S17.E11: The Worst Goodbye

[Scarlett45]

Quote

Christine reveals that she's open to getting married again someday; Janelle frustrates Kody when she makes another change to her living situation; after packing up Christine's house, Mykelti urges the family to get together for one last goodbye

Air Date: November 21, 2022

This thread is for episode discussion ONLY. Please take all “real time” and social media discussion to participant threads. 

[SunnyBeBe]

A good leader and dad would show calm, respect and loving behavior in the midst of turmoil.  
 

Have dates!  😝

[whydoievencare]

Kody talks about how "brokenhearted" he is but he has so much rage too.  And actually, it's only the rage that I see.  I think he's just pissed off that the decision to split was Christine's only.  He had effectively distanced himself from her and her kids in reality.  Like constructive dismissal.  He keeps questioning why Christine couldn't just stay and then maybe the girls would have stayed, but of course can't understand why that wouldn't have been good for Christine.  The two older girls would have left for school anyway and she would have been there with Truly and a "husband" who didn't want to provide for her emotionally.  He accused Christine of not having relationships with her Sister Wives but that wasn't true.  She was close to Janelle, had as much of a relationship that anyone could have with "walls up" Meri and seemed to have a cordial relationship with Robyn. They have all been distanced from each other. I doubt Janelle is any closer to Robyn than Christine is.  Kody seems to think that he was just a stellar husband and has no awareness how much he has let Christine AND Janelle and their kids down.  At the final farewell, I thought Robyn's older girls were just such sullen little fucks - all down to their mother's attitude no doubt.  And trust Robyn to twist Christine's words to her - Christine said she just needed some time away - she did not say she never wanted to see her and her children again.   

[toodywoody]

A good leader of his family would calm his tits and nor be acting like a total shit head. For someone who can't wait to no longer see her ever again, he sure is obssessed with her. It's the case of you don't know what you have until it's gone and that someone dared to leave him. Someone dared to want more for themselves than to be treated like an afterthought and like your opinion and your feelings didn't matter.

Yeah what a great leader. He needs to just go curl his hair and run back to his closet and pout there.

[Adeejay]

There is a saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”  I believe Mykelti had good intentions, but she should have been more mindful of her mother’s feelings and how it would affect her.  Clearly, Christine didn’t tell her about Kody’s “Knife to the Kidneys” soliloquy.  Can’t help but wonder if she would have insisted on a goodbye get-together had she known.  Poor Christine! She appeared to be emotionally exhausted, and yet, she was willing to go along despite the obvious hurt and pain.

[SunnyBeBe]

Kody mistakenly believes that he is irreplaceable.  🥴  I hope Christine lives the life that shows him he is wrong.  It wouldn’t have been very Christian like, but her and Janelle singing a little Beyoncé would have lightened the mood.  Lol

[Art Of Noiz]

When Christine broke down and sobbed in Janelle's arms..Kody whipped his head at a right angle, toward Robyn, and Sol does a fair imitation of Robyn throwing his head back. That was creepy af. Ari does it in the last episode, Sol does it in this one. Eeuuww.

[toodywoody]

1 minute ago, Adeejay said:

There is a saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”  I believe Mykelti had good intentions, but she should have been more mindful of her mother’s feelings and how it would affect her.  Clearly, Christine didn’t tell her about Kody’s “Knife to the Kidneys” soliloquy.  Can’t help but wonder if she would have insisted on a goodbye get-together had she known.  Poor Christine! She appeared to be emotionally exhausted, and yet, she was willing to go along despite the obvious hurt and pain.

But according to Kidney she never cared about the family. But there she was, saying a goodbye to people she needed some space from.  Meanwhile, Robyn's sullen little fucks, this is great btw whydoievencare, are over there being pissy because of something that was said to them.  First off, Robyn and Kidney shouldn't have been saying shit to any of the kids. Be a fucking grown up and respect that Christine wants some space from the two big ass fakers that made it all about them and she needed space from over dramatic man child Kidney that can't act like an adult and had a hissy fit about how one of his 4 wives was treated so badly and how hurt he was. But he never loved her and didn't find her attractive and was just holding her hand out of duty. 

