S05.E10: Growing Up and Moving Out

[Oldernowiser]

I agree with your mean streak comment.  Not abusive, but I think we've seen glimpses of profound petulance and I'll bet you he does something passive-aggressive to "get back at" the offender.  Just a vibe.

The inherent problem is that none of the wives is ever going to be in a position to call him on his shit because he always has an alternative, and if by some miracle the four wives actually banded together to do it, you know someone would sneak off and kiss his ass just to gain Most Favored Wife status for a day and a half.

When someone has all of the power and is a raving narcissist to start with, you have the perfect recipe for tyrant. I bet things have gotten pretty disturbing when the cameras weren't around.

Oh, and does anyone else snort when that new promo comes on and Kody is bitching about how he's pissed because Janelle (i think it's her, I get them mixed up) is making a stink because "it's all just about her pride"?

Apparently, having pride is solely his privilege.

God he's such an ass.

[RealityCowgirl]

My understanding is that Aspyn also is at UNLV, living with Mykelti (off campus?).

Normally, I'd be ranting about people in these financial circumstances letting children live somewhere besides home while attending a local school. But after getting glimpses into the immense child-care burdens placed on Logan and Aspyn, I've been Team "Run, Kids, Run."

Those two, in particular, earned a break - even if it doesn't make financial sense. But then, nothing these clowns do makes financial sense.

Edited January 9, 2015 by RealityCowgirl

[kelm]

Oh, and does anyone else snort when that new promo comes on and Kody is bitching about how he's pissed because Janelle (i think it's her, I get them mixed up) is making a stink because "it's all just about her pride"?.

God he's such an ass.

I do! But I thought he was talking about Christine. Only because they show her pissy and saying he owes me an apology! Probably trickery :P

[Oldernowiser]

Eh, you're probably right. Other than Robyn, who is pretty easy to pick out, the rest just blend into a blur of bottle blondeness and running mascara to me.

[tabloidlover]

The inherent problem is that none of the wives is ever going to be in a position to call him on his shit because he always has an alternative, and if by some miracle the four wives actually banded together to do it, you know someone would sneak off and kiss his ass just to gain Most Favored Wife status for a day and a half.

 

So much word!  Nailed it.

[gunderda]

Speaking of the older kids moving out - does anyone know the current story with Aspyn? I cannot remember. I know that Logan goes to UNLV and lives on campus. Or did....didn't they show him getting an off-campus place with some friends last year? Either way, I know he definitely fled the plyg sac. Mariah and Maddie - both went out of state to college. But where did Aspyn go again? And is she living outside the home? I only ask because I saw her in this week's episode, sitting in Truley's room with her mom, and she looked like she was in jammies or very casual clothing. Is she still living at home? I just hope she's able to focus on what she wants to do, and not continually sucked back into being the second parent around Christine's house. 

 

Mykelti said she was moving out and moving in with Aspyn at college.  To me that sounds like they're living off-campus because I think it would be very hard for the two of them to secure dorm housing together - freshman are generally roomed together the first year.   So maybe it's a setup like where Maddie is living - apartment style, not supplied by the college BUT it is considered college housing. 

Edited January 9, 2015 by gunderda

[riverblue22]

Aspyn and Mykelti are in an apartment. There were some comments about moving in and not having any household items.  Maybe it was on twitter last fall, but they were apparently in an empty apartment.  Maybe an apartment would actually be cheaper than two dorm contracts.

 

Next year they will have five in school.  Hopefully Hunter will get a wrestling scholarship (I guess they have those).  I'll bet Madison had good scholarship money.  Who will be next after Hunter?  All those middle kids run together to me.

[ghoulina]

Garrison; he's only a year younger than Hunter. 

 

After that I think it's about 3 more years before any kids reach college age. 

[ginger90]

Speaking of the older kids moving out - does anyone know the current story with Aspyn? I cannot remember. I know that Logan goes to UNLV and lives on campus. Or did....didn't they show him getting an off-campus place with some friends last year? Either way, I know he definitely fled the plyg sac. Mariah and Maddie - both went out of state to college. But where did Aspyn go again? And is she living outside the home? I only ask because I saw her in this week's episode, sitting in Truley's room with her mom, and she looked like she was in jammies or very casual clothing. Is she still living at home? I just hope she's able to focus on what she wants to do, and not continually sucked back into being the second parent around Christine's house. 

According to this tweet  https://twitter.com/AspynBrown/status/536755380404379648   she's not living at home.  Mykelti (sp ?) is her roommate. She's at UNLV and is in a sorority.

