S18.E12: Can't See the Forest for the Trees

[Scarlett45]

Quote

Christine throws a 1950s-themed party for her 50th birthday and admits she's dating again; Kody checks out Janelle's new apartment but realizes she's planning a future without him; Meri worries about big changes in her life.

 

Air Date: November 5, 2023

 

Reminder: The episode thread is for discussion of the events of THE EPISODE, real time events are considered spoilers and belong in the participant(s)/social media thread. 

[xwordfanatik]

I just watched on TLC go, courtesy of my cable subscription.  Such a completely boring episode.  Remodeling the "carriage house," what?  Why is that of any interest, other than the sycophantic buyers of that MLM crap?  Kootie crapping all over Janelle's new apartment, lamenting that he'll never live there?  Like he ever even stayed over at the RV or her old small apartment?  GTFOOH with that BS.  

I'll have more to say tomorrow, I'm sure.  'Night, all!

[Art Of Noiz]

I liked this episode. Not huge drama, but f-in Mykelti. Told Robyn first, then jumps in front of Christine At. Her. Bday. Party. to announce her pregnancy. 

[Adeejay]

I cannot believe Robyn was crying because they weren’t invited to Christine’s birthday party.  Her husband doesn’t want to see Christine and blames her for breaking up the family, so why would they want to be around her?  When someone suggested a family reunion, Robyn balked.  She said it wasn’t safe.  Not to mention, she had Ysabel over and didn’t think to invite Meri.  I don’t believe she really wanted to go to the party, she just needed a reason to complain about Christine. 

[Gramto6]

Yeah, I'm not liking Mykelti much any more either. She is trying to be Switzerland probably because if the show falls apart, she will have an option on either split off if there is one....

Please NOOOOO!

[magemaud]

So for two weeks in a row, Meri told us the same pathetic anniversary story word for word. 

[Gramto6]

I just hope they aren't going to drag Meri and Jannele 's leaving plus the birth of the twins out through yet another season! Sheesh, pretty soon we will be able to repeat word for word right along with them on all the talking heads!

[surfgirl]

This blows.

[TexasTiffany]

The take away from this is Christine and Janelle are going to be sisters all their lives. These two were the life of the family. Where they go, the show goes. They get the good edit. Christine has a new life she never imagined for herself. Janelle is at Christine's party and is literally beaming with a glow she's never had around Kody. They are like two brand new people. 

I want Janelle to stop talking about building on Coyote Pass. Kody isn't going to spend any money on you, Janelle. They took the family money and spent it on artwork, collectibles, and whatever else Robyn and Kody wanted. They've been calculating and manipulative for years. You got cheated, Janelle. I hope the only reason she brings up building a house there is to stick a fork in Kody's plan of having it all to himself.  

I do like that the producers show the lies from Kody/Robyn. Kody says he's trying to reconcile with Janelle. Janelle confirms that Kody hasn't made any effort to reconcile and adds that she doesn't care. Robyn says she's reached out to Meri. Meri says Robyn didn't call her for weeks. Robyn says Christine didn't invite them to her birthday party and expects us to sympathize with her. Looks like the show is preparing to dump Kody and Robyn.

Kody and Robyn contribute nothing to the show. They are a sucking black hole of misery. Kody is a detestable despicable human being. He has no love for his children at all. What an A-hole. Here's some toilet paper to wipe him off our screens.

[Kellyee]

Quote

 Looks like the show is preparing to dump Kody and Robyn.

Without the drama from Robyn and Kody, you are going to get episode after episode of Christine partying, Janelle gardening, and Meri renovating the carriage house. Without the drama, the show is incredibly boring. Even with the drama, the show is becoming incredibly boring. But without Kody and Robyn to stir the pot, it will be like watching paint dry. Which is what a lot of this latest episode was anyway. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[65mickey]

Janelle's sister and her husband were at Christine's party. She looked like a slimmer version of Janelle. She is very pretty. Janelle mentions her "estate" almost as often as Robyn uses the word safe. I hope that Janelle is socking away a good part of her income in a retirement account because that pile of dirt at Coyote Pass is not going to support her in her retirement. Janelle is 53 and if she is not careful with her money she is going to be working in her 80's. She needs to start by telling Kody and Robyn if they are unable to return the money that she gave them for their $900,000 house she wants his name off of the deed to her lot at Coyote Pass. Then when and if they sell the property she won't have to split the money with Kody.  It may not be a lot of money but it's better than nothing. 

