S17.E01: It’s Over

[Dustbunny]

On 9/13/2022 at 11:23 AM, the-grey-lady said:

You all are never going to believe this (I wouldn't), but I cut this review down. A lot.

Can you blame me for going on (and on) about Kody, Ruler of Assholes Forevermore? I feel like you can't.

Also, my husband wandered through and commented on the trashy TV I was watching while I was suffering and thinking about punching Kody. His observation was true, but it was rude of him to point it out.

At least he's not an asshole.

Review with spoiler tag.

  Hide contents

Warning: this review is going to use the word “asshole” a disturbing (and necessary) amount. If you hate that word, this is not the review for you. In my defense, Christine calls Kody an asshole, too. As she should.

Kody Brown, husband(ish) to one and father(ish) to five, last seen acting like a right asshole – making piss-poor excuses to drive away his fambly, airing a litany of made-up grievances, and whining like the asshole he is about the respect he hasn’t earned, but feels he’s due – is back. Heaven help us all.

Somehow (somehow!), he’s a bigger asshole than before. King Asshole! Ruler of Asshole Mountain! Kody Brown, Asshole, Esq.! I’m not sure how I’m going to make it through this episode (is it too late to develop a drinking problem in the next three minutes? alas, probably), but I’m going in, fam. Send out a search party if you haven’t heard from me in an hour.

Hey, remember 10 seasons ago, when Kody wasn’t an asshole? Me, neither, but I don’t remember his commitment to assholery being so complete and all-consuming.

Previously on “Sister” “Wives” (brace yourselves): Christine asked what the nanny did, a question that remains unanswered at the time of this writing; Kody, who does whatever he wants whenever the fuck he wants, complains he “doesn’t matter;” (I mean, he doesn’t, but not for the reasons he thinks); Meri admitted nothing was going to get better, in a rare moment of honesty; Kody whined his kids were blaming Robyn (of course they were?) for…well, everything; Kody set down Covid regulations for the sole purpose of alienating the non-Robyns; Christine boxed up Kody’s shit, and, in a show of restraint, didn’t set it on fire. 

Kody told Christine he wasn’t attracted to her because he never tires of insulting her. Kody claimed she dropped a bomb on him by kicking him out of the bedroom he didn’t want to be in in the first place, because it’s totally unreasonable to hurt when your husband tells you he finds you repulsive. “Why?” Kody asks, despite the hundreds of times he’s gotten an answer to this very question. 

And tonight: Kody goes to Robyn because she understands relationships and how to make them work. Except friendships. And sister wife relationships. And relationships with her sister wives’ children. And she’s stuck with Kody. A relationship expert Robyn is not. Kody whines like a toddler about Christine’s understandable reaction to what a dick he is, and Robyn (poorly) feigns concern about Kody and Christine’s relationship. Robyn advises Kody to sleep on the couch and try to talk to her, but Kody has no intention of caring about Christine. Ever. Kody, deeply committed to sexism, “doesn’t want to be sexist.” Yeah, well, I don’t want to see Kody ever again, but we don’t always get what we want. 

Christine says things have been bad between them for years. Kody swears things were not bad, and then immediately pivots and swears that the bad relationship he just claimed never existed is entirely Christine’s fault. Way back in Lehi, Christine asked for some help with her kids. Kody refused her because he had other kids to tend to. He is such a fucking liar. We all know he never tended to shit. Christine calls him out on spending no time with her kids, and he pontificates about the many responsibilities he doesn’t have. 

Kody admits Christine tried to shove herself into a sister wife mold to please him…but it wasn’t good enough for him. Christine mothered Janelle’s kids for something like 20 years, but she was unwilling to mother Robyn’s kids, who arrived almost fully grown. Christine keeps begging Kody to just admit he longer wants to be married to her, and he…disagrees? Even though he obviously loathes her? Does he want to keep her around to torture her? This fucker doesn’t want to lose his maid/breeding machine. He is utterly bewildered at the thought that Christine might have emotions and needs of her own. 

