“Justice For Olivia Plath?”: Season 7 May Prove She Isn’t The Villain Of Welcome To Plathville

On Welcome To Plathville, the Plath family opened up their lives for TV viewers, showing off their unconventional lifestyle at the beginning of the series – now, the ramifications of that lifestyle are apparent, in the aftermath of multiple failed marriages, including eldest son Ethan Plath’s marriage to Olivia Plath. Olivia Plath was a young newlywed who was a breath of fresh air on Welcome To Plathville season 1. Ethan and Olivia were young when they got married, and they were very much in love with each other. Ethan and Olivia faced obstacles that tested their relationship—and ultimately destroyed it.

Throughout the early seasons, Olivia and Ethan struggled with Ethan’s family’s involvement in their marriage. The two hoped to start their lives together on their own terms, but the meddling Plath parents, especially mom Kim Plath, often got in the way. Since the Plaths were always super tight, being raised together (insulated from the influence of the outside world), it was hard for them to let Ethan go, despite him being a husband. Kim seemed threatened by Olivia’s presence, since her upbringing was less sheltered, and Olivia longed for a world that was bigger than the Plath family farm.

The Plaths were concerned that Olivia would be a bad influence on their younger children, especially headstrong Moriah Plath, who bonded with Olivia immediately. Olivia wanted to show the Plath kids that there was a bigger world out there, and she encouraged them to spread their wings. Kim and Barry didn’t want Olivia to lead their kids down a bad path, so they attempted to control her interactions with them, which caused a lot of issues for the young couple, and put Ethan in a position where he had to choose his wife or his family.

Olivia Was Misunderstood

Olivia Made Mistakes, But Had Good Intentions

Olivia isn’t a perfect person. She did some things throughout the years that have put viewers off, but I’ve always found her to be misunderstood. She was raised conservatively (although less conservative than the Plaths), and she was still figuring out who she was as a young adult. Her views got more progressive, and she grew into herself as a strong woman. Her husband, Ethan, also struggled with experiencing new things with his wife. Not only was Ethan trying to learn how to be a man, he was also trying to learn how to function in the real world.

Olivia And Ethan Married Too Young

They Were Both 20

As the eldest son, Ethan was the golden boy of the Plath family. His playful, goofy exterior drew Olivia to him, but as their marriage progressed, it was clear they both still had a lot of growing up to do. They were both 20 years old when they tied the knot, not uncommon in ultra-conservative environments. In the Plaths case, they didn’t educate their children or expose them to things like secular pop culture. By the time the kids reach their late teens, they’re encouraged to start looking for a spouse.

I think, in the end, they were both just two young to make a lifelong commitment amid the harsh realities of life outside the farm.

Olivia And Ethan Grew Apart

Ethan Couldn’t Put Olivia Above His Family

While the love Ethan and Olivia had for one another was undeniable, Ethan struggled to put Olivia first. I don’t blame Ethan entirely. He had zero relationship experience, and was raised to always obey his parents. Barry and Kim had no problem overstepping boundaries to try and control Ethan and Olivia. Ethan was no match for them.

The more pressure the parents put more pressure on Ethan, the more he was forced to choose between them and his new wife. As the show progressed, Olivia started to realize that Ethan would always acquiesce to his family. He simply didn’t have the coping mechanisms to navigate his overbearing family and his young wife. Here’s where I do blame Ethan: He could have tried harder. Ethan seemed a little emotionally stunted. He wasn’t raised in an environment where men talked about their feelings, and this put a strain on his marriage.

Another factor in their divorce? Ethan didn’t like the woman Olivia was becoming. He wanted a more traditional, submissive wife. When Ethan told Olivia he couldn’t have children with a woman like her, it was the nail in the coffin of their marriage. They’d grown apart, just like a lot of young couples.

Kim Shamed Olivia For Her Views

Kim Was Threatened By Olivia’s Influence

As the matriarch of a large family, Kim was used to being in control. When the children got older, Kim sensed she was losing some of that control, which probably scared her and caused her to blame Olivia. Kim never accepted Olivia, and the tension between the two could cut a knife in some seasons. Kim even painted her daughter-in-law into a villain by accusing Olivia of being “filled with evil spirits,” among other things.

Kim had a comment for everything about Olivia, from the way she dressed to the way she lived her life. I’m sure that Olivia felt some sense of vindication when Kim and Barry surprised everyone and announced their own divorce in 2022. In her post-Barry life, it’s interesting to note that Kim herself has been spreading her wings and doing things she traditionally would not have, like dressing more provocatively and being more relaxed as a parent. Kim has also gotten herself into some trouble, like her DUI arrest in 2022, shortly after her divorce from Barry was announced.

The Plaths Were Too Involved In Olivia And Ethan’s Marriage

Barry And Kim Overstepped Their Boundaries

Barry and Kim struggled to cut the cord when it came to Ethan and Olivia’s marriage. They attempted to control their interactions with the other kids, which put Ethan in the position of having to choose. Barry and Kim also tried to turn other people against Olivia, which further isolated Olivia from the family. I still maintain Ethan could have tried harder to deal with his parents and put up boundaries, but I also think he was put in a near-impossible situation by his parents.

As we await news on Welcome to Plathville season 7, I hope that Olivia and Ethan both know they’re better off now. They’ve both moved on, and they shouldn’t regret their marriage, as it shaped them into who they are now. I hope they’ve both found peace and can look back at their time together with love and use their experience to become better people.

Welcome to Plathville seasons 1-6 are available to stream on Discovery.