[Orcinus orca]

1 hour ago, Kellyee said:

Without the drama from Robyn and Kody, you are going to get episode after episode of Christine partying, Janelle gardening, and Meri renovating the carriage house.

And the births.  Don't forget the births.

This turkey is done, stick a fork in it.

[SunnyBeBe]

I laughed when Robyn said that Mykelti felt safe to tell them about her twin pregnancy first. Lol Since when is that a dangerous thing to do?  They are way too immersed in the term “safe.” It’s odd. Kody used it in an odd way too.

Edited November 6, 2023 by SunnyBeBe

[laurakaye]

I have to do a mini-recap of this episode.  I can't help myself.

 

Christine is 50!  Party!  Oh, what fun!!  50's theme!  Food truck, all the people, even Eeyore Janelle dressed up!  Hugs!  Twins, OMG, Janelle cried, two cakes you guys, one has booze!  One doesn't!  HAHA!  Wow, Janelle had the boozy one and Christine had both, yay!!  Fun!

(record scratch --- sad trombone plays a "WAH-Wah-wah" sound)

Robyn, donning a jewel-toned polyester blouse with a mismatched Pepto-pink cardigan over it, frowns with her eyebrows and says, sadly, we weren't invited.  To the party.  (shrug) So.....yeah.  It's sad.  Robyn's eyebrows begin to dry-cry.  'Cause she's sad.  Sadly.

Meri!  Parowan!  Carriage house!  OMG it's the famous Blair Michael - he is going to design the carriage house in a steampunk fashion but wait!  We have to wait for JustJen because Meri can't do anything without JustJen!  Giggle giggle Blair wants white counters but Meri hates that idea and also hates circles, hahaha!  OMG, these three - they are having a blast together!  What frivolity!

WAH-Wah-Wah............

Robyn's frown touches the base of her chin as she sadly informs us that all she wants is to have the relationship with Meri like she has with JustJen.  But alas, 'tis not to be.  Robyn does not know why.  Sadly.  So sad.  It's very sad.  (shrug)

Meri mentions the CATFISH (did we all bring our beverages?  If so, DRINK!!)  Calls the catfisher - and I quote - "a big fat liar."  Oooooh!  Burn!!  

Segue to the portion of the episode subtitled "A Room of One's Own" because Janelle, Christine and Meri all discuss how absolutely lovely it is to have their own space away from Kody.  Christine can't stand how freaking great it is, Janelle doesn't even want Kody to bring his man-cooties over to her shiny new apartment and Meri tells us that no one in the family knows about her fantastic secret fun carriage house project.  Also, no one cares.

Kody stops over at Janelle's and pronounces her new place "cool, awesome, cool, awesome, awesome and cool."  Once again he forgets that he has a daughter named Sarah Sally Savanah, mentioning that there's no need for him to ever come over to an apartment where he is clearly not welcome....oh, except that he and Janelle share a kid who lives there.  Oopsy.

TREES!  Trees!  We have a tree flashback, this is not a drill!  Flash forward to Meri being sad that she has to remove trees from the B&B.  But chopping down those trees wasn't as bad as she thought it would be...heavy metaphor for her pretend relationship with Kody.  In her final thoughts, she says "SCREW HIM."

DRINK!

/salut

Edited November 6, 2023 by laurakaye

[js9548]

Anyone know a website that tells us how many more of these episodes are in this season? And if we need a tell all afterwards? You can only stretch this out so far before I give up. 

[Shelbie]

I enjoy watching how lighter the original three are.

They make their own decisions about their lives without a single thought of how Kody and Robyn feel. No more dancing around the whims and promises and idiotic pronouncements of people they have no fondness or respect for.
Christine has a party and  invites who she likes. Janelle chooses an apartment she loves without caring in the slightest what Kody thinks. Meri spends her money and time on what she wants. They have all earned the right to choose for themselves how to spend the rest of their lives.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m trying to imagine customers going into the converted carriage house to shop off the rack and try on leggings. Lol  That’s a mighty fancy design for a backyard thrift store.  And this makes sense how? 🤔

[Orcinus orca]

Brilliant, @laurakaye!

