The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season-Finale Recap: She Needs Jesus

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We’ve made it through! Ten more episodes of MomTok madness have been successfully navigated by us all. The final episode can be quite a challenge, as we crave resolution yet not too much of it. It needs to be both unpredictable and fittingly inevitable. The final scene should leave us breathless, but not so much that it feels contrived. Sadly, this time, it veers towards manipulation. So, let’s dive in and discuss it further.

Layla goes to Park City to share beignet mix and tell Taylor about Demi’s ultimatum. They discuss how surprising it was when Demi mentioned things that might affect Taylor’s contact with her children. Layla, in an uncomfortable manner, informs Taylor that she isn’t invited to Demi’s Christmas party, as Demi seems to have mistakenly shared the invitation in a different group chat. Liann arrives and jokingly suggests crashing the party for Taylor. The whole scenario is similar to if Regina George’s mother from “Mean Girls” was also a foreshadowing device from Chekhov’s gun.

Immediately, Demi’s Christmas party greets us. Let me pause for a moment to express a shift in my thoughts: I admit that I was mistaken in criticizing Whitney’s outfits. Whitney possesses flawless skin and embodies a blend of Alison Roman and Christina Hendricks. Her persistent choice to dress like King Henry VIII, despite appearances, may be a form of performance art, and at this point, I hold great admiration for it. Unlike many other influencers on MomTok, no one can accuse her of lacking in style or originality.

During the Christmas gathering, all the women (excluding Taylor) are playfully moving about in their semi-formal attire, toasting to another year of handling MomTok, and enjoying meatballs. Liann arrives wearing an outfit reminiscent of a casual bookstore visit for an Elin Hilderbrand book signing. If you’re going to gatecrash a party and defend your daughter’s interests, at least do it in style. Demi approaches Liann and they engage in a heated discussion. The conversation revolves around the CMAs incident, some gossip about Dakota, and continued arguments about who is acting unfriendly. Eventually, Liann breaks down and Demi angrily suggests Taylor should seek therapy and start behaving like a mother. This altercation is awkward for everyone present, and watching it is much like observing the infamous feud between Azealia Banks and Matty Healy. I find myself firmly on the side of neutrality in this situation.

Santa steps in to halt the quarrel since it’s now time for everyone, except Whitney and Bret, to venture outside and enjoy the snow-making equipment they’ve paid for. Most people find Demi and Liann’s altercation inappropriate. It underscores the powerful influence of the “respect your elders” principle within their community. Miranda exits for the evening (I was hoping to see more of her this season! I grew quite fond of her personality). This departure now allows Demi to explore options for another MomTok board meeting scheduling.

In a more serious tone, Mayci and her family pay a visit to Arik’s parents. Arik was Mayci’s former college boyfriend who tragically passed away in a car accident when she was pregnant with their son, Hudson. Mayci emphasizes the significance of Hudson knowing about his father, admitting that she hasn’t fully processed her grief from Arik’s death. With a book to write, she has decided it’s time to confront those emotions and hopefully create a compelling literary piece that resonates with MomTok, an online community for mothers. I must admit that I have my doubts about the enthusiasm of the founders of MomTok or their followers towards reading Mayci’s book. However, as an advocate for literature, I am optimistic that she has a clear understanding of her intended audience.

Taylor and Dakota’s ongoing conflict gets an update! As Dakota drops by Liann on his way home from the tanning salon, she verifies that he has been praying. It’s hard to believe we keep getting headlines about LIANN and DAKOTA, even during scenes. It seems more sensible to focus on Demi and Jessi instead, especially when they are close enough for fear of becoming one tangled hair extension.

Discussing hair extensions, Jessi removes clumps of blonde tresses from JZ Styles, which Mayci takes home to her mother. Jessi informs Mayci that her thyroid biopsy came back as non-cancerous, though it made her realize how precious life is and how unnecessary it is to argue constantly. She’s had enough of Demi and now sees why Mayci maintains neutrality (a balance between peace and book deals). The two engage in a deep conversation about the profound impact friendships can have, particularly because the rules and expectations around friendship are often less defined compared to relationships. This insightful exchange will be an excellent addition to the upcoming MomTok brand guidelines update.

The meeting at Jessi’s house for the MomTok board is coming up, which is quite handy. There are three main items on the schedule. First, Miranda is being formally welcomed into MomTok as she’s demonstrated a graceful performance throughout the season, extending her trial period. Next, there’s Whitney’s reinstatement debate. Taylor is displeased that Whitney aligned with Demi when only Taylor initially backed Whitney’s return attempt. Mikayla continues to express her dislike for Whitney, a stance I find refreshing because it’s genuine and not used for leverage. In this case, the majority decision wins out, and Whitney is welcomed back.

