The Future of 'Sister Wives' Is Up in the Air After Garrison Brown's Untimely Death
After the sudden death of Kody and Janelle Brown's son Garrison, viewers are wondering if TLC will pull the already-filmed Season 19.
Mar. 7 2024, Published 2:08 p.m. ET
The hit reality series Sister Wives has been on the air since 2010, but after the tragic death of one of the show's family members, fans are wondering if TLC will let the show go on.
Twenty-five-year-old Garrison Brown died reportedly by suicide on March 5, 2024, and some fans can't help but worry that his public image as a child of a popular "Sister Wife," Janelle Brown, contributed to that.
Sister Wives follows Mormon polygamist Kody Brown, his four "wives," and his 18 children. Kody and Janelle had six kids together, and throughout the seasons, we saw Kody's relationship with Garrison fall apart.
While Season 19 has reportedly already been filmed and edited, some fans think it's insensitive to continue to air the show after Garrison's death. So will Sister Wives be canceled?
There are rumors that 'Sister Wives' could be canceled in the wake of Garrison Brown's death.
As of this writing, TLC has not announced whether or not they will air Season 19 of Sister Wives — which means technically, it has not been canceled. The network typically doesn't confirm new seasons of its shows until right before new episodes start airing.
So if there will be a Season 19, fans will likely have to wait until fall 2024. (If the premiere follows a similar schedule as previous years.)
Even still, rumors have started to spread that Season 19 could be pulled from the air since it was filmed before Garrison's death and could be insensitive to the reality of the Browns' situation today. While we don't know exactly what led to his suicide, recent years and lawsuits have highlighted the dangers of reality television when it comes to mental health.
Notoriously in 2020, BBC's Love Island host Caroline Flack died by suicide, but the show continued on without her. According to Metro UK, over 38 reality stars had died by suicide as of 2019, including competitors on The Bachelor, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Voice, and more. Most of those shows continued on, which would suggest that Sister Wives might do the same. However, those shows have the luxury of rotating casts season after season, while Sister Wives focuses on the Brown family.
Because Season 19 was filmed before Garrison's death, it wouldn't be able to address the situation properly unless there are reshoots, so it might only seem to exploit the Browns instead of focusing on Garrison's mental health. While a season with nods to what happened could be positive to raise mental health awareness, it might also be exactly what Garrison wouldn't have wanted, so there's no way for the network to know what the perfect move is in this situation.
Fans have suggested canceling 'Sister Wives,' although there are rumors that the show could be recast.
One Reddit forum shows that fans have mixed emotions when it comes to canceling or continuing Sister Wives. One fan heard rumors through TikToker Moroni Jessop, who posts frequently about Sister Wives and the polygamous lifestyle, that TLC is now scouting other families from the fundamentalist Mormon community.
It's very possible that Season 19 as is could get scrapped, but that Sister Wives will not be canceled altogether. For now, TLC has yet to confirm or deny what will happen in the wake of Garrison's death, but it seems unlikely the show will be fully canceled. Either they will air Season 19 as is if that's what the Browns want, considering that it is their main source of income, or they will scout a new family to feature.
If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call, text, or message the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Dial or text 988, call 1-800-273-8255, or chat via their website.
