About “Seeking Sister Wife”
TLC is the go-to network for unusual reality TV shows which display unconventional lifestyles. From food addictions and teen pregnancy to polygamy and polyandry, no subject is off-bounds. As one of the network’s most popular programs since its 2018 release, “Seeking Sister Wife” has followed over a dozen families in their quest to find the perfect balance in their polygamist relationships.
Obviously, not all of them have been successful, and it’s rare for a family to last longer than two or three seasons in the series. Although most of the families featured are from secular or Mormon backgrounds, the relationship dynamic undergoes a dramatic shift with every new sister wife, so much so that many couples or throuples featured in the show have since gone their separate ways. Today we’ll discuss the McGee family’s experience in the show and find out what they’re doing now.
The McGees
Fans of the show’s second season fondly remember Bernie and Paige McGee, a middle-aged couple who were relatively new in the polygamy world. Despite having been married for decades and sharing children, Bernie and Paige decided to try out polygamy, as they were going through a rough financial patch.
That’s right – their reasoning was that any new sister wives would bring a much-needed money boost to their floundering household finances, as well as carry Bernie’s children after Paige was left infertile following a heartbreaking miscarriage. Paige and Bernie were initially searching for four sister wives to help share their difficult load, and purchase land to build a property on, and their search was at first going well. However, Paige became jealous of Brandy, the potential sister wife, when she began going on dates alone with Bernie.
Flying into a jealous rage, Paige put her foot down and told Bernie that she didn’t wish to practice polygamy anymore. A huge argument ensued, and Paige and Bernie’s teenage son John was also horrified by the concept of his father having sister wives, despite Bernie trying to explain it. In the end, despite hitting it off online with both Paige and Bernie, Brandy was made to feel so uncomfortable that she ended the courtship and returned home after just two visits to the McGees.
#SeekingSisterWife Pls keep the McGee family in your prayers. 💔 pic.twitter.com/48P8cyoKQq
— Brandy (@BrandyL80377109) June 17, 2019
During the season two reunion episode, it was revealed that Bernie had kissed Brandy and tried to be intimate with her; this revelation was followed by a near-meltdown from Paige, as Bernie had clearly ignored the boundaries the couple had put in place before becoming polygamists. Although Paige saw polygamy as a means to an end and a way to pool resources and buy land, it was clear that her husband had more self-serving intentions.
In summer 2019, the McGees were struck by tragedy when Bernie died from heatstroke and a heart attack. The TV star had been enjoying a solo bike ride when he called his long-suffering wife to let her know that he wasn’t feeling well. Unfortunately, by the time she reached him at a local hospital, he had already died. The McGees had recently suffered a house fire in which they’d lost all their belongings, and were trying to get back on their feet, so Bernie’s demise came at the worst possible moment for the rest of his family.
The McGee family set up a GoFundMe for Bernie’s funeral expenses which hundreds of fans donated to. It’s unlikely that TLC helped cover the costs, but the network did release a statement offering the McGees their condolences following their loss. However, the plot thickened as Paige went on to accuse her estranged brother Patrick of causing her husband’s death.
Bernie was seemingly fit and healthy and just 41 years old when he passed away. Months prior to the incident, Patrick had sued his sister and her spouse for stalking him. Following Bernie’s death, Paige went on a series of social media rants in which she lambasted Patrick for all the stress he’d caused the couple, and claiming that an upcoming court date between the three was the last straw for Bernie’s health. Paige also shared that she and Bernie had spent all their money on hiring investigators and a legal team, and had been missing out on work due to the lawsuit.
As it happens, Bernie and Paige were arrested by Mississippi officers on stalking charges in March 2019, just three months before Bernie’s death. News outlets reported that the couple had allegedly left harassing calls on Patrick’s phone and harassed him in person, as well as stalking him and his girlfriend. There’s clearly more to the story than meets the eye, as Paige and Patrick’s mother took her son’s side.
It’s difficult to know what Paige and her children are up to in 2023 as she isn’t active on social media. However, fans of “Seeking Sister Wife” prefer to remember the McGees fondly for the many entertaining moments they provided throughout season two.
TLC has yet to release an official statement regarding the confirmed cast members for “Seeking Sister Wife” season five. Season four was full of new faces, with the Davis family, Steve and Brenda Foley, and the Epps joining the show, whereas the Merrifields and the Joneses returned after season three. The Snowdens were noticeably absent due to a mix of personal and legal issues; meanwhile, the Winder family’s contract with TLC wasn’t renewed, although they are still sharing snippets of their polygamy journey on social media.
For now, fans think that the Davis family will definitely be returning for season five. The interracial triad went viral online, after Nick revealed in an interview that he doesn’t work and is taken care of by his wives, April and Jennifer. The two women are legally married to each other, but took Nick’s last name to show solidarity as a family; season four saw April settle into the family and Nick begin searching for a potential third wife.
Meanwhile, the Merrifields have been widely criticized and became the villains of the season due to Garrick’s shoddy treatment of his wife Dannielle, whom he somehow convinced to divorce him so he could legally marry a Brazilian sister wife, which would allow her to apply for a green card and live in the US. Once the sister wife, Roberta, caught wind that Garrick was looking for another addition to the family, she returned to her home country and ghosted the couple, who are now calling her a scammer.
It’ll be interesting to see what season five of “Seeking Sister Wife” brings, and we’ll be sure to keep you up to date with any developments.
Leave a Reply