Jump to content

Sister Wives: Difference between revisions

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Line 75: Line 75:
Aurora (7)
Aurora (7)


Breeanna(6)
Breanna(6)


<ref name="Seidman" /> Meri and Christine were both raised in polygamist families, but Janelle was not.<ref name="Fralic" />
<ref name="Seidman" /> Meri, Christine, and Robyn were raised in polygamist families, but Janelle was not.<ref name="Fralic" />


As a [[Mormon fundamentalism|fundamentalist Mormon]] family, belonging to the [[Apostolic United Brethren]] Church,<ref name="Brooks">{{Cite news |last=Brooks |first=Joanna |title=TLC Premieres Polygamy Reality Show ''Sister Wives'' |date=September 27, 2010 |work=[[Religion Dispatches]] |url=http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/3424/tlc_premieres_polygamy_reality_show_sister_wives_/ |accessdate=September 27, 2010}}</ref> the Browns' faith does not align with the mainstream [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|LDS church]]. The title of the series, "Sister Wives", refers to a concept prevalent in Mormon fundamentalism that the wives in a plural marriage not only marry the husband, but are eternally united to each other.<ref name="Tenety" /> For years prior to the series, the family kept their polygamist lifestyle what they called a "quasi-secret".<ref name="Horiuchi">{{Cite news |last=Horiuchi |first=Vince |title=Utah polygamists star in reality TV show |work=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]] |date=August 6, 2010 |url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50067634-76/wives-family-sister-brown.html.csp |accessdate=September 28, 2010}}</ref> Both Kody Brown and his wives have claimed part of the reason they are participating in ''Sister Wives'' is to make the public more aware of polygamist families and to combat societal prejudices often associated with polygamy.<ref name="Fralic" /><ref name="Allin">{{Cite news |last=Allin |first=Olivia |title='Sister Wives' Brings A Real-Life 'Big Love' Family to TLC |work=[[ABC News]] |date=August 15, 2010 |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/sister-wives-brings-real-life-big-love-family/story?id=11362367 |accessdate=September 27, 2010}}</ref>
As a [[Mormon fundamentalism|fundamentalist Mormon]] family, belonging to the [[Apostolic United Brethren]] Church,<ref name="Brooks">{{Cite news |last=Brooks |first=Joanna |title=TLC Premieres Polygamy Reality Show ''Sister Wives'' |date=September 27, 2010 |work=[[Religion Dispatches]] |url=http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/3424/tlc_premieres_polygamy_reality_show_sister_wives_/ |accessdate=September 27, 2010}}</ref> the Browns' faith does not align with the mainstream [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|LDS church]]. The title of the series, "Sister Wives", refers to a concept prevalent in Mormon fundamentalism that the wives in a plural marriage not only marry the husband, but are eternally united to each other.<ref name="Tenety" /> For years prior to the series, the family kept their polygamist lifestyle what they called a "quasi-secret".<ref name="Horiuchi">{{Cite news |last=Horiuchi |first=Vince |title=Utah polygamists star in reality TV show |work=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]] |date=August 6, 2010 |url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50067634-76/wives-family-sister-brown.html.csp |accessdate=September 28, 2010}}</ref> Both Kody Brown and his wives have claimed part of the reason they are participating in ''Sister Wives'' is to make the public more aware of polygamist families and to combat societal prejudices often associated with polygamy.<ref name="Fralic" /><ref name="Allin">{{Cite news |last=Allin |first=Olivia |title='Sister Wives' Brings A Real-Life 'Big Love' Family to TLC |work=[[ABC News]] |date=August 15, 2010 |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/sister-wives-brings-real-life-big-love-family/story?id=11362367 |accessdate=September 27, 2010}}</ref>

Revision as of 16:09, 21 March 2011

This article is about the reality television series. For more about the general concept, see Polygamy.
Sister Wives
Sister Wives original title card
StarringKody Brown & family
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes8 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersTimothy Gibbons
Bill Hayes
Christopher Poole
Kirk Streb
ProducerDeanie Wilcher
Production locationsLehi, Utah, United States
EditorsKaryn Finley Thompson, Erin Williams
Running time23 minutes
Production companiesAdvanced Medical Productions[1]
Figure 8 Films[2]
Puddle Monkey Productions[3]
Original release
NetworkTLC
ReleaseSeptember 26, 2010 (2010-09-26) –
present

Sister Wives is an American reality television series broadcast on TLC in 2010. The show documents the life of a polygamist family living in Lehi, Utah, which includes patriarch Kody Brown, his four wives and their 16 children. The seven-episode first season ran from September 26 to October 17, 2010 and drew strong ratings according to Nielsen Media Research. Sister Wives has been renewed for a second season which will be broadcast starting March 2011.

