TLC’s ‘My Five Wives’ Shines A New Light On Polygamy admin Monday, March 10, 2014 The Script, Tune In Yes, the city backdrop is the same as the former reality show “Sister Wives”, but the characters and approach is a bit different on their new series that aired Sunday night. TLC’s new reality show “My Five Wives” battles the subject of polygamy through the lifestyle of the Williams household. Brady Williams , 43, has five wives and 24 children. They all live in a small community not far from Salt Lake City, Utah. Unlike “Sister Wives”, the Williams family doesn’t practice polygamy because of religious beliefs. Instead, they simply prefer the lifestyle. Also, using the reality show platform to showcase their family life is not a big deal to them. In fact, the experience has become very liberating for them. “It really is like coming out of the closet,” said Brady Williams, 43. “It’s very liberating.” His wives feel the same way, including his second, Robyn Williams, 40, who said: “I feel more free to just be who I am and not be so afraid.” The Williams family owe a sigh of relief to Kody Brown of “Sister Wives”. Brown and his four wives’ show forced the state of Utah to do-away with a few of their laws against polygamy. Many lawmakers believed that polygamy was a breeding ground for child predators. But, reality shows like “Sister Wives” allowed lawmakers to take another look at the lifestyle and see that these are normal non-voilent, molestation-free households that are capable of rendering loving relationships. The family that brought that lawsuit against the state of Utah, Kody Brown and his four wives from TLC’s “Sister Wives,” is credited with helping create greater acceptance for plural families. Their show, which debuted in 2010 with footage of the family at their house in northern Utah, was ground-breaking in demonstrating to viewers across the country that not all polygamists are child predators like Warren Jeffs, the imprisoned leader of a polygamous sect on the Utah -Arizona border. Brady Williams and his family is willing to put their lifestyles on television for millions to see as well. There are various parent-parent, parent-child, child-child situations that go on this season on “My Five Wives”. TLC insists that there are dynamics within the family that should keep viewers interested. TLC is banking on viewers being fascinated by the unique dynamics of a plural family: regular family sit-down meetings among the adults where Brady Williams follows an agenda written on a notepad; side-by-side multiplexes where they live; and nightly family dinners where the children line up like kids in a school cafeteria to get their food. Then there’s the always-intriguing dynamic among the wives who share a husband. In the first episode, Brady Williams suggests the women work out their issues directly with one another rather than always coming to him, only to see it lead to hurt feelings and shouting. Among the topics discussed by the family during the season is a possible move out of Utah, maybe even to Washington state. Meet the family… Brady & his 1st wife Paulie and their kids Brady & his 2nd wife Robyn and their kids Brady & his 3rd wife Rosemary and their kids Brady & his 4th wife Nonie and their kids Brady & his 5th wife Rhonda and their kids “My Five Wives” airs Sunday’s at 10PM Est on TLC.