On a different note, any idea what the title of the episode refers to?  They misspelled Forrest - on purpose?  By mistake?  I'm guessing that the "theme" is trees but if that's the case, it should be forest, not forrest.

But clearly the TLC team in charge of this mess is now made up of interns from a local high school doing some sort of project.  My grade:  D (but only because I don't want to crush their creative spirits with an F).

[MsMalin]

Was this the Halloween show a week late because Tony looks like a deranged mass murderer. Yikes!

*******

I just can't with Robyn being all upset about not being invited to the party.

Did Janelle sell the RV? She is all over the place with living arrangement moving in, moving out, building, moving????  She gave me a great laugh when she talked about building a fence.

Also loved how the editors provided the analogy of the trees to Meris marriage. Is it too much to hope that Meri takes a buzz saw to Cody's gonads?

And yes, thru the flashbacks we see that Cody did love her at one point in time. They actually did look cute and cute together.

Edited November 6, 2023 by MsMalin

[ButterQueen]

Janelle on Coyote Pass…..”I don’t know if Kody will ever get his poop in a group.”  😂😂😂

Too much Meri. Too much annoying Jen.

Robyn looks so rough and Kody is a total douche.

16 minutes ago, Orcinus orca said:

Brilliant, @laurakaye!

On a different note, any idea what the title of the episode refers to?  They misspelled Forrest - on purpose?  By mistake?  I'm guessing that the "theme" is trees but if that's the case, it should be forest, not forrest.

But clearly the TLC team in charge of this mess is now made up of interns from a local high school doing some sort of project.  My grade:  D (but only because I don't want to crush their creative spirits with an F).

On my recording, Forest is spelled correctly.  Looks like a typo here.

[laurakaye]

The high school interns must be taking turns pulling an archaic metaphor out of a hat for the episode titles, because every single one has been along the lines of "can't see forest for the trees, don't put all your eggs in one basket, airing the dirty laundry, writing on the wall, etc."  It's lazy and pathetic.

But I give them a C+ for the constant juxtaposition of a high-energy scene featuring a free and happy sister wife, followed directly by the sad empty shell of Robyn and the duhhhhh caveman stare of Kody.  It's very jarring but I end up laughing out loud.

Edited November 6, 2023 by laurakaye

[mythoughtis]

==duhhhhh caveman stare ofKody.  ==
 

That’s it! I kept trying to figure out who Kody reminds me of this season ( in appearance only).  It’s the Geico caveman! The Geico caveman was much more pleasant 

Edited November 6, 2023 by mythoughtis

[laurakaye]

Also, when Meri was waxing poetic about Kody, for some bizarre reason we were treated to a blink and you missed it flashback of Kody doing some kind of manly work hammering nails and his assistant was none other than a 6 or possibly 7 year old Arabellibloia, handing him nails and sucking on a pacifier.  I had to pause my screen to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.  WTF is going on in that house, anyway?  I know we've seen her at 4 or 5 with her binky but at this point she's almost as tall as Kody so it's extra bizarre to me that this child is still being filmed with that thing still stuck in her mouth.  

Edited November 6, 2023 by laurakaye

[Jeanne222]

So that was long and boring!  Kody lied so much I thought his nose would start growing and fall off!

I suspect some TLC money is going into the storyline  carriage house.  That's Meri's story.

Christine dancing off into the sunset.  Mikelti thinking she and Tony can take over the show with their twins!  Lol  Sometimes its hard for Tony to put together a sentence.

Why is Janelle hanging around?  Oh I bet until Savannah finishes school.

Robyn dyed her hair.  Not a fan of the darker color.

[Slider]

Kody's mad that Janelle doesn't want a relationship with Meri... while he has very clearly stated he doesn't want a relationship with Meri...  

Logic.

[Kip Hackman]

I haven't even watched this episode yet, but decided to check the comments anyway.

And I'm thinking, "Why is everybody talking about last week's episode? Was it a repeat this week?"