In the third agenda point, Demi’s disagreement escalates, as expected between Demi and Taylor. They repeatedly argue about familiar themes such as being a good friend, hurting others, the Jessi hair controversy, the Dakota drama, among others. During a private conversation, Jessi insightfully notes that Demi often speaks in a therapeutic manner, making one feel guilty, even when she’s not actually remorseful. The situation culminates with Demi expressing her intent to ponder if she wishes to continue participating in MomTok. Layla yearns for ordinary friendships without the complications of loyalty conflicts. It is intriguing how loyalty dynamics unfold in shows like this. Is it something that people encounter in their everyday friendships outside the TV screen? I, personally, feel fortunate as my close friends rarely engage in such constant disputes and require me to pick sides. Perhaps I’m simply lucky.

Moving forward with Mayci’s healing story, there’s a particularly emotional scene that left me quite affected. To put it mildly, I’m not one who sheds tears easily, but Pixar can usually get me choked up, while reality TV rarely does. However, when Mikayla accompanies Mayci to the site of Arik’s crash, and Mayci shares her regret for their harsh words exchanged just before his death, it was heart-wrenching. The revelation that she learned about his passing through an “RIP Arik” Instagram post? That’s some seriously unsettling stuff. When people casually use the term “trauma” in reference to a dance video on MomTok, I hope they take a moment to reflect on what genuine trauma truly looks like. The tears flowed so heavily that I had to step outside for a walk before returning to complete the episode.

This turned out to be a shrewd move, as the unexpected twist in the final scene was quite startling, to put it mildly. The producers brought Layla and Marciano from Vanderpump Villa to a ski resort in Park City. Marciano grabbed a straight shot of tequila, which took Layla by surprise, hinting that she’s unfamiliar with Bravo TV shows. Sweetheart, these men are unlike any you’ve ever encountered before. I can’t even begin to describe how different they are. Once, DJ James Kennedy rode his skateboard past me on the sidewalk, and his entire demeanor was so off-putting that I questioned my own sobriety at the time. However, Layla gets a firsthand experience of this.

I have no idea about this man, but he seems to exude a certain rough charm reminiscent of back alley characters. He tells Layla that he approached her because he heard “women who are swingers” and felt it was the perfect opportunity. He admits trying to kiss Demi, failing, and then boasting about himself by asking, “If Bret wasn’t there, would things be different?” Layla appears not to be familiar with the show “Vanderpump Rules,” as she does not recognize the level of self-delusion present. I can’t help but wonder where Lisa Vanderpump finds these men, but she certainly has a knack for consistency. Marciano continues, using dramatic shrugs and evasive responses like “guess for yourself!”, to imply that he not only had sexual relations with Jessi, but was involved in a full-blown affair. He does this by getting Layla to say the words herself, communicating primarily through gestures.

I’ve got some thoughts on this, and they range from slightly nutty to quite nutty, so if you’ve been following these recaps with pleasure so far, maybe you might want to stop reading here. I’ve given you fair warning. To begin with, I have my doubts that this man is telling the whole truth. To put it bluntly, he reminds me of Jax Taylor after a decade of watching him on TV, which has been quite traumatic for me. Lisa Vanderpump, the executive producer, teaches her cast members how to create flawless television, and I believe Marciano is following suit. I don’t think he’s intentionally lying, but rather that his actions are like the magic tricks of David Blaine on reality TV.

Let’s engage in a hypothetical scenario. Imagine if Jessi and this man had an intimate relationship. Does it truly make a difference? This series has shown me that I may never fully understand the nuances within Mormon teachings, especially the Word of Wisdom. It is possible that Jessi and Jordan are in an open relationship, or perhaps they aren’t. But isn’t MomTok, with its third-wave feminism, built on a platform where minor infidelities are tolerated? Isn’t it a space where we support women’s rights, as well as their choices, whether right or wrong?

Could it be that Jessi dating Marciano could potentially boost MomTok’s profitability during off-seasons, by generating additional brand engagement and funding more episodes of drama? What if instead of the moms (Demi) reacting negatively, they formed a book club based on ‘All Fours’ during production breaks? However, as we eagerly await the next chapter, it remains TO BE CONTINUED. I look forward to joining you on the other side!

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2025-05-22 02:55