Brown and his wives have claimed they participated with the show to make the public more aware of polygamist families and to combat societal prejudices. Brown has claimed his polygamist arrangement is legal because he is legally married only to one woman, and the other marriages are spiritual unions. Nevertheless, legal experts have claimed the series could leave the Brown family vulnerable to criminal prosecution.

One day after the series began, Lehi police announced they were conducting a bigamy investigation into the family. The Utah Attorney General's office has not ruled out seeking criminal charges against the Browns, but stated they do not have the resources to go after polygamists who are not suspected of serious crimes such as child abuse or child trafficking.

Concept

Sister Wives is an unscripted television series that follows Lehi, Utah,[4] advertising salesman Kody Brown, 41,[5] and his wives, which includes his three wives Meri, 39, Janelle, 40, and Christine, 37, and their thirteen children among them.[6] It also televised Brown's courting and eventual marriage to a fourth wife, Robyn Sullivan, 31, who herself has three children.[7][8][9] Sullivan is the first new wife to enter the family in 16 years.[10] The only legal marriage is between Kody and his first wife, Meri, while the others' marriages are considered spiritual unions.[8][11] As of the September 2010 debut, Kody has been married to Meri for 20 years, Janelle for 17 years, and Christine, who is the homemaker, for 16 years.[12]

Kody's 1st wife, Meri, have only one child:

Mariah, (15)

Kody and Janelle have six children:

Logan (16)

Madison (14)

Hunter (13)

Garrison (11)

Gabriel (8)

Savanah (5)

Kody and Christine have six children:

Aspyn (14)

Mykelti (13)

Padeon (11)

Gwendlyn (8)

Ysabel (6)

Truely (5 months)

Robyn's children from her fist marriage wich was monogmas:

Dayton(9)

Aurora (7)

Breanna(6)

[1] Meri, Christine, and Robyn were raised in polygamist families, but Janelle was not.[10]

As a fundamentalist Mormon family, belonging to the Apostolic United Brethren Church,[13] the Browns' faith does not align with the mainstream LDS church. The title of the series, "Sister Wives", refers to a concept prevalent in Mormon fundamentalism that the wives in a plural marriage not only marry the husband, but are eternally united to each other.[6] For years prior to the series, the family kept their polygamist lifestyle what they called a "quasi-secret".[2] Both Kody Brown and his wives have claimed part of the reason they are participating in Sister Wives is to make the public more aware of polygamist families and to combat societal prejudices often associated with polygamy.[10][14]

Development

In the autumn of 2009, independent producers Timothy Gibbons and Christopher Poole approached Figure 8 Films, a North Carolina-based company, with the concept of a reality series about the Brown family. Bill Hayes, the president of Figure 8 Films, said the company agreed to the idea after meeting with the Browns and deciding their lives would make a great story. Camera crews shot footage of the family in mid-2010 to be used in the first season,[2] ending in May with the marriage of Kody Brown and Robyn Sullivan.[15] The crews continued to film them afterward in case the series was picked up for a second season. Sister Wives was publicly introduced on August 6, 2010 at the Television Critics Association summer media tour in Beverly Hills, California. The series's first episode, an hour long, was broadcast on TLC on September 26, 2010, and the first season continued with six half-hour chapters until October 17, 2010.[16].[2]

The broadcast of Sister Wives comes at a time that polygamy and multiple marriages are a prevalent topic in American pop culture. Big Love, the hit HBO series about Utah polygamist Bill Henrickson his three sister wives and their struggle to gain acceptance in society, had already been on the air for several years. In early September 2010, the drama series Lone Star, about a con man on the verge of entering into multiple marriages, premiered on Fox but was quickly cancelled after two episodes, and when Sister Wives first debuted, actress Katherine Heigl was in the process of developing a film about Carolyn Jessop, a woman who fled from a polygamist sect.[17]

In October 2010, TLC announced it had commissioned a second season of ten episodes, scheduled to air starting in March 2011.[18] A TLC interview with the Brown family was broadcast on October 31, 2010,[19] and a one-hour program featuring the honeymoon of Kody Brown and Robyn Sullivan aired on November 22, 2010.[20]

