During the second episode of Sister Wives season 18, Kody and Janelle Brown had a heated argument that escalated quickly. Kody accused Janelle of not listening to him, which is ironic because she has always been his sounding board. Janelle, who is usually calm and collected, lost her temper and swore at Kody due to his poor management of their family. It seems that she had been suppressing her negative feelings for a long time, and they finally came out during their argument. Janelle was Kody’s second wife after Meri, followed by Christine and then Robyn who became his only legal wife after Kody pressured Meri to divorce him. Christine is now breaking away from the group, realizing that Kody will never make her happy. Janelle seems to be following her friend’s lead and starting to express her emotions more openly. Ultimately, the argument between Kody and Janelle needed to happen, and it will be interesting to see how it affects their relationship moving forward.
Honest communication, even if it involves swearing and fighting, is crucial in understanding another person’s perspective. Arguments can clear the air, relieve tension, and ultimately bring people closer together. Janelle had always played the practical, level-headed role which won her Kody’s friendship and respect but not his romantic attention. Consequently, Janelle’s emotional needs were rarely met, and she spent her life trying to soothe Kody as he prioritized Robyn over her. With the pandemic restrictions, Kody further distanced himself from Janelle and their children, causing them to resent him more openly. However, after Christine’s departure, Janelle is becoming more honest about how she feels and is still trying to get through to Kody. In episode 2 of season 18 of Sister Wives, Janelle advocates for Kody’s improvement in family integration, acknowledging that there have been many hurts that have led to the current turmoil in the Brown family. As the level-headed one, Janelle often finds herself caught in the middle.
In a heated argument with Janelle, Kody’s fragile ego was shattered as she unloaded on him. Despite his inflated self-view, Kody is easily rendered stressed and insecure when someone attacks his facade. He is often accused of being a narcissist, building up an inflated self-image to survive. However, his defense mechanism gets damaged when anyone attacks it, which can make him enraged.
Janelle has been dealing with a man who doesn’t listen to her for years. Kody only pays attention to her when he needs advice, and everything is about him. Though he adores Janelle when she flaunts her business smarts or helps him with something, he becomes unaccommodating when she needs something for herself, like love or physical intimacy. Unfortunately, efforts by Meri or Christine to fix Kody have hit a brick wall; some people are just broken.
Robyn is the only one who knows how to handle Kody. She seems to fit the archetype of a “damsel in distress,” always bursting into tears. However, Robyn is way stronger than she appears, and she’s the one who engineered the shift towards monogamy with Kody. She uses every weapon in her arsenal, from crying jags to simpering adoration and beyond, to deal with the infighting in the Brown family.
Robyn has had an easier time than Janelle because she’s the favorite spouse who always gets what she wants. In a way, Kody is like King Henry VIII, where Robyn is the queen, and the others are living in plainer homes with crumbs of Kody’s affection. Janelle knows she won’t get the VIP treatment that Robyn enjoys, and it’s tearing the family apart on Sister Wives season 18. Kody blames Janelle for not listening, but she knows who’s to blame for their problems.
