Even after her divorce, Welcome To Plathville's Olivia Plath can’t stop talking about her ex-husband’s family. Olivia was previously married to Ethan Plath, the oldest son of Kim Plath and Barry Plath. When the show premiered, Olivia and Ethan were young newlyweds learning to navigate life together after being raised in extremely restrictive, religious households. Olivia encouraged Ethan to break away from his parents’ rules and try new things, from drinking soda to getting tattoos. Unfortunately, Ethan’s marriage strained his relationship with his family.

Kim and Barry judged Olivia as a bad influence on Ethan. They ostracized Olivia and even restricted her interactions with the younger Plath children. Olivia drew a firm boundary with the Plaths, leaving Ethan in the middle of his family and his wife. When Ethan was ready to make amends with his family, his marriage subsequently suffered. Ethan and Olivia accepted that they were growing up on different paths and decided to divorce at the end of season 5. Now, as Ethan reels from his heartbreak in Welcome to Plathville season 6, Olivia isn’t holding back about her feelings towards the Plaths.

Olivia Keeps Talking About The Plaths (& Not In A Good Way)

She’s Chasing Clout By Putting Them Down

Even though Olivia is no longer married to Ethan, she continues to talk about his family. Olivia appeared throughout Welcome To Plathville season 6, flaunting her single lifestyle and self-exploration. She even filmed a scene hanging out with former friends of Ethan’s brother, Micah Plath, a move that came across as overstepping. Olivia may have plenty of negative feelings about the Plath family, but that hasn’t stopped her from being part of the family’s show and associating with the same people they do.

Olivia continues to talk about the Plaths outside the show as well. She frequently reflects on episodes after they air, often stating how happy she is to be free from their grip. Olivia recently appeared on The Sarah Fraser Show podcast, where she was asked about former mother-in-law Kim’s DUI. Olivia itted there are many things she’s “tempted to say” but thought it would be better to remain silent. Although she puts on an act of restraint, Olivia’s appearance on the podcast and dancing around these issues proves her lack of loyalty to her former family.

Olivia’s conviction and boundaries made her a refreshing presence in Welcome To Plathville. But now that she’s divorced from Ethan, it’s arrogant of Olivia to continue profiting off the Plath family. If she intended to distance herself from the Plaths, she would stop talking about them and filming their show. Olivia is instead taking advantage of the negative press towards