Images of federal raids have clogged the airwaves for years, but the Browns brought a sense of normalcy to The Learning Channel, where viewers could have their questions answered. Over the years, Kody and his four wives showed how they dealt with moves, being ostracized by the law, finding work, and planning their dream of living in one space. I’d argue fans were pretty loyal to the series up until a point.
The point was when Christine Brown pulled back from her husband and chose the route of divorce. That was when the curtain was raised on just how insensitive human Kody was. Since then, it’s been a downward slope, and it’s entirely possible that Season 18 was the show’s last.
Why Season 18 Was Dreadful
Season 18 was a far cry from the early Sister Wives days, where the biggest issues were how to escape Utah in the dead of night and how long it took Kody to jog to each of his four homes in their beloved cul-de-sac. Earlier seasons had major drama like catfishing, weddings, and home births. The latest installment showed Kody at his lowest low as he navigated a life with just one wife (the horror!) The patriarch had successfully pushed anyone who had ever loved him away and left him with his only option, monogamy hater Robyn Brown.
The other issue with Season 18 was Kody’s lack of love for his older children. It was tough to watch a grown adult who chose to father 18 children actively ignore his eldest. Now, whether he was punishing them for their mothers leaving, I don’t know. But when you see grown sons cry over the lack of love, interaction, and parenting, you realize something is really wrong with their dynamic.
Frankly, I didn’t want to watch the kids be upset each week as Kody continuously ranted about how he wasn’t at fault.
There’s a Competing Show About Mormons
I told myself I wouldn’t watch another Mormon show again, but here I am, readying my soda pop and popcorn for the newest show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which will air on Hulu. According to Deadline, the network is in the works of filming the new series that is set to give Sister Wives a run for its money. The shocker here is that the cast of Mormon polygamous women are also swingers. Think Bunny Ranch meets Little House on the Prarie. Also, I hope they have enough condoms to go around.
The idea is fascinating; a woman who most likely already has multiple sister wives is also going to be able to screw someone else that isn’t her husband; Groundbreaking! I am beyond curious to see how the dynamics play out and if the swinging takes place with a family unit or moves out into the community. Hulu has had relatively good success with its Mormon content, too. In 2022, they released Mormon No More, which followed a married woman who discovered she was a lesbian and fell in love with her friend, another Mormon housewife.
Ultimately, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives sounds like a hit in the making, which could be a problem for Sister Wives. TLC may decide it’s not worth the trouble to compete with another show on another platform about the same topic. As a result of the new Hulu show, TLC could pull the plug on Sister Wives and call it a day.
The Verdict
I think the consensus is clear: bring on the swinger Mormons! Personally, I’m over whatever Sister Wives has become. I don’t need to tune in each week to watch Kody have a freak out while Robyn pretends to be a victim in the whole thing. What I would be willing to tune in for is a spin-off following each of the women around and showcasing life after polygamy. That to me, would be an interesting transition.
So yeah, maybe watching Mormon swingers will be the way to go instead of viewers wanting to pull their hair out each week after another boring episode of Sister Wives. Season 18 was a letdown, and the Brown family is more fractured than ever. It seems like conditions are perfect for a cancellation. TLC has many reasons to cancel Sister Wives, only time will tell if they do.
