Quick Read
- Madison Brush reveals ongoing estrangement from her father, Kody Brown, in Season 20’s premiere.
- Janelle Brown left Kody after he failed to repair relationships with their children.
- Financial disputes over family properties, including Coyote Pass and Robyn’s house, escalate.
- Robyn Brown confesses that her marriage to Kody is at its lowest point.
- Many of Kody’s children are no longer speaking to each other or to him.
Family Estrangement Takes Center Stage
As Season 20 of Sister Wives hits screens, viewers are greeted not with the promise of unity, but with the unfiltered reality of a family in pieces. Madison Brush, daughter of Janelle and Kody Brown, is the emotional heart of the premiere, her tears reflecting the pain of a relationship gone silent. Nearly a year after publicly confirming she was no longer speaking to her father, Madison’s confessional cuts through the bravado that often shrouds reality TV. “You want your dad to show up. You want reconciliation. I know I played a part and I’m angry because I’m still trying to learn to not be disappointed,” she confides, her vulnerability laying bare the consequences of fractured bonds.
The roots of estrangement run deep. Madison’s decision to cut off contact with Kody followed his lack of boundaries and inability to consistently show up—not just for her, but for her children. Janelle, Madison’s mother and Kody’s former wife, echoes the sentiment: “The big spark for me was when his relationship broke down with my children and he didn’t seem like he would move heaven and earth to fix it.” The rupture between parent and child is no longer a subplot, but the main event, a storyline that reverberates through the extended Brown family. Reuters reports that such familial divides are not uncommon in plural families, but rarely are they displayed with such unguarded honesty.
Broken Marriages and Emotional Reckonings
Kody Brown’s journey through plural marriage has reached a crossroads. After decades of balancing relationships with Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn, the patriarch finds himself increasingly isolated. The show’s early seasons traded in optimism and the novelty of plural living, but Season 20 is a reckoning. Kody admits to compartmentalizing heartbreak: “I don’t fit in the family anymore,” he laments. His marriage to Robyn—the last remaining partnership—shows strain. Robyn confesses, “We’re probably doing the worst we’ve ever done in our marriage.” There’s no resource to help with the idea of being married to a man weathering multiple divorces.
Meri Brown’s story arc is equally poignant. Once the first wife, Meri reflects on promises of new beginnings that never materialized. “He led me to believe those things. This is what he’s done for many, many years,” she shares, finally acknowledging Kody’s lack of communication and emotional openness. Friends and family encouraged her to walk away, and when she did, the relief was palpable. Yet, the emotional toll is evident: “If he can push me out and I leave, he’s not the bad guy because he didn’t walk away.” The show’s candid confessions resonate with viewers who have witnessed the gradual unraveling of the Brown family’s plural structure.
Financial Struggles and Legal Battles
Family finances are another flashpoint. The dream of building on Coyote Pass in Flagstaff, Arizona, once symbolized a fresh start. But the reality has been less idyllic. Kody’s willingness to scrap the project—”I’d almost rather scrap it or sell it and then just start again somewhere else”—clashes with Robyn’s reluctance to let go. Janelle, meanwhile, faces a unique challenge: with no legal marriage to Kody, her rights to family property are ambiguous. “I think I’m going to have to lawyer up,” she confesses, frustrated by the lack of transparency and communication.
The pooling of family money once united the Browns, supporting each member’s needs. Now, the financial entanglements have become battlegrounds. Janelle wants her share of the proceeds from Robyn’s home, having contributed to its purchase. But as Robyn points out, “How do you calculate? How do you figure that out? It’s so confusing.” The financial disputes mirror the emotional ones—complex, unresolved, and deeply personal. TLC has documented the Browns’ journey from unity to division, making this season’s revelations all the more raw.
Children Caught in the Crossfire
Perhaps the most poignant aspect of Season 20 is the impact on the Brown children. With eighteen kids spread across multiple households, the dissolution of marriages has left lasting scars. Group chats meant for holiday planning devolve into bitter exchanges, splitting the family into factions. Christine notes, “It all went bad, it all went south. Kody and Robyn and their kids were on one side and they wanted nothing to do with Janelle, me, our kids.” Robyn’s children, especially Aurora and Breanna, reveal feeling unwelcome, while Christine’s and Janelle’s kids recall being scolded for simple acts, like opening a fridge.
Not all relationships are strained. Mykelti Padron, Christine’s daughter, maintains close ties with Robyn and Kody, describing Robyn as a source of comfort during difficult times. Mykelti’s story stands in contrast to the prevailing narrative of division, proof that bonds can survive even the most turbulent family storms.
The emotional fallout is compounded by accusations of favoritism and mismanagement. Janelle questions Kody and Robyn’s parenting, recounting how their youngest, Ariella, would cling to Kody’s leg, desperate for him to stay. “I feel like that was poor parenting. Through all history of the family the other kids did it and they’re fine. They’re well-adjusted adults.” The show does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, shining a light on the struggles unique to plural families.
Plural Marriage: Reflections and Regrets
Season 20 is more than just a chronicle of family drama—it’s an examination of plural marriage itself. Janelle, despite her pain, still sees value in the lifestyle: “When it’s functioning correctly, you have this amazing family unit that you’re part of, a community that you’re plugged into.” But for Kody, the experience has soured. “Polygamy kills emotional intimacy,” he asserts, convinced that vulnerability and closeness are casualties of the plural model.
The show’s frank discussion of faith, legalities, and emotional fallout is rare in reality television. Meri’s request for a spiritual divorce from Kody’s church marks a formal end to their covenant, a move Kody resists, preferring to sever ties without outside authority. The damage, both spiritual and emotional, is done.
What’s Next for the Browns?
With relationships strained and old wounds reopened, Season 20 leaves viewers questioning what the future holds for the Brown family. Will reconciliation ever be possible? Is forgiveness within reach, or have the scars of the past proven too deep?
For now, the Browns exist as separate units. Janelle and Christine gather with their children, forming new traditions. Kody, Robyn, and their kids remain largely isolated, struggling to adjust to their new reality. The possibility of healing lingers in the background—a hope not yet realized, but not entirely extinguished.
Season 20 of Sister Wives strips away the facade of harmony, exposing the raw, unresolved complexities of plural marriage and fractured family ties. Through honest confessionals and difficult conversations, the Browns remind us that healing is neither simple nor guaranteed—but the courage to confront painful truths may be the first step toward genuine change.