The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Recap: The Vibes Are Off

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Okay, I’m starting to get seriously worried about this show. I spaced out for just a few minutes, picturing what all the moms are buying at Erewhon, and suddenly every storyline is about abuse or assault. It’s making me wonder if the show has always been this dark – I’m even questioning past seasons, like that season two reunion – or if this season is just exceptionally grim. Honestly, it’s too much! I miss the silly stuff. I’m begging for some drama about something trivial. I would kill to be writing about, I don’t know, someone having a little too much to drink and accidentally admitting they think another mom’s dog is kind of… unattractive.

Instead, everyone heads to Palm Springs for the Stagecoach music festival. There, social media moms are making sponsored content for a particularly questionable brand, and everyone’s talking about when the ‘DadTok’ influencers will arrive. Before anyone can really consider Dakota’s motives for trying to get back with Taylor, Demi starts causing trouble again, posting a story that reads:

Let me be clear: unwanted touching is assault, and that’s that. It deeply hurts me that people who knew what happened not only watched me upset, but then used their platforms to blame me, call me a liar, and criticize how I reacted. I’m truly disappointed in all of you who did that.

The other women are upset for a few reasons: they say Demi never cried around them, they don’t want to be seen as part of a group blaming victims, or it’s a combination of both. Regardless, it’s unclear what Demi hopes to achieve by sharing this, particularly since the show now seems to rely heavily on lie detector tests.

Lana Del Rey unexpectedly messaged Mikayla, inviting her to a quick meet-and-greet, and honestly, I wish the whole episode had focused on that interaction. Even a short conversation between a celebrity and fans on a reality show can be more insightful than a long magazine article. Lana playfully questioned the women about whether they were being recorded and if the drama with Whitney was genuine, asking if it was “actually real?!” It’s funny to see celebrities act just like us! Unfortunately, the moms immediately talked about next season instead of exploring the interesting ways reality TV creates both reality and image. Maybe later on, they could build on their therapy discussions with some deeper thinking about how reality TV works – that Kardashian analysis book would be a great place to start!

Taylor develops a strong attraction to Dakota. While Taylor is having dinner outside, a woman approaches him, which irritates him. Previously, Taylor was trying to maintain a good relationship with her ex for the sake of their child, but a family member’s leukemia diagnosis has complicated things, leaving her with conflicted feelings. Mayci hinted at this before, and now it’s clear: Lana Del Rey is causing trouble. The next morning, Dakota is nowhere to be found, except he was actually in Taylor’s bedroom.

I really admire Taylor’s honesty – she directly addressed the intimacy with Dakota, simply stating, “Yes, we had sex. Obviously.” While it was exciting to think of a Bachelorette lead being so open, I’m worried Taylor and Dakota are destined to repeat a harmful pattern together. I fear another man will appear later in the season, allowing their unhealthy cycle to continue indefinitely.

There wasn’t much time to dwell on everything, as Whitney was about to arrive. She’d shared Demi’s lengthy Instagram post with a message of support, which upset many other moms online. Meanwhile, everyone else was getting ready for the second day of the festival in their cowboy outfits, and Taylor was preparing for more mischief. The whole scene was incredibly funny. Whitney looked like a glamorous, grown-up version of Angelica from Rugrats, and Conner was even carrying her purse! Together, they resembled a quirky couple straight out of a Christopher Guest movie. And, without a hint of irony, they started counting off rhythmically – “five, six, seven, eight!”

Taylor tries to have a thoughtful conversation, outlining the complaints from other moms on TikTok about Whitney sharing Demi’s story. Whitney believes Jen, Layla, and Jessi were involved in blaming Demi, and if Mayci and Mikayla disagree, they need to speak up. They then debate how Demi is feeling. Whitney attempts to bring up a past scandal, but quickly changes course, asking why Taylor is making her feel awkward when she’s just trying to create content and network. Honestly, Whitney needs to understand that if she wants to return to the show, potentially for Dancing with the Stars casting, this is just how things operate.

After Whitney left, the party continued, with Jace taking shots with Jessi and Jacob even sampling some vodka. Taylor and Dakota were playfully dancing on the party bus, acting like they were on their way to a school dance. Once they arrived at the festival, things quickly became more intense between Mikayla and Jace. They’d tried to connect the night before, hoping for something romantic in their hotel room and jacuzzi, but it didn’t work out. Now, Mikayla is in a bad mood and Jace is sulking. Honestly, I’ve been to festivals like this (Coachella, specifically), and it’s hard to imagine a less romantic setting, especially if you’re pregnant. It’s incredibly hot, packed with people, and feels deliberately designed to make you question everything.

Jace and Mikayla were clearly already struggling, and things came to a head with a heated argument in the shower. Afterwards, Mayci and Taylor checked on Mikayla, and she opened up about the intense difficulties she’s faced over the past two years. She explained the pressure and guilt she feels, knowing her past abuse caused these issues, and how being raised in the Mormon faith with expectations of being a perfect wife has added another layer of complexity. It’s remarkable how deeply the teachings of the LDS church can affect these women. Ultimately, Taylor and Mayci encouraged Mikayla to consider couples therapy again.

I found a really sweet scene this morning. Jace was just sitting by the pond, watching the ducks, and Taylor came over to talk to him. It was clear she was trying to encourage him about Mikayla, saying they had a great connection, even with everything else going on. It actually made her think about Dakota – she admitted she really wants them to work things out, because she thinks they could be amazing together if they could just get past their issues. Honestly, Taylor is such a romantic, it’s adorable!

Now Jordan arrives, seemingly determined to destroy any remaining optimism! They need to create drama to get to Taylor’s next phase, and Jordan and Jessi are driving around trying to do just that. Jordan is using a classic dysfunctional couple tactic: bonding over gossip when nothing else connects them. It’s a temporary fix, but it seems to be working based on how the show is being edited. Jordan reveals that after Taylor and Dakota broke up, a close friend of Taylor’s messaged Dakota and things quickly became romantic. This is huge news, and Jessi is completely shocked. As Whitney puts it, trouble is definitely brewing.

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2025-11-14 04:55