in Welcome to Platteville Season 5 saw Kim and Barry Plath navigate post-split life, and the shameful way they treated Olivia Plath over the years triggered nasty family feuds. In season 5, Olivia’s dynamic with many Plath family members was seriously toxic. Although it’s easy to blame the strong-willed and adventurous Olivia for problems, the seed was planted when Kim and Barry emotionally abused Olivia after she became their son Ethan Plath’s partner. Back then, Olivia wasn’t exactly a wild child, but Kim and Barry acted like she was an out of control delinquent. She did not profit from this. Olivia is made to feel like an outsider in the family.
Welcome to Platteville Season 5’s Kim is deeply narcissistic, and her ex-husband Barry’s enabled her most outrageous behavior. Poor Ethan has to deal with disapproving parents as he embarks on married life. This was supposed to be a happy time for him. His parents did everything they could to destroy the love he had found. In terms of his parents, he has no backup or safety net. His mother and father abandoned him again and again. Their love was always conditional. Kim and Barry never knew how to just love Ethan and accept him.
Welcome to Plathville season 6 wrapped up in early October 2024, and there has been a huge transition in the Plath family. Ethan and Olivia officially divorce, and Ethan spends the season trying to reconnect with his family. Meanwhile, Kim and Barry have been cooperating with the younger Plath children, Isaac, Amber, Kasia, and Mercy, while the older Plath kids, Moriah and Micah, have joined the family in coming together. Olivia has her own storyline in season 6 that is removed from the plaths.
Olivia meets a new man, Brendan, and her and his budding relationship is highlighted. Olivia remembers herself away from the toxicity she encountered from the Plath family, and season 6 followed her journey following the Plath saga. Away from the Plath family, Olivia felt much more free and able to express herself and not be judged for it. Barry and Kim had a lot of influence on the negative way their children, including Ethan, saw Olivia, and the future is brighter for Olivia without them.
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10
Olivia and Ethan may have divorced because of Kim and Barry
There are connections
Something was brewing in Ethan and Olivia’s marriage, and based on their IG messages around season 5, which veered into cryptic territory, it spelled trouble. There have always been divorce rumors about the couple, who have never really been ideally suited. Ethan wanted a simpler life than Olivia, and actually benefited from simplicity. However, she always wanted more. Olivia is a goddess to be explored. While Ethan was perfectly happy working on his cars and spending time with his siblings, Olivia was chomping at the bit, desperate to escape Cairo, Georgia.
The latest conversation started after Olivia’s sister Sophia Meggs shockingly stated that Olivia and Ethan are in the middle of a divorce. Olivia denied that, saying that her relationship with her sibling was strained. however, Ethan Looked quite sad in the post above. He appears to have lost weight and he is not smiling. Sometimes, during a breakup, a person will lose their appetite because they are heartbroken. Ethan added the caption, “It has been my experience in life that few things are harder to bear than regret.”
Does Ethan have a lot of regrets? Are they linked to Olivia? Since reality TV show celebs often spill through cryptic posts, it’s not a stretch to think he’s referencing problems with Olivia. She added her own two cents in a different IG post, where she discussed her mixed emotions about summer ending.
Olivia said, “But I know that deep inside me, it symbolizes the increasing comfort in letting life play out exactly as it needs to.”
Did she try to say that changes are happening in her life, but that she is at peace with them? Olivia’s always had the ability to change.
Ethan and Olivia divorced, so do Kim and Barry deserve blame? They do! Imagine how different it would have been if they had welcomed Olivia with open arms, instead of avoiding her. Imagine if Kim and Barry just loved Ethan and Olivia, rather than judging them. So much turmoil would have been avoided. Kim and Barry are surely happy that they are splitting up, and that really says it all.
9
Moria was at war with Olivia
Kim’s part of the reason why
Moriah and Olivia were once so close, but Kim and Barry made it very difficult for the two women to get along. Although they had issues beyond their respective dynamic with Kim and Barry, the famous fundamentalists did not help. Olivia alleged that Kim used Ethan’s credit card, and never repaid him.
This really bothered me. She unloaded publicly, saying Olivia had been lying about her family for years. There was real bad blood there, and it’s quite sad. If Olivia is telling the truth about the credit card, there’s one more thing Kim has done to wreak havoc. However, there is currently no evidence that she benefited from her son, and the two sides are divided.
Moriah and Olivia also clash because Moriah accuses Olivia of stealing her music. Olivia posted Moria’s music on social media, crediting Moria as the musical artist. However, she allegedly failed to give the proceeds to her younger sister-in-law. Barry tried to intervene, and threatened legal action. In a turn of events, Moriah admits that it was a lie and that Olivia never stole her music.
