Sister Wives never had a more dramatic stretch than season 18.
So much happened, it’s hard to know how to begin to summarize.
But with season 19 starting in September 2024 and so much happening off-screen in the stretch between airings, we thought a refresher as to where things were left could be helpful.
So, where did we leave things in season 18? Where is it streaming now if you want to catch up? And what the heck is going to happen in season 19?!
Sister Wives 18 Recap & Summary: The Most Shocking Moments
Things started off in a bad way right from the get go, as Kody navigated his separation with both Christine and Janelle.
By episode 3, Janelle and Kody were at each other’s throats. She accused him of “gaslighting” her and Kody accused her of turning their children against him. An argument around Christmas ended with Kody storming off, vowing to cut Janelle out of his life for good.
The two rarely spent any time together after that, but Janelle had an ally in Christine, who had already ended her marriage to Kody a year before.
Speaking of Christine, shed started her journey of looking for “Kody’s opposite” this season. She jumped back into the dating scene for the first time in decades. At first she enlists the help of a matchmaker before diving into the online dating scene. That’s where she meets David Wooley, who fans meet officially towards the end of the season and then more extensively in the special two-part wedding special.
And then there’s Meri. It’s clear that her relationship with Kody has been non-existent, to say the least, for years. Towards the start of the season, while grappling with the death of her mother, Meri is also considering what she wants to do next with her career. She has her clothing business and now she has the BnB her mom left her.
And that’s when things spiral out of control.
Meri and Kody Break Up In Season 18 of Sister Wives
In episode 11th, Meri revealed the stunning truth about her marriage to Kody. While celebrating their 32 wedding anniversary, Kody announced to Meri at dinner that he had “no desire to have a relationship” with her anymore. As this wasn’t on camera, fans didn’t get to see Kody’s cruelty, but they saw the aftermath of Meri’s devastation.
She actually shared that Kody said to her, “I never loved you. I just tried to affirm it.”
Knowing that Kody is ready to end their marriage, Meri starts to make plans to leave and move to Utah and live in her mother’s BnB. But Robyn tries to convince her to stay.
The truth is Robyn’s hoped Meri would stick it out so she herself would have an ally. Robyn notices that Kody is being “different”
“I don’t feel very steady with him,” she says at one point.
But in the season finale, her attempts to save Meri and Kody’s marriage fail. The pair face each other in front of the cameras, but Kody is unwilling to say all of the things he said to Meri in private.
“You want something that we can’t have together,” Kody says to Meri, while Robyn watches on in tears, knowing she’s about to lose the last of her sisters.
Kody says something about them being “friends in the departure,” but as fans know all too well, that’s not happening.
Where is ‘Sister Wives’ Streaming?
In order to stream episodes of Sister Wives, you’ll need a subscription with either Discovery+ or Max. Either platform will allow you to watch the season in its entirety, including the specials that ran right after.
If you have a cable service, like DirectTV, or a streaming platform like Apple TV or Amazon Prime, you can also access the episodes. With Cable, you’ll just need to link your provider to TLC Go; with the others, you’ll either need to buy the seasons or link them to a MAX account.
How Many Episodes are in Season 18 of ‘Sister Wives’?
In the initial run of the season, there were 14 episodes.
The premiere launched on August 20, 2023; the finale aired on November 19, 2023.
However, there were four “reunion” episodes that followed. First, there were two “One on One” specials that featured the family recapping the season and giving an update on how things were going now.
Then, there was a special spin-off called Christina and David’s Wedding, which followed the preparations and ceremony of Christine marrying David Wooley.
Season 19 and Where Things Go From Here
“Things get awkward”
That’s how the official description of the first episode of season 19 of Sister Wives starts off, setting the stage of an uncomfortable collection of episodes.
For fans, this season will be a trip to the past, as much of this season was filmed during the events of the last 8 months, which include Christine getting engaged, Janelle moving to Montana, and worst of all, the death of Garrison.
Episode one will see a showdown between Kody, Robyn, and Christine, who have not seen each other in months. The stage is set for poor Mykelti’s baby sprinkle to be filled with drama.
By episode two, Kody’s focus is pulled into Meri’s orbit, has she starts pressing the church for a “release”, their religions word for a divorce.
And speaking of a divorce, in the trailers for this season, it’s clear that Kody’s remaining marriage is on rocky ground. Robyn accuses Kody of “sabotaging” their marriage, leaving many to wonder if Kody will have any wives by the end of the season.