My Five Wives - General Discussion

[maraleia]

I added their names in the order that they came to the family for easy reference.

[Absolom]

For a show that appears to be headed toward being a one season wonder, one thread is probably enough.

[Rhondinella]

Oh, OK.  I thought I had them in "wife number" order, but maybe not.  thanks.

[Rhondinella]

Ok, we're going to keep it like it is for the moment, guys.  Our policies and procedures are still evolving here, and we were blindsided by the influx of people from TWoP before we were completely organized.  So bear with us as we work through some things.  But the general consensus at the moment is that if the show is currently airing in original run on TV, it will have a Small Talk thread, a General Discussion thread, and some character threads.  (I agree that threads for each of the wives might have been overly optimistic overkill.  So I've remedied that.)  Some old shows that are no longer airing in original run may end up with only one or two threads, especially if traffic is light.

Let's not talk about it more here.  If you have questions or concerns feel free to message me.  Thanks.

[Fallacy]

I just finished watching all five wives' home tours and they are really interesting. Unlike the Browns, the Williams' all have the exact same homes basically with four bedrooms and two baths per family plus a kitchen, dining room, and living room. However, the last two wives seem like they got the short end of the stick because their bedrooms and their living rooms seem much smaller than the first three wives. For whatever reason, when Brady built that second home for wives 4 and 5, he may have had to work with a smaller budget than with the first three. It will be very interesting to see how it all works if they do in fact move to Washington and build from scratch again. Maybe he will just build them each a 1600 square foot ranch style house. Either way, I like that he attempted to make them all separate but equal, but that's probably easier to do when they all have 4-6 children unlike in the Brown situation where one wife has one child who is already off to college but still insists on having a McMansion like the rest. 

[halgia]

Roadblocks looking into adoption; a possible health scare; a teen daughter wants to start dating.

Originally aired April 6, 2014.

[MarkySnark]

So, if I heard correctly, Brady does not want his daughters to go into polygamy. He said he would want it for them if they found a man that was as "progressive" as he is and practiced equality. He named financial, emotional and racial equality. Very admirable. Then he threw in gender equality and lost the argument. How is there gender equality when the man sleeps with a different woman every night for five nights and the women sleep with the man just once every five nights?

Edited April 7, 2014 by MarkySnark

[Toaster Strudel]

OMG this epi was nuttier than a Reese's truck driving out of the factory warehouse.

But first.  Hey, Rosemary... he's late for one anniversary... yours.  He wants to skip a night... yours.  Guess whose night he'll "sacrifice" for Nonie-babymaking antics?  YOURS!  You don't exist for him.  Everyone has a doormat, but whoever gives them any thought?

I call bullshit on the Buddhist claims.  First of all, I'm not seeing too many Buddhas and incense burning, but prayers to JChrist... there's a skunk in the Zen Garden and he's carrying a cross.

Brady is starting to show his true colors as, surprise! An arrogant blowhard.  He wants his daughters to marry a "progressive" man like himself?  You know the kind that treats women as equals and tells them to stop working to do more mothering?  The kind who's got the state troopers on speed dial should his daughter be five minutes late from a birthday party, 3 full hours before midnight?  The kind who needs to grant permission for hand-holding... but only after the age of 16?  All the while he was talking about controlling his daughters, he lost his usual cool, he was ready to bust an aneurysm, his eyes were darting all over the place and his voice was an octave higher.

He doesn't see himself if he thinks he treats women as equals.  Women are just chattel to him.  Babymaking chattel.  And Josh is a jerk to volunteer to be his enforcer.  Shame on him for participating in the confinement and repression of his sisters.  Buddhists my ass.

For all the obsessive rule-making and insane enforcement thereof, Brady Blowhard gets mad when he has to bend to the rules of society at large that prevent him from adopting children.  I thought his outrage was pretty rich.  Thank goodness that some child somewhere is being spared such a father.

Brady to his daughter: "then you can't go!" "then you can't go!""then you can't go!""then you can't go!" like a goddam broken record.

Society to Brady: "then you can't adopt!"  "then you can't adopt!" "then you can't adopt!" "then you can't adopt!".  Serves him right.

What a flaming narcissist.

Nonie got her babymaking contract signed and sealed.  Is it me or does it look like these people have the most constipated sex life, ever?  She wants a child for the attention it brings and the extra Brady time, probably dipped from Rosemary's account.

Rhonda and Paulie are nice ladies.  They deserve better, but it's too late.  Paulie looks shell-shocked from years of "keeping sweet" - she has the longest record.