Episodes

Main article: List of Sister Wives episodes

Season 1

The seven-episode first season ran from September 26 to October 17, 2010. The season premiere introduced viewers to Kody Brown and his three wives Meri, Janelle and Christine, and their twelve children, all of whom live in a ranch-style home with three interconnect apartments.[11][12] It also chronicled Kody's dating and engagement to Robyn Sullivan, who herself has three children, marking the first time in 16 years Kody had courted another wife.[21] The new relationship creates jealousy issues among the other three wives, but they ultimately accept her and welcome her into the family. [22] During the fourth episode of the season, Christine gives birth to her sixth child, Truely, which brings the family to 16 children including Robyn's three kids.[23]

Later, Kody and Meri go to Mexico to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary, where Meri discussed her sadness about her infertility problems and the jealousy that has arisen from Kody's engagement to Robyn. Kody proposes in vitro fertilisation, but she turns down the idea as she is only interested in a naturally-occurring conception.[22] As Robyn's wedding approaches, the three sister wives help Robyn prepare and they begin to bond. Kody, however, upsets his wives when he reveals he secretly chose Robyn's wedding dress himself, which makes Christine feel so betrayed that she angrily walks away in mid-interview. Kody eventually apologizes and the five reconcile.[21] The first season ends with the wedding of Kody and Robyn, where Meri, Janelle and Christine present her with a Claddagh ring to welcome her into the family.[24]

Reception

Critics

Considering its sensational subject matter, TLC's "Sister Wives" has been refreshingly modest. The stars [have] a natural, honest presence in a genre fabled for the camera-hogging antics of Jersey Shore. Rather than merely emphasizing what's different about the Brown family — most obviously, their "plural marriage" — Sister Wives shows us how normal they seem: loving and good-natured around their children, occasionally prone to envy and feelings of betrayal.

Schuyler Velasco, Salon.com[25]

Sister Wives drew national media attention after its first season,[26] and garnered generally mixed reviews from critics. Washington Post staff writer Hank Stuever called it "refreshingly frank", and found most interesting the small details of the family's everyday life, such as the food supply, division of labor and minor arguments.[11] Los Angeles Times television critic Mary McNamara said she was intrigued by the matriarchal nature of the polygamist family, a unit which is traditionally considered patriarchal. McNamara said the wives form the center of the family, and that "their bonds appear far stronger and more vital than the casual fondness with which they all treat Kody".[27] Salon.com writer Schuyler Velasco praised Sister Wives for introducing viewers to unfamiliar subject matter, and called it "refreshingly modest" considering its controversial subject matter. Velasco said it has "a natural, honest presence in a genre fabled for the camera-hogging antics of Jersey Shore".[25] Shelley Fralic of The Vancouver Sun called it fascinating and surprising, and was impressed with the sensible and articulate way in which the family defended their lifestyle.[10] When the Brown family made an October 2010 appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, talk show host Oprah Winfrey said she found particularly fascinating the relationship between the sister wives.[28]

Mark A. Perigard of the Boston Herald criticized Kody Brown for opening himself and his family up to potential criminal prosecution by appearing in the series, describing him as "a lawbreaker who is risking himself and the family he claims is so precious just to star in his own TV show".[12] Elizabeth Tenety of The Washington Post called the series "one part domestic drudgery, another part sensationalism", and claimed it relied on a "familiar reality TV recipe" shared by other TLC series such as 19 Kids and Counting and Kate Plus 8.[6] Religion Dispatches writer Joanna Brooks shared Tenety's perspective criticizing the show for presenting polygamy in a manner that "is about as interesting to me as Kate Gosselin’s latest makeover." In this vein Brooks criticized the show for not engaging the theology of plural marriage, and for letting Kody Brown's superficial comments about the dissimilarity of Fundamentalist and mainstream Mormonism pass onto the viewers without any critical scrutiny or added nuance.[13] Shari Puterman, television columnist with the Asbury Park Press, felt the sister wives had issues with jealousy and self-worth, and compared Kody to a cult leader. Puterman added, "I can't speak for everyone, but I believe in the sanctity of marriage. It's sad to see that TLC's capitalizing on people who don't."[29] Former prosecutor and television personality Nancy Grace criticized the show and said she believed Kody Brown should go to jail, but expressed doubt he would based on Utah's history of overlooking polygamy.[30] Christine Seifert, an associate professor of communications at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, said the show could give viewers who are unfamiliar with the LDS church the incorrect assumption that polygamy is accepted by the mainstream church.[26] Several commentators have taken notice of the fact that the family's religious convictions are downplayed in Sister Wives.[13][27][31]

