First, I'm not at my regular PC, so pictures are not available to me.
Second, just a reminder. Amazon shows the current season as Season 9. To prevent any misunderstandings (particularly when those misunderstandings can cost $1.99-$2.99 each) I go strictly by Amazon's season numbering system. Thus, this is season 9, not season 6.
So let's get on with the review!!!!
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Hi everyone. Due to some unavoidable conflicts we won't be live tweeting tonight's episode. We will miss the interaction - enjoy!
— Janelle Brown (@JanelleBrown117) September 14, 2015
You know, it's not like this season premiere snuck up on Kody and his Kodettes© by surprise. They had almost a month to open up their social calendars, ensuring their availability to fans who have waited six, dry months for this moment.
But true to form, the Browns were NO SHOWS at their own party. I guess we should count our lucky stars Janelle was thoughtful enough to tweet her regrets to her followers.
Robyn did post a reminder of sorts for her Facebook fans who "Liked" her "I Likey Robyn Fanpage." Always a day late and a dollar short...
Oh yea I forgot to post that the Sister Wives two hour premiere is on tonight on TLC!
Posted by Robyn Brown Sisterwife #4 on Sunday, September 13, 2015
So needless to say, this new season started off fantabulously well in Kody World, which translated to mean more cable viewers enjoyed watching Guy's Grocery Games on Food Network instead of Sister Wives on TLC.
Well at least Guy Fieri has a J.O.B., and ratings don't lie. The second hour Tell All Show ( how quaint to have a Tell All at the beginning of the season) ratings reached an all time low. Which leads me to ask that perennial question...
Is this the last season for Sister Wives?
Being that the Browns couldn't be bothered to even make a feeble effort to connect with their fans on Twitter during the show, I'd say the show is done.
Or as Dr. "Bones" McCoy would say, "It's dead, Jim."
So was the premiere episode that awful?
Let me tell you this. I could see why the Browns made sure they wouldn't be present during the show's Live Tweets.
The premiere show was, in a word, bad. Embarrassing bad.
And so very, very disappointing....Even for Sister Wives.
The first 10 minutes or so was a recap of the season finale from last season featuring an obviously distraught Meri Brown tearfully signing her divorce papers while Kody appeared to pat her head (I could have sworn he was saying "That's a good girl") and "witness" Robyn tried her best to eke out a tear from her dry eyes.
After the signing (in a scene I wouldn't doubt was recreated) Kody and Meri were able to have lunch together....alone. That's right. Somehow they were able to ditch Robyn at the Attorney's office. She shouldn't have been a witness to signing the divorce papers in the first place if you asked me.
A few days later, totally out of left field, Janelle walked over to Meri's McMansion to discuss healing their relationship. You know, putting those decades of bad blood behind them and working on becoming true sister wives. Frankly, I don't think Janelle changed ole Meri's mind....Meri appeared to be more interested in the cellphone she held in her hands.
But wait, it gets worse.
Robyn decided crashing Meri's divorce paper signing wasn't enough humiliation for ole Meri. In the most cringe worthy moment of the decade, Robyn wanted Meri to tag along when Kody and Robyn tie the legal knot at the courthouse. When Meri said thanks but no thanks, Robyn pleaded "but we're a team!" Appearing to be broken down once again by Robyn's callous disregard of her feelings, Meri said yes, she'd attend.
Now hold onto your chapeaus. For once, Kody stepped in and put the kibosh on Robyn's grandiose plans. You see, even lamebrained Kody saw that Robyn failed to include two extremely important family members, who supposedly also gave their consent for Meri and Kody to divorce.
Yep, sister wives Janelle and Christine were not included in Robyn's wedding plans. And Kody stood his ground...no Janelle and Christine, then NOBODY (outside of Kody and Robyn) would be present at the Courthouse, including the Elvis impersonator Meri had suggested. Thus, the Secret Marriage that the episode title suggests.
And when Kody and Robyn arrived at the Courthouse in December, they were alone.
But Robyn could barely contain her happiness for finally getting her way and becoming Kody's legal wife.
