"Seeking Sister Wife" is coming back tonight--with a vengeance. The Learning Channel series documents the trials and tribulations of couples testing plural marriages. To be transparent, I watch the show but have mixed feelings about it for several reasons. Polygamy might not be my choice as a lifestyle but to each his or her own. As a viewer, I'm a bug on the wall, a voyeur of sorts watching a hot mess for an hour. The show was shuttered for months and risked cancellation due to some awful allegations of abuse. But it survived the controversy and has resurfaced for Season 4.

The concept is clear-cut --married couples agree to bring other 'wives' into their unions. It's a simple formula, a woman joins a household and then seemingly, has sex with the man only. Superficially, it appears the arrangement might 'benefit' the husband more than the wife. 

What I've observed is that jealousies are quick to rear their heads. The introduction of other women into marriages seems to tug at the 'first' wives' insecurities. "Is she prettier than me, younger, thinner?" 

Why would anyone want to get into this if they are legally married? It feels like too much drama --and undermining, in my opinion, mainly for the females. The older I get, the more peaceful I like things. I'm not a jealous person: I think that results from not comparing myself much to others. But being in a polygamous relationship could make the most unjealous person feel marginalized. The contracts seem to favor the husbands because they get the benefits (if you want to call it that) of multiple sexual partners which undoubtedly offers a boost to their egos and libidos. What's in this for wives? I guess some 'sisterly love.' (minus the sex--the unwritten rule is that the wives do not sleep with each other, so how does that fare if you're 'fluid?') Many couples both work, so an extra gal or two helps with kids or housework. Sometimes that creates resentment for the newbie. The morality portion should be up to the consenting adults.

Danielle and Garrick Merrifield return to the airwaves tonight. The Colorado couple had a 10-year monogamous marriage that produced two young sons. To outsiders, this looked like a "Leave it to Beaver" family. But Garrick confessed to Danielle that 'God was calling him to find another wife.' I don't know Garrick, but this looks like an excuse for an open marriage. Why not just say that? But who am I? Maybe the guy had an epiphany. 

Enter Roberta, a very attractive Brazilian woman who wants to test the polygamy waters. Garrick quickly slept with her when the 3 met in Mexico--even lied to Danielle about it. Fans will get to see more couples return from last season, including Sidian and Tosha Jones. I watch "Seeking Sister Wife" as a distraction from the harshness of reality--but their reality is not a theme I'd seek for myself.