If I was even Robyn's kids and saw that, I would hate him. Number 1, these women would not want a former spouse of any of their children to be treated that way, much less a sister wife. I would hate to be any of Kidney's kids and to be watching how and what he said about Christine no matter what my relationship was with her. Because as a kid Or grown adult I would think, oh wow, what if he said that to my mom or my sisters. Does that make sense? 

[SunnyBeBe]

Was Dayton there?

[Elizzikra]

Every week, I hate Kidney more and more. I didn't even think it was possible.

A good father would have planned to take Truely out for dinner on her last night in town, let her pick the place and spent some quality father/daughter time with her before she moved (without trashing her mother). A real class act would have picked up takeout and taken it to Christine's on her last night so he could spend time with his daughters, his son-in-law and his new grandbaby.

Also I call bullshit on Kidney's continued "social distancing" and laughed out loud when he said that to Ariella. His kids go to in-person school. He went out of town to attend a wedding ceremony. There is no good reason they couldn't go inside Christine's house; he just didn't want to. 

I don't really blame Mykelti for the going away thing. I think the producers needed some way to get them all together for one last standoff and that was just a convenient excuse. 

Props to Janelle for being a good friend to Christine and genuinely wishing her well. 

2 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Was Dayton there?

I don't think so and there was no explanation why.

[mythoughtis]

4 minutes ago, toodywoody said:

4 minutes ago, toodywoody said:

Number 1, these women would not want a former spouse of any of their children to be treated that way, much less a sister wife. I would hate to be any of Kidney's kids and to be watching how and what he said about Christine no matter what my relationship was with her. Because as a kid Or grown adult I would think, oh wow, what if he said that to my mom or my sisters. Does that make sense? 

Yes it does.  It obviously bothered Janelle based upon her comments at the beginning of the episode 

[Art Of Noiz]

4 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Was Dayton there?

Nope

[luvmylabs]

Mykelti I has matured so much.  Perhaps the goodbye was not such a great idea but she obviously loves her mom and was trying to assure everyone that Christine's leaving is not the end of the family.

Edited November 21, 2022 by luvmylabs

[Elizzikra]

Quote

Have dates!  😝

I really wish one of her parents would have told Ariella that it was an inappropriate and personal question that she had no business acting. That kid is growing up with absolutely no boundaries whatsoever. Kudos to Christine for responding so gracefully.

[Art Of Noiz]

Ari with pacifier when they pulled up. Is she potty trained? I wonder if Robyn is still breast feeding.

[Elizzikra]

1 minute ago, Art Of Noiz said:

Ari with pacifier when they pulled up. Is she potty trained? I wonder if Robyn is still breast feeding.

Also was she standing and not in a carseat? That's what I thought I saw but I couldn't be bothered to go back and double check.

[Art Of Noiz]

I didn't notice that, but it wouldn't surprise me.

[Claire Voyant]

3 minutes ago, Adeejay said:

There is a saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”  I believe Mykelti had good intentions, but she should have been more mindful of her mother’s feelings and how it would affect her.  Clearly, Christine didn’t tell her about Kody’s “Knife to the Kidneys” soliloquy.  Can’t help but wonder if she would have insisted on a goodbye get-together had she known.  Poor Christine! She appeared to be emotionally exhausted, and yet, she was willing to go along despite the obvious hurt and pain.

The only one ever given a knife to the kidneys has been poor, little Truely and I find it disturbing that Kotex used that particular organ to describe his "pain" for trying so desperately to LOVE Christine.   What a prick.   I simply can't imagine WHY Christine didn't care to spend the rest of her life and then eternity with him on the celestial planet.    🙄  

Oh, and Truely...are you happy to be moving?  WTH kind of a question was THAT???  Let me stand here next to you, ever mindful of Covid protoculls and act like the 5 year old boy child I am.... unable to even stand still.  But hey, we can facetime and chat on our Iphones sometime. I know we never did it while we squestered away during Covid, but hey.  First time for everything.    