Now, I'm not naive to believe Kody's sudden revelation that his two other wives being left out was solely his idea. THAT had a show producer's fingerprints all over it. What really bothers, and yes, disappoints me is how Robyn was so clueless how cruel her actions have been. It is almost as if she is deaf and blind to those social signals the rest of us recognise and use to navigate the tricky waters of social interaction with others.
On one hand, Robyn cries how she is being misunderstood, yet on the other hand, she shows just how cruel and unfeeling she can be. And being that this whole "Kody has to make me legal so he can adopt my children" storyline is based on Robyn's one-sided recollection of her first marriage, I'm left wondering what the real truth really is...
The only way Robyn can redeem herself would be if she immediately files for divorce once Kody legally adopts her three children. I won't be holding my breath.
So, sorry Original Three Wives, particularly former legal wife Meri. Y'all got played by Robyn.
You are so right!! I think the production crew pushed Kody to not let Robyn have her way since it's been mentioned on here more than once how everyone is expected to step aside for Robyn. I expect to see the sister wives helping Robyn more this time after the baby is born also, again because it has been mentioned here. We already saw him notice that Trueley truly exists. He may seem to notice he has other wives besides just Meri and Robyn also. Even so, it's not believable, I think they're done. Best wishes for Maddie, but I'm worried about her. Been following the flood and wonder if these people even knew what was fixing to happen, since they are cut off from the outside world (from what I understand about them). Thanks for the review CJ, I still haven't been able to make myself watch the entire thing.
ReplyDeleteCJ, Yes, indeed, no way to pretty it up or even provide some snark for flavor. This debut show of the new season was just a mess of tripe. Boring, hollow nothingness.
ReplyDeleteI do hope that someone in the Kody compound has at least one brain cell firing to register earned embarrassment. They all should be holed up in their over-priced, under-built houses avoiding even telltale mirrors.
Did anyone notice that there was a short "teaser" shown where Robyn says "I'm Pregnant"...Behind her were CHRISTMAS decorations...which means this was taped in December....
ReplyDeleteBUT Robyn isn't due till Jan, 2016... SOOOOOO.... did she miscarry? and get preggers again? I can't figure that one out...
Could she just have them up all the time?
ReplyDeleteCJ: I can't believe you pay to watch this crap. I am sorry for not realizing that sooner. You amaze me for doing that for our snark benefit.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ark of Snark...My pleasure!!
DeletePeople who watch it on cable are paying to watch it too.
ReplyDeletetrue, but not as directly as with a download. a cable bill is spread throughout the channels whether watched or not (or whatever such contracts stipulate). For the price she only gets one episode, but that same dollar amount included in her cable bill would cover more than. one show.
DeleteYeah, that could be argued also. It really depends on how many cable shows you actually watch. Bottom line, I agree with you...this is a really entertaining blog. There's a lot of thought, wit and humor here. I keep coming back for more.
DeleteThank you CJ for your racap. You are right. There is nothing left. The show may well want to ride Maddie's coattails, as that is the only remotely interesting thing going on. However, I think that most people are worried about Maddie. She is one of the youngest of the college kids. She has always had an independent streak. We all hope she will be all right and wish her the best, but it is hard not to worry.
ReplyDeleteCJ, great review and one that I totally agree with. After all these seasons, Someone from TLC or the production crew has finally put on the hat of reason and said, no one likes Robyn and letting her have all this air time and maybe even another wedding is going to piss off the rationale folks who we want to keep as audience members. Robyn sees her world as being a world where she, Kody, and Meri are the players while Janelle and Christine are these two nuisances. Janelle called her jooowlry business a hobby business and one she didn't see her fitting into and Christine made that awful comment about they shouldn't get too much money because they may not be motivated to work...also Christine has never liked Robyn and probably most of Kody and Christine's fights are really about the little amount of time that she and her kids get from the baby daddy. So, Robyn tries to alienate her three from the other two. Plus, remember it's always Janelle's kids that say we don't need more kids...you know?