They agree to end their “marriage.” Kody can’t fathom why Christine, who feels unloved and alone, might want to move somewhere where she feels loved and supported. Kody is furious at the prospect that Christine might move away with Truely, the child he ignored while she nearly died. Kody, who has no sincere religious faith, lectures the audience about Christine’s lack of faith. Kody can fuck off. Kody’s kids have been quite reasonably complaining that he neglects them, because he does, and he blames…the kids? For feeling neglected, because he neglects them.

Christine might get a boyfriend…who wants Kody’s money? What money? What boyfriend? What the fuck is this dick weasel going on about? Christine would never want what Meri has, she feels bad Meri has it, and Kody is totally fine with Meri’s situation. Christine calls Kody out on the carpet re: Kody’s preference for Robyn, and Kody bitches about her comparing her own marriage to Robyn’s…which she is, reasonably, because Robyn’s marriage is functional, and Christine’s is crap. Kody wants Christine to stay “because he’s supposed to.” A bigger asshole has never been seen.

In a preview for the rest of this season: Kody, who is a colossal asshole, is called out by the other non-Robyns for being one. The non-Robyns beg Christine to stay, knowing full well Kody treats her like shit. Kody bangs on about a phantom injustice done to him. I fear he will remain forever unpunched. That’s the real injustice here.

Y’all, I’ve ordered fast food delivery something like seven times in the past two days. My body is something like 10% tacos. I’m feeling pretty shitty about myself. But at least I’m not unrepentant asshole Kody Brown, so I’ve got that going for me. Whew, somehow I’ve made it through. It was touch and go there for awhile. Off to nurture a sense of existential dread about next week’s episode. 
 

@the-grey-lady... Great recap!... You hit it out of the park!

Every time you referred to Kody as an asshole I cheered!   😂

[TurtlePower]

11 hours ago, Andyourlittledog2 said:

I went back and looked at the first three episodes which focused primarily on Robyn coming into the family and disturbing the balance of things. (She burst into tears at the drop of a hat from day one.)  Anyway, Christine was about eleven months pregnant at the time and had been married to Kody and the most recent wife for sixteen years. She was not thrilled about getting a new wife from day one. The fact that it was Robyn the manipulator would not help the situation even out over time (as we've seen).  Btw, Robyn's kids were not grown when she entered the family, they were still quite young. I think the oldest was nine the youngest maybe four?  But it was hard to see in retrospect how the three wives were all getting along and Kody seemed pretty affectionate with each of them at that time and how we've all watched the whole thing implode and the favortism and Robyn's manipulations just destroy this family. And Kody just gets more irrational and darker over the years.

If Kody was going to get a fourth wife it might have been nice if he waited until his youngest wife wasn't eleven months pregnant to do so. That was asshole timing.  It was also sad watching how affectionate he seemed toward Meri then. Now, she's the figurative first wife locked in Mr Rochester's attic while he pursues greener wifely fields. I wish she'd make a break for it.

We all did. But she’s not as strong as her IG would like us to think. She says “I don’t want to” leave, but what is she getting out of it?

She’s still trying to suck up to Robyn to get to Kody. She still feels, in her mind, that it can be salvaged. Maybe she even feels that “friends” with Kody is better than no Kody. She can’t adult without knowing she can at least still be part of the circle. 

[the-grey-lady]

8 hours ago, Dustbunny said:

Great recap!... You hit it out of the park!

Every time you referred to Kody as an asshole I cheered!   😂

Thanks! It was a labor of love. Um...I mean hatred. Hatred of Kody.

Edited September 16, 2022 by the-grey-lady

[magemaud]

Kody, after Christine threw him out of the house (with thanks to my daughter for bringing my idea to life):

[Texasmom1970]

Just when you think Cody could not be more of a dick, asshole, douche he goes and breaks the glass ceiling!

[BAForever]

Finally watched! It's my reward for surviving another workweek. So proud of Christine!  She didn't really lay blame just spoke from her heart and stayed controlled and on point the entire time period. She was rational and calm. She HAS to have had help/support with counseling in order to handle herself so well I'm guessing. Good for her.