Edited April 7, 2014 by Toaster Strudel

[Curtsy]

Brady's a nut for freaking out about his daughter's non-date, but if these women were truly sister wives then Rosemary wouldn't be jealous when he waits for her to get home from said non-date. She would be glad that he is such an involved father.

Speaking of which, 24 children, one wife desperately trying for another, and they want to adopt? I am speechless. How about you focus your love, attention, time, money on the children you already have?

[all4mom]

Did anyone else cringe at Brady's objection to the not-date because his "little girl" would be going out "with someone else"?  Ew!  And the "health scare"?  What I gathered from all that mama-drama was that Rhonda's mother died of breast cancer, she probably has polycystic disease or adenomas (both common; the previous scare), and she's scheduled a mammogram and checkup.  What "x-rays" did she go for earlier, what were the results, and what "symptoms" of cancer is she experiencing?  Seemed like much ado about nothing with shades of "The Little Couple," but then this is TLC.  It was nice to see some sister-wife empathy, or they're better actors than the Browns.  Each week, I look for Rosemary, Robin, or even Paulie to get her turn in the spotlight, but it's still "The Rhonda and Noni Show."  Also, if they were truly sister-wives, Rhonda would be free to work while her sister-wives cared for her children -- including the one she still wants to adopt.  And very strange that he wants her to quit her job.

Edited April 7, 2014 by all4mom

[Angeltoes]

I liked September's nickname of Peppi. 

Her Mom had every right to say she wanted to talk to the boy's parents.  In this day and age you can't just send your kid willy-nilly off into the night.  If I were the boy's parent I'd have no problem with her parents calling to introduce themselves and ask particulars.  When your kid says,"I don't want you doing that" then all the more reason to do it.

I had to snort laugh at Nonie saying they don't throw the sex thing into each other's faces.  Wake up, ladies, you're all banging him thus none of you is a special snowflake. 

 

 

 

[Galloway Cave]

The name of this show should be My Three Wives. Rosemary and Robyn are non-existent. Poor Rosemary. Her anniversary doesn't get celebrated but Nonie's does (and Rhonda's did, four years late). Brady ignores Rosemary's night so he can lounge on Paulie's bed waiting for September to come home, when all she had to do is text him she was back at 9:00pm. Next door, no less. Good grief.

Why is Rhonda adding the stress of adoption right now when she is dealing with a possible health scare? Get that resolved first, then move on to the storyline. Brady is also an asshat for trying to make her leave a job that she loves, that gives her the adult connections she craves and the validations she wants outside of the home. I'm with Toaster Strudel about Brady- flaming, narcissist asshat.

[camom]

First Brady tells Rhonda that she should quit her job.  In the next scene, Nonie is talking about having a baby and Brady is worried about their financial situation.  Also, if they were truly sister wives, wouldn't Rhonda be looking to the other women for support if she is having a medical scare?  Paulie's "concern" seemed scripted to be another way to tell Rhonda to quit her job.  I felt like Brady was using her as his mouthpiece.  

Free Rosemary.

[Galloway Cave]

He's not even attempting to be consistent from one wife to the next with the baby/financial talk. You have to wonder how they feel about it now that they are seeing it on air, unless they knew before hand that it was all just talk for the show. He's making more of an attempt to be consistent with the teenager's dating than he is with the baby-making process with his wives.

Loved little Tom's (I think) comment about dating other species. In reality, that's probably how pligs think about dating regular folks....

[Goldielocked]

In my opinion, none of these women appear to be happy.  

[Toaster Strudel]

I still can't get over the irony of some young man having to ask Brady Blowhard permission to hold his daughter's hand, when Brady Blowhard is banging five different women for mormonJesus and his afterlife planets.

[Absolom]

Ratings were up a bit: 1.15 M viewers and a .4 rating.

[Goldielocked]

I'm finding this show to be a snooze fest, it is so boring!  Almost (and I said almost) makes me long for a Meri/Mariah Brown meltdown.  

[Toaster Strudel]

I'm always cold and as this show makes my blood boil, it's a must-see.