ReplyDeleteYou're so about Robyn's inability to contain her glee at becoming the real Ms Kody Brown. I suspect in her mind, polygamy is fine and dandy if you are the chosen wife or the real wife or in her case both. Now that we all see the end of the show in sight, it's going to be fun watching the browns try to breathe life back into it because they don't have money to keep their life they want so much. Like Christine said, she and Janelle and their two families can always live together and of course the other two can live together. Now this will be funny since Meri has always wanted neatness and order....can you see her moving in with Robyn, Robyn's three kids from another daddy, Robyn's two kids from Kody, and Kody...talk about a mess. Then, of course after this year, there will only be the little ones of Chrstine and Janelle left...Janelle's little girl and the youngest son and Truly, and maybe Janelle will have the one pixie girl left. I lose track of hers but I think she has an older boy around the same age as Janelle's older one and they are probably getting ready to graduate. I don't see Robyn's older boy going off to college because he seems to have some anxiety issues so he will probably always live with Robyn....so, it looks like if families have to live together, it will be interesting. I hope Christine's girls all finish college because they probably have some of her poor parenting issues that would make it difficult for them to really do well trying to live on a budget at a minimum wage job. Also, I don't see the Browns doing much to support those kids.
Thanks RunKodyRun!
DeleteI've got a feeling if Kody and his Krew lose their McMansions, the Original Three will head back to the old house in Lehi while Kody and his new Mrs will move to St George or wherever Robyn's mother is living.
Well how could TLC not realize the hate that is out there for Robyn? Their TLC fan page is extremely anti-Robyn. Maybe 5 percent of their fans like Robyn and that's being nice. Focusing a show around the wife no one likes is not a way to bring in ratings.
DeleteIMO, once the show and houses are gone, Robyn will be gone too. She doesn't seem like the type to stick with someone through hard times but only the good times.
I agree that the houses will go but I don't exactly see it the way you do CJ. I think that Kody, Robyn and Meri will move to St. George (high population of polygamy in the shadows) and Janelle and Christine will stay in LV. They may return to UT but I don't see and advantage there. I believe that it will be extremely difficult for these 4 women to live under one roof in light of the "team" division that Robyn and Meri have created.
DeleteHowever, I would tune into a show about Janelle and Christine moving on without Kody and making a go in the big city. If TLC is reading this. . .
[B]You're so about Robyn's inability to contain her glee at becoming the real Ms Kody Brown. I suspect in her mind, polygamy is fine and dandy if you are the chosen wife or the real wife or in her case both.[/b]
ReplyDeleteYes. Robyn is terribly smug about all the ways monogamous women are ignorant of the glorious sacrifices plyg wives make, due to their tremendous love for one another. But let's get real. Robyn's only experience as a sister wife is being the new toy. By all accounts and from everything I've seen, the absolute toughest part of plural marriage for the women is when your man displaces you with the next woman in line. Robyn has been an only wife (with Jessop), and the new toy wife. If she really wants to roll around in how glorious it is to be polygamous, urge Kody to find a hot 23-year-old. Take a turn on the carousel of sacrifice yourself, Robyn, and get back to us on how warm and fuzzy you feel now.
Redwood curtain, Robyn's head would literally explode if Kody started courting a 5th! But you hit the nail on it's proverbial head...in reality Robyn's plural experience has not been the same as the Original Three. Now that she is the LEGAL wife, her world is complete. And now that she is pregnant....bad news for the Original Three!
Delete"Take a turn on the carousel of sacrifice yourself, Robyn..."
DeleteI love that phrase!
Totally agree, CJ. And that is an explosion I would gladly pay to watch.
DeleteTaking a fifth wife will be the eventual decision the Browns, well mostly Kody are going to have to make when they realize that will be the only thing keeping their show on the air. I can't ever see Robyn agreeing to it, but as we've seen before once Kody makes up his mind the wives just have to go along with it.
DeleteContinuity sucks on this show. I know that isn't exactly new or ground breaking to anyone here. Their divorce was finalized over a year ago and it showed Janelle coming over "while the divorce papers were being processed" when Meri had St Patricks day decorations up. I mean, I know they are going to fudge the timeline a little but that is half a year later!
