As early as Sister Wives season 14, the downside of the polygamous lifestyle began to wreak havoc on the individual relationships the wives had with one another, as well as their separate relationships with the family patriarch, Kody Brown. With the pandemic onslaught, the relationships were pushed to their breaking point. Beginning in season 15, which documents the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, statements made by family members were an eerie and ominous chorus that signaled the ultimate dissolution of the Brown family unit.
Leaving Las Vegas for Flagstaff, AZ was a traumatic moment in the Sister Wives story arc, and not only because it meant the end of the convenience of the cul de sac lifestyle that the show's stars had established. Another issue was that the family members might lose the security and closeness that they'd grown accustomed to. This did happen, as the Sister Wives stars were soon scattered throughout Flagstaff. The end result was several forced moves before the family finally settled down.
When the wives were living separately in Las Vegas, they gained independence. In Arizona, their desire to lead their own lives intensified. The COVID-19 pandemic only cemented those newly realized ideals. As a result, some wives took their desire to be free to the extreme, without considering the negative impact that their changed mindsets had on the rest of the family.
The Coyote Pass Debacle
Long before COVID-19, talks about where to place the homes on the property (and the timeline for getting started with developing the land) resulted in a series of long and petty arguments between all five adults. Kody's dream of having one large house was shot down immediately by third wife Christine Brown, who has been vocal since the beginning of the series about her despair at being perceived as the disregarded "basement wife." Kody's wavering opinions of his wives, and his life as a polygamist, resulted in a bid to build his own residence on the land instead of taking turns living with the wives as he'd always done.
Two years into their lives in Flagstaff, with no progress made on the property, Utah decriminalized plural marriage, Christine emphatically suggested that the family abandon their newly established lives and move back "home." The desperate bid was met with a plethora of negative reactions, resulting in a devastated Christine tearfully exclaiming that she couldn't "...do marriage with Kody anymore". In hindsight, it might have been in their best interests to return to the polygamist haven in order to quarantine together.
Ysabel Brown's Surgery
The way that Kody reacted to the timing of Ysabel Brown's surgery has been met with overwhelming contempt and outrage by family members and fans alike. He was especially maligned since he happily sent Janelle off to North Carolina for baby Evie's surgery at the same time. Ysabel broke down in tears when Kody suggested she take the trip alone, resulting in an embittered Christine adamantly stating that she wouldn't let that happen. Christine had already been feeling like she and her children were being ignored and treated unfairly by Kody, and the controversy over his comments and apathetic attitude toward Ysabel's pain only reinforced those beliefs.
Although Ysabel was mature enough to recognize that her father was "responsible" for the entire family, she also pointed out that the entire family wasn't having major surgery. Fans believe that the situation was unfortunate, as Kody responded unkindly, but none of the other adults in Ysabel's life (except her mother) made an effort to be with her. Even more saddening was the fact that several of the Brown children quarantined themselves so that they could visit with Ysabel as she recovered.
Kody's Apathy About Polygamy
Throughout the pandemic, fans have noticed a very disturbing attitude shift in Kody, especially when it comes to polygamy. Kody himself stated "...we have embarked on an experiment that is a failure, and covid has kind of punctuated that." Fans have been accusing him of favoritism for years, and despite the criticism that he gets, it seems like Kody has chosen his favorite wife. She is leaning toward leaving polygamy behind. He admittedly doesn't have a romantic relationship with his first wife Meri Brown, and fans have speculated for years that he and Janelle Brown are no longer intimate. Now, with the departure of his third wife, Christine, the Brown family from Sister Wives seems to have dropped the ball. Perhaps this delicate juggling act was doomed to fail.