[Intuition]

OMG, what a snoozefest!  I am finding the comments here FAR more entertaining!  Markysnark, I thought the same thing about Brady's "gender equality" comment.  He doesn't treat his own wives as his equals but he wants that for his daughters?  I don't think he even knows what equal means.  Even in this episode he decided to blow off Rosemary because HE wanted to be there when his daughter with Paulie came home.  Oh, I suppose Rosemary should just know her place and not complain, because it's all about what the man wants, obviously, not the women.  I suppose Brady's version of "equality" still gives him the prerogative to just blow off wives on their designated nights with him whether they like it or not....The mind boggles on how he doesn't see anything incongruent with what he says vs. what he does.  If he thinks he's "progressive", I'd hate to see what he would think is NOT progressive!

I think I have actually seen Kody Brown make more of an effort to be fair with the wives and let them work things out on their own, not that this ever leads to anything less than conflict and unhappiness, but at least he appers to make a weak attempt to walk the walk....or at least make it look like he's doing so.  If the wives have unequal shares of the pie in the Brown family it's usually after they've fought to the finish over it amongst themselves, not from outright being given it by the husband.

Thank you for the "flaming Brady narcissist asshat" descriptor.  I am so relieved I'm not alone in thinking it fits him well.

And I totally agree about the Buddhist stuff being bullshit.  Unless Brady thinks he can practice "cafeteria style" religion, lol.  Like, "Well, we're Buddhists, but we still celebrate Christmas and pray to Jesus"......Yah right, what a total jerk off he is.

[Intocats]

I don't get where the Buddhism comes in, either. I have a feeling that they are still affiliated with the polygamist church but want to keep it all on the down-low while the show is filming. 

The only two wives who seem kind of happy in their situation are Paulie and Rhonda. Nonie makes sure that Brady notices her, Rosemary seems the most marginalized. And I forgot that Robin was even there….betcha Brady does, too.

But adopting a baby into that mess?? Holy Moroni, Batman! I don't think so.

[all4mom]

The preview with everyone standing over Rhonda, praying and weeping.  Brady had to compose himself...  Drama much?  Although that scene with Paulie was a hot mess, what I deduced from it was: a family history of cancer, a past "scare" (that's not cancer; most women have a "scare" at some point with a cyst, adenoma, or just false-positive test), and now x-rays but NOT a mammogram?  In other words, a plotline.  If Rosemary can't even get her 15 minutes of fame on reality TV, she should definitely walk once she's completed her college coursework.

Edited April 9, 2014 by all4mom

[LazyToaster]

Intuition, I had to laugh at the "cafeteria style" religion description - it sure does feel like they are just making it up as they go along.

[constantknot]

It's crazy that they think they can adopt. I have no doubt that Rhonda is a devoted and loving mother, but for reals…. there are 24(?) children in that family. I doubt any adoption agency on earth would send a baby within a 2 block radius of the homes. It's not even the fact that they're polygamists (which yeah, obviously NO) it's just the pure and simple fact that their family is enormous already. 

Brady saying that September doesn't know what kind of trouble she could get into on her date…jeez. The one that's a dinner with his entire family including grandparents? You're totally right, Brady. You're lucky she didn't come home pregnant from that wild ride of a 'date'. Agree with other posters that it was complete BS for him to lounge around on Paulie's bed and leave poor Rosemary cheated of her night. A simple call or text from Paulie would have sufficed. 

That man just comes across as so smug and condescending. It's like he's read a few psych textbooks and a couple relationship help books, overanalyzed them, and is trying to show how great of a husband he is. Look at me, wives. I listen to you. I try to finish your thoughts and sentences incessantly. I'm obsessed with talking shit out. 

[Absolom]

Rosemary is apparently not feeling the love:

http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2014/04/my-five-wives-polygamist-jealousy-taken-advantage-tlc-video/

[Curtsy]

Ugh, go buy something worthwhile for your (24!) kids instead of a tattoo. He is such a brat, asking for his wives' blessing then when a couple of them have reservations, he brings up their earrings and hair dye.

[Curtsy]

Rosemary, you teach people how to treat you. Thy take advantage of you because you let them.

[Galloway Cave]

Sounds like Paulie has been giving Rosemary the shaft for many years. Wonder what's up there and if she does that with the other wives too.

Another plig family that likes big wood letters of their last names on the wall. Why do they need to be reminded who they are?

With Rhonda's history, I cannot believe she has waited two pregnancies to check a new lump. I'm hoping everything is OK.

You know Brady, being able to compartmentalize five entire relationships is NOT a good thing.

Nonie: "Sex, sex, SEX, sex, sex, did I say sex, are you thinking about sex, SEXXXXX!"

Edited April 14, 2014 by Galloway Cave

[MrsPatrickBateman]

My biggest question from this episode is what were they drinking in their wine glasses at poker night? Was that Mt. Dew? I have seen plenty of wine but nothing neon yellow before.