Someone take a 2x4 and lambast that peckerhead and his favored wife good and proper, puhleeeeeeeze.  I'd feel SO much better.  They're insufferable and just horrid, horrid excuses for human beings.   Polygamy.  What a sick, perverted and dysfunctional way to live.   

[NotinKansasanymore]

Anyone else think Kody was hoping Truly would have a meltdown and cry during the goodbye? He was totally instigating her with his smile comment, and when she didn’t react he just blew her off.

[gingerella]

22 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Was Dayton there?

He was probably very busy uploading crap to MSWC, followed by managing some invisible construction over in Coyote Piss Pass (Sure, Jan), and he was clearly shirking his 'job'for KBF Entertainment LLC...

Edited November 21, 2022 by gingerella

[Elizzikra]

6 minutes ago, gingerella said:

He was probably very busy uploading crap to MSWC, followed by managing some invisible construction over in Coyote Piss Pass (Sure, Jan), and he was clearly shirking his 'job'for KBF Entertainment LLC...

Maybe he just doesn't want to be part of the show anymore? I think it would be a hard pass for me too, especially if I (individually) were not being paid.

[Tuxcat]

1 hour ago, Claire Voyant said:

Oh, and Truely...are you happy to be moving?  WTH kind of a question was THAT???

This episode really demonstrated the exploitation of Truely. Early in the episode, Christine calls Truely to the kitchen to tell her "surprise, we're moving in a week." This was a moment done for the cameras... nothing more... and I shuddered when Christine kept trying to elicit a response. I thought that was bad. Then I watched what Kody did and that was far worse. Either way, the parents are not making great decisions here at all.

Christine also needed to just tell Mykelti no. I'm sure this was a plot device pushed by TLC but come on, enough awkward staged standoffs already. 

Lastly I find it so very ironic that Kody spent decades blaming his wives for not working on their relationships. And now, after 25 years, when two of them finally become actual friends - they are kicking HIM out. Truly poetic. 

[Adeejay]

2 hours ago, luvmylabs said:

Mykelti I has matured so much. 

I disagree. Part of maturity is learning how to read a room. Based on the conversation with her father and stepmother, Mykelti should have realized that a family gathering would not be a good idea.  

[renatae]

Kody's bruised and broken heart~

[gingerella]

This episode was appalling. The level of blatant shot parenting by Kotex & Sobyn is horrid. The constant baiting K&R were doing with Mykelti and Tony was gross. Then the way K was trying to bait Truley into saying she was upset about moving? Disgusting. And then there's Robyn and her sullen children - the older girls must have RBF if they weren't 'mad',, could have fooled me. And don't get me started on Kotex saying how 'heartbroken' he was about Christine leaving then in the next breath he says how angry he is and he never over her and never wants to see her again. Does this fuckwit understand that his kids will see this? That all 12 kids who were raised by Christine will see hiw awful this emotionally abusive asshole is?!? 

I'm so glad we already know that Christine will be fine! But next week seems like Janelle is at her breaking point. Buying Christine's house might be a good idea for her security but the house has bad juju, and she's right, she needs her own house in her name only. Fuck Kody and fuck Robyn. They deserve their hellish monogamy.

Edited November 21, 2022 by gingerella

[GeeGolly]

Wow, I thought I was over this family but this episode stirred some emotions. My heart breaks for Truly, but she seems to be able to let things slide. I hope that's who she is and she's not stuffing everything inside.

Kudos to Christine and how brave she was in leaving Kody and leaving Flagstaff.

Fuck Kody and fuck Robyn. I'm going to give her girls a pass due to their arrested development and having Robyn and Kody filling their heads with bullshit. 

Little Ari - she repeats everything her mom says. May the universe bless her with some great teachers role modeling for her. 

Kody's heart is now broken? Have his kidneys healed? He sucks as a husband, he sucks as a dad and he sucks as a human being. Fuck Kody.

[zamp33]

6 hours ago, Elizzikra said:

Also I call bullshit on Kidney's continued "social distancing" and laughed out loud when he said that to Ariella. His kids go to in-person school. He went out of town to attend a wedding ceremony. There is no good reason they couldn't go inside Christine's house; he just didn't want to. 