Ratings

According to Nielsen Media Research, the September 26, 2010, one-hour premiere episode of Sister Wives drew 2.26 million viewers,[32] a strong rating for the network. It marked the biggest series debut for TLC since Cake Boss launched in 2009, and was a stronger rating than any of the season premieres for HBO's Big Love.[33] The remaining episodes of the first season were each a half-hour long, with two broadcast together each Thursday. In the second week, the first episode drew 1.88 million viewers, while the second drew 2.13 million.[34] The third week drew similar results, with 1.89 million viewers watching the first episode and 2.05 million watching the second.[35] Sister Wives drew its strongest ratings during the fourth and final week of the first season, with 2.67 million viewers for the first episode and 2.74 million for the season finale.[16] As a result of the 2.7 million average viewership for the two episodes, TLC ranked first among all ad-support cable channels in the 18-49 and 25-54 age groups. The series drew double- and triple-digit ratings gains in all key demographics and ranked second in ad-supported cable network shows during its time period.[36]

Even before the show debuted, attorneys and legal experts claimed that, because polygamy is illegal in the United States, the Browns could potentially have opened themselves up to criminal prosecution through their involvement in the series. Video footage of a marriage ceremony between Kody Brown and Robyn Sullivan could be used as evidence against them if subpoenaed by state attorney general of Utah.[9] Kody Brown has claimed the family is breaking no laws because only the first marriage is a legal marriage, while the others are simply commitments.[14] However, experts claim the fact that the family has been a unit for 16 years and includes children from all three wives could lead prosecutors to characterize the non-marriage unions as common-law marriages.[9] Sullivan said the family was worried about legal repercussions and had discussed the matter thoroughly, but decided the positive effects their show could have toward the public perception of polygamy was worth the risks.[17] In anticipation of legal scrutiny, the producers of the show contacted the Utah Attorney General's office months before the series was broadcast. The office has not ruled out pursuing a case against the Brown family, but also stated they do not have the resources to go after polygamists unless they suspected serious crime such as child abuse or child trafficking.[4][37] Prior to the Sister Wives premiere, it had been nine years since anyone in Utah had been prosecuted for practicing polygamy.[38]

Wikinews has related news:

On September 27, 2010, the day after Sister Wives debuted, police in Lehi, Utah, announced they are investigating Kody Brown and his wives for possible charges of bigamy, a third-degree felony,[4][37] which carries a possible penalty of 20 years in prison for Kody and up to five years in prison for each wife.[28] Once the investigation concluded, the police turned their evidence over to the Utah County Attorney's office for review.[15] Despite the fact that Brown is only legally married to one woman, Lehi police have noted that state code identifies bigamy through cohabitation, not just legal marriage contracts.[4] In response to the investigation, the Browns released a statement: "We are disappointed in the announcement of an investigation, but when we decided to do this show, we knew there would be risks. But for the sake of our family, and most importantly, our kids, we felt it was a risk worth taking."[5][39] The Brown family hired constitutional law scholar Jonathan Turley, a vocal critic of anti-polygamy laws, to prepare a legal defense in the event that charges are filed.[15] As a result of the series and legal scrutiny that came with it, Meri lost her job in the mental health industry shortly after Sister Wives debuted, even though her employer knew about the polygamist marriage before the show aired.[40] Additionally, Kody said the show negatively affected some of his advertising sales, with some clients opting to take their business elsewhere due to publicity from the show.[41]

