As Sister Wives enters a lull between seasons, fans can utilize their time to brush up on their Sister Wives lore from the past 17 seasons. Here are the top 10 Sister Wives episodes to watch in preparation for season 18.
Season 1 Episode 1, ‘Meet Kody and the Wives’
The inaugural episode of Sister Wives is crucial because it was the first time the world was introduced to the polygamous family next door. Kody Brown proudly introduces his three wives, Meri Brown, Janelle Brown, and Christine Brown, and their 12 children.
At the end of the episode, the first time audiences see Kody’s then-girlfriend, Robyn Brown. It’s interesting to see how much the family dynamic has changed over the years.
Season 1 Episode 7, ‘Four Wives and Counting’
Toward the end of Sister Wives Season 1, Robyn enters the family in an official wedding ceremony binding her to Kody and the rest of the family for eternity.
This wedding special shows the dynamic when the family shifts from three wives to four, which helps give context to the entire series.
Season 2 Episode 9, ‘Gambling on the Future’
In this episode, the Brown family receives news that the state of Utah had an open investigation against them after they went public about their polygamous lifestyle. At the time, it was a felony to be a polygamist. The family decided to flee the state.
This episode is one of the most talked about moments from the show. And it helps fans understand why the Brown family suddenly decided to move to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Season 6 Episode 6, ‘Robyn’s Secret’
Kody asked his fourth wife, Robyn, to give a lesson during church in their living room about the law of chastity. Robyn gives the Brown children a lesson on the importance of purity by using her own story and a locket to symbolize her purity.
The iconic and cringeworthy speech has been quoted many times by Sister Wives fans, which makes this episode worth the rewatch.
Season 6 Episode 9, ‘Sister Wives on the Ropes’
When the Browns are invited to speak in front of a panel with a discussion with ex-polygamists, interestingly, one of them happens to be Christine’s aunt Kristyn Decker.
The discussion in this episode highlights the Brown family’s choice to live plural marriage. This is a must-watch episode, even if it’s just because Robyn says the iconic line about not making her a “victim.”
Season 6 Episode 16, ‘Browns in Crisis’
In 2014, the Browns lived in the cul-de-sac in Las Vegas, Nevada, when Christine’s youngest daughter, Truely Grace Brown, was hospitalized. In this Season 6 episode, Christine explains that her 3-year-old was “lethargic” five days after catching the common flu.
As Truely’s condition worsened, Christine took her daughter to the emergency room. The doctor informed her that the symptoms pointed to kidney failure. After facing uncertainty, Truely’s kidneys finally started responding to medications and dialysis. By the 10th day, Truely was released from the hospital.
Season 8 Episodes 5-6, ‘Anthropologists Move In’
Two anthropology students from the nearby university wanted to study the Browns to get more information about how polygamous families operate with four wives and 18 kids. The anthropologist visit lasts two episodes.
Throughout the visit, the students ask the Browns many challenging questions that help fans better understand the family’s dynamic.
Season 9 Episode 10, ‘Chaos in the Cul-de-Sac’
Throughout season 9, Meri decides to legally divorce Kody so that Robyn can get married to him. The whole point was so Kody could legally adopt Robyn’s children, Aurora, Breanna, and Dayton, from her first marriage to David Jessop.
After Kody officially adopted Robyn’s children and they decided to change their last names to “Brown.” In this infamous episode, Robyn gives Kody a custom drawing of her children with Kody when they were younger.
Season 9 Episode 12, ‘Meri Catfished’
This episode gives more context to the infamous catfishing scandal and the beginning of the end of her marriage to Kody. Meri opened up about struggling with loneliness after her child, Leon Brown, left for college, leaving her with an empty nest.
Meri admitted to Kody and her sister wives that she sought emotional closeness with a stranger online that ended up catfishing her. Meri’s humiliating online incident led to Kody’s inability to trust her.
Season 14 Episode 4, ‘Four wives, One house?’
In this episode, Kody reveals his dream of having all four wives in one home. This episode helps Sister Wives fans understand the dream Kody had when he bought the family’s land on Coyote Pass.
The pushback from the wives put a stop to Kody’s dream of the family all being under one roof again. This episode shows the cracks within the family and is the beginning of the end of most of his marriages.
