Sister Wives Season 19 Episode 18 Recap: The Ex Wives Buy Land, Lawyer Up

On this week's episode of Sister Wives, the Brown family continues to navigate their new normal, including how to deal with the finances some members of the family are still tied up in. Namely, Coyote Pass, the 14 acres of land the family purchased in Arizona to live together in peace and harmony—until the family dissolved into a mess of divorce and broken homes.

The episode is fittingly titled "Money is The Root of All Evil" and for those following along, we've recapped the entire season here:

Meri Regrets Brushing Off Janelle's Warnings About Coyote Pass

The episode opens in Parowon where Meri Brown and her friend, Jenn, sit down for a "best friend chit-chat" on the porch of Meri's bed-and-breakfast. The subject of Coyote Pass comes up, and Meri expresses her feelings about how slow the process of dividing up the property has been. Meri's been in contact with Kody Brown, Robyn Brown and Janelle Brown about Coyote Pass, but according to Janelle, she and Meri are completely in the dark about the fate of Coyote Pass.

Christine Woolley, for her part, cut all ties with Kody, including her claims to Coyote Pass, when she left him.

Meri recalls Janelle tried to warn her about her interests in Coyote Pass, but she initially brushed off Janelle's concerns. Now, Meri regrets not being more open to Janelle's warnings.

It sounds like the former wives are most frustrated over the complete lack of communication coming from Kody and Robyn. Meri never wants to ruffle any feathers, but she's getting to the end of her rope regarding Coyote Pass and its finances.

Kody Shows A Realtor Coyote Pass

Back on Coyote Pass, Kody finally seems like he's giving up on the dream of their utopian plural family community on Coyote Pass. Robyn was the last holdout, but she's coming around to selling the property now. But it's not without emotion on Kody's end. He flirts with the idea of keeping one lot for he and Robyn, but then goes back to selling the entire thing.

Kody explains to the realtor that the lot was originally owned by four "partners." By partners, Kody means his former wives. He also overshares about how bad the relationship between him and some of his former wives has gotten, and then complains about how his former wives are still "nagging" him.

Once again, we see a map of the property, all 14.10 acres of it, divided up into weirdly divided parcels.

Robyn still struggles with letting Coyote Pass go because it's the last thing connecting the family, but that ship has sailed, Robyn.

Janelle Lays Down Roots

After a commercial break, Janelle has some big news she wants to share with Christine. On a video call, Janelle and her daughter, Madison Brush, tell Christine that they officially put in an offer on a large plot of land (165 acres, to be exact) in North Carolina, and the offer was accepted. It's not a done deal yet, but it's close and they're excited for this big change. They plan to start farming on the land, growing flowers, and eventually adding cabins and maybe an event space.

Janelle has always dreamed of owning land, so this is big for her.

Back in Parowon, Jenn and Meri are still debriefing. Meri hasn't received an adequate response from her message to Kody and Robyn. Kody told her he's "talking to the right people," but Meri has no idea what that means.

In a confessional, Kody says he was being nice in his email to Meri, trying to calm everyone down. He's exasperated that he has ex-wives asking him for a "favor" and he doesn't know what to do about the land. It's not exactly a favor, Kody. It's their right.

The women are in the dark about what's happening, and Kody isn't shedding any light.

Meri says she was promised two acres, which Jenn shoots down immediately. Meri paid equally for the land, she deserves more than two acres.

Jenn reminds Meri that she's spent years contributing to the "family account," which went to things like college and cars for the kids. However, Meri paid for her own child's college and car, in addition to contributing to the family account.

Meri reiterates the old song-and-dance about her not getting as much because she only had one child. Story of Meri's life.

Jenn urges Meri to call an attorney.

"I just don't want to cause problems." - Meri

"I do." - Jenn

Jenn is a good friend.

Meri said that the way she grew up led her to want a man to be in charge. While it wasn't defined as a straight-up patriarchy, this was the way the Brown family worked for many years.

Janelle echoes this sentiment a little later in the episode, when she says that in a lot of the religions her family was involved in (she actually refers to them as "cults"), the women don't have rights and they don't have autonomy. They can't support themselves, which reduces their options.

Janelle And Christine Are Living Their Dreams

Back on the video call, Janelle lets Christine know she's also hired a lawyer to battle Kody for the Coyote Pass money. While Christine is no longer financially invested, she's still emotionally invested on Janelle's behalf.

Christine also has news to share: She and her husband, David Woolley, have bought a home in Moab that they'll rent out.

Christine and Janelle reflect on how far they've come. They're making their dreams come true, owning land and setting down roots, without Kody.

Back in Flagstaff, Kody jokes with his realtor that his former wives probably don't trust him to be fair when dividing up the money from the sale of Coyote Pass, but he says he will be fair. According to him.

He even says that Janelle is the one who wants to "screw [him] over."

"If Janelle could come after me for alimony or child support, or anything, she'd do it," he says with a sneer.

Let's be clear: Going after Kody for child support or alimony wouldn't be "screwing [him] over." It would be him being accountable, which he hates.