References

  1. ^ a b Seidman, Robert (August 6, 2010). "Love is All in The Family on TLC's New Series 'Sister Wives' Premiering Sunday, September 26". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d Horiuchi, Vince (August 6, 2010). "Utah polygamists star in reality TV show". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  3. ^ Listed in the Sister Wives end credits
  4. ^ a b c d Alberty, Erin (September 27, 2010). "Lehi police investigate 'Sister Wives' stars for bigamy". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  5. ^ a b Dobner, Jennifer (September 27, 2010). "Utah police investigate plural family for bigamy". Associated Press. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  6. ^ a b c Tenety, Elizabeth (September 26, 2010). "'Sister Wives': polygamy 'comes out' on TLC". Washington Post. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  7. ^ Keck, William (September 23, 2010). "Keck's Exclusives: Meet the Real Big Love Bunch". TV Guide. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ^ a b Katz, Neil (September 27, 2010). "Sister Wives (PICTURE): Could You Survive a Polygamous Marriage?". CBS News. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  9. ^ a b c Houk, Kimberly (September 27, 2010). ""Sister Wives" program could lead to legal trouble". KTVX. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  10. ^ a b c d Fralic, Shelley (September 26, 2010). "Sister Wives and the puzzle of polygamy". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  11. ^ a b c Stuever, Hank (September 25, 2010). "TLC's 'Sister Wives': Frank, entertaining TV about polygamist Browns in Utah". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  12. ^ a b c Perigard, Mark A. (September 26, 2010). "It's all four one, one four all in TLC's 'Sister Wives'". Boston Herald. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  13. ^ a b c Brooks, Joanna (September 27, 2010). "TLC Premieres Polygamy Reality Show Sister Wives". Religion Dispatches. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  14. ^ a b Allin, Olivia (August 15, 2010). "'Sister Wives' Brings A Real-Life 'Big Love' Family to TLC". ABC News. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  15. ^ a b c Belloni, Matthew (October 7, 2010). "Bigamy investigation threatens TLC's "Sister Wives"". Reuters. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  16. ^ a b Seidman, Robert (October 19, 2010). "Sunday Cable Ratings: Kardashians Lead; 'Mad Men' Finale Up; 'Rubicon' Finale Down; 'Broadway Emprie,' 'Sonny with a Chance' & Much More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  17. ^ a b Freydkin, Donna (September 26, 2010). "Unfamiliar world of polygamy is opening up in TV shows, films". USA Today. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  18. ^ Pierce, Scott D. (October 29, 2010). "TLC renews 'Sister Wives'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  19. ^ Means, Sean P. (October 22, 2010). "Spend Halloween with the "Sister Wives"". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  20. ^ France, Lisa Respers (November 20, 2010). "A 'Sister Wives' honeymoon special". CNN. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  21. ^ a b Shellnutt, Kate (October 3, 2010). "Sister Wives: Growing pains". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  22. ^ a b Shellnutt, Kate (October 10, 2010). "Sister Wives: Baby mama drama". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  23. ^ Shellnutt, Kate (October 10, 2010). "Sister Wives: Baby mama drama". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  24. ^ Reiher, Andrea (October 17, 2010). "'Sister Wives' finale: Will Season 2 see Robyn move into the house?". Zap2it. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  25. ^ a b Velasco, Schuyler (October 16, 2010). "Secrets of the polygamists". Salon.com. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  26. ^ a b Pierce, Scott D. (October 24, 2010). "'Sister Wives' revives Utah's cultural ties to polygamy". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 24, 2010.
  27. ^ a b McNamara, Mary (September 25, 2010). "Television review: 'Sister Wives': TLC show examines a real-life polygamous family". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  28. ^ a b Reiher, Andrea (October 14, 2010). "Oprah on 'Sister Wives': 'Most fascinated with the relationship the women have with each other'". Zap2it. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  29. ^ Puterman, Shari (November 12, 2010). "TLC capitalizing on 'Sister Wives'". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  30. ^ Lane, Laura (October 25, 2010). "Nancy Grace on 'Sister Wives' Investigation: "Kody Should Go to Jail!"". OK!. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
  31. ^ Ravitz, Jessica. ""Sister Wives" explained: A fundamentalist Mormon polygamy primer". CNN. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
  32. ^ Gorman, Bill (September 28, 2010). "Sunday Cable Ratings: Boardwalk Empire Falls; Rubicon Stays Low + Glades, Mad Men, Kardashians, Dexter & Lots More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  33. ^ Hibberd, James (September 28, 2010). "TLC's 'Sister Wives' gets love from viewers". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  34. ^ Seidman, Robert (October 5, 2010). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'Broadwalk Empire' Mostly Stable; 'Rubicon' Still Tiny; Mad Men, Kardashians, Dexter & Lots More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  35. ^ Gorman, Bill (October 12, 2010). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'Boardwalk Empire' Plunges; 'Rubicon' Up; Mad Men, Kardashians, MLB Playoffs & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  36. ^ Seidman, Robert (October 19, 2010). "TLC's 'Sister Wives' Scores Big Finale and Season". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 20, 2010.
  37. ^ a b Romboy, Dennis (September 27, 2010). "'Sister Wives' family under investigation following TV debut". KSL-TV. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  38. ^ Dodd, Johnny (October 13, 2010). "Sister Wives Star Hopes He Won't Be Jailed for 'Loving Four Women'". People. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  39. ^ Ram, Archana (September 28, 2010). "Police investigate polygamist family on TLC reality show". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  40. ^ Pierce, Scott D. (October 15, 2010). "'Sister Wives' star loses her job". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  41. ^ Harris, Dan (October 15, 2010). "Sister Wives: Polygamists Speak Out". ABC News. ABC. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Sister_Wives&oldid=419988639"