Kody Brown stars in Sister Wives, not Physical 100, but he’s comparing himself to Atlas lately, who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. A Titan of Ancient Greece, Atlas needed to hold up the sky forever. Kody apparently relates, but how is he going out of his way for anyone but Robyn Brown and their kids? What about Christine Brown, who couldn’t take it anymore and fled? What about Janelle Brown, who’s losing her temper on that brown couch in almost every episode? What about Meri Brown, who feels like a total, “third wheel.” If Kody’s Atlas, maybe Atlas shrugged.
In the book Atlas Shrugged, some talented and self-sufficient people get fed up with the status quo, so they head off to a secret Utopia called Galt’s Gulch. They go on strike, shrugging off their responsibilities in the “real” world. They’re sick of being surrounded by looters who take more than they give. While Kody might enjoy thinking of himself like that, his ego’s leading him astray. Rather than being a hero, like Atlas Shrugged’s John Galt, Kody’s not pulling his weight. Even Robyn’s sounding off about her man, but no wife’s getting as mad as Janelle. Her season 18 dust-ups with Kody are epic. The fights are explosive.
Kody’s Losing It In Season 18
Kody’s using some mighty big words in season 18, as though trying to show off his smarts to the world. He’s feeling so attacked right now. When he’s not tossing around “intellectual” words like “circumventing,” he’s moaning to his bros during “man time,” or turning beet-red while yelling at Janelle… with his finger pointing RIGHT AT HER.
Kody’s out of control, and Sister Wives season 18 episode 3 showed just how far gone he really is. The issue is that he can’t understand why anyone would have a problem with him. He’s trying to maintain control over women who are losing faith. They may feel some love, but there’s plenty of other emotions in the mix… maybe even hate. Of course, that’s tough for Kody, but the emotional fireworks in season 18 are mostly his fault. Instead of carrying the family, Kody’s let them down.
Kody Calls Janelle The “Teflon Queen” (Who Does He Think He Is?)
Kody and Janelle are really fighting it out. There’s obviously a bond there, just because they’re getting so angry. They haven’t reached that “indifference” point where it’s really all over. However, it’s not looking good for them. Janelle is tired of being the “middleman” between Kody and their kids. Kody shouldn’t put her in the that position all the time. She already did the bulk of the parenting during the pandemic, when her kids wouldn’t follow Kody’s strict virus-avoiding rules.
Kody wanted Janelle to get with the program. He gets so intense about that. Maybe it’s the religious training, or patriarchal brainwashing, or both, but it really seems to touch a nerve when he says (to paraphrase), “Do what you’re told!,” and they don’t. Is that the worst thing a wife can do to a polygamous patriarch? Aside from bailing out completely, like Christine, maybe so.
Janelle has tried. She’s tried harder than she should have. She looks exhausted in season 18, trying to express herself while Kody calls her the, “Teflon Queen,” or pulls on his leather jacket yet again, preparing to run for the door. He’ll never leave her home without some parting missive, like, “YOU don’t listen.” To be fair, she’s not holding back herself. Years of tension seeps into each interaction, poisoning it, and yet they seem like strangers sometimes.
What’s galling is the choice that Kody gave Janelle. She had to kick her sons out or lose Kody. What mother is going to ask her children to leave just because they’re not following rules? Janelle says everyone followed the CDC gudelines, which weren’t as strict as Kody’s rules. By not kicking them out, she becomes his, “Teflon Queen,” while Robyn gets to be a real queen. Not such a great deal for Janelle, right? Plus, Janelle says she’s broke after the Coyote Pass debacle, as she put cash into paying for the land, and also got a mortgage. Kody’s says she’s got “assets.”
Things are getting nasty, and the physical distance doesn’t help. The long-distance thing destroyed the Browns. The pandemic wreaked havoc on everyone, and those who survived are lucky, but it still took a serious toll on the famous family. Without the usual get-togethers, Robyn became a true queen, reigning in her fancy “palace” with its wine fridge, while the other wives had to go it alone. Sure, Janelle and Christine could lean on each other, which helped a bit, but it wasn’t enough, and poor Meri was really left out in the cold.
Kody, who thinks he’s holding it all together, has actually done some pretty severe damage. His stringent COVID rules weren’t illogical, as people were dying after contracting the virus, but maybe he went too far. He alienated everyone but Robyn and their children. Janelle called he and Robyn out, exposing the hypocrisy that is so omnipresent (and tiresome). She asked if Kody and wife number one were really, “paragons of honesty and perfection.” Kody was taken aback, probably because the truth hurts. Kody and Robyn aren’t perfect people.
Kody’s Favoritism Has Drawn Blood
Christine faced reality, knowing on a cellular level that Kody would never give her what he gives to Robyn. She bravely chose to leave, even though she was in that spiritual union for eons. Now, she’s glowing. It’s great to see her elation during the season, but the other wives look so pale, tired, world-weary…it’s sad. Polygamy doesn’t work. It only works when people are willing to pretend. If they begin to get primal, showing what’s really inside, it’s war. The wives are dropping the masks and underneath, they’re enraged. Even mild-mannered Robyn, who’s so invested in being “nice,” is starting to lash out.
If Robyn’s upset, imagine how the other wives feel? They get way less attention than her! They’re often left to their own devices for long periods of time. There’s no patriarch around to help if something breaks, or a jar’s hard to open, or they need a shoulder to cry on. By leaving them to rely on themselves, he boosted their independence. They took care of things without him. Of course, they might start to realize that they don’t really need a man at all. This distance, physical and emotional, can kill love dead. It takes a lot of devotion to keep adoring someone that’s never around. Practical Janelle is at the point where she’s doing a cost-benefit analysis, and it’s just not worth it anymore.
Kody isn’t holding up the sky, or heavens, or whatever. He’s trapped in a patriarchal role that doesn’t suit him. He’s acting like a one-man woman, but claiming that he wants to please his other wives. He’s pretending, maybe even to himself, that things can be okay. Nonetheless, his temper’s fraying, his ego’s swollen but fragile, and he’s basically coming apart at the seams. He wants obedience, affection, loyalty, trust and so much more. However, he’s so pigheaded. Kody doesn’t feel his wives’ emotions, and that’s his fatal flaw. Sister Wives season 18’s exposing the harshness of plural marriage. Kody “shrugged” long ago, leaving Janelle, Meri and Christine whistling in the wind. Now, he’s paying the price.