@the-grey-lady, you rock!

[Art Of Noiz]

On 9/14/2022 at 12:29 AM, Gramto6 said:

That photo/reproduction makes me want to🤮 every-time I see it!! who does Robyn think she is fooling with that??? Surely her older kids that visit their dad know it is fake. I can't imagine how that makers them feel as they still go to visit him... So Fake fakery fake!! 

As odd as that is, I have read Jeffs'  FLDS accounts of men being "removed" from their families, and wives reassigned. All pictures of biodads are removed. Imo, Robyn is doing what she was trained to do, just took it a step further with the sketch. Her mom Alice probably threw out all traces of Robyn's biodad when they divorced. Again..imo..the ways of FLDS are not that different than other breakaway polygamous sects. Despite what this show has tried to project, Robyn gives herself away. As does Kody, year after year. Lie after lie 

Yabaybay, can't wait for tonight!! 

[deirdra]

1 hour ago, BAForever said:

She HAS to have had help/support with counseling in order to handle herself so well I'm guessing. Good for her.

I thought so too.    Keeping calm and talking about what she needed and not getting defensive and not making up lame excuses kept her in control and contrasted well with Kootie looking & behaving like a clueless idiot who thought her displeasure was just a phase. - a 12-year phase since Robyn arrived? 🤦‍♀️

[SemiCharmedLife]

On 9/15/2022 at 7:58 PM, LuvMyShows said:

So this is the tricky part for me.  I really feel for someone, when they find their soulmate but are already with someone else.  However, since Kody has chosen plural marriage, then he should put those feelings for Robyn aside, for the sake of the family, and treat all wives as fairly as possible.  Or, he should 'divorce' the other wives, and live monogamously with Robyn.  But of course Kody won't do the right thing...he'll do the easy thing that best benefits Kody.   

I loved your entire comment, but I wanted to say something about how Kody cares only for himself.  As poorly as he treats his nonRobyn wives, he also has shown complete lack of caring for his nonRobyn children.  This, in my eyes, shows what a narcissist he is.  All along, his family has been an outward display of how special he is.  I think in the past, he would have fought harder for Christine to stay to prevent the illusion of his polygamy paradise from shattering, but at this point, he won't be bothered to even paint a picture.  He  just wants Robyn... and the TLC money.

[Art Of Noiz]

3 hours ago, SemiCharmedLife said:

I loved your entire comment, but I wanted to say something about how Kody cares only for himself.  As poorly as he treats his nonRobyn wives, he also has shown complete lack of caring for his nonRobyn children.  This, in my eyes, shows what a narcissist he is.  All along, his family has been an outward display of how special he is.  I think in the past, he would have fought harder for Christine to stay to prevent the illusion of his polygamy paradise from shattering, but at this point, he won't be bothered to even paint a picture.  He  just wants Robyn... and the TLC money.

I wonder how quick he would ditch the witch if it meant a new show and more money. 😒 

[Rabbit Hutch]

On 9/13/2022 at 2:23 PM, the-grey-lady said:

You all are never going to believe this (I wouldn't), but I cut this review down. A lot.

Can you blame me for going on (and on) about Kody, Ruler of Assholes Forevermore? I feel like you can't.

Also, my husband wandered through and commented on the trashy TV I was watching while I was suffering and thinking about punching Kody. His observation was true, but it was rude of him to point it out.

At least he's not an asshole.

Review with spoiler tag.

  Hide contents

Warning: this review is going to use the word “asshole” a disturbing (and necessary) amount. If you hate that word, this is not the review for you. In my defense, Christine calls Kody an asshole, too. As she should.

Kody Brown, husband(ish) to one and father(ish) to five, last seen acting like a right asshole – making piss-poor excuses to drive away his fambly, airing a litany of made-up grievances, and whining like the asshole he is about the respect he hasn’t earned, but feels he’s due – is back. Heaven help us all.