[purpleflowers]

Garrison; he's only a year younger than Hunter. 

 

After that I think it's about 3 more years before any kids reach college age. 

Is Paedon after Garrison?

[ghoulina]

Ooops, forgot about Paedon. He's the same age as Garrison. So, yea, they'll have two at one time. And then two years after that - Day-un. One year after him, Gwendolyn and Gabriel. 

[AndreaF]

So, Christine is having an issue with "pride" at the same time that her mother is moving in? 

 

Could it be that they're setting us up for a storyline involving her mother stirring the pot and making trouble for the KoTine "relationship"?  Maybe MIL problems, along with Christine suddenly growing a pair, is the new arc.  She hasn't really had the spotlight all on her own yet, has she? 

 

They should have her eating endless plates of nachos... 

[spidermiss2426]

speaking of the apartments being for students, perhaps it is an arrangement (for Aspyn and Mykelti) like the complex I live in.  My roommate/ex boyfriend/best friend (same person) and myself live across from UNCP and we live in an apartment complex that rents mostly to college students (it should be said that neither he nor I are in college, and he and I are both over 35 and are known as Ma'am and Sir around here).  The apartments have the rooms, and then the living room/kitchen/etc are considered the "common area"  Internet, cable, and all utilities are included in the rent-- my rent is 450 dollars a month.  So in a situation like that, I can see where living off campus would be beneficial.

Edited January 9, 2015 by spidermiss2426

[MarkySnark]

KoDouche in the preview saying, "This is about her pride. And now I am pissed!" I think what he's pissed about is that Christine still has any pride. He thought he had browbeat it all out of her.

[Rhondinella]

Two notes about episode titles and numbers:

1) When the two-hour winter premiere aired originally, it was titled "Growing Up and Moving Out."  However, in subsequent showings, it was divided into two separate episodes with two different titles, just to mess with us all I guess.   Those two new titles were "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" and "The Hardest Parts of Love."  You will find some places online where these are listed and numbered as two new episodes.  However, they are not.

So if you're looking for a place to discuss the episodes with the last two titles, they belong in the thread called "Growing Up and Moving Out."  The new episode airing tonight (1/11/15) is "A Family Meltdown."  Sorry about the confusion.  Take it up with TLC.

2) TLC typically airs this show on the following pattern: first half of season in the summer; second half beginning the next January.  Even with the long break between they still consider them part of the same season, in this case, season 5. So I've changed the episode numbering in this thread to match what TLC is saying (despite many other websites considering this the beginning of season 6.)

In conclusion, TLC is stupid.

[Oldernowiser]

Why spend money refilming when it's just going to be same three storylines they've been recycling for the past three seasons? Take one segment from Column Ancient Resentments, one segment from Column Joory Bidness, and one from Column The Kids, mix and match and no one will ever know the difference.

TLC may well be stupid, but they think the viewers are, too...

 

Edited January 11, 2015 by Rhondinella

[mmmsoap]

Anyone have more info about Dayton's surgery? From looking at him post-op, and from the discussions about what the doc was planning on doing, it didn't seem like he was able to move the eyelid. He was blinking with the good eye, but the damaged eye stayed open. It raised my red flags that they looked for 18 months to find someone willing to do the surgery, implying that it wasn't really fixable. Also, they said the surgery was done on Father's Day, which is a Sunday. Who does elective procedures on a Sunday?

 

The whole thing seemed weird. I was having a hard time telling whether they were being vague because they didn't understand the medical procedures, or whether they were trying to pull some smokescreen on the viewers.

[Barb23]

 

The Browns need to go on Shark Tank so someone can explain to them that jewelry and clothing is an incredibly difficult business to break into, and probably not worth the effort for the profit they'll actually make. Especially if they're not bringing anything new to the table and are just selling stuff from other vendors.

Now that would be great TV! Can you imagine them trying to answer any of the Shark's questions?

[Taylorh2]

Sooooooooooooooooo, is Christine's mom wife # 5 ? 

[Zahdii]

Sooooooooooooooooo, is Christine's mom wife # 5 ? 

 

Not wife in the sexual sense, since she's sworn off polygamy.  Yes!  At least some of the women in Christine's family can learn!  But I bet that Kody tries to fit her into a junior wife mold as someone who can help run Christine's house and raise his children. 

 

I hope that mom's there to slowly and quietly try to show Christine that polygamy isn't really all that great.  I think that Kody worries about that, whenever he remembers he has a 'wife' named Christine.