Meri wishes things could have been different, she wishes everything had been settled already instead of being dragged out. But Kody continues to play the victim.

"I'm sorry ladies, you left me here holding the bag and I just don't know what to do with it. And neither does Robyn."

Meri has offered to help Kody figure everything out, but he has always dismissed her. Also, Meri says her hands are tied, legally, since Kody's name is on the property.

Kody continues trauma-dumping on his poor realtor, telling him their impending move to Coyote Pass was the kiss of death for the family.

When Robyn first came into the family, they were all living in one huge home, a triplex. Robyn intended on doing the same with them, but then they fled to Vegas, where they couldn't all live together in one home, but they did all live on the same cul-de-sac.

However, when the family made the decision to move to Flagstaff, everything fall apart.

As Kody and the realtor walk the property, Kody tells the charming tale of the time he and his family went skinny-dipping in the pond on the land. This realtor must be rethinking this entire deal.

Now, the pond, much like the love this family once had for each other, has dried up. Fitting.

Kody says his former wives are bugging him and they're getting grumpy.

"My natural nature is, I can't decide, so I'll just wait longer. But then Meri and Janelle are waiting and waiting and waiting, and they're getting grumpy. You go do the paperwork!"

Christine Embraces New Life, Marriage

After a commercial break, Christine gives the Cliffs Notes version of her life this past year: met David, started dating, bought a home together/moved in, got engaged, got married, and bought another home together.

"All in a year. Just got it done."

She says that when she was married to Kody, he controlled the finances. She wasn't even able to write a check. With David, she's free to buy homes.

Christine's kids are coming over to help her move furniture down to their new home. If anything, this entire family could start a moving company, because they've moved so many times, they've got it down pat now.

Christine says this new home isn't a move. It's a business opportunity. She doesn't want this added to the list of all the extensive moves this family has experienced. This is a happy move, and really, it's just moving furniture, not an entire family.

The kids joke that it's nice to be moving for a reason other than being kicked out of town, like what happened when they first moved to Vegas.

Back in Parowon, Meri's friend Jenn encourages her to meet men at dog parks. Meri is ready to date, she's even gone out on a few dates.

Her list of requirements for a man to date are that he has to be taller than her and older than her. Jenn, of course, wants Meri to be open to a younger man, but Meri is adamant she wants older this time.

For some reason, Kody gives his two cents on who Meri should date.

"Well, Meri wants an alpha male but she also wants to be in charge. I don't know how that's going to work for her."

Meri clarifies that she doesn't want a control freak, but she wants someone who will "support [her] in all of [her] endeavors."

Kody remains extremely bothered by Meri's friends, and he says that in order for her to find a man, she's going to need to "ditch those b****** because he ain't gonna put up with that."

Meri responded to Kody via an Instagram post she made the day the episode aired.

"Jenn has been the person who has been more loyal to me than anybody else has. More loyal than anybody in my family. I'm going to keep that person who is going to be loyal. I'm sure that Kody understands that."

Meri's list continues: somebody confident, somebody who can handle her, somebody who matches her energy, somebody nice.

And somebody monogamous, she says with a laugh.

Christine Is The Boss Of Her Own Life

After a commercial break, the episode ends at Christine and David's Salt Lake City home, where it's snowing. They joke around and work in their office together. David says he hasn't even seen the new house they bought. Christine went down with the realtor and did it on her own, and he trusts her.

Christine presents David with her "honey, do" list of tasks he needs to do at the new house.

Paedon Brown, Christine's son, talks about how much Christine has changed since she left Kody.

"Mom's changed a lot since leaving Dad. It's not so much a change, it's just her being what she always wanted to be. I don't know if she always wanted to own a house in Moab, but I do know the thought process she definitely had was, now I can, so now I'm going to... Dad likes to take the lead. Dad likes to take the next step. Dad likes to make the plan, follow the plan, stick to the plan. David is a phenomenal support. David is happy to take a step back and just say, 'I will be here for a trust fall.'"

Christine is relishing being the one in charge now. She loves being the boss.

Kody then admits that he doesn't think polygamy can work if the man is not in charge. It's too hard to get women to agree on things, in his mind.

Janelle says she's had her own successful business, which provided her an income, and that at one point, Kody mentioned that her profits from that business should go back into the family, but Janelle refused. Kody now says the family helped fund her business, but they don't get any of the profits. It sounds like Janelle was right to lawyer up.

Back on Coyote Pass, Kody and his realtor are planning to put the land on the market and hope for an offer.

"This land, this space, my family: these are the rocks I just broke on. 'Give me my money, give me my money, I'm going to call a lawyer!' I'm not trying to be dumb here, I'm just being dumb here... So what do I do with Coyote Pass, what do we do with Coyote Pass? This was supposed to be our special place, our little happy kingdom, our Shangri-La. No, that's all different."

Meri still wishes that this whole situation can be resolved amicably, but she says she'll do what she needs to do. She won't be walked over anymore.

For more reality show coverage, visit our hub page. Episode 19 of Sister Wives airs on Jan. 26 on TLC, and the following day on Max and Discovery+.