It's hard to tell if the drama is real or if it's for the sake of ratings..?? If the point in going public was to prove that polygamy works, this show fails. Miserably. The women are ALWAYS at odds crying, pouting and complaining about something. They keep track of what the other wives get for birthdays and anniversaries. Jealousy is front and center at all times and they have a therapist on call, if that tells you anything.
All of the wives have a specific role. Meri is the old friend (well, was the old friend). Janelle is the cash cow. Christine is the mother hen that raises the kids. Robyn is the bedroom wife.
If you've read that Robyn is the favorite, that is accurate. Kody only cares about Robyn, especially in the later seasons. The family seemed **somewhat** happy in the 1st season before Robyn came along. Everything fell apart after that. Robyn cries non-stop and acts like she's been the #1 since the beginning. She acts like she knows Kody better than anyone. She would be thrilled if the other wives just disappeared. She is now the legal wife, her kids are legally bound to the family and she has the biggest and nicest house. Kody spends all of his time at Robyn's house and complains that the expanding amount of jealousy of the other wives "ruins" his time with Robyn.
Meri is annoying af. She whines that she doesn't have more kids then whines when Kody wants more kids then whines that she doesn't want more kids. She really sucks attention from her infertility. She had the option of fertility treatments AND a surrogate. She turned them both down after a YEAR of "thinking about it" then went back to crying in every interview about being an "empty nester". She demands to live in 5+ bedroom houses even though she lives alone. I would be livid if I were a sister wife spitting out kids for Kody like a brood mare and Meri lives like a queen in her mansion. Alone. The catfishing incident is also pretty stupid. She found a man online she wanted to leave Kody for. She was making plans to leave the family and was building her own life and income with the B&B. Her online lover turns out to be a woman and now Meri wants the fam to reassure and comfort her. Make her feel wanted again. She repeatedly talks to them about it like she expects them to console her while she grieves the loss of her make-believe boyfriend. You can't make this stuff up.
Christine is a good mom. Seems very insecure, but I can see why. Kody uses her to raise the kids. Kody has no interest in her and she knows it. So does the viewer. Kody makes little to no effort with Christine and it is obvious throughout the entire show. She is constantly trying to adjust her personality to appeal to him. She has a kind-hearted spirit and she is soft-spoken. She really seems like a great mom.
Janelle is the business partner. She helps Kody support all 57 of his kids and wives. Very independent and seems emotionally checked out most of the time. From what I've read, her kids are all going on to earn masters degrees. Clearly, she is also an amazing mom despite the Kody/Robyn/Meri mess. Her older kids seemingly have had enough of their dads obvious favoritism towards Robyn.
The bottom line? Polygamy seems absolutely miserable. I don't condemn their lifestyle, it's their choice. Nobody is being forced to be unhappy.
All of the wives have a specific role. Meri is the old friend (well, was the old friend). Janelle is the cash cow. Christine is the mother hen that raises the kids. Robyn is the bedroom wife.
If you've read that Robyn is the favorite, that is accurate. Kody only cares about Robyn, especially in the later seasons. The family seemed **somewhat** happy in the 1st season before Robyn came along. Everything fell apart after that. Robyn cries non-stop and acts like she's been the #1 since the beginning. She acts like she knows Kody better than anyone. She would be thrilled if the other wives just disappeared. She is now the legal wife, her kids are legally bound to the family and she has the biggest and nicest house. Kody spends all of his time at Robyn's house and complains that the expanding amount of jealousy of the other wives "ruins" his time with Robyn.
Meri is annoying af. She whines that she doesn't have more kids then whines when Kody wants more kids then whines that she doesn't want more kids. She really sucks attention from her infertility. She had the option of fertility treatments AND a surrogate. She turned them both down after a YEAR of "thinking about it" then went back to crying in every interview about being an "empty nester". She demands to live in 5+ bedroom houses even though she lives alone. I would be livid if I were a sister wife spitting out kids for Kody like a brood mare and Meri lives like a queen in her mansion. Alone. The catfishing incident is also pretty stupid. She found a man online she wanted to leave Kody for. She was making plans to leave the family and was building her own life and income with the B&B. Her online lover turns out to be a woman and now Meri wants the fam to reassure and comfort her. Make her feel wanted again. She repeatedly talks to them about it like she expects them to console her while she grieves the loss of her make-believe boyfriend. You can't make this stuff up.
Christine is a good mom. Seems very insecure, but I can see why. Kody uses her to raise the kids. Kody has no interest in her and she knows it. So does the viewer. Kody makes little to no effort with Christine and it is obvious throughout the entire show. She is constantly trying to adjust her personality to appeal to him. She has a kind-hearted spirit and she is soft-spoken. She really seems like a great mom.
Janelle is the business partner. She helps Kody support all 57 of his kids and wives. Very independent and seems emotionally checked out most of the time. From what I've read, her kids are all going on to earn masters degrees. Clearly, she is also an amazing mom despite the Kody/Robyn/Meri mess. Her older kids seemingly have had enough of their dads obvious favoritism towards Robyn.
The bottom line? Polygamy seems absolutely miserable. I don't condemn their lifestyle, it's their choice. Nobody is being forced to be unhappy.