8
Ethan feels like he can’t win
Olivia keeps clashing with Barry, Kim and others
During the premiere of season 5, Ethan, who has been put up with so much frustration over the years due to parents who are totally unwilling to understand his point of view, talked about his feelings. Ethan got away from the Plath family chaos while traveling with Olivia in Europe, but when they returned, it all came back with a vengeance. The problem was that Moriah had moved out of the Tampa home she’d lived in with Moriah and Ethan, and didn’t even tell the couple that she was going to leave. Moriah basically turned on Ethan, who probably wasn’t expecting such heated drama with his own sister.
Kim’s issues with Olivia probably influenced Moria. It’s hard to believe that Kim didn’t drip a lot of poison into Moriah’s ear. Barry may have supported Kim, as they were trying to be friends after splitting up. Again, without the unhealthy dynamics that made Olivia’s life so difficult at times, things could have been very different. Since Moriah reportedly cut all ties with Olivia because of the things Olivia said about her family, it’s definitely proof that Kim and Barry were part of her decision. What if Kim actually used the credit card? Would Moriah feel differently? She should.
7
Kim and Olivia don’t speak terms
Which is mutual
It’s not such a surprise that Kim and Olivia aren’t talking, it would be a bigger shock if they were. Kim never, ever made room for Olivia in the family. What did Olivia really do to deserve the attitude she got from Kim? She was not religious enough. Okay, but she’s still religious. Olivia grew up in a family that was quite similar to Kim’s, and made the rational decision to reject some of the restrictions. Kim later did the same.
Life is meant to be lived – people should not be yoked by beliefs that stop them from making their dreams come true. As Olivia grows up, she realizes that she needs more, but she’s not exactly a heathen. She just wanted freedom. Maybe she wanted to enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, or some sugary pleasure. By bringing Ethan out of his shell, and taking him on adventures (and teaching him about the modern world), Olivia added so much richness and color to his life. Kim could not see that, and tried to take it all away, but if was something that her son desperately needed.
Ethan was so confined and constricted. It’s like Kim had a python wrapped around his neck, squeezing the life force out of him. If he didn’t follow the rules, he would be emotionally excommunicated. No matter what he did, his own mother would mistrust his wife. Putting an adult child in this type of no-win situation is terrible. Ethan retreated into the garage, rather than face the anger that was roiling within him. It wasn’t a bad decision – he was just looking for joy, and simple pleasures make him happy. However, he is still storing up anger, which was bound to seep out into his marriage.
Olivia may have paid the price for that. She was forced to be the catalyst for so much drama. If she was loved and accepted by Kim and Barry, Ethan might have relaxed. Now, Olivia and Kim are enemies. Is this really necessary?
6
Moriah was sad
Did Kim and Barry keep her away from Olivia?
Moria may feel like she made her own decision about avoiding Olivia, but subconsciously, Kim and Barry’s mindset about their daughter-in-law may have impacted her thoughts and emotions. It’s possible she would consider mending fences with Olivia if Kim and Barry weren’t in the mix. Also, the issue that was touched on earlier, which is that Olivia may have valid complaints about Kim and Barry, should always be kept in mind. While the stolen music controversy was troubling, Moria should have been mature enough to realize that the situation was fueled by her parents’ feelings for Olivia.
In the early seasons, Olivia was Moria’s defender. She was always there, helping the younger woman cope with problems. She even took her on an exciting trip so she could see more of the world. It is sad that the two females are here now. Should Kim and Barry try to change their thinking – the way they think is often remarkably negative. They never seem to have positive thoughts about their daughter-in-law. While in-law tension is normal, this situation is not. There was no reason for them to dislike Olivia in the first place.
Moriah struggled with depression. Her heartbreak over her separation from Max Kallschmidt was very difficult for her. Also, her clashes with family members took their toll. Moria is a young woman who puts it all on TV, and it can be psychologically damaging. Despite her “black heart” persona, Moriah seems very vulnerable. She needs to watch herself, but instead, she publicly attacks Olivia. Moria’s even dealing with Apolesia hair loss condition which is sometimes caused by severe stress.
Kim could probably calm down some of the issues between Olivia and Moriah if she really wanted to. Barry could possibly do the same. But, they won’t. They surely prefer the feeding.
5
Lydia does not always approve of Olivia
Is this Kim’s handiwork?