Edited January 12, 2015 by Zahdii

[Taylorh2]

Okay, I need the Readers Digest version of what Christine was mad about

Edited January 13, 2015 by Taylorh2

[gunderda]

Anyone have more info about Dayton's surgery? From looking at him post-op, and from the discussions about what the doc was planning on doing, it didn't seem like he was able to move the eyelid. He was blinking with the good eye, but the damaged eye stayed open. It raised my red flags that they looked for 18 months to find someone willing to do the surgery, implying that it wasn't really fixable. Also, they said the surgery was done on Father's Day, which is a Sunday. Who does elective procedures on a Sunday?

 

The whole thing seemed weird. I was having a hard time telling whether they were being vague because they didn't understand the medical procedures, or whether they were trying to pull some smokescreen on the viewers.

 

I thought having a surgery on a sunday was weird too.  Most people I know who have surgeries are done during the week usually, right? I guess we'll have to keep our eye on him in future episodes to see how it healed.  He didn't want the accident featured so I only imagine he maybe said he would do the one episode about it and then that's it. 

[camom]

I wondered if the looking for 18 months for someone to do the surgery had anything to do with $$$.  I can just imagine the Kodster trying to make a deal with the Dr. -- "We won't pay you, but you'll get all this free publicity!"

 

Tayorh2  --  Here's your condensed version:  A year or more ago, when Kody met up with a bunch of his high school friends, Ken stated that he didn't understand why Kody was into polygamy.  Then later he sent Kody a text saying that he was welcome back in the church, but he would have to ditch 3 of his wives.  When Kody wanted to see his friend on vacation, Christine blew a gasket because his remarks offended her.  

[Oldernowiser]

So why didn't the other two auxiliary wives blow a gasket?

These people...anything for a crappy little plot point, I guess.

[jellywager]

Except that Janelle is only stuck in her own head. She has enough education and job skills that she could leave again if she wanted. She only has 4 kids left at home, and Kody would have to pay some kind of child support. If Janelle was really that miserable and actually got motivated, she could find a job and save some money and leave as soon as Hunter goes to college, leaving her with only 3 kids left to house. She could totally do it. She doesn't leave because she doesn't really want to. I don't think its as bad as they try to make it seem. Kody is probably correct that they go long stretches with little interaction between them. When they're not filming, they probably go a whole week without seeing each other. Christine said at one point that her kids go 6 days or more without seeing Kody.

In my humble opinion, she is a sucker. From what we know she has always worked only for her children to get less. We saw in the first season her getting up so early that Logan has to get her children ready for school. All the father of these children would do is say good- bye to her and give her a kiss. Which he probably only did just to make sure she was hauling her ass off to work. Her children are probably fleeing bc they hate seeing their mother stay in a frustrating situation.

[ladle]

I'm hanging onto this show to see what dirt Jenelle spills on Meri (It's like the producers were reading these boards and decided to make our dreams come true!-- though I'm afraid I'll once again be disappointed) but, my God, these people.  When Logan said that he was participating in the graduation video but he didn't really have time to do it, that was the most intelligent thing anyone said all episode.  Why do his parents have time to do all that?  Aren't they soooo busy with joory and comb-over maintenance and managing their seething resentment toward each other?

 

Also, I thought it was interesting that Jenelle mentioned that she and Meri had been "friends" but didn't mention that she had been married to Meri's brother.  Has she ever mentioned that on the show?

 

I just turned it on and i can feel my back teeth hurting already.

 

 

Perhaps that's just your hormones escaping through your mouth?

[SuzWhat]

So, I'm assuming those are false eyelashes on Robin in the couch interviews, right? Looks stupid.

[Chalby]

Something weird went on with the Robyn being pregnant/not pregnant. They end last season with coy smiles and an "announcement" as a cliffhanger. Then tension and secrets at the sit-down interview with Tamron Hall, where she was told she couldn't ask about about pregnancies.

I would fall off my chair if an announcement was made about a pregnancy. The Brown sister-wives would have to let Kody actually get intimate with them for that to happen, and judging by everyone's recent body language, there's not a lot of love in the air.

Why do his parents have time to do all that?  Aren't they soooo busy with joory and comb-over maintenance and managing their seething resentment toward each other?

 

OMG - Your entire post was hilarious. Thanks for the laugh!

[Chalby]

 

 He said that Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin had Aspergers. I had not heard of this. Is there historical medical data that current doctors are using to make that diagnosis? 