Does Kody not understand that if he hugs Truly and then is with Ari, then Ari can still catch covid? And if Truly is testing every week to visit Kody at Robyn's then why couldn't the kids hug her? That was appalling and heartbreaking on so many levels. Plus they go to school and Kody also in the RV episode declared he wasn't wearing masks in public anymore. 

Did anyone catch the footage of Truly shoveling snow while at Robyn's? Is that how she is spending her quality time with her dad? Nothing against kids doing chores but it speaks volumes that Truly does not want to spend the night there. Kody should have spent as much time as possible with her and made her comfortable in his home. He whines and cries about losing Truly but his awkward interactions and preventing the kids from hugging pretty much sums up his parenting skills with non-Robyn children. 

[TurtlePower]

7 hours ago, Adeejay said:

There is a saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”  I believe Mykelti had good intentions, but she should have been more mindful of her mother’s feelings and how it would affect her.  Clearly, Christine didn’t tell her about Kody’s “Knife to the Kidneys” soliloquy.  Can’t help but wonder if she would have insisted on a goodbye get-together had she known.  Poor Christine! She appeared to be emotionally exhausted, and yet, she was willing to go along despite the obvious hurt and pain.

This. I was angry with Mykelti for forcing this issue and wanted to shake her through the screen — “Don’t you know you’re making it WORSE?” She made it more awkward and more uncomfortable, forcing everyone together not long after they’d had a huge blow-up.

If Mykelti wanted goodbyes for herself, she could have gone to them and had her goodbyes. It was rude and thoughtless of her to do this. 

[ginger90]

When Janelle was hugging Christine, she included Truely, that was a nice scene in the midst of an awful gathering.

[TurtlePower]

7 hours ago, luvmylabs said:

Mykelti I has matured so much.  Perhaps the goodbye was not such a great idea but she obviously loves her mom and was trying to assure everyone that Christine's leaving is not the end of the family.

No, she hasn’t IMO. It was a very immature, thoughtless “teenager” thing that she did. She forced the meet and everyone was miserable. If Mykelti wanted goodbyes for herself, she should have been mature enough to go on her own to each section of family instead of making it harder on her mom and siblings.

Being a young adult and just starting out requires learning life lessons — I hope Mykelti learned something from this. 

[GeeGolly]

Where did Mykelti and Tony meet up with Robyn and Kody? There was a big ass RV behind them.

[altopower]

I think the forced goodbye gathering was a TLC thing to generate more tension, which of course it did. Christine handled herself very well for someone who didn't want to be there. Kody, as usual, was an asshole. His interaction with Truely was forced and uncomfortable, which makes sense as we know he didn't spend much time with her when they were all in AZ. Robyn's daughters look just like her including the frozen angry face. Glad Meri wasn't there.

[TipseyGirl]

21 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Where did Mykelti and Tony meet up with Robyn and Kody? There was a big ass RV behind them.

I'm pretty sure they were at Robin's McMansion. They told Sol and Ariellaaalaaablahblah to go inside and change clothes.

[Elizzikra]

Quote

I'm so glad we already know that Christine will be fine! But next week seems like Janelle is at her breaking point. Buying Christine's house might be a good idea for her security but the house has bad juju, and she's right, she needs her own house in her name only. Fuck Kody and fuck Robyn. They deserve their hellish monogamy.

I think that Kidney liked Christine's house more than he liked Christine. He seems desperate to hang onto it somehow...

[GeeGolly]

2 minutes ago, TipseyGirl said:

I'm pretty sure they were at Robin's McMansion. They told Sol and Ariellaaalaaablahblah to go inside and change clothes.