I guess that's just how stagnant and repetitive this show has become. 😐

 

[altopower]

20 minutes ago, Kip Hackman said:

And I'm thinking, "Why is everybody talking about last week's episode? Was it a repeat this week?"

Last week was actually worse in my eyes, because almost the whole thing was flashback clips. 

[Scarlett45]

2 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

On a different note, any idea what the title of the episode refers to?  They misspelled Forrest - on purpose?  By mistake?  I'm guessing that the "theme" is trees but if that's the case, it should be forest, not forrest.

That was all ME (thinking of the name Forrest and not the location forest)🤣. 

[Sandy W]

16 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

That was all ME (thinking of the name Forrest and not the location forest)🤣. 

I wondered if Meri had a prospective beau named Forrest hiding in the trees.

[laurakaye]

2 minutes ago, Sandy W said:

I wondered if Meri had a prospective beau named Forrest hiding in the trees.

If so.....RUN FORREST RUN!!!!

[Twopper]

2 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I laughed when Robyn said that Mykelti felt safe to tell them about her twin pregnancy first. Lol Since when is that a dangerous thing to do?  They are way too immersed in the term “safe.” It’s odd. Kody used it in an odd way too.

I think “safe” often means something along the lines of “makes me feel good/better about myself” when they use it about themselves. 
in the case of Mykelti, I think Robyn is implying that Mykelti was willing to make Robyn feel good about herself by telling her the news ahead of Christine. 
Defining “safe” with this crew is futile as it a moving target depending on who is using it. 
 

[Dobian]

Now Janelle has a new apartment.  Has anyone counted all the different places they have all lived in over the years?  That would be an interesting statistic.  Another would be how many family meetings have they had sitting in folding chairs and on park benches in the woods?

[IvySpice]

12 hours ago, Adeejay said:

I cannot believe Robyn was crying because they weren’t invited to Christine’s birthday party.  Her husband doesn’t want to see Christine and blames her for breaking up the family, so why would they want to be around her?

Right? My uncle left my aunt and their 5-year-old child weeks before her 40th birthday. Then he was hurt that she didn't invite him to her party. I guess there are a lot of people incapable of seeing how things look from the other person's point of view.

[zenme]

Emotionally safe? Grow up.  Life is messy.  Deal with issues head on.  

[UsernameFatigue]

I was hoping that the producers were moving the storyline along, but nope. Christine's birthday is mid April, so we are going backwards once again since we saw Janelle's birthday which is early May an epi or two ago.

Does anyone know what the ratings are like? I assume if they are decent it is because there is no new programming for most of the shows one would watch due to the writers and then actor's strike.

In any case, Kody's THs are just a repeat week after week. Everything is someone else's fault. This week he laments that Janelle doesn't want him at her new apartment. He really can't stand any woman making the decision that she doesn't want him. All while he makes it clear that Robyn is his one and only. OMG! 

As amusing as it is watching Robyn and Kody complain non stop in their THs, they need to be cut loose. They add nothing to the show. I don't know if Janelle, Christine and kids can carry it (Meri is really a non entity) but the producers need to find out. And move it along. Sheesh. 

[islandgal140]

 

13 hours ago, Art Of Noiz said:

I liked this episode. Not huge drama, but f-in Mykelti. Told Robyn first, then jumps in front of Christine At. Her. Bday. Party. to announce her pregnancy. 

This was a big WTF! moment to me but I did catch something subtle. Mykelti said she told them 1st and I quote "because I needed help" followed by an awkward laugh.  I translated that to mean $$$$ 'cause let's face it, it for damn sure ain't for child care/babysitting.  The sleep in queen Robyn can't watch her own kids, plus they live hundreds of miles away so it must be financial. Mykelti and Tony are sucking up for that filthy lucre.  What do her and Tony do for a living anyway?!?!

She did tack on another explanation re: morning sickness but that struck me as in addition to needing the other kind of help. YMMV.

WTH does the carriage house need a kitchenette with a huge island w/quartz counters if it is mostly for her clothing business? Seems like that would take up more space and not add enough storage as opposed to setting it up as, oh I don't know, a retail shop w/warehouse storage capabilities. It seems to me she needs a nice customer facing area for online sales and the rest should be dedicated to storage. 

