'Sister Wives' shows that in TLC's programming formula, it's all relative

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.

Looking to replenish its families-with-a-bajillion-kids programming thread -- hey, "Jon & Kate Plus 8" is kaput and the mom of "19 Kids & Counting" has to be running out of eggs -- cable network TLC has purchased seven episodes of a new reality series about polygamists.

TLC is calling it "Sister Wives," to drive home the point that the women are all really fine with the arrangement.

"Sister Wives" is about a Utah guy named Kody, who had had three wives for 15 years who are now in their 40s, and recently added No. 4, who has three children of her own from a previous marriage.

TLC wanted TV critics to know that he married all three of his first three wives before having children with them -- but of course only the first marriage is legal in this country.

"I just fell in love and I fell in love again," Kody is heard saying in the clips shown to critics Friday.

Kody decided to do a series about his family on national TV because he didn't want to keep it secret anymore. On the other hand, he would acknowledge only that he lives in Utah and refused to say where in the state, thinking that once this show debuts, he'll be able to keep that secret.

Kody is not just very naive, he swings like a pendulum.

During a Q&A session Friday at the Summer TV Press Tour 2010, Kody and his four wives seemed somewhat taken aback when one critic noted that after a polygamist named Tom Green went on national TV, he wound up going to jail.

"That's not us at all," Wife No. 4 said.

"But it is illegal," the scribe persisted, "and when Tom Green went on television . . . "