Somehow (somehow!), he’s a bigger asshole than before. King Asshole! Ruler of Asshole Mountain! Kody Brown, Asshole, Esq.! I’m not sure how I’m going to make it through this episode (is it too late to develop a drinking problem in the next three minutes? alas, probably), but I’m going in, fam. Send out a search party if you haven’t heard from me in an hour.

Hey, remember 10 seasons ago, when Kody wasn’t an asshole? Me, neither, but I don’t remember his commitment to assholery being so complete and all-consuming.

Previously on “Sister” “Wives” (brace yourselves): Christine asked what the nanny did, a question that remains unanswered at the time of this writing; Kody, who does whatever he wants whenever the fuck he wants, complains he “doesn’t matter;” (I mean, he doesn’t, but not for the reasons he thinks); Meri admitted nothing was going to get better, in a rare moment of honesty; Kody whined his kids were blaming Robyn (of course they were?) for…well, everything; Kody set down Covid regulations for the sole purpose of alienating the non-Robyns; Christine boxed up Kody’s shit, and, in a show of restraint, didn’t set it on fire. 

Kody told Christine he wasn’t attracted to her because he never tires of insulting her. Kody claimed she dropped a bomb on him by kicking him out of the bedroom he didn’t want to be in in the first place, because it’s totally unreasonable to hurt when your husband tells you he finds you repulsive. “Why?” Kody asks, despite the hundreds of times he’s gotten an answer to this very question. 

And tonight: Kody goes to Robyn because she understands relationships and how to make them work. Except friendships. And sister wife relationships. And relationships with her sister wives’ children. And she’s stuck with Kody. A relationship expert Robyn is not. Kody whines like a toddler about Christine’s understandable reaction to what a dick he is, and Robyn (poorly) feigns concern about Kody and Christine’s relationship. Robyn advises Kody to sleep on the couch and try to talk to her, but Kody has no intention of caring about Christine. Ever. Kody, deeply committed to sexism, “doesn’t want to be sexist.” Yeah, well, I don’t want to see Kody ever again, but we don’t always get what we want. 

Christine says things have been bad between them for years. Kody swears things were not bad, and then immediately pivots and swears that the bad relationship he just claimed never existed is entirely Christine’s fault. Way back in Lehi, Christine asked for some help with her kids. Kody refused her because he had other kids to tend to. He is such a fucking liar. We all know he never tended to shit. Christine calls him out on spending no time with her kids, and he pontificates about the many responsibilities he doesn’t have. 

Kody admits Christine tried to shove herself into a sister wife mold to please him…but it wasn’t good enough for him. Christine mothered Janelle’s kids for something like 20 years, but she was unwilling to mother Robyn’s kids, who arrived almost fully grown. Christine keeps begging Kody to just admit he longer wants to be married to her, and he…disagrees? Even though he obviously loathes her? Does he want to keep her around to torture her? This fucker doesn’t want to lose his maid/breeding machine. He is utterly bewildered at the thought that Christine might have emotions and needs of her own. 

They agree to end their “marriage.” Kody can’t fathom why Christine, who feels unloved and alone, might want to move somewhere where she feels loved and supported. Kody is furious at the prospect that Christine might move away with Truely, the child he ignored while she nearly died. Kody, who has no sincere religious faith, lectures the audience about Christine’s lack of faith. Kody can fuck off. Kody’s kids have been quite reasonably complaining that he neglects them, because he does, and he blames…the kids? For feeling neglected, because he neglects them.

Christine might get a boyfriend…who wants Kody’s money? What money? What boyfriend? What the fuck is this dick weasel going on about? Christine would never want what Meri has, she feels bad Meri has it, and Kody is totally fine with Meri’s situation. Christine calls Kody out on the carpet re: Kody’s preference for Robyn, and Kody bitches about her comparing her own marriage to Robyn’s…which she is, reasonably, because Robyn’s marriage is functional, and Christine’s is crap. Kody wants Christine to stay “because he’s supposed to.” A bigger asshole has never been seen.

In a preview for the rest of this season: Kody, who is a colossal asshole, is called out by the other non-Robyns for being one. The non-Robyns beg Christine to stay, knowing full well Kody treats her like shit. Kody bangs on about a phantom injustice done to him. I fear he will remain forever unpunched. That’s the real injustice here.

