Kody Brown may soon be down another wife, as the upcoming episode of Sister Wives shows his marriage to second wife Janelle deteriorating further and causing both to question if their union is worth saving.
Kody has been (spiritually) married to Janelle for nearly three decades, though fans of ‘Sister Wives’ have watched the couple struggle throughout the last few seasons, seemingly more so now that Christine Brown has divorced Kody and moved away. (In addition to Janelle, Kody remains spiritually married to Meri Brown and legally married to Robyn Brown.)
In a clip from Sunday’s episode shared by Us Weekly, Janelle talks about the ongoing challenges in her marriage and the fact that she can’t seem to give Kody what he wants in a relationship.
“I’m not someone who throws the towel in on a marriage but it seems almost like there’s this gulf [between us] now, especially where he’s like, ‘I want this.’ And I’m like, ‘I can’t give you that,’” she says in the clip.
As the clip goes on, Kody questions whether the marriage is working for either party before telling Janelle he doesn’t think either one of them “know how to be real about things with each other.”
“To say that I’m close with Janelle would be an overstatement,” Kody says in a confessional.
Later, Kody and Janelle sit down to discuss the state of their union.
“You gotta know it, too,” Kody says. “There’s something fundamentally wrong here. Is that just what the human condition is?”
Later in the clip, Janelle notes that she and Kody “had a functional marriage” for a long time, and insists Kody is still her best friend.
Kody admits that he doesn’t want what happened to his relationship with Christine to also happen to his relationship with Janelle. However, his tone seems indicate that he’s not interested in saving the marriage. However, he denies this in a confessional.
“Why does she think I’m singing the break up song?” Kody asks. “It’s like, we’re communicating…[but] we’re not getting this.”
Janelle says she feels as though she has to do everything she can to make her marriage work, despite having doubt that she and Kody can mend things.
“I’m not even sure it’s possible to come back from where we are,” she says, later adding that she still has “so much affection” for Kody, but isn’t sure if she still has love.
With their youngest child, daughter Savannah, nearing adulthood, Janelle suspects she and Kody are facing issues related to “this empty nest thing” and suggests their relationship is in need of a “reset.” Kody appears reluctant to agree to this “reset” which seems to further confuse Janelle.
As for Kody, he seems to blame the current state of his and Janelle’s marriage on Christine’s recent departure, though he claims he cannot vocalize those issues to Janelle.
“It’s not safe enough for me to say, ‘Hey sweetheart, I’m broken-hearted because of this divorce [with Christine] and I need you to help me heal, please.'”
This is not the first time Kody has admitted that he is not happy in his marriage to Janelle.
During the Season 16 Tell-All episode earlier this year, Kody was asked point-blank by host Sukanya Krishnan if he loved Janelle. Kody automatically responded that he loves Janelle, but Sukanya pointed out that’s not what she asked him. Finally, Kody admitted that he’s not “in love” with his second wife—with whom he shares six children— but said he considers her a great friend.
Kody argued that Janelle feels the same way about him.
“Janelle wouldn’t tell you that she was in that place with me either if she was being honest,” Kody said.
During the same interview, Kody admitted that he and Janelle are “not in sync.”
“We don’t partner really well. But we actually just have a marriage, if you will, that’s lower in attachment [to each other],” he said. “I mean, we’re good friends. We get along well. It’s more of just a committed relationship.”
Janelle went on to explain that their marriage is, indeed, more of a committed friendship. (The Browns have all stated for years that Janelle and Kody have always connected on more of a friendship level throughout their marriage.)
New episodes of ‘Sister Wives’ air Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on TLC.
RELATED STORY: ’Sister Wives’ Star Meri Brown Admits She Gave Profits From Selling Her Las Vegas Home to Robyn Brown; Janelle Admits to Doing the Same
(Photos: TLC)
23 Responses
the asshole Kody would’nt be married to “perfect Robin” if Mary had not divorced Kody just so Kody could marry Robin {so her kids could be on Kodys insurance. just saying
These two smart woman get out while young enough to find real love why you both supported the whole family for years does Cody even work or was job going bed to bed
it is time for the women shoulf move on he should he is more commited to robin
He wants Janelle’s money. She needs to leave. He is a loser..
That is so true Elsy..100%..It’s ALL about Robyn.When Christine said that there daughter had surgery and he wasn’t there..OMG..Really.Covid or what every Cody be there for your children.I find he is all about himself.I hope and wish Meri and Janelle leave him.And take what belongs to them.He got off EASY with Christine.