[all4mom]

Probably Mimosas (orange juice and vodka).  The Duggars, Bateses, and Browns also have big words on the walls; don't know if it's popular in general culture (Target?) or just for brainwashing purposes.  As for the "cancer scare," puh-lease!  Talk about a drama queen.  At least wait until you actually have cancer to manipulate everyone around you with it.  A side comment: this site isn't exactly "on fire"; hope traffic increases when TWOP officially shuts down!

Edited April 14, 2014 by all4mom

[MV713]

This was filmed months ago. Anyone know if Nonie is pregnant?

[MarkySnark]

I don't know if Nonie is pregnant, but I think she just told a random camera that she and Brady are having sex.

[camom]

That was like an hour of Passive Aggressive TV.  Paulie needing Brady to close a window.  Rhonda needing to tell  Brady about a lump in her breast when he's about to leave with Rosemary (assuring that his mind would be on her at least part of the time).    I find these people quite unappealing.

[Absolom]

Scintillating they are not. Lumps in the breast - previously had and weren't cancer.  A bit scary but not exciting TV.  A window that one close.  A wife that feels put upon.  Oh my let's play poker.  A tattoo or not.  They deserve to be one season wonders.  In fact I'm not sure why TLC thought they could make a season of this. 

[Toaster Strudel]

WOW.  No one gives a rat's tutu about poor Rosemary.  She's like re-heated pizza. 

Two to three years to fix her wedding ring?  I have a hunch that, were it not for the TLC $windfall, Brady would not have had it repaired for the princely sum of $250.  Maybe it's worth more than the actual ring.

She gets the shaft with stuck windows and having to worry about Rhonda during her long-awaited anniversary special night.  I have a hunch she didn't get any.

Did these brain-dead women really get excited over the privilege of giving Brady a foot massage? Gag! Gag!

So now we knew they fought with the fundamentalist plyg over earrings and they're doing because their ancestors did.  Hey dummies, if you go back far enough, your ancestors lived in caves and ate bugs.

The boobie lumps sound like a whole lot of nothing.

[ghoulina]

I don't blame her. I wonder if Brady would have come running if it were Paulie's night and Rosemary needed help with her window?

[ghoulina]

Two to three years to fix her wedding ring?  I have a hunch that, were it not for the TLC $windfall, Brady would not have had it repaired for the princely sum of $250.  Maybe it's worth more than the actual ring.

 

No doubt. She probably wouldn't have gotten her much delayed anniversary vacation either. 

[Danielle A]

This show is getting worse by the week. It is becoming scripted and staged. It doesn't look like a camera following them around. It looks like a director yelling "in walks Paulie...aaaaaaand action!!!"

Brady makes me sick with his snarky smile discussing the "burden" of all these overnight trips. Why is he finally celebrating all these overdue anniversaries?? Oh ya because TLC is involved.

Do these people only have sex when they are procreating? Some people have sex just for the fun of it. I guess Nonie doesn't know that.

So much of this episode was fake and staged. The stuck window. The cancer scare. Asking Rhonda to comb his hair before he leaves on a trip?? Scripted. That was the director creating a way for her to upset him with this cancer scare right before he leaves.

Also, he looks like he does not want to be kissing Rosemary. Closed lips, hugging her instead. I saw no romance in their eyes whatsoever.

I am so frustrated after watching this train wreck show!! It's so bad it's actually making me miss the Browns!!

[Galloway Cave]

Well, in seven episodes they have managed to catch up on three delayed anniversaries, so there ya go. Wonder what else they are behind on, besides baby-making, moving and medical procedures.

[Danielle A]

And Rhonda crying to the camera that she delayed getting herself checked out medically because they didn't have the money???

Wait a minute, a few episodes ago she was making plans on adopting a baby and the money wasn't an issue in the least!

[Galloway Cave]

Rhonda also had not one but two babies after discovering a lump. So there were medical costs involved with those children too. Someone on the CJLR/TWoP forums did a little research and Utah has a free mammogram program so there is no excuse.

Another little comment a wife made during the show that struck me was when they got into Paulie's car to go have the dinner date and someone said it was the first time they had ever been in Paulie's car. Paulie is always talking about how they are BFFs and such yet one of her sister wives had never been in her car? Unless it was a week old that was just strange. On the other hand they may have learned a lesson from the Browns and leased new vehicles to avoid the duct tape and bailing wire look.