Y’all, I’ve ordered fast food delivery something like seven times in the past two days. My body is something like 10% tacos. I’m feeling pretty shitty about myself. But at least I’m not unrepentant asshole Kody Brown, so I’ve got that going for me. Whew, somehow I’ve made it through. It was touch and go there for awhile. Off to nurture a sense of existential dread about next week’s episode. 
 

Thank you, @THE-GREY-LADY, for the great review.  I quite enjoyed your perspective on this train wreck.  😉

Edited September 19, 2022 by Rabbit Hutch
Spelling

[the-grey-lady]

1 hour ago, Rabbit Hutch said:

Thank you, @THE-GREY-LADY, for the great review.  I quite enjoyed your perspective on this train wreck. 

Thank you @Rabbit Hutch!

Kody is a such a gaslighting douche, and it was so much fun to point it out. Meanly.

[LilyD]

23 hours ago, Art Of Noiz said:

I wonder how quick he would ditch the witch if it meant a new show and more money. 😒 

Now that's an interesting thought! Part of me believes he's never going to dump Robyn as he is too much in love. But he's also a huge narcissist, incredibly egocentric and madly in love with money. So who knows what he is capable of when offered the right amount of money?

[magemaud]

I can't believe that they might make a whole season out of Talking Heads explaining why Kody and Christine broke up and everyone else's reactions and input. 

[candall]

It's barely started and I'm already ready to spit on Kody.

He says LOTS of people have marriages without romance!!  <shuuuuuug>  What's the big whoop??

Oh, Kody, you stupid dick.  I can think of 50 reasons why two people would stay in a marriage without sex.  But not one of those scenarios has a husband who says, "I'm no longer sexually attracted to you and in fact, I don't even like you anymore."

What woman who could manage to summon up the wherewithal to disengage from that toxic atmosphere would stay?

[Cetacean]

49 minutes ago, magemaud said:

I can't believe that they might make a whole season out of Talking Heads explaining why Kody and Christine broke up and everyone else's reactions and input. 

What else is there to talk about?  Their lives could not be more boring.  They will throw a birth in there (although the kid is probably already in college) and rehash crap over and over that's already been on the internet for years.

TLC will show it because people watch it. Period.

[Jeanne222]

A lot of these shows have run way too long!

 I would suggest they build Kodys McMansion. The only one that didn’t want to go was Christine. The other three were all in!

So go!  Do something!

[LilyD]

oh I wish something happened… the show is getting old and boring….TLC will have to come up with something soon or ditch the whole lot.

I’m all for plyg palace; if they rig the whole thing with cameras and mikes. We’d have a Big Brother style Sister Wives!

Or they could do a bachelor style dating show where Kody is looking for another idiot who is foolish enough to enter this mad family.

Or what about a spin off and do The Bachelorette with Christine?

[Elodia]

10 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

 I would suggest they build Kodys McMansion. The only one that didn’t want to go was Christine. The other three were all in!

I don't think Robyn ever wanted that. She only said so because she knew Christine didn't want to build the big house and so she (Robyn) wasn't the bad wife. It was Christine. And that's a typical Robyn move.

[LilyD]

1 hour ago, Elodia said:

And that's a typical Robyn move.

You know, it took a long time before I noticed that. It says all about how stealthily Robyn operates. She's never the first to suggest something, nor is she the first to give her opinion. It particularly shows in the tell alls. She'll always come after someone else, which makes it:

A as if she supports said person and

B which makes it seem as if she wasn't the one suggesting it.

Quite clever actually.

Edited September 20, 2022 by LilyD

[Elodia]

12 minutes ago, LilyD said:

She's never the first to suggest something, nor is she the first to give her opinion.

She's like that in every family gathering too. Never gives an opinion first, she  always waits until she knows exactly what the other wives have to say. She never appears as the bad wife. And Kody will never notice that.

