"One huge plural family"
After the raid in Texas, many Americans became aware of polygamy as an alternative lifestyle being practiced secretly all over the U.S. TLC became the first channel to offer viewers an inside look into how polygamy was being practiced by "modern" looking men and women. The network decided to capitalized on the American public's innate fascination with alternative lifestyles and their curiosity with how these all American families; live, interact and find a way to raise and feed households that are often 5 or 6 times the size of the average family.
We got our first look into how normal and yet chaotic their lives were when TLC introduced its viewers to the Brown family; Kody, his four wives, and their seventeen children. They ice blocked, threw co-ed parties, and had a non negotiable stance on modesty -- they were normal. It only took one episode for TLC to know they had a hit on their hands. In four seasons, there has been; 2 babies, 8 new houses, kids moving to college and still the ratings have stayed strong and fans have found even more to love about them. We bought their book, we read Janelle's blog, buy their jewelry and tweet them at our convenience. They may have their ups and downs, and we may like one wife over the other, love Kody or not be able to stand him at all, but what most of us have realized is that these people are just that people, living and practicing their faith as they see fit and to the best of their ability. 
We had the Browns for years, but there was always this other polygamous family that was public, the Dargers, they wrote a book, went on talk shows, and last year they had their own special on TLC and even joined the Browns on vacation. While these two families may practice the same religion, the way they interpret it is completely different, in fact they all share one house and one kitchen. Their kids grew up as siblings with one set of rules to govern them all. As we watched one of their daughters get married on the special, we saw how they all interacted, supported and loved one another. They will not be back on TLC but if you want more of them check out their website at lovetimesthree.com. The ratings were good but it seems liked the Dargers were not a good fit for TLC so now we will see a new family.
My Five Wives will follow the story of Brady Williams, a project manager living near Salt Lake City, Utah with his wives; Paulie, Robyn, Rosemary, Nonie and Rhonda. Yup, Brady liked getting married so much that he did it five times. The Williams family together are the parents of 24 children ranging in ages from 4 to 20. The Williams family is founded more on love and commitment, instead of faith, they believe in a God who loves all and equality for everyone. When they left their church they became shunned by their community, estranged from family and left with out a faith based congregation to fall back on. We'll get to see how they raise their children, communicate as a family and see a progressive family take on a typically conservative controversial family structure.
PAULIE (1st Wife): Paulie works as a dental hygienist. She was raised in a polygamist family and expected Brady to have additional wives. Paulie and Brady have been married for 21 years and have six children, ranging in ages from 20 to 9 years old. She respects and is very proud of her oldest daughter, who recently married and plans to live a monogamous lifestyle.
ROBYN (2nd Wife): Robyn and Brady have been married for 20 years and have raised five children together, ranging in ages from 19 to 9 years old. Robyn has taken a few art classes and is known around the house as the “creative” wife, she loves making handmade gifts for her large family. Robyn also grew up in a polygamous home and expected to be a plural wife. Robyn married Brady less than a year after Paulie.
ROSEMARY (3rd Wife): Rosemary was working in the family construction business but stopped after winning a scholarship at the local college. She is passionate about composing and is currently studying to get a teaching degree in music and biology. Rosemary and Brady have been married for 18 years and have four children, ranging in ages from 17 to 11 years old.
NONIE (4th Wife): For more than 15 years Nonie and Brady have been married and have raised five children, ranging in ages from 14 to four years old. Nonie first met Brady while she was living in Montana the two had a brief long-distance courtship before they got engaged. She currently handles the administrative side of the family’s construction business and is the only wife that works with Brady on a steady basis.
RHONDA (5th Wife): Rhonda is Robyn’s cousin, she loves to work outside the home and is currently a medical assistant. Rhonda and Brady have been married for 12 years and have four kids, ranging in ages from 13 to 2. Rhonda had a harder time fitting in with the Williams, it took eight years before she really felt like she belonged in the family. Rhonda admits there are downsides to polygamy, but she loves that her kids always have other mothers around that love them.
MY FIVE WIVES premieres Sunday, September 15 at 9/8c,
following an all-new episode of Sister Wives.
Tweet us live during the special for our opinion of the 1 hour special @tv_worthbloggin !
How do you feel about a possible new series based upon a plural family? Let us know in the comments
CLICK HERE FOR OUR REVIEW OF MY FIVE WIVES!
CLICK HERE FOR OUR REVIEW OF MY FIVE WIVES!
