On the October 5 episode of Sister Wives, Meri Brown, 54, ventured into speed dating for the first time since her split from Kody Brown, seeking connection and perhaps healing after years in a polygamist marriage. Supported by her best friend Jenn Sullivan, Meri attended the event in Salt Lake City, prepared for some uncertainty—and sure enough, she met several men who tested her patience, boundaries, and desire for genuine companionship.
Her first match, Lee, offered little more than one-word answers to her questions, leaving Meri frustrated by the lack of real conversation. “There were some painful moments for sure,” she admitted. The discomfort rose when she met Jeff, who joked about her past, saying, “Married twice, only one at a time,” referencing her former plural marriage. Meri winced at the quip. “I don’t like dumb jokes,” she told the camera. “A dumb joke has to be a good dumb joke if it’s going to be a good dumb joke … And it has to actually be a joke, not something that has to do with my family structure.”
Fortunately, the hour held brighter parts: Daniel, a 37-year-old, engaged more sincerely, though Meri confessed his youth made it feel “weird,” saying, “You could almost be my kid!” Then came Ron, who made a strong impression. He was engaging, articulate, complimentary—telling Meri he thought she was attractive, easy to talk to, and a great communicator. She liked that he seemed grounded and shared some of her interests. After the rounds, while some encounters ended with regret or “hard passes,” Meri acknowledged that Ron was “probably the only real candidate” she’d consider seeing again.
Meri, who legally divorced Kody in 2014 and formally left the polygamist arrangement following Christine and Janelle’s departures, has in recent years been navigating public expectations and personal healing. This speed-dating episode, airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on TLC, underscored how dating post-polygamy comes with both awkward milestones and hope for connection.
Viewers saw a version of Meri much more self-aware: one who knows what she wants, what’s off-limits (especially when joking crosses lines), and what feels authentic. As the episode wrapped, she and Jenn reflected on the evening—some matches made her heart sink, others reminded her it’s possible to connect authentically. And for now, Ron stands out as someone who might get more than just a good conversation from Meri.
