‘Sister Wives’ Immediately Addresses Garrison Brown’s Death, Then Takes a Jaw-Dropping Time Jump Backward

Sister Wives immediately addressed Garrison Brown’s death as season 19 opened but then took a jaw-dropping time jump back two years. What does this concerning move by TLC say about the show’s future?

‘Sister Wives’ time jump concerning

The first shot of Sister Wives season 19 stated that this current season was filmed in 2022. It then announced that Janelle and Kody Brown’s son, Garrison, died in March 2024. The episode concluded with a statement that Garrison was “loved and greatly missed.”

Then, in a jarring move, the series jumped back two years to when Meri and Kody had their breakup conversation. Robyn Brown cry about her dream of a future with the polygamist clan dissolving.

Following, Kody and Robyn discussed the family’s Coyote Pass property and its future while Meri had her say about her split from Kody in a confessional. “For the past decade, he has pulled himself away from me completely emotionally,” she said.

Other scenes included Robyn and Kody attending Mykelti Padron’s baby sprinkle for her twin boys. The couple did not interact with Christine. Janelle was out of town, and Meri was not invited.

With most fans knowing about the family’s current dynamic, wouldn’t it have been best for Sister Wives to begin in the present day and use flashbacks to flesh out their storylines? The time jump is concerning because Christine hasn’t even met David Wooley, her current husband, at this stage of the season. Archer and Ace, Mykelti’s twin boys, feted in the baby sprinkle, are now almost two years old.

The time jump may satisfy Sister Wives fans, who may not follow the family on social media or are interested in the news surrounding them in the off-season. But two years? That will be a tough pill for invested fans to swallow, considering all the major life events that have happened to the Browns since 2022.

Fans outraged over season 19’s first episode

In a Reddit post discussing episode 1 of season 19, Sister Wives fans expressed their outrage at the depicted events between the Brown family. They felt that the show was once again selling fans short.

“I’m here for Meri ranting from the couch!” wrote one fan. They appear happy that Kody Brown’s former first wife is finally having her say publicly.

“Did Kody just accuse Janelle and Christine of knowing he has FOMO, so when they hang out, it’s to harm him directly?! Like, boy, they don’t give a s*** about cha,” a second noted.

“Everything Robyn says is performative. This stupid story, she keeps talking about how ‘Meri could come back’ and ‘Oh, how I dreamed about all our houses being together’ or ‘You and Janelle can work things out.’ Shut up. You know you never wanted any of that. You wanted Kody,” a third fan deduced.

Finally, a fourth wrote, “TLC is pretending they didn’t air Christine’s wedding a year ago. How is this goofy season going to play out?”

How different is the present-day ‘Sister Wives’ cast from 2022?

The present-day Sister Wives cast has drastically altered since season 19 was filmed in 2022. The most notable change was the death of Garrison Brown in March 2024. Kody and Janelle’s son was just 25.

The family appears to be more splintered than ever. Meri Brown lives in Utah but has shut down her bed and breakfast, Lizzie’s Heritage Inn, for renovations. She also had her first public romance since splitting from Kody, with Amos Andrews, but their relationship was short-lived.

Christine Brown and David Wooley built a new home in Moab, Utah. They reside there with her and Kody’s daughter, Truely, and have been married for almost one year.

Janelle Brown splits her time between Flagstaff, Arizona, and North Carolina. In March 2024, she bought a 156-acre agricultural property in Chocowinity, North Carolina; however, it is unclear if she plans on residing there full-time.

Robyn and Kody Brown had placed their Flagstaff, Arizona, home on the market. Currently, the house is priced to sell at $1.65M. It is unclear why the couple is selling their home.

Sister Wives airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET. The series is part of the TLC lineup of shows.