“Sister Wives” Fans Have Had ENOUGH of Kody & Robyn — But Season 21 Can’t Move On

Season 21 of Sister Wives was supposed to be the fresh start fans had been begging for. After TLC announced that Kody and Robyn Brown would not be returning to the show, viewers hoped the story would finally pivot to Christine, Janelle, and Meri’s new lives. But one episode in, fans say the shadow of Kody and Robyn is still hanging over every scene — and they have had ENOUGH.

The Exit That Was Supposed to Change Everything

TLC confirmed via the Season 21 trailer on September 14 that after 16 years of filming, Kody and Robyn would not be coming back. The October 4 premiere opened with the three remaining wives reacting to the news — Christine admitted she didn’t know how to process it, calling the whole thing “bizarre,” while Janelle and Meri said they were shocked.

Yet Kody dominated the episode anyway. His disputed “backdoor deal” claim about the Coyote Pass sale drove the tense Janelle-vs-Meri confrontation, and his Season 20 “apology tour” got recycled in flashbacks. The man who quit the show still ended up as its main character.

Fans Say: “Move On Already!”

Over on Reddit, viewers are venting. According to Parade’s roundup of fan reactions, one viewer complained the premiere felt like “80% flashback” and begged producers to move on. Another argued the episode was being padded by forcing the women to rehash their Kody past while he isn’t even on the show anymore.

The message from this camp is clear: they tuned in for the OG3’s new chapters — Christine and David’s married life, Janelle’s fresh start in North Carolina, Meri’s next move — not a Kody Brown highlight reel.

Christine Brown — fans want Season 21 to focus on the OG3’s new lives, not Kody and Robyn’s drama. (TheThings/TLC)

The Other Side: “Let Them Hash It Out”

Not everyone wants a clean break. Some fans argue the ex-wives still need to untangle the damage Kody left behind — like the Coyote Pass dispute that nearly drove a wedge between Janelle and Meri. In their view, the women can’t truly move forward until they close the books on the old wounds he helped create.

As one fan put it, it’s good the OG3 are working through the things Kody once pitted them against each other over. Their take: the messy fallout IS the story.

Janelle Brown in a Season 21 confessional — she called Kody’s Coyote Pass “backdoor deal” claim “not true.” (TLC)

Why TLC Can’t Quit Kody and Robyn

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Kody and Robyn ARE the shared history. The Coyote Pass money fight, the divorces, the estranged kids — almost every storyline the remaining wives have traces back to the man who isn’t filming anymore. And TLC knows that nothing drives Sister Wives conversation like the couple fans love to hate.

As long as the ex-wives’ unfinished business involves Kody, expect his ghost to haunt Season 21 — whether viewers like it or not.

Your Turn: Team Move On or Team Drama?

So where do you stand? Should Sister Wives ban ALL Kody and Robyn talk for the rest of Season 21 and focus only on Christine, Janelle, and Meri’s fresh starts — or is the messy fallout exactly why you keep watching? Drop your verdict in the comments: TEAM MOVE ON or TEAM DRAMA?

Fan-made article. Not affiliated with TLC.