[Rabbit Hutch]

5 hours ago, Elodia said:

She's like that in every family gathering too. Never gives an opinion first, she  always waits until she knows exactly what the other wives have to say. She never appears as the bad wife. And Kody will never notice that.

I can't stand people like that.  She and Meri both play this game, but Robyn's better at it.  It's a skeevy manipulation move and Robyn's the queen of manipulative moves.

Edited September 20, 2022 by Rabbit Hutch
Spelling. Too much on a hurry!

[TurtlePower]

14 minutes ago, Rabbit Hutch said:

I can't stand people like that.  She and Meri both place this game, but Robyn's better at it.  It's a skeevy manipulation move and Robyn's the queen of manipulative moves.

Robyn’s WAY better at it. Meri tries, but her inner Mean Girl always comes out with her pitching a fit or putting up walls. 

[magemaud]

On 9/20/2022 at 6:14 AM, LilyD said:

Or they could do a bachelor style dating show where Kody is looking for another idiot who is foolish enough to enter this mad family.

Five men tried that exact thing this past season of “Seeking Sister Wife” but only Nick actually had a fake wedding. 

[LilyD]

On 9/20/2022 at 5:03 PM, TurtlePower said:

Robyn’s WAY better at it. Meri tries, but her inner Mean Girl always comes out with her pitching a fit or putting up walls. 

Meri always has this grumpy, dissatisfied look and blunt manners. That adds to the impression of mean girl. Robyn on the other hand, can come across as kind and caring. I fell for it, it took me a couple of seasons before I really started to question her motives!

[TurtlePower]

10 hours ago, LilyD said:

Meri always has this grumpy, dissatisfied look and blunt manners. That adds to the impression of mean girl. Robyn on the other hand, can come across as kind and caring. I fell for it, it took me a couple of seasons before I really started to question her motives!

I was once Team Meri before I read through her bullshit. Like you it took me a few seasons, and watching how she interacts with her LuLaRot customers really clued me in that she is, at her core, miserable. She can post all the happy shit she wants but it’s just a cover for her grumpiness.

So glad we’re not seeing much of her these episodes. 

[Elodia]

On 9/22/2022 at 2:11 AM, LilyD said:

Robyn on the other hand, can come across as kind and caring. I fell for it, it took me a couple of seasons before I really started to question her motives!

Do you remember when she went shopping for her wedding dress with the other wives although  she already had secretly her dress picked out with the Kodester? And then she said something like the others weren't supposed to know, that was none of their business? That's when I begun to mistrust her. 

[LilyD]

That's interesting! I'd forgotten about that one. I now remember wondering at the time why they bought it together? Was it Kody's idea or Robyn's? For people who pretended to be so conservative and stuck to their traditions, it obviously was no issue to break with one of biggest traditions of all: A groom won't see the dress (and definitely not the bride in the dress) until he's getting married...

And yes, I can definitely see how it upset the other wives, particularly because, by Kody's own admissions, he cared little for the preparations of his previous weddings.

[ladle]

OH MY GOD, YOU GUYS. I'm just catching up on this season now, so I realize I'm very late to the party, but holy shit, this episode was riveting. Someone needs to turn that scene between Christine and Kody into a one-act play. I don't even particularly like Christine, and I hate that there are children involved in this but... MAN. So much wish-fulfillment for the viewers on this one. 

[Rabbit Hutch]

On 9/27/2022 at 3:01 AM, LilyD said:

That's interesting! I'd forgotten about that one. I now remember wondering at the time why they bought it together? Was it Kody's idea or Robyn's? For people who pretended to be so conservative and stuck to their traditions, it obviously was no issue to break with one of biggest traditions of all: A groom won't see the dress (and definitely not the bride in the dress) until he's getting married...

And yes, I can definitely see how it upset the other wives, particularly because, by Kody's own admissions, he cared little for the preparations of his previous weddings.

Ya know, the pre-wedding kiss Kootie and Robyn shared didn't bother as much as this wedding dress event.  If I'd been on that couch I'd been thinking to myself to never trust Robyn again. It was such a slap in the face to the OG wives and showed what a snake Robyn really was.