ReplyDeleteI tried posting this on the last thread but it didn't go through:
I am not proud of this but I just recently got divorced myself in the state of Nevada. We filed a no fault divorce just like Kody and Meri. We didn't need a lawyer - because you absolutely don't need one. It took less than two weeks and thats because we weren't in a rush so snail mailed in the papers. No fault D in Nevada is not as dramatic as Kody and Meri make it out to be. They are so phony.
Sorry about your previous comment not posting. I couldn't find it in the moderation cue, but blogger gets stodgy when posted comments are over 250.
DeleteI still remember my Mother's Vegas divorce and it was definitely nothing like what Kody and Meri portrayed....but my mother wasn't starring in a reality show, either. This episode was just so thrown together so haphazardly...no wonder the Browns didn't live tweet with fans!
Didn't Janelle want to start working on her relationship with Meri on the visit to the Colliers - wasn't that spring break? Or, was it during the Sedona retreat? Regardless, the storyline is just the show's throwing everything on the wall to see what sticks.
DeleteA production cost-cutting measure must have been ending Janelle's therapy sessions that led to her decision to reconcile.
OMG, I am LMAO. I was on the Browns FB page and All about the Tea has an article about catching the Browns taping fake scenes. Priceless. The also state that TLC was not aware that Kody and Robyn got hitched. TLC is shown scrambling to add footage for a show that they had wrapped up. They also mention about how Meri was catfished. This is so so funny. TLC must think that Sister Wives fans are stupid. Like the article stated, Nevada does have season changes. This show is so over and done with. There is nothing left. No one is tuning in to see rehashed drama. TLC is changing this show by the week. They are now trying to give viewers what they asked for......less Robyn.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely hilarious but I must correct you on one thing! Nevada DOES have seasons. North Nevada is much different than south. I assume you mean Las Vegas though, which still, has seasons. Scorching hot and frigid cold! :-P Also, lots of wind. Lots and lots of wind...
DeleteI feel like an idiot now. I just reread your post. You did say Nevada has season changes! I could have sworn that said *doesn't. OOPS! Ill go hide in a corner now....
DeleteI've wondered if TLC knew that Kody and co. had made a big switcharoo between legal wives. The Browns truly have so much hubris that they think they can do whatever they want with no consequences. It really seems like TLC just doesn't know what to do with this show hence all the old footage and boring story lines. If ratings are down I can't see them staying on the air much longer.
Delete"I've wondered if TLC knew that Kody and co. had made a big switcharoo between legal wives "
DeleteSomeone did leak the divorce in a question placed on Bonnie Fuller's gossip site about one month prior to the "leak" on a pro polygamy Facebook group. JYD was a very active member of that pro polygamy group. It sickens me to consider this but it is very possible she knew about the divorce and the quickie marriage and leaked it, later pretending she knew nothing about it (her standard m/o btw).
That would mean TLC was in the dark what was going on, until the leak. But the production company knew and tried to keep it quiet. It would have been a blockbuster season IF the news had been kept quiet until after the final episode ....but because it was leaked in January (I think) the production company had to scramble with a special Meri hour episode in addition to the Robyn special episode they filmed in December 2014. It was also obvious the March 1 season finale was quickly thrown together with footage of Meri and Kody signing the divorce papers while Robyn watched shot in September 2014. I'm betting that final March 1 episode was to allude to the "problems" Robyn was having with her ex (remember that preview scene of Robyn talking with Meri about problems with her ex which mysteriously never appeared on the show) but because of the premature leak, production had to quickly edit new episodes now featuring Meri deciding to divorce and signing the divorce papers for the season finale in March.
That makes sense! That's probably why the season finale ratings were so high!! But since people were so turned off by the fact of Kody divorcing Meri & quickie marriage to Robyn just to restructure their finances that caused a big blow to their season premiere ratings. I'm ready for this show to be cancelled! Same old BS!! I'm on board for discussing other shows too ;)
DeleteYep CB, and that audience turnoff would explain why Kody first claimed he "legally restructured" his family for insurance reasons then later claimed it was because of Robyn's ex. But the damage had already been done. And if Kody and Meri intentionally divorced to improve the show's ratings, well the joke is on them!
