Sister Wives' Hints It’s the Beginning of the End With Its Latest Expansion

Sister Wives fans were excited (and a little confused) to learn that Season 19 has an unprecedented number of episodes. Part 1 concluded with Episode 20, called “For Everything There is a Season,” which released on February 2 on TLC. Some viewers didn’t realize it was only a mid-season finale. One Reddit user captured the confusion, writing, “Mid-season finale? … Usually, at the end of the episode, they say ‘Next time on Sister Wives,’ but this time they said something like ‘Still to come.’ Was that a mid-season finale? Or are they done with this season?? Confused.” It’s since been confirmed that Season 19 will continue with Part 2 in the spring, although TLC hasn’t announced an exact return date. In the meantime, Alec Baldwin’s new reality show, The Baldwins, will fill the time slot. So, it’s possible Sister Wives won’t return until that series wraps up.

While Sister Wives seasons have varied in length before, this is the first time TLC has ordered so many episodes. Although the show remains popular, the extended season may be a sign of something bigger – possibly even the series finale. Given that the family’s dynamic has changed drastically since the show debuted in 2010, it may be time to say goodbye – just like the wives did to Kody. But knowing TLC’s love for spin-offs, the Sister Wives franchise may not be over yet.

Could This Be the End of Sister Wives? It Makes Sense

It’s not just the extra episodes that suggest the end is near for Sister Wives, at least in its current form. There are plenty of reasons why it makes sense for TLC to either cancel the show or rebrand it as a spin-off. While Sister Wives still brings in decent ratings, viewership has been declining. The additional episodes could be a strategic move to wrap up existing storylines, so TLC can give viewers closure, not more Sister Wives content in the long-term.

Perhaps more importantly, Sister Wives has lost its original premise. The show was originally about a polygamist family, but that narrative no longer works. The Browns are more divided than ever. Kody has lost three of his four wives, and rumors continue to suggest he and Robyn are headed towards divorce. Robyn has admitted she’s not interested in trying polygamy again after witnessing Kody’s other marriages fall apart, though he still seems somewhat interested in the idea.

The reality is that the Browns no longer function as a family unit, making the show lose its original appeal. Kody doesn’t even speak to most of his adult children and ex-wives. A fractured family dynamic is hard to maintain in reality TV, so TLC may be choosing to end the series before it becomes too complicated (or expensive) to produce.

Kody’s ex-wives have moved on – Christine is even remarried. Ending the show would allow them to fully embrace their new lives without being tied to the past, or more specifically, to Kody. It’s got to be awkward appearing on a reality show with your ex-husband while you’re married to someone new (especially when your ex is a narcissist with bad hair). After more than a decade on TC, it makes sense why some family members are ready for privacy and a fresh start. 

Sister Wives has been on the air for a decade and a half, and it feels like a natural end point. Even Keeping Up with the Kardashians wrapped up before hitting the 20-year mark, proving all good things must come to an end, at least in the world of reality TV. But the end of Sister Wives doesn’t have to be the end of the Brown family’s time on television.