... And they're back!
Following a lengthy hiatus and a move to a different state, Kody Brown and her polarizing polygamous family returned on Sunday night with a new episode of Sister Wives.
But not everyone was happy to see these people.
The premiere opened in a downpour, as the women tried to move into their temporary homes between a storm of raindrops.
The change was challenging, but they were trying to make the best of the situation until their polygamist compound, Coyote Pass, is complete in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Gabe, especially, wasn't handling his new surrounding well, complaining how he's getting “bounced around from place to place.”
At last, the rain proved too heavy to finish unloading at Janelle’s house, so the gang headed over to Meri’s rental because it had a garage for shelter.
In other house-related news, we learned that Christine has closed on a home she and Kody actually purchased for her, a development that stirred up quite a bit of tension because all the other Sister Wives were renting.
But this controversy quickly got overshadowed by the issue that befell Meri:
Her new neighbors called the cops on her!
“The neighbors contacted the owner of my rental. I had a conversation with the owner. Pretty much the first thing she said to me was, ‘Meri, I am second guessing the fact that I approved you to rent this house,’” Meri explained Kody and sister wives Janelle Brown, Christine Brown and Robyn Brown.
Added added of her landlord:
“She asked me if I would consider leaving the house and not renting from her.”
WTF, right?!?
Kody seemed perplexed by the development, replying:
“We told her everything. We’ve disclosed everything.”
Meri agreed, noting that the owner of the home was made aware of their unique family circumstances.
“I was, like, completely open with her,” she said. “They put it in the contract — in the rental contract. She knows we’re a plural family. She knows we’re gonna be filming in the house."
Continued Meri:
"By the end of the conversation, you know, she was just like, ‘I need to rethink this. I need to consider whether or not I wanna have you continue renting from me."
From there, Meri wondered how leaving the home would make her feel about herself.
“If I walk away, what does that say about me? Just being a chicken? Is that like letting them win?” she asked out loud.
“Because of their bullying? ‘Cause that’s what it is. They’re bullying me. They’re bullying the owner to kick me out because they don’t like who I am without even knowing me.
"If I cave and I let them bully me out of this house, then they win.”
How did this all wrap up?
With Meri flying back to Las Vegas! Alone! And settling back into her former home state for about a month.
She was at peace with this resolution, however, revealing that she has found another rental in Flagstaff ... but it wouldn't be available for another couple of months.
Meri also said that she could have fought to stay in the Flagstaff rental because she had legal grounds -- but she didn't want to be around such toxic neighbors.
Can anyone out there blame her?
And would anyone out there blame Meri if she really did leave Sister Wives?
The new season will return next Sunday at 10/9c with another new episode.