DeleteIf I'm not mistaken, Robyn did comment in one of last week's episodes (don't remember which one, it's all a blur, could have been a preview of a future episode) that they would try and sweeten the pot with her ex by letting him off the hook for child support and medical bills. So Kody's comment about insurance makes sense.
DeleteWhat is "catfished"?
DeleteIt's really funny how people view Nevada ... geography wasn't my best subject but living in Reno, NV (Northern) it still amazes me how Nevada is viewed. Most people don't realize Northern Nevada has very hot summers, a distinct Fall and Spring and cccold and snow!, lots of snow (at times) in the winter. Think Lake Tahoe. However, Las Vegas is 500 miles south...the last time I was there in June it was already 117. Ugh. Scorching, blistering hot summers but it does get cold in the winter and has even been known to have occasional snow. Whenever I mention I live in Nevada, people automatically assume Las Vegas. Northern Nevada is gorgeous! But yes, Southern Nevada does have it's seasons changes.
Deletefrom Google, definition of catfish (as used in this posting):
Deletelure (someone) into a relationship by means of a fictional online persona.
I have to say. They are not people with group plans. Robyn can insure her child. She does make a penny off reality tv. She does have a business. Kody is not getting some insurance from a source Robyn can buy either. Christine and Janelle also need insurance and manage it without paper connecting them to Kody. She blames him for getting pregnant. She blames him for not living plural. She blames him for not disappearing.
DeleteI was just on the Principle Tumblr. There is a screen shot of someone on facebook asking Nathan Collier (the polygamist man the Browns visited in a past season) if he knew Maddie's fiancé. His reply? "I had dinner with him 2 days ago." Perhaps Maddie is not stepping as far from polygamy as she always said she would. (Since I am severely technologically challenged I have no idea how to post that here.)
ReplyDeleteDon't the Colliers and Caleb Brush both live in Montana?
DeleteCaleb Brush ia a brother to Erika Brush Brown, Maddies aunt.
DeleteSo Caleb is her uncle?
DeleteWonder if the Browns will be live tweeting tonight after their disastrous season premiere? IMO, I really don't think live tweeting will even help boost their ratings. I agree with ya'll about the this show is pretty much done!! If the Browns get cancelled, most likely they'll be posting life events on social media just to try to stay relevant & in the public eye. They just can't help themselves!
ReplyDeleteJanelle tweeted today that she will be live tweeting during the show but I haven't seen the other Kodettes mentioning tweeting. In fact, Meri tweeted an article about Maddie getting engaged. I think Meri and Robyn will continue keeping an extremely low profile for the time being.
DeleteI imagine Robyn is wondering why there is relatively little energy being wasted on her 5th pregnancy. I doubt it would ever occur to her that it, you know...it's BEEN DONE.
DeleteI agree Meri & Robyn will definitely be keeping a low profile. I'm sure they'll be checking Twitter & FB pages just to see what people are saying. Yeah no one really seems to care about Robyn's 2nd baby w/ Kody. Oh well, at least their remaining fans aren't offering to send her free baby gifts this round!
DeleteHow bad were the ratings? I know I won't be turning in because I can no longer stomach the Browns or TLC, I imagine I am not alone.
DeleteThanks for poor C.J. who faithfully runs this blog for all of us.
SO...Janelle is now to be the benign Brown Live Tweet agent du jour !
DeleteInteresting !!?
Is this to further promote her show presence.....or is no one else is deemed reliable?
If TLC really was blindsided last year, can we assume that they too are less than enthused about creating false timelines and puffed up story lines for Kody and CO if they really were willing to attempt to pull a fast one like that?
One would think that TLC's loyalty and priority attention currently must be to the sponsors about whether they are getting their $$$ contracts met.
CJ..you are a star !! Thanks so much.
