RECAP: ‘Sister Wives’ Janelle Exposes Kody’s Financial Abuse While Meri Ignores Robyn’s Manipulation

RECAP: ‘Sister Wives’ Janelle Exposes Kody’s Financial Abuse While Meri Ignores Robyn’s Manipulation 

Christine and David Move In Together

The November 24 episode of Sister Wives (Season 19, Episode 11) kicks off with Christine Brown and David Woolley are making moves — literally and figuratively. After just four months of dating (yes, you read that right — four months), they’ve already bought a house together in Utah, with both of their names on the deed. You know, because nothing says “forever” like signing a mortgage after a few short weeks of dating.

Christine and David are undeterred by the slightly rushed timeline. They’ve gathered their kids and grandkids to announce their engagement, fully aware that the rest of the world might think they’re moving at lightning speed. But hey, when you know, you know, right? Despite the whirlwind pace, the couple’s already designed Christine’s engagement ring together, because what better way to seal the deal than a custom piece of jewelry after four months?

Of course, Christine’s kids are still processing the fact that everything is happening so fast. One daughter even admits she never realized just how miserable her mom was with Kody until she saw her with David. Apparently, David is exactly what Christine needed — probably a guy who doesn’t require a 30-year slow-burn relationship to figure it out.

The best part? Christine’s kids pretend to be shocked by the engagement news, but it’s clear they were prepped long before the cameras rolled. So, while the reactions may seem adorably surprised, it’s pretty safe to say they were in on it already — because nothing says “we’re so thrilled” like a scripted surprise. Still, they’re all on board, and Christine is ready to start this next chapter with David — who, let’s face it, is basically the guy she’s known she needed since, oh, month three.

Kody Moves Meri To Utah

Kody Brown, the man of many marriages, fulfilled his promise to help Meri Brown move out of her Flagstaff, Arizona home, ahead of her permanent return to Utah. And while you’d expect the entire scene to be drenched in tension and passive-aggressive comments, instead, it was… smooth sailing? For now, at least.

Meri and Kody, despite the rocky past (including, you know, the whole divorce through their church after their 2023 separation), are actually managing to get along surprisingly well. In fact, their banter was so lighthearted that you’d almost forget that they’ve spent years navigating a relationship that’s been, well, less than ideal.

At one point, Meri accidentally backed up into Kody’s crotch area while moving boxes — and the two shared a laugh. “Closer than I have been to him in years,” Meri commented, looking more than a little mystified by the entire situation. 

Robyn’s Tearless Cry

Before Meri heads off to Utah, Robyn Brown makes one last attempt to pull on her heartstrings. She shows up at the house, pulls Meri aside, and immediately starts crying — though it’s the kind of cry that’s more tearless drama than actual emotion. She tells Meri how much she’s going to miss her, how she loves her, and how sorry she is that things worked out this way. Meri, however, isn’t buying it. She stands there, unfazed, clearly not falling for Robyn’s attempt to manipulate the moment.

In a talking-head confessional, Christine weighs in, saying Robyn has been manipulating Meri for years — something that’s pretty hard to argue with at this point.

Then, for maximum effect, Robyn pulls Meri into a dramatic, over-the-top hug, probably hoping for some real tears this time. As if on cue, she hands Meri a gift — a journal. The message? “I wish you happiness in your next chapter.” Robyn sniffles and tells Meri once again that she loves her, but it’s clear that this whole thing is an attempt to make Meri feel something — anything.

But Meri? She’s dry-eyed and totally emotionless. It’s obvious she’s not falling for Robyn’s calculated mean girl act. Instead of being moved, Meri just looks like she’s enduring the performance for the cameras. 

Kody’s Favorite Ex-Wife?

Kody, for his part, seemed perfectly content with the new dynamic, even referring to Meri as his “favorite ex-wife” — a title that could either be endearing or slightly passive-aggressive, depending on how you look at it. But hey, he’s been through a lot, having been married to Christine and Janelle as well (hello, polygamy), and now he’s only married to Robyn. So, you know, favorites shift.

The Tears Start Flowing: “End of an Era”

As the moving process came to a close, Kody suddenly got emotional — and by emotional, we mean “broke down in tears,” emotional. In a very un-Kody move, he told Meri that this was the “end of an era,” before pulling her in for an awkward hug. (All of this, of course, happened in front of Meri’s brother-in-law and best friend, Jenn Sullivan. Because why not share your emotional breakdown with the entire crew?)

“It was a great run, but I’m not going to let it get me down,” Kody said, though his tears definitely suggested otherwise.

Meri, ever the realist (or perhaps just totally perplexed), wasn’t exactly feeling the same wave of sentimentality. “It always blows me away that you get emotional like this. I just don’t understand,” she said, probably thinking, Really? Now you’re crying? After all this time?

Kody Gets Real: “It Just Went to S—“

Then, Kody went full-on emotional vulnerability: “We had something special and it feels like it just all went to s—, sort of,” he admitted, voice trembling, his tears adding extra drama to the moment. A true Kody Brown classic.

“I’m not bitter anymore. I’m not angry. I’m glad you and I got that figured out. I’m glad that we were able to be friends,” he continued, sounding like a man who just figured out the emotional calculus of his entire marriage with Meri. “I’m glad that you’re my favorite ex-wife… But it’s the weirdest thing to be in that place. It is just heartbreaking in a way. And I love the life I have, but it’s a very different life than what I had three years ago, you know? It just seemed like everybody else just went, this isn’t important.”