No matter how "progressive," "modern," or "normal" these people claim to be, polygamy puts women's rights back centuries with its gender inequities. It caters to men's egos, and means fathers, instead of focusing on their children are too busy trying to maintain their multiple sexual relationships. I wish TLC would stop promoting this lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteAs long as women want to be a part of this religious belief and lifestyle, who are you to say they don't have that right?
DeleteYou may see polygamy as fundamentally flawed (pardon the pun) but that is just your opinion. These women have the right to the religion and lifestyle of their choice. That is not regressive.
I disagree. If they are taught from birth that they must live polygamy or be damned, that is oppressive.
DeleteI was not taught about polygamy as a child or brought up that way but given half a chance I would embrace it in my life.
DeleteBad relationships and experiences occur in every type of family make up. Do u think it's fair to put paint plural families all with the same brush?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely true that not all polygamists are the same, but even with the best intentions in the world, polygamy itself still has negative effects for women and children, and for society.
DeleteBad people have negative effects on the world, not people trying to live and love.
DeleteIt is tragic that a network that once billed itself as The Learning Channel would degenerate into something that relies on titillation to draw viewers. The problem is that it takes the subject of polygamy and glamorizes it, removing it from the real context of Mormon fundamentalism polygamy and its adherents. Families like the Dargers and Browns -- and, I presume, this one -- are nothing like the members of the AUB, FLDS and other polygamist groups. I spent more than 16 years in the newspaper business in southern Utah before writing my journalistic novel, 'plygs,' which explores the world of polygamy. These shows do nothing to expose how little girls are forced into underage marriage, the welfare fraud and abuse, the denial of women's rights and self-esteem by a society that views them as property rather than human beings.
ReplyDeleteI think the shows point is that there are families that can live it this way. if your looking for a hard hitting documentary you find them on 20/20 or nat geo
DeleteBut the Browns ARE members of AUB, and anyone who watches carefully will see the struggles and pain of women trying to share a man because it's a religious duty for them to do so. Even the Williams started off in AUB and the women involved were raised in polygamy and also taught that they had to live it as a law from God - either that or be destroyed by God. Underage polygamous unions are not the only bad thing about polygamy. Totally understand why Brady and bunch stayed together after leaving AUB, but it's sad they may be trying to now make polygamy look like the "cool" choice.
DeleteThey are all cut from the same cloth, so the same brush seems appropriate. They don't tell the world that we HAD TO live polygamy or be damned and women MUST deny any negative feelings and OBEY the priesthood or LOOSE their SALVATION.
ReplyDeleteThey call it a "life style" while we were taught it was a MANDETORY COMMANDMENT and blood atonement may be required to save our soul if we refused. We HAD to CHOOSE
Polygamy. That is a prison of the mind, a coercion and a form of mental and physical slavery, not a choice and it is the foundation of every polygamist presented here. I know. I am fifth generation polygamist and TLC never did their research. These are my relatives.
Can't wait to watch! I live the current programming on TLC oppose to other networks. They show the way other ppl live instead of fancy wives, dating batchelors and all the other crap on reality shows.
ReplyDeleteAs others stated, I am also disappointed that TLC has chosen to focus on another polygamist family.
ReplyDeleteWe have SO many incredible families in our country. People making it against all odds.
TLC has made a choice to broadcast another family that has chosen to break the law and get a tv show. We are fighting so hard as a nation for marriage equality and I consider this an affront. The US government ruled on polygamy how many years ago?
If polygamist families bound outside of a church state found illegal many years ago decided to seek a television platform for legalizing their familes I would be more interested.
Why don't each of the wives marry/unite/love 3 other men? That way, no one would ever have to spend a night alone. The obvious question, would Kody be able to handle the sharing? It's high time for frightened patriarchal men to evolve. Wake up and stop the female oppression... sigh
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for all these women on these shows. They all are so sad and clearly jealous of one another. Its kinda heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteDamn right they're jealous!
ReplyDeleteThese people pretend they're happy only because they're taught from a young age that if they don't live by the cults laws they won't live eternally with there children.
Why don't they tell the truth on who they really are!
Several of the AUB's leaders have been caught child molesting and it was known about by the other leaders and they were kicked out only when heat was to high!
Maybe another show should come out exposing these people for who they really are.
Maybe they should talk about their view on gays and blacks!
They're both damned in the eyes of the sister wives and the my five wives families!
I grew up with all of these people and let me tell you..... When you leave they place a guilt on you that is tough to overcome!