Kody Brown recently reflected on how his experiences on two reality shows differ. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE on September 28, 2025, he stated,
“Sadly, Sister Wives has really become an experience of criticism and backbiting.”
Brown explained that while his family-focused TLC series has shifted toward conflict, his time on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test centered on discipline, structure, and teamwork. His comments provided a direct contrast between long-running family drama and short-term survival challenges.
As Sister Wives approaches its 20th season, Brown shared how his relationship with the series has evolved. He told PEOPLE that the only part of their lives still connected is "through the show."
The TLC program has followed the Browns since 2010, documenting family dynamics, relocations, and challenges within plural marriage.
Over time, the show chronicled the dissolution of Brown’s plural marriages.
In 2021, he and Christine Brown publicly announced their separation after more than two decades. By the following year, his marriages to Janelle and Meri Brown had also ended. Brown remains legally married to Robyn Brown, his only current spouse.
Brown stated that the program’s later years reflected ongoing family conflict, contrasting with the earlier portrayal of shared households.
He noted the program as the sole remaining tie among himself and his three former wives.
Brown’s participation in Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test presented a new experience in reality television.
The series requires contestants to complete military-style tasks under strict supervision. Brown explained the distinction between the two shows:
“I really appreciated the difficulty of Special Forces because it was very life-affirming. You accomplish a task, very difficult, with other people, and there's a camaraderie you develop for it.”
He added that the opportunity gave him what he called a "pivot away" from his real life.
Brown described the environment as one that fostered cooperation rather than conflict, emphasizing the sense of completion that came with each assignment.
While Sister Wives documented unresolved issues, Special Forces focused on measurable results within a set timeframe.
For Brown, the contrast lay in the structured nature of the challenges versus the unpredictability of family interactions captured on the TLC show.
During his time on Special Forces, Brown said veteran Rudy Reyes asked what he was doing that he should not be doing, and what he should be doing that he was not doing.
Brown called it a "lesson" he now applies. He added,
“That's a lesson I've started applying in my life. I could have used this 10 years ago.”
According to Brown, this perspective shaped how he has begun to evaluate personal decisions beyond the competition.
The experience also showed him the differences between short-term physical and mental challenges versus ongoing relationship dynamics shown on Sister Wives.
Brown noted that his current wife, Robyn, was cautious when the offer for Special Forces was presented. He explained that when the show was introduced, she told him she did not want him to do it and that they needed to have a "discussion."
He explained that her hesitation shifted once it became clear that he was committed to participating.
“She was like, ‘Oh, this is one of those things that you are going to do and I'm not going to be able to stop you.’”
Robyn entered the Brown family in 2010 and became his legal spouse in 2014 after his divorce from Meri.
Her response to his television involvement reflected an awareness of the risks and demands of the competition compared with the ongoing family-centered show.
TOPICS: Sister Wives, TLC, Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, Kody Brown, Robyn Brown