I don't believe this is the case at all. I figure Kody and Robyn must have pointed out how many bright, scientific minds probably displayed mannerisms akin to Asperger's. I have worked with Aspergers students and yes, while they are very bright, they also tend to perseverate on details they may not be important to you or I, and they are definitely socially awkward. I could see Kody explaining aspergers and rattling of generalities like "Oh I bet so and so has it". Kody tends to make up history as he goes along. I had to watch what I said in class as aspirer students were very literal. So if I were to say, "Oh, I bet most geniuses have Aspergers" - they would research geniuses then automatically brand them with aspergers. Overall, I love listening to students with this form of autism because they tend to be brutally honest and quite mature. They can be anxious of the unknown - to the point of major meltdown - but once they understand a situation, they offer fabulous observations.

 When Kody wanted to see his friend on vacation, Christine blew a gasket because his remarks offended her.  

Thanks for the explanation. I think it's ridiculous that any spouse demands that their significant other unfriend someone. I understand not having Ken in their home, and Christine not speaking to Ken, but to tell Kody he should shut Ken out...? She's far too sensitive about polygamy.

[Rhondinella]

Your use of the word "perseverate" makes me automatically like you, Chalby!

[BitchOnWheels]

Sorry, I don't know much about fashion, but I have watched Project Runway for years.  Not impressed in any way with Mykelti's drawings.  They looked like the musings of a halfway talented 9 year old to me.  

Sad things is... I'm sure they only showed her best drawings and most of them weren't complete... It looked like she forgot to draw the bottoms of some of the dresses.

[BitchOnWheels]

I wouldn't hire Mykelti to design a pair of pajama bottoms.  I don't find anything that she wears halfway decent or remotely "fashionable".  Throwing on a crazy hat does not fashion make... sorry.

 

In her talking heads, I saw that Mykelti had stuffed herself into a blue blazer that was about three sizes too small.  Is that fashion in Nevada?

[SometimesBites]

Meri: "Here, Mykelti, you can borrow this little tiny jacket for your couch scene."

 

Mykelti: "Can't...breath...*wheeeze*"

 

Meri: "Don't forget to put it back in Savannah's closet when you're done."

[Chalby]

"... while dumbass was hoping she'll miss HIM (not her mom, not her siblings, not her friends. Him.) so much she'll come running back where she "belongs" and he can make all those "memories" he skipped while she was growing up.

Very good point. How many times have the wives complained that Kody does not attempt any meaningful type of relationship with the girls? All this garbage about missing them, or being there to protect them is Kody's typical delusions of importance. He paints himself as being far more influential than he will ever be, in reality.

[Chalby]

 "...and the fact that they DON'T talk about it just leads me to speculate that there IS no rotation. Kody just goes wherever he feels like that night - which, my guess would be, mostly Meri with some Robyn thrown in..."

My guess is the opposite. I wouldn't be surprised at all if some of the women, e.g. Meri,are saying, "It's okay, you can have my night..." just so they do not have to add another needy being into the mix. The wives with the younger kids could use Kody's help with the kids, however, it sounds like the family drops everything to attend to Kody's needs, so that's not much help. If I were Meri, I'd be started on my new life, without kids, and handing out my 'Kody evenings' to any wife who wants them.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Chalby

[SometimesBites]

 

The inherent problem is that none of the wives is ever going to be in a position to call him on his shit because he always has an alternative, and if by some miracle the four wives actually banded together to do it, you know someone would sneak off and kiss his ass just to gain Most Favored Wife status for a day and a half.

I totally agree that this is the absolute crux of the issue with the women. No matter what kind of surface effort they put into a cooperative relationship, it will never gel, because at the very foundation it is a COMPETITION. Even if I genuinely cared for a sister wife (e.g., the initial closeness of Meri and Robyn), if we are in competition for the time, attention, and affection of a mate, my DNA is going to insist on giving precedence to the mate.

 

On the boards, a lot of posters speculate that now maybe Meri will jump ship, but the way I see it, until the money stops flowing, there's no way in hell any of the women will split. Right now--no matter how big a bitch Kody acts--their basic lifestyle is worlds better than what they had before. The women each have a large, comfortable home (complete with all the lavish parties and fake nails and Van Lady Love their hearts desire), and they have--for the first and only time in their lives together--the ILLUSION of financial stability. They even have a type of fleeting, pseudo-celebrity--and that's definitely Muppet Sammy Hagar's raison d'être.

 

I think all of them (except maybe Janelle) believe that the trappings of material bounty that they now enjoy are there because THEY DESERVE IT. In reality, they were a herd of financially irresponsible adults who kept having more children even though they were beyond broke, and they got really, really lucky. They didn't earn what they have, they lucked into it because of our peculiar affinity for voyeuristic TV. When the rug gets pulled, and it will, they will be the same irresponsible twits they always were, with more children and massive debt load.