Party was cute! Janelle looked amazing in green.  Aspyn and Ysabel have such gorgeous hair! 

[islandgal140]

41 minutes ago, UsernameFatigue said:

Does anyone know what the ratings are like? I assume if they are decent it is because there is no new programming for most of the shows one would watch due to the writers and then actor's strike.

It has been doing incredibly well and they are seeing some of the highest since its inception. I think it may even be beating TLC's smash 90 day fiance show. Last week I saw Sister Wives briefly in the top 10 watched shows on Max. 

Edited November 6, 2023 by islandgal140

[Quickbeam]

Oh I just can’t with Meri and her best friend. It feels so juvenile, like Meri has never had a friend before. And why does the carriage house need a spiffy makeover? Just clean it, put a desk in, boom! Done.

Robyn’s face is like the rictus of death. Her “smile” screams Sad Clown. 

[SilverLake0315]

52 minutes ago, UsernameFatigue said:

As amusing as it is watching Robyn and Kody complain non stop in their THs, they need to be cut loose. They add nothing to the show. I don't know if Janelle, Christine and kids can carry it (Meri is really a non entity) but the producers need to find out. And move it along. Sheesh. 

Totally agree. I'm enjoying the scenes they aren't involved in just fine. Cut. Them. Loose.

Also, I don't know if someone is intentionally making Kody's face look dirty in his THs, but it does, and it amuses me to no end. He really is a bizarre-looking individual. Definitely not getting better with age!

[TipseyGirl]

Mykelti is an attention grabber just like her dumb dad. Tony thinks he is quite the stud being able to get his wife pregnant WHILE SHE WAS STILL BREASTFEEDING.  And she CONCEIVED TWINS WITH NO EXTRA HELP!! The fuck?

[ginger90]

Seems a good time to mention again, that I just can’t stand Mykelti.

[Natalie68]

5 hours ago, Shelbie said:

I enjoy watching how lighter the original three are.

They make their own decisions about their lives without a single thought of how Kody and Robyn feel. No more dancing around the whims and promises and idiotic pronouncements of people they have no fondness or respect for.
Christine has a party and  invites who she likes. Janelle chooses an apartment she loves without caring in the slightest what Kody thinks. Meri spends her money and time on what she wants. They have all earned the right to choose for themselves how to spend the rest of their lives.

I have bagged on Meri for eons but she looks to have come a long way.  Extricating that dingleberry from her life looks good on her.  ALL of the ex wives seem to be filled with joie de vivre!  Smiling, looking healthier, better brows, senses of humor.  It is like all of their anger has set up shop on Robyn's countenance.  Bummer.

Is it just me or does Brianna always look like she smelled a rancid fart?  She has the most sullen and angry expressions of the bunch.  

Janelle's sister and her twinning with Mykelti at the party.  I noticed the sister was wearing a jacket later on.

2 hours ago, Twopper said:

I think “safe” often means something along the lines of “makes me feel good/better about myself” when they use it about themselves. 
in the case of Mykelti, I think Robyn is implying that Mykelti was willing to make Robyn feel good about herself by telling her the news ahead of Christine. 
Defining “safe” with this crew is futile as it a moving target depending on who is using it. 
 

I find that unacceptable that she told ROBYN before her birth mother.  I wouldn't be pleased with that.

[laurakaye]

51 minutes ago, Quickbeam said:

Oh I just can’t with Meri and her best friend. It feels so juvenile, like Meri has never had a friend before.

It's super cringe-worthy for sure.  They give off "7th graders in the back seat of a car being driven by their dad to their first dance" vibes...all giggles and inside jokes.  There's also a certain way these reality folks talk to each other when they're performing for the cameras - like they're trying extra hard to play off each other and be hilarious.  It's usually a miserable fail, as in this case.

And what's with Meri hating circles?  Who hates circles?  Did she have trouble cutting a circle with her safety scissors in kindergarten or something?

I hope Blair Michael paints the entire carriage house interior in polka dots.

[RazzleberryPie]

Why would Christine invite her ex husband and his wife that she does not like to her party? How is Christine’s territory “safe” but Robyn’s own home isn’t?
Is Robyn in too deep with her lies and manipulation that it’s turned her brain to mush’s and she’s always confused now? Is this what happened with her first marriage? She dug a hole too deep then ran off to start over? I don’t think she’s 💯 to blame for all the problems, but they sure did accelerate and combust after she joined the fahmly.