Didn’t Janelle divorce her first husband who was also Meri’s brother? Just throw in the towel, honey. He doesn’t care about you as a person, only the finances you can bring to the table. Same for Meri. Hell, he doesn’t even care about the kids.
Yes, you’re correct. Janelle’s first husband was Meri’s brother. I didn’t like the implication of that comment, because Christine did everything she could to save the marriage. She didn’t just give up. Run janelle!
I’m fairly certain Janelle (and Christine) could get their own show “After Sisterwives” (or some such) and they’d be just fine, financially. Not sure why she’s using financial dependence as an excuse for staying. I hope she leaves him. Soon.
I think he wants Christine and Janelle to be like Meri. Hang on to his every word, beg for attention, kowtow to Robyn, give them money, and take all the bad treatment he dishes out without pushing back. He has said he wouldn’t care if Meri left but I dont believe that. He just wants to embarrass Meri on national television.
His goal is to hurt and embarrass these women. They are done birthing children for him so he casts them off but wants them to support his ego, no matter what he does to them. He tries to control them with abuse, but they are strong women and they are waking up to the fact that they don’t have to take this treatment.
What a horrible man.
I get the feeling that Janelle is asexual which is why she doesn’t mind being in a loveless marriage, a “friendship marriage,” with Kody. Christine was definitely missing intimacy which played a part in her departure. That and she was being treated like shit. Not sure if Janelle is being treated like shit or just like she doesn’t exist, the latter being just fine with her. ?♀️
Uhm, have you seen the amount of children they share?
She saw him every three nights, they have been very active.
The “wives” are all submissive and do what they are told and what they are “supposed to do.” She can still be asexual and have had sex with her husband many times especially in a situation where he’s verbally and mentally abusive. Also it’s not uncommon for asexual people to not realize that they have no o retest in sex until later in life.
Janelle at this stage of her life, she’s a grandma, just wants to be close with her kids and experience a deeper understanding of life. Janelle loves nature, fishing for example, living on the land (even if it didn’t last) working and being independent was always what she wanted. Idk if she’s necessarily asexual or just mature but she’s just trying to live her life and I love her for it. Always was my favorite
He is a selfish idiot.
I think she is finding a way out, I hope this is what she is doing.
Its pretty clear that the only thing the other wifes provide is a certain lifestyle for Kody and Robyn.
Christine and Janelle will quikly get a show, deals whatever, and will be better of without them.
Spoiler Alert: NO
Kody blaming being “broken-hearted” about his divorce from Christine for his issues with Janelle is wild.
First of all, these issues go wayyyyy back over a decade.
Second of all, this is Kody: I wasn’t attracted to Christine, I don’t like Christine, I don’t love Christine, I never loved Christine, I held her hand and kissed her not because I loved her but because it was my duty as a husband, I was repulsed by Christine, I married Christine to fix the issues in my family, not because I loved her.
Also Kody: I’m broken-hearted that Christine left.
What a trip.
Just say you’re embarrassed, Kody. Your ego is hurt, your pride is hurt, your public persona is ashamed, and your need for control and wifely obedience is struggling. You’re not broken-hearted.
Oh so true!
He says whatever will make him the victim at the time, and whatever he thinks will hurt the person who is standing up to him the most.
He is so abusive. These women havent even known he has abused them for 30 years.
It is truly unbelievable.
It’s absolutely lovely to be friends, but it cannot sustain a happy functioning marriage on it’s own
Like I said in the last SW thread, Janelle is becoming more honest about things this season which is great. But Kody completely blows the lid off their feigned marriage in the next episode. Sounds like he hasn’t touched her in many years. It’ll be interesting to see what happens once the full extent of the sham is officially revealed. It’s a game changer for sure. Should be good!
I think Kody is a control freak. He used his 1, 2 and 3 wife for their money to give to Robyn. I really hope Janelle and Meri wake up.
In a recent episode Kody said he doesn’t consider himself married to Meri anymore either. It’s sad she’s like a lost puppy just following him around wanting to be loved. Meanwhile he says he’s not in love with Janelle anymore either and she’s more like a best friend and raves about how Robyn is the only one who follows his rules..Meri and Janelle just need to leave him they’re better off without him. It’s pretty obvious he only wants to be in a functional relationship with Robyn ?
Of course he wants the younger one he has so much to compensate for he’s more a Sister Wive than any of them they need a man a real man he is sore because they don’t need him he needs them