The RV didn't appear to be Janelle's. Did Robyn have to run out and buy one? Maybe she's going to replace her bench. 😁

Edited November 21, 2022 by GeeGolly

[Onecattoo]

So Gwen thought Christine and Kody should have divorced a long time ago….such as before they moved to Vegas?  Is that what she said?  Sorry Kody, if your kids could see how badly you treated their mother for years, you have no business acting blindsided by her deciding to finally leave now.  Also, she literally said on camera 2-3 seasons ago that she couldn’t do marriage with Kody anymore, does he expect us to believe he never saw that?  And seeing it, why on earth would he not sit down with his “wife” and talk about it?  He continues to push this narrative that she never gave him a chance when all she’s done is give him 25 years of chances….and in return she’s been shut down, ignored, told it’s all her fault, had all intimacy withheld and her kids ignored.  I could not find a worse example of a husband and father if I tried.  
 

Truely shoveling snow makes me wonder if she was even allowed in the house on the rare occasions he brought her over, much less into a bedroom.  
 

[MsMalin]

Something really bothers me about that kid Ari. Kody  accuses Christine of talking shit to the children but I have the distinct impression that he and Robyn discuss Christine in front of the kids all the time. At her age Ari should NOT be questioning  an adult about their break up and her parents should have corrected her immediately.  most probably goes around saying he has tried his best as a husband and doesn't understand why she is breaking up with him. 

[RazzleberryPie]

9 hours ago, Adeejay said:

There is a saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”  I believe Mykelti had good intentions, but she should have been more mindful of her mother’s feelings and how it would affect her.

I don’t think Mykelti had good intentions. She’s always had a Jan Brady chip on her shoulder. I think she was 💯 trying to stay relevant to that TLC paycheck and to stir drama.  
b

But what else can be expected when youve grown up in a culture of having to compete for attention and being ignored because you do feel slighted and not receiving any of the blatant favoritism no matter that you do.

[dariafan]

He was actually expecting Christine to throw together a party ???  Guess Mrs did nothing for the family except raise them. And feed them. And throw the gatherings might have been more important that kootie 

[Celia Rubenstein]

38 minutes ago, altopower said:

I think the forced goodbye gathering was a TLC thing to generate more tension, which of course it did. 

You are probably right.  But you know ... at some point .... you just have to say no to that crap, if only to spare the kids the drama.  But of course they exploit the hell out of all the kids, so why stop now.  

I actually suspect the producers were hoping for more fireworks than they got.  Kidney (lol) tried to provide it by shamelessly provoking Truely.  He's such an ass.  Does he ever look in the mirror and admit to himself that she doesn't care about leaving Flagstaff (leaving him) because he has done a shitty job being her father?  Narcissists actually have very low, fragile self esteem.  I wonder, as he sits on his steppy stool alone inside the closet, pondering life, does he ever admit the truth to himself about anything? 

Nah, I'm sure he blames it all on Christine.  

The fireworks I wish we had received:  Ariaebola defies Kody's orders to stay put and runs into Christine's arms, says she loves her, will miss her and that Christine will always be her mom.  Tells her get out there and find a new husband for herself that she won't have to share with a viper like Mommy. Robyn wets her pants and faints and Kody's head explodes.  The end.

[Onecattoo]

Mary…..”I don’t consider Christine to be a sister wife as don’t you have to be a wife?”

Heads up woman - all it took for Christine to not be a wife was HER saying I’m leaving Kody and so divorced.  
 

Kody…..”I don’t consider myself married to Mary and she can move on to someone else at any time”.

Heads up woman - YOU are not a “wife” either, no more than Kody is a husband…in the absence of a legal marriage, it only takes one side to walk away clearly.  

[Elodia]

35 minutes ago, Onecattoo said:

So Gwen thought Christine and Kody should have divorced a long time ago…

But.. But Sobyn said Kodouche and Christine were happy in Vegas, so obviously Gwen lied 🙄🙄😁

[TurtlePower]

30 minutes ago, RazzleberryPie said:

I don’t think Mykelti had good intentions. She’s always had a Jan Brady chip on her shoulder. I think she was 💯 trying to stay relevant to that TLC paycheck and to stir drama.  
b

But what else can be expected when youve grown up in a culture of having to compete for attention and being ignored because you do feel slighted and not receiving any of the blatant favoritism no matter that you do.

I laughed at this even though I have no idea what it means. I know she was a character on the Brady bunch but I never saw any episodes. Picturing a major drama Queen who goes into theatrics for attention (?). 

