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Sister Wives season 17 is only at its beginning, and already, fans believe this will be the TLC series’ last hurrah. Christine Brown declared her freedom from her spiritual husband, Kody Brown, in Nov. 2021. However, as the series evolves, some fans wonder just how the show will continue without Christine as a viable member of the family. Some even feel this latest season will spell the end of the TLC series. Here’s why.

Christine, Kody, Robyn, Meri, and Janelle Brown
‘Sister Wives’ stars Christine, Kody, Robyn, Meri, and Janelle Brown | TLC/Discovery Press

Christine Brown was always the main draw for viewers

Christine Brown was the biggest draw for fans of the series. Reddit fan boards have historically supported the reality star throughout her television journey. Therefore, if she no longer lives in plural marriage in Arizona with the rest of her clan, the television show could be in flux.

When viewers first met the Browns, they appeared to be a loving polygamist family. However, viewers suspected this was not the case during later seasons of the TLC series. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic raged throughout 2020 and 2021, cracks in the family’s dynamic were exposed.

In season 16, Kody Brown’s absence from the lives of three of his wives and their children was attributed to the pandemic. He appeared inflexible regarding ways for the clan to gather safely. While Meri and Janelle Brown were upset by their husband’s actions, Christine had enough rejection. She told Kody at the beginning of season 17 that she wanted a divorce.

Fans think ‘Sister Wives’ is coming to an end

In a Reddit post, fans discussed how the Sister Wives storylines have evolved over the past several seasons. They appeared unanimous in thier beliefs that season 17 would be the end of the TLC series.

“I honestly think it’s coming to an end. The show can’t survive without Christine,” wrote one fan.

“No way Kody will court/marry another woman. I also doubt he and Robyn (Brown) will have more kids. The only way the show will keep being interesting is if Janelle or Meri leave, or if they focus on the adult children more,” deduced a second viewer.

“I feel like I remember Paedon saying earlier this year that Christine was currently filming, and this was after she was living in Utah. So I think we’ll get at least one more season. With ratings up so high, they’ll definitely try to milk it for all it’s worth, but once the dust settles, I can’t imagine it will be very interesting without Christine there, to be honest,” penned a third Reddit user.

“If Janelle announces at the end of this season that she left, then I can see one more season but other than that, it’s done,” claimed a fourth viewer.

Can the series really continue without Christine?

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The entire premise of Sister Wives is based on a polygamist family. Therefore, Robyn, Janelle, and Meri’s lives must remain intertwined with Kody Brown for the series to continue.

However, as the show depicted over the past several seasons, the marriages of Kody, Meri, and Janelle are at their tipping point in different ways. Therefore it will be difficult to sell a show about plural marriage to the public when these relationships struggle and a fan-favorite cast member is no longer involved in the family’s day-to-day activities.

Can the series continue without Christine? Perhaps, but it depends on how much Sister Wives fans would want to watch a show about four adults and only one couple, Kody and Robyn, in a functioning marriage. This makes the whole idea the series is based upon less appealing and piggybacks on fans’ beliefs that one more season of the TLC hit could air before it fades out.

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