Lydia was always a lot like Kim. She is the obedient daughter, who is shown slaving away in the Plath kitchen while Kim does…whatever. It’s always been a little unfair how “Prayer Closet” fan Lydia is stuck with the chores while Kim freaks out. Lydia’s Cinderella vibes are just sad, but she’s branching out, which is great to see. In the past, she didn’t really approve of Ethan’s wife, Olivia. However, some jealousy may be at play, as Ethan is very important to Lydia. The latter young woman may have felt like Olivia was taking her brother.
Another plausible theory is that Kim and Barry’s negative conversation about Olivia is acting on their daughter and changing how she thinks. Since all Lydia hears is how bad Olivia is, it would almost be hard for her to get over this. Lydia is known for embracing her parents’ way of life in a way that the more rebellious Plath kids could never handle.
Lydia must have been deeply affected by Kim and Barry’s divorce. That’s why it’s so nice to see how she enjoys life on Instagram. She goes on trips and shows her music.
4
Micah doesn’t always believe Olivia
Micah only had negative things to say about Olivia
Micah Plath, who has built a successful career as a male model in Los Angeles, does not usually get into big fics with family members. He has his own life, and seems above some of the drama. However, he entered the fray when the credit card fraud erupted. Micah defended his parents. He believes that Kim has permission to use the credit card, and that she did nothing wrong. So, he’s another one to add to the long list of Plath family members who don’t talk to Olivia.
This is a drama! Maybe Olivia should have handled the credit card issue privately. It’s creating the most stupid feud yet, and Olivia and Ethan’s marriage didn’t survive it. While reality TV show stars get used to airing their grievances in public, some things should be addressed behind the scenes. Maybe she learned from it, but there is always a chance that she tells the truth. If she is, that really changes the situation. Was she persecuted for just being honest about what happened?
3
Is Barry just as bad as Kim?
His meek and gentle persona can be deceptive
Kim gets the brunt of criticism because her behavior is so “out there,” while her shallow and gentle ex Barry often gets a pass. He usually seems like the nicer one, but it’s possibly a “good cop, bad cop” dynamic happening. Barry let Kim run over the kids for years, and he had an epic showdown with Ethan in the driveway that was really heated and shocking.
While Barry has been receiving and giving emotional support lately, he’s known for giving Kim a pass by letting her have nasty feuds with the kids and Olivia. Lately, he’s been hanging out with Olivia alone. The truth is that he is probably just as bad as Kim. A lot of damage was done and he did not stop it. By giving Kim the freedom to do whatever she wants, from draconian parenting and beyond, he wasn’t defending his own children. The Welcome to Platteville Season 5 Star may be changing, but he can’t change the past.
2
Moriah meets and “apologizes” to Olivia
Did she take a page from her parents’ book?
in TLCs Welcome to Platteville In season 6, Moria and Olivia’s relationship was non-existent. However, after all the negative situations and all the bad blood between the once best friends, Moriah decided to reach out to Olivia when she was visiting Ethan to get him to sign the divorce papers. Moria’s intentions were to apologize and clear the air so she could continue in good conscience, but that wasn’t the case as Olivia took their final seat down.
Moriah tried to make up for the music stealing fiasco, saying she was sorry for the situation, but that didn’t sit well with Olivia.
“I don’t really know what to make of Moriah’s apology because it’s not specific. I think it would be really nice for her to be like, ‘Yeah you know Ethan told us what actually happened, and I’m sorry I called. You liar to the whole world.’
Olivia ended up not pushing back against Moriah, taking her apology for what it was, even though the apology wasn’t something she was happy with. The couple ended things amicably, both with the intention of never rekindling their relationship. At this point, Kim and Barry have totally distorted Moriah’s opinion of Olivia, and Moriah’s loyalty lies with her family, which Olivia is no longer a part of.
1
Barry and Veronica Peters called Olivia a narcissist
Which was a major public disc
Barry also showed his true colors Welcome to Platteville Seasons 6 and the fact that he was absolutely trying to turn anyone related to his family against Olivia. Micah’s new girlfriend, Veronica Peters, revealed during Moria’s video shoot that she and Barry had tied the knot at a wedding the previous summer where Olivia and Ethan were still together and in attendance. Barry said they shared the same feelings about a common interest, which Veronica revealed to be Olivia.
Veronica claimed that Olivia cheated on her during the wedding, which led Veronica and Barry to have a meeting and agree that Olivia was a narcissist. Veronica blasted the information during the Welcome to Platteville season 6 episode, signaling that she is no better than Barry and Kim in regards to trying to widen the divide between Olivia and the rest of the Plaths.
Welcome to Platteville Seasons 1-6 are available to stream on Discovery+.
Sources: Olivia Plath/ Instagram, Ethan Plath/ Instagram, TLC/ YouTube