Why would Meri want to be friends with Robyn? Robyn basically betrayed everything Meri did for her beginning with manipulating Meri’s divorce and robins legal marriage. She’s trampled on Meri for decades and then she expects Meri to hang out while ROBYN gloats about having everything Meri wanted? She has her husband, the kids Meri wanted, the big house, etc. Why would any sane person want to be friends with the person who dethroned them? 

[magemaud]

10 hours ago, TexasTiffany said:

. Here's some toilet paper to wipe him off our screens.

He doesn’t deserve the good TP. Give him the generic splintery kind 

[islandgal140]

The other big mind phuck after Robyn sad clowning over not being invited to Christine's 50 bday party was her saying that she wished her relationship with Meri was as fun and light as Meri/Jen. Oh I don't know, maybe if Robyn called her once and a while.  Witch! Maybe if Robyn didn't have Meri spend 2 years in solitude during the Covid years complying with Kody's Robyn's impossible mail wiping rules and then still not able to visit because - new excuse - that would upset the other family members. Witch. Maybe invited her over and acted like bringing over the tenderettes to visit Meri wasn't some act of charity to some lonely old spinster but rather spending time with mom #2, you know the great plyg perk. Witch!

That is what is so frustrating about Robyn. Friends/sisters are forged and require investment, time and effort. She does nothing or worse yet, actively sabotages shit and wonders in frustration and confusion why shit is the way it is. It is because of you DUMMY!

Robyn's motto - I've tried nothing and now I'm all out of ideas (tm The Simpsons). 

Edited November 7, 2023 by islandgal140
grammar

[magemaud]

6 hours ago, MsMalin said:

Was this the Halloween show a week late because Tony looks like a deranged mass murderer. Yikes!

I always think he looks like he’s cosplaying one of the Three Musketeers 

51 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

And what's with Meri hating circles?  Who hates circles?  

She’s just trying to sound quirky and funny but it’s a pretty stupid comment 

[TexasTiffany]

12 hours ago, Shelbie said:

I enjoy watching how lighter the original three are.

They make their own decisions about their lives without a single thought of how Kody and Robyn feel. No more dancing around the whims and promises and idiotic pronouncements of people they have no fondness or respect for.
Christine has a party and  invites who she likes. Janelle chooses an apartment she loves without caring in the slightest what Kody thinks. Meri spends her money and time on what she wants. They have all earned the right to choose for themselves how to spend the rest of their lives.

I really liked C, J, and M, luxuriating on making their own choices and being happy.

I felt bad for Meri though when she said that Kody didn't want her to say anything about Kody being so cruel to her. He's told the whole world multiple times in multiple ways to emphasize his disdain for her. Everyone knows. Of course, he wants Meri to not say anything. Meri has a right to tell her story. Let me put some coffee on and turn up the volume. Share it, Meri. Tell us what the ramen noodle a-hole did to you OFF screen. 

Meri doesn't like circles? Circles were in the shows opening graphics. Wedding rings are circles. Meri doesn't like white. Weddings have a lot of white. Is this post traumatic Kody disorder?

Edited November 7, 2023 by TexasTiffany

[Joan of Argh]

I’m wondering if Meri is putting a kitchenette into the carriage house because she plans on living in it when she’s in Parawon… it has an upstairs loft that would make a good bedroom.

Does it have a bathroom or is she planning on a curtain with a couple buckets.

[TexasTiffany]

7 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I laughed when Robyn said that Mykelti felt safe to tell them about her twin pregnancy first. Lol Since when is that a dangerous thing to do?  They are way too immersed in the term “safe.” It’s odd. Kody used it in an odd way too.

Why tell Robyn first? Christine is her real mom and been there for her. Does she have something against Christine? She did keep trying to make her mom's bday party about her rather than celebrating her mom more. 

7 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

On a different note, any idea what the title of the episode refers to?  They misspelled Forrest - on purpose?  By mistake?  I'm guessing that the "theme" is trees but if that's the case, it should be forest, not forrest.

Stupid is as stupid does.