[GeeGolly]

I'm going back and forth about Mykelti.

Is her entire 'role' made up and show driven? From Robyn watching Avalon's birth, to her being the connection between UT and AZ for future shows? Or is she really friendly with Robyn?

[Shelbie]

If they had never gotten the tv show I think Kody would still be upset at Christine leaving because she made a decision on her own. I think his rage is amplified a millionaire percent because it is on tv and all the viewers are on her side and applauding. He is so desperate to appear as a heartbroken 🙄 man instead of the uncaring lousy husband and father that he has shown himself to be.
He believed he had total control over his wives and it must scare him to death to realize he doesn’t.

[65mickey]

This was fillmed in the fall of 2021 not 2020. Why is Kody saying that they can't go into the house because of Covid?  Everyone that I know had been vaccinated by then and we were not afraid to go into famiy member's homes.  Mykelti didn't saying anything about Christine turning her back on God. What she said to K&R is that just because her mom left her dad her relationship with K&R would not change. 

God Janelle needs to get a clue. They are never going to build on Coyote Pass. Sell the RV and start banking your money. Kody doesn't give a damn if you have a house or not.  I am beginning to think that she has become delusional after being around Kody all these years. While I despise Kody I agree that buying that RV was a dumb move. How does blowing $50,000 on an RV that you can only live in a few months of the year help to get the land paid off? On top of what she paid for the RV she is now paying rent on an apartment and storage fees for the RV. Can she not add these thing up?  What really got me was when Janelle said that she had accomplished a lot in the 4 months of living in the RV. Like what Janelle? 

[mythoughtis]

13 minutes ago, TurtlePower said:

I laughed at this even though I have no idea what it means. I know she was a character on the Brady bunch but I never saw any episodes. Picturing a major drama Queen who goes into theatrics for attention (?). 

Middle child syndrome.  Jan felt slighted by the attention given to her older sister Marcia.   
Rightfully so to be honest, but viewers fell in love with the actress playing Marcia, and therefore she got  the majority of the shows’ scenes of the female children. Plus the actress was older and better able to play to the camera. 
 

Back to MyKelti, she was considered the odd one out as she grew up. Interested in things the rest of the family was not. Not afraid to speak her mind and challenge Kody.  Female, and Kody only paid attention to his male children then. Christine only had one male child, Janelle had 4. 

Edited November 21, 2022 by mythoughtis

[Granny58]

9 hours ago, Elizzikra said:

Also was she standing and not in a carseat? That's what I thought I saw but I couldn't be bothered to go back and double check.

she probably unclipped herself after they parked.  

5 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

My heart breaks for Truly, but she seems to be able to let things slide. I hope that's who she is and she's not stuffing everything inside.

This.  I hope it isn't an issue in 10 - 15 years when she's trying to form her own relationships.

[altopower]

11 minutes ago, 65mickey said:

God Janelle needs to get a clue. They are never going to build on Coyote Pass. Sell the RV and start banking your money. Kody doesn't give a damn if you have a house or not.  I am beginning to think that she has become delusional after being around Kody all these years. While I despise Kody I agree that buying that RV was a dumb move. How does blowing $50,000 on an RV that you can only live in a few months of the year help to get the land paid off? On top of what she paid for the RV she is now paying rent on an apartment and storage fees for the RV. Can she not add these thing up?  What really got me was when Janelle said that she had accomplished a lot in the 4 months of living in the RV. Like what Janelle?

Oh, I think Janelle has a clue. But the focus this season is on The Divorce in long, drawn-out drama and recaps, and Janelle and Christine have talked and worked together through the whole thing. I'm betting that Janelle is boiling and will be the feature for next season. Just because she hasn't made a media announcement of her leaving doesn't mean squat.

[ginger90]

I know this may seem out there, but perhaps Ariella heard so much from Kody and Robyn about Christine leaving, that she decided to ask Christine herself. It took until the last night there, which suggests she hadn’t seen Christine in quite a while.

The dating thing, just weird.

Edited November 21, 2022 by ginger90