I am always hoping one of the Brown girls joins the Marines and really changes the dynamic. But so far—except for Mariah—all they do is get married and a couple have had kids. Have any of them besides Mariah prioritized school or their own goals/dreams (yes I’m giving her a compliment)? Not saying what these young women have chosen is “wrong”, just that there’s so much more they could do, especially nowadays. There’s more out there besides babies and MLMs. 

Edited January 16, 2022 by TurtlePower

[magemaud]

I wonder if Robyn's daughters are interested in any of Kody's sons as potential husbands? It's not unheard of for step-siblings to get together and I would imagine in plural families it's even more common. 

Edited January 16, 2022 by magemaud

[deirdra]

6 minutes ago, magemaud said:

I wonder if Robyn's daughters are interested in any of Kody's sons as potential husbands? It's not unheard of for step-siblings to get together and I would imagine in plural families it's even more common. 

However, Janelle & Christine's sons have watched these spoiled whiney drama queens grow up and would probably run in the opposite direction. Like Logan, they are probably drawn to sensible, well-grounded women.

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, deirdra said:

However, Janelle & Christine's sons have watched these spoiled whiney drama queens grow up and would probably run in the opposite direction.

Yeah, these boys are not stupid.  I can't imagine getting tied up in Robyn's family wreath.  That would be a life sentence of dealing with her and their sperm donor.

[Adiba]

1 hour ago, magemaud said:

I wonder if Robyn's daughters are interested in any of Kody's sons as potential husbands? It's not unheard of for step-siblings to get together and I would imagine in plural families it's even more common. 

Well, Janelle and Kody DID marry after Janelle's mom married Kody's dad, lol.

[Adiba]

16 hours ago, lamadeleine said:

I totally agree. I mean, the advice Robyn's mother gave her after the first marriage fell apart was to "get her scent out there"- like she's giving advice to a dog in heat. My takeaway is that Robyn grew up in a fambly culture where being married and having children is a woman's only worth...and sweet baby Jesus help you if you don't have either or you only have one without the other. Of course the older girls in this family grew up indoctrinated to the idea that being perfect girls in their new fambly is intrinsic to their survival.

To me, it's not really the getting married and/or having children part so much--it's the being "perfect" and unquestioning "loyalty" to your man part that bugs more. Having children shouldn't mean that women are "less than" or shooting themselves in the foot professionally (although I know it is different in reality, it's not something that should be accepted as "is" imo.)

In polygamy and many other circles (ahem, Duggars) "loyalty" doesn't just mean being a supportive, faithful spouse. It means the MAN is the head of the family and mustn't be questioned, challenged, criticized or faulted ever. If the marriage fails, it is usually blamed on the woman (except in Robyn's case, lol).

Edited January 16, 2022 by Adiba

[Cetacean]

43 minutes ago, Adiba said:

It means the MAN is the head of the family and mustn't be questioned, challenged, criticized or faulted ever.

Sadly that still persists in society in general.  Lots of men expect that even today.  We're heading right back into the 1950s.

[LilyD]

2 hours ago, magemaud said:

I wonder if Robyn's daughters are interested in any of Kody's sons as potential husbands? It's not unheard of for step-siblings to get together and I would imagine in plural families it's even more common. 

I have heard such stories before and I can see how people frown upon it, despite the fact that there’s no blood tie. They are considered siblings, thus family, which makes it tricky. But in this specific situation, the step children are adopted, making them legal siblings because they (legally) have the same dad. I can definitely see this being a huge obstacle! That is, if the adoption story holds any truth…

And  from the boys’ perspective, what would be worse? Having such whiny drama queens as wife, or having Robyn as mother-in-law? Messy wouldn’t even begin to cover this possibility! Or are we now giving TLC any thoughts? Well, at least Gabe and Garrison are off the market and are blessed with common sense! 

 

[lamadeleine]

1 hour ago, Adiba said:

To me, it's not really the getting married and/or having children part so much--it's the being "perfect" and unquestioning "loyalty" to your man part that bugs more. Having children shouldn't mean that women are "less than" or shooting themselves in the foot professionally (although I know it is different in reality, it's not something that should be accepted as "is" imo.)

I hear you. (In case I wasn't clear, my comment about getting married and having children wasn't about that life choice in general- there are plenty of people who are married with children who are happy, fulfilled, and I say yes to that). My comment was really about what Robyn's mom said after the first marriage didn't work out. To me, telling your child to "get their scent out there" suggests that the most important thing for Robyn was to find another man to marry so that she and her children could be taken care of and that it needed to happen quickly- regardless of what kind of trauma, time, and/or healing needed to happen after that first relationship fell apart. And then of course, like you said, once you find that relationship, you're expected to be unquestionably loyal to the man and your children are expected to follow suit (cue the girls calling Kody "daddy" immediately and the creepy revisionist history portrait). All of those dynamics bug me.

[Totally]

I don’t believe for a second that either of them followed all those rules they set out for the rest of family

Or that the rules weren’t dictated by Robyn 

Covid just fast tracked what she has been trying to achieve since day one 

I know this is parent shaming but I can’t give Robyn a pass on a five year old still using a dummy, she has a nanny for a five and seven year old, 3 grown/almost grown kids and a husband at home full time and she doesn’t work! Why is the dummy not being addressed? 5 is way old enough to reason with unless there is a developmental delay of some kind 

I can’t believe there are people who ca watch the show and not see her for what she really is 

[Elizzikra]

Quote

Why is the dummy not being addressed? 5 is way old enough to reason with unless there is a developmental delay of some kind 

Honestly - of all the things going on with this family, this bothers me the least. If they take it away, Ariella will just suck her thumb or a blanket or whatever. Same impact on her teeth. She will give it up readily when (if) she goes to school and the other kids don't have them. My dad was a dentist and insistent that neither my brother nor I would use a pacifier so we didn't have them. My brother sucked his thumb instead and we both ended up with overbites requiring orthodonture. I just really don't see this as a very big deal compared to a bunch of other stuff, including her seeming lack of exposure to same-age peers for socialization.