Meri, still confused, could only look on as Kody finally admitted to something resembling remorse. “I’m through that anger phase,” he said, before offering an apology. “I’m sorry about the seven years, but I’m glad we did it because now I can mourn a loss instead of being angry.”

Meri, in typical fashion, was a bit caught off guard. “I do not understand. I don’t get it. I don’t know where this is coming from. I do not understand it,” she told the cameras, as if trying to figure out how she ended up being the recipient of Kody’s emotional breakthrough after years of neglect. Same, Meri, same.

Meri’s BFF Drops a Bomb: “Will Kody Be the Flower Girl?”

As the conversation wrapped up, Kody tried to look toward the future. “I won’t be weird about it,” he assured Meri, referencing the potential of remarrying someday (as if we didn’t already know how un-weird that conversation was going to get).

And just when you thought it couldn’t get more awkward, Meri’s best friend, Jenn, asked Kody if he would be the flower girl at her next wedding. Kody, dead serious (or so it seemed), responded with, “No, I get to walk her down the aisle.”

Cue the laugh track.

Meri and Kody shared a laugh, as you do when you’re awkwardly trying to move past an entire emotional reckoning in a matter of minutes. And as the episode came to a close, Kody, still wiping his tears, added, “It’s like, you know, this is the end of an era and now we have permission to move on.”

Yeah, sure, Kody. Whatever you say.

Janelle Meets David — and Talks Coyote Pass Drama

Janelle Brown visits Christine in Utah, and the two catch up on life, love, and — of course — property drama. Christine’s new home in Utah is the perfect setting for the conversation, and Janelle is genuinely happy for her. 

Christine shows Janelle around the house, and while it’s clear Janelle is thrilled for her sister friend, she’s also got some of her own plans brewing.

“I’m looking into property in North Carolina,” she shares, mentioning with her daughter Maddie and her son-in-law Caleb Brush. “It’s a farm,” Janelle continues. “Caleb can still keep his same job, which is great. It’s only about an hour from where they live now.”

But, of course, there’s a small complication: Coyote Pass.

The Coyote Pass Drama: Janelle Wants Out

Janelle lays it out: Coyote Pass, the property in Arizona partially purchased by Kody and his wives, still needs a big payment. “Kody says he had, he’s gonna have the money,” Janelle tells Christine. “It’s due in two months.” But here’s the kicker — Janelle wants out.

“I told him I wanted him to buy me out,” Janelle shares, revealing that she’s done with the property and, frankly, done with the whole situation. But Kody’s response? “He’s like, ‘I don’t have the money.’”

As Janelle explores her future in North Carolina, she’s making it clear that Kody has no place in her new chapter. “I haven’t said anything to him about North Carolina,” she confesses in her interview. “I don’t really feel like I need to share that with him. He’s not going to be part of that life.”

Meri and the Money Drama

Janelle also brings up a conversation she had with Meri about Coyote Pass and the looming payment. “She basically implied that she was so surprised, like, somehow, she thought I’d been controlling the money,” Janelle says, sounding incredulous. “I’m like, ‘Dude, man, if I controlled the money we would have paid off, built a house.’”

Christine backs Janelle up, agreeing, “If you controlled the money, I think things would look a lot different.” Janelle then explains, “When we were all married to Kody, all I did was record what was spent and sent it to the accountant.”

But Kody, of course, had a different view. In a confessional, he stated, “It’s funny, my other wives remember Janelle controlling the money,” before adding, “I sort of guided where the money went.” Sure, Kody. Sure.

Kody’s “MO”: Making Janelle the Bad Guy

Janelle isn’t buying into Kody’s narrative, saying it’s just part of his usual *MO* to attack people on things that matter to them. “This is Kody’s MO,” she says. “He tends to attack somebody in an area that’s important to them.” She points to Kody’s past comments about not being “sexually attracted” to Christine as an example of his tactic — because nothing says supportive husband like a dig at your wife’s emotional well-being.

For Janelle, financial security is a huge pressure point. “For me, financial security and being smart financially is really, really important,” she says. “So, he’s trying to pin everything on me.”

It’s clear the situation is making her angry. “It makes me so mad because I didn’t know it. He was doing it behind my back. He kept telling everybody these stories and I’m like, ‘F—ing hell.’” She then quickly apologizes for her language, but the frustration is palpable. “I didn’t do anything except have to drink a glass of [a] whole freaking bottle of wine when I sat and recorded the transactions and sent them to the accountant,” Janelle adds, rolling her eyes at the thought of her years of financial oversight.

Meri’s Uncertain Allegiances

Meanwhile, Meri seems caught in the middle. “Janelle says one thing and Kody and Robyn say another thing,” she says. “I don’t think either one of them are being 100 percent truthful.”

But Janelle is adamant about her role in trying to protect everyone’s investments. “When it comes down to controlling money, I just feel like we each knew what we were going to get out of the family money,” Janelle explains to Christine. “But then he could spend whatever the hell he wanted.” Christine agrees, recalling how, when they were all married to Kody, it was Kody who handled the money and wrote the checks. “It was Kody who really had the control of the money,” Christine states, backing up Janelle’s claim.

Janelle Approves of David

Finally, after all the drama surrounding Coyote Pass and finances, Janelle gets a chance to meet Christine’s new man, David. She seems to like him just fine and gives her stamp of approval on their relationship. “Christine feels loved, and she feels confident,” Janelle says, noting the clear shift in Christine’s demeanor now that she’s with David.

So, while Janelle’s got her own plans brewing in North Carolina, she’s happy to see her friend thriving — emotionally, at least — without Kody in the picture. 

Sister Wives airs on TLC, Sundays at 10 p.m. ET.

 

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