Edited February 20, 2015 by SometimesBites

[SometimesBites]

So why didn't the other two auxiliary wives blow a gasket?

These people...anything for a crappy little plot point, I guess.

1. Because one of them is Janelle, and Janelle doesn't do public meltdowns. 2. Because one of them is Robyn, and she knows which side her bread is buttered on. 3. Because it's Christine's role: She's not the love wife or the sex wife; she's the tantrum wife.

[MarysWetBar]

I totally agree that this is the absolute crux of the issue with the women. No matter what kind of surface effort they put into a cooperative relationship, it will never gel, because at the very foundation it is a COMPETITION. Even if I genuinely cared for a sister wife (e.g., the initial closeness of Meri and Robyn), if we are in competition for the time, attention, and affection of a mate, my DNA is going to insist on giving precedence to the mate.

On the boards, a lot of posters speculate that now maybe Meri will jump ship, but the way I see it, until the money stops flowing, there's no way in hell any of the women will split. Right now--no matter how big a bitch Kody acts--their basic lifestyle is worlds better than what they had before. The women each have a large, comfortable home (complete with all the lavish parties and fake nails and Van Lady Love their hearts desire), and they have--for the first and only time in their lives together--the ILLUSION of financial stability. They even have a type of fleeting, pseudo-celebrity--and that's definitely Muppet Sammy Hagar's raison d'être.

I think all of them (except maybe Janelle) believe that the trappings of material bounty that they now enjoy are there because THEY DESERVE IT. In reality, they were a herd of financially irresponsible adults who kept having more children even though they were beyond broke, and they got really, really lucky. They didn't earn what they have, they lucked into it because of our peculiar affinity for voyeuristic TV. When the rug gets pulled, and it will, they will be the same irresponsible twits they always were, with more children and massive debt load.

"Muppet Sammy Hagar".

You win the internet today! ! :)

[youcantbeserious]

Mykelti said she was moving out and moving in with Aspyn at college.  To me that sounds like they're living off-campus because I think it would be very hard for the two of them to secure dorm housing together - freshman are generally roomed together the first year.   So maybe it's a setup like where Maddie is living - apartment style, not supplied by the college BUT it is considered college housing. 

I don't know if this is an option for them, but when my daughter attended university, she felt the dorms were too expensive & crowded, so she joined a sorority & lived in their Victorian house off-campus but very close.Being an old house, there was no central heating, so I shipped her a down comforter.

[youcantbeserious]

I totally agree that this is the absolute crux of the issue with the women. No matter what kind of surface effort they put into a cooperative relationship, it will never gel, because at the very foundation it is a COMPETITION. Even if I genuinely cared for a sister wife (e.g., the initial closeness of Meri and Robyn), if we are in competition for the time, attention, and affection of a mate, my DNA is going to insist on giving precedence to the mate.

 

On the boards, a lot of posters speculate that now maybe Meri will jump ship, but the way I see it, until the money stops flowing, there's no way in hell any of the women will split. Right now--no matter how big a bitch Kody acts--their basic lifestyle is worlds better than what they had before. The women each have a large, comfortable home (complete with all the lavish parties and fake nails and Van Lady Love their hearts desire), and they have--for the first and only time in their lives together--the ILLUSION of financial stability. They even have a type of fleeting, pseudo-celebrity--and that's definitely Muppet Sammy Hagar's raison d'être.

 

I think all of them (except maybe Janelle) believe that the trappings of material bounty that they now enjoy are there because THEY DESERVE IT. In reality, they were a herd of financially irresponsible adults who kept having more children even though they were beyond broke, and they got really, really lucky. They didn't earn what they have, they lucked into it because of our peculiar affinity for voyeuristic TV. When the rug gets pulled, and it will, they will be the same irresponsible twits they always were, with more children and massive debt load.

Beautifully rendered, SometimesBites, thank you! All 4 know they'd wind up in either trailers or housing projects without Kody, so who needs who the most? And

being they get paid in a lump sum per season....it's a miracle they're not already doing so. I suspect Janelle's just biding her time til all her chicks have left the nest then.....BOOM!! make a run for it. Robyn will never leave as she needs to be in the public eye & Christine...well...that depends on how successful her mom is in

convincing her to cut ties  ( assuming that is her mission ). Count me in as a devoted watcher should another wifey follow Robyn. Wouldn't miss THAT for the world!

Edited February 22, 2015 by youcantbeserious