After a decade on-air, we've witnessed some real shockers courtesy of the Browns.
From getting divorced to getting catfished, plus Janelle and Kody’s sibling shocker
— we can't look away from "Sister Wives."
Although we knew next to nothing about the Browns when their show debuted, fans were
not surprised to learn that Fundamentalist Mormon Kody Brown wanted to add to his plural
marriage.
That's when we met Robyn.
She had three kids from a previous marriage, and was all about joining a polygamous family.
Season 1 revolved around Kody and Robyn's courtship, and how the other wives were adjusting
to the new addition.
"I didn't connect with my bride on our wedding day."
Kody has since shared his thoughts on his and Robyn's wedding day, noting there was
a challenge in having all the wives attend the event.
"It's almost impossible to feel an intimate relationship with your wife…while being
observed by all your wives."
First comes love, then comes marriage.
Then comes an 11-day honeymoon that rubs your three other wives the wrong way.
Kody and Robyn left the rest of the family behind for over a week, and Meri, Janelle,
and Christine weren't shy about venting their frustration.
"I don't know what's acceptable, but I think 11 days is ridiculous, to be honest with you."
Christine agreed, and Meri offered her own thoughts on the matter, noting,
"Honestly, my biggest thing about them being gone for their honeymoon is just missing him."
But Kody wasn't spending any time missing anybody at home.
"Kody said, 'Actually, you know, I'm gonna probably take a couple days before I even
contact them.'
I says, 'No, I think you should contact them right away."
Fans have always pegged Robyn as Kody's favorite wife, and their romantic honeymoon only bolstered
their suspicions.
Although one of the goals of the series was to normalize polygamy, many events we've seen
on the show have been anything but normal.
Like the time the Browns packed up and moved to another state to avoid the law.
According to In Touch, prior to 2020, polygamy was a felony in Utah, where the Browns launched
their show.
But after going public, the family feared prosecution and felt it was safest to move.
Kody explained to Oprah,
"We did not know how aggressive the district attorney would be, so we didn't want him finding
out that we were leaving the state."
The Browns left Utah for Nevada in the middle of the night, with the entire family settling
into a rental until each wife found a home of her own.
After living in Las Vegas for years, the Browns relocated again, this time to Flagstaff, Arizona.
This move happened under much calmer circumstances.
But the idea was initially met with pushback from the wives.
"I worry — our kids are gonna go into a school where they could be, potentially, 'freaks'
again."
According to In Touch, the decision was partly financial.
Not only is it cheaper to live in Flagstaff than in Las Vegas, but the Browns also wanted
to spend more time outdoors.
As the family stated to People,
"We are looking forward to cooler temperatures, the mountain air, scenic views and the slower
lifestyle of Flagstaff."
To celebrate, Kody and some of the gang jumped into the pond on their property.
And, yeah, Kody in his underwear might be more memorable than anything else.
For most of the show, Kody has had four wives, but only Meri was legally bound to him.
Still, after more than 20 years together, things changed when Robyn joined the family.
Because Kody wanted to adopt Robyn's three children, the couple needed a legal marriage,
not just a spiritual one.
And that required a very real divorce from Meri.
Ever one to do what's best for the family, Meri agreed, saying during a tell-all,
"It's about the kids.
It's about the unity of the family."
Despite the voluntary act, Meri was heartbroken when the divorce was finalized.
But even so, she admitted,
"I feel like I've dealt with it enough that I can see a bigger picture."
After the divorce, Meri struggled in her relationship with Kody.
And she sought companionship elsewhere in 2015.
Unfortunately, this online communication wasn't quite what it seemed.
"I got into this place where I was talking to different people on social media."
She poured her heart out to one person, only to find out it was actually a woman posing
as a man.
Kody and Meri's relationship has never been the same since the incident.
Kody admitted years later that he no longer wants to be intimate with Meri, while Meri
said she wanted to work things out, even though they weren't living together.
Dedicated fans know that Christine and Kody have butted heads for years.
In 2015, while the two attended couple's therapy, Christine noted that she "didn't really have
a voice."
"It's sad.
My marriage to Kody is sad."
Despite their attempts at reconciliation, by Season 16, their marriage was over.
Kody didn't want to be intimate anymore, and Christine didn't want a marriage without that.
Soon after, she packed Kody's things and moved them to the garage.
"I don't know what the future looks like."
"I think I need to talk to her about how serious she is."
In late 2021, Christine announced her split from Kody via Instagram.
The pandemic hasn't been easy on anybody.
But for the Browns, it brought on a slew of new challenges.
In Season 16, viewers saw the family struggle with opposing views on group gatherings — with
extra stress about the holidays.
Janelle and Christine felt disrespected by Kody.
And after discussing Kody's list of rules for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Janelle finally
had it.
"I think you understand the big picture that I have and I want you to just respect that.
Ok?"
"…F— off."
Portraying the stress and depression she had been experiencing in managing the Covid protocol
to protect her family, Janelle explained,
"He acts like I'm not doing anything."
In the end, most of the family ultimately gathered for Christmas.
While the relationships on the show are unconventional enough, one marriage stands out among the
rest.
It turns out that Kody and Janelle aren't just husband and wife — they're step-siblings,
too.
Janelle shared on the show,
"My mom was worried I was getting sucked into some polgyamous cult.
But she ended up meeting Kody's dad and they ended up falling in love and getting married
before Kody and I started courting."
"I mean, I did it because I love the whole idea of the whole family and this whole group's
energy."
Well, it doesn't get much weirder than marrying your step-sibling.
But according to Radar Online, Kody and Christine are also distant relatives.
We'll just leave that one right where we found it.
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