[Danielle A]

I heard that comment too! Best friends? Riiiiiiiight!

Lol on duct tape and bailing wire!!!

[Goldielocked]

I agree with most of the posts here--I also saw disinterest and/or forced affection from Brady toward Rosemary.  And I hate those round-table-discussions where Brady complains of being behind in what he "owes" the wives.  He makes it sound like an obligation to spend time with them! If you listen carefully, you can pick up on certain phrases a wife will make, such as when Rosemary said something like she realizes how difficult it must be for Brady to "manage all of us."  I picture a ring master, holding a chair and a whip, indicating to each wife when it is her turn to approach him.  If these shows (i.e. My Five Wives and Sister Wives") are being created to show us the wonders of polygamy, the only wonder I have is, why?

[Absolom]

Viewership for this episode was 1.122 M viewers and a .4 rating.  I was hoping for a big drop. 

[all4mom]

Re: Rosemary's ring (glad she's not the one jonesing for a pregnancy -- although she said SHE'D like another, too -- or we'd be saying Rosemary's baby)...  I'm going to take a wild guess and say that it didn't "break," but rather had to be cut off when she gained all that weight.  As long as we're playing poker, what would you bet that Brady was holding out for her to lose the weight before repairing it?  It would be a lesser expense, I'm sure Brady wants her thinner and, yes, I think he's that much of a tyrant under his "love ya" demeanor.

 

As for lumpgate, they really need to find a better actress if they're going with contrived plotlines, not to mention more believable plotlines.

[MV713]

I too got the weird feeling when Nonie was say "sex" "sex" "sex" in every reference to having a baby and offending her sister wives.  It gave me the impression that they dont usually "engage in sex" unless they are trying for a baby.  Maybe that is the "understanding" among the sisterwives?  Otherwise how would it be offensive?  I mean I would think that EVERY night your husband is sleeping with another woman would make you think of that.  Or is that just me?

[all4mom]

Not that they would SHOW them having sex, but "a night with Brady" would appear to consist of him dragging himself over after dinner, exhausted, propping himself up on one elbow briefly in bed, exchanging "how was your day's" or perhaps discussing a wife's problem (some seem to have more than others), then going to sleep.  Brady looks like he can't keep his eyes open much less make like Romeo.

[Katjoy26]

I agree with most of the posts here--I also saw disinterest and/or forced affection from Brady toward Rosemary.  And I hate those round-table-discussions where Brady complains of being behind in what he "owes" the wives.  He makes it sound like an obligation to spend time with them! If you listen carefully, you can pick up on certain phrases a wife will make, such as when Rosemary said something like she realizes how difficult it must be for Brady to "manage all of us."  I picture a ring master, holding a chair and a whip, indicating to each wife when it is her turn to approach him.  If these shows (i.e. My Five Wives and Sister Wives") are being created to show us the wonders of polygamy, the only wonder I have is, why?

Oh that whole "I owe wife x an anniversary celebration" says it all. My husband and I go out to dinner or we go away for a weekend together or whatever because we want to celebrate our anniversary. We want to be together. Neither of us owes the other anything. It's not like oweing someone a favor or a debt which is how Brady makes it sounds!

Edited April 15, 2014 by Katjoy26

[Danielle A]

Re: Rosemary's ring (glad she's not the one jonesing for a pregnancy -- although she said SHE'D like another, too -- or we'd be saying Rosemary's baby)...  I'm going to take a wild guess and say that it didn't "break," but rather had to be cut off when she gained all that weight.  As long as we're playing poker, what would you bet that Brady was holding out for her to lose the weight before repairing it?  It would be a lesser expense, I'm sure Brady wants her thinner and, yes, I think he's that much of a tyrant under his "love ya" demeanor.

 

As for lumpgate, they really need to find a better actress if they're going with contrived plotlines, not to mention more believable plotlines.

Lumpgate!! Hahaha TLC would have been better off hiring actual actors rather than ask these people to recite their lines in a convincing manner.

Yes I think you're right about the ring being cut off. Did they say she "broke" it? It wasn't a prong issue. It had to be made a size 10 and the jeweler mentions adding gold. So Brady probably was dangling it over her head like a carrot for her weight issues these past couple years.

It was awkward when he tried to put it on her right hand and then realized it goes on the left. As many times as he has been "married" you would think he would know which finger it goes on! Smh!!

[Goldielocked]

Something tells me Rosemary would have found a way to fix her own window--Paulie seems a bit on the dependent side (or maybe the passive aggressive side).