As usual, CJ can spin dross into gold with her reviews! Thanks. I was curious to see if there was any record of the adoption going through in Nevada so I looked it up on one of the court sites. There was no record of adoption of David Jessop Jr. that came up in the search. Then I remembered that JYD had asked on Robyn's like page if Robyn should divorce Kody if no adoption occurred. Of course, there was a resounding yes in the replies. JYD is so good at erasing things that she doesn't like so I don't know whether that discussion is still on the page. The Brown's behavior and decision making ability seems so naive, silly and impulsive. So, why am I still tuning in on Sunday evenings? Guess it must be waiting for a final implosion and to see how or if they land on their feet?? bgee
ReplyDeleteBest line in a reviewm 'hold on to your chapeaus'. Literally made me laugh out loud.
ReplyDeleteCJ, bless you for taking the bullet for most of us and actually viewing this mess. Spinning dross into gold is an apt description. I got to where I liked to watch after your reviews so I could watch for the nuances you catch. However it took a long time to watch last season's final episodes. The rise of the Robyn and the "how stupid do you think I am?" adoption excuse was too much for me. I think I may join the ranks of non-watchers. The little preview I saw where Kody was asking the Jessop kids made me ill. I have spent the summer enjoying the "Fall of the House of Duggar." Left a big hole in TLC's programming that benefited shows that might not have come back. When this show ends, I shall be very interested in post-show life. One of the differences between Browns and the Duggars is JimBoob has other sources of income and the family had plenty of speaking engagements as well as a love affair with People magazine. The Duggars refuse to go quietly onto the night and have developed new scam's (Derrick and Jill's "mission" funding). What will the Browns do? Probably go back to the lower rung grifting. One thing the Browns come out as more positive than Duggars is less brainwashing and encouraging the children to go out on their own.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know Maddie was engaged. Was that on the show or in the news. I've been Brown free this summer?
I think the Browns will go quietly only because they are incredibly lazy. They can't even live Tweet for all the shows. I doubt they will get around to keeping themselves relevant. Posting on the internet is hard work!!! So here is how I picture it.....
DeleteThey will start out in disbelief and fight over the remaining resources. I don't know how that will look but it could be running up credit, etc. Once Meri and Robyn/Kody take everything possible from Christine and Janelle they will probably come out and beg for money. They won't do anything for free and most certainly won't take 9-5 jobs. After nothing comes in they will continue sponging off people. Meri/Kody/Robyn will probably find some stupid woman that has good income to become a "wife" and they'll live off her plus government resources. Meri may get kicked of the team but she'll find someone to cheese off. Robyn will be secretly hunting for something better for herself and will move along at some point.
Marie's engagement was announced via people .com with nice pictures ....totally different from the bad cellphone pic that announced Robyn having a Brownie baking in her oven.
DeleteThat's Maddie not Marie (I hate autocorrect)
DeleteOh yes MA. As soon as the money dries up Robyn will move on to her next, wealthier husband. Watch out Centennial Park wives!!
DeleteCan you see Robyn with Uncle Arthur Hammon? He'll knock sense into the former Mrs. Brown in a trice.
DeleteLOL!!!!! Old Uncle Art would throw his nastiest book at the head of Kody Brown while screaming "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING???"
DeleteAnyway, Robyn would reject Uncle Art because his house isn't her style...meaning there aren't any convertible sport cars parked in front of it. But she'd hook up in a millisecond with the guy who owns the private executive plane in CP. Oh yeah....
CJ - great recap and I agree that this may be the last season. Whey else would TLC run 3 'new' episodes tonight per TV Guide (CST):
ReplyDelete7 - The Secret Marriage
8 - Wrestling With Adoption
9 - All About Janelle
Thanks Bianca!
DeleteActually the episode "The Secret Marriage" is a repeat from last week. The episodes Wrestling With Adoption and All About Janelle are the new episodes.
Ah you are right! Wonder why TV Guide claimed it was new? No one knows what is going on at TLC! ha
DeleteI totally forgot, no scratch that, I totally didn't care that the premiere was last Sunday. I am hooked on too many Sunday night PBS shows like Inspector Lewis, Sherlock, Vicious, Forsyte Saga, and have more to look forward to, like Downton Abbey, The Paradise, Last Tango in Halifax, etc......Consider me a SW non-watcher. I much prefer the snark here!
ReplyDeleteHey CJ, can you find out what SW premiere rating was for last week? I, too, would like to know. Thanks!
This is off the top of my head, but I think the episode The Secret Marriage ratings were 1.507 million viewers with a .5 share with the 2nd episode ( a Tell All special) having 1.0 viewers with a .4 share. The Brady Williams My Five Wives series was canceled when viewers dropped below the one million mark.
DeleteI'm wondering if the ratings drop drastically in the next couple of weeks, will TLC finish the season & then cancel or will they cancel midway through the season??
DeleteI said I wasn't going to watch...but I had to. I have it pvr'd and only watched up to the part where Meri and Janelle were talking. I was really disgusted with how Meri responded to her. As others have said, at least put your freaking phone down! Are you kidding me? If they want to be believed over scripted, at least pay some attention. I shut it off and decided to read here before I watch the rest, if I do. I just can't stand it anymore. They're not even likable anymore imo. Well, I do like Janelle and Christine, and keep holding out hope that they will come to their senses and realize they deserve sooooo much more than this. I really feel for the kids, and have to say that their goal to promote their lifestyle as something that works...epic fail. The passive aggressive crap comes right through the screen and smacks you in the face. They are not happy, just surviving, and because I do have a heart, I feel bad for them. However, in this day and age to settle for this? I could try to understand for religious reasons, but after the first few seasons, it doesn't even appear that they practice? I don't know. CJ, thank you so much for putting your time and effort to this blog, and to all who post here too. Gotta get my fix!
ReplyDeleteI think it would have been a nice gesture for Sobbin to send Meri on that Hawaii non-honeymoon with Kody. After all, Meri gave up her legal marriage of over 20 years. Since she didn't, maybe she sbould pay for them to go on a nice trip now. Lol.
ReplyDeleteThe editing and production is seriously better this year (minus the old style all-sittin-on-a-couch preview). There is also the fact that somebody got saavy enough to have the kids do real time life updates and use social media for the show. I am fascinated with how the FLDS are handling their daughter converting to LDS. They seem to be like all parents and just worry this will somehow alienate their daughter or affect her bond with the family. Hopefully LDS & FLDS become more tolerant of each other's beliefs. Maybe this will help all those estranged families with FLDS-LDS mixes in Utah and other places.
ReplyDeleteBy FLDS you mean Fundamentalist Mormon, right? FLDS Is usually used to denote the Warren Jeff's fundamentalist Mormon group.
DeleteI find myself wondering what the story is of Robyn's ex. Is he just a shitty guy who wants nothing to do with his kids and doesn't want to pay support, or is there a much more complex story here and he's just being made out to be the bad guy?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm *really* uncomfortable with this new trend of women trying to "marry up" and get their new husbands to adopt their kids from previous relationships and cut the biological fathers out of their children's lives. Often they use some form of blackmail like, "We'll stop chasing you for child support if you do this!" to get the kids to sign away rights to their kids, but sometimes the state is involved and the state WONT stop going after them (for back child support, at least), so I think sometimes these guys are tricked. How is this fair to the fathers or the children? What happens when the kids some day say, "Mom, why did you cut my dad out of my life?!" Is this the society we want to be -- only men with the highest income potential get to be in the children's lives?!
I'm an Army wife and this crap is rampant around here -- the local Army wives social media groups are filled with wives asking whats the easiest/cheapest way to get their current, military husbands to adopt their kids. The Army does NOT require this. They actually give step-children almost all the exact same benefits as biological or adopted children to step-children, including medical benefits.
Yet an increasing number of army wives want their soldier husbands to adopt the kids, because when they divorce, it's easier to get money (and medical benefits) out of the soldier than the biological father.
I just find it disgusting and disheartening. My husband has a (now grown) daughter from his first marriage and thankfully we all got along and no one tried to cut him out of his daughter's life. Admittedly, he was never behind on child support, but I cringe at the idea that, if he had had problems finding work and had fallen behind on child support, that the punishment could have been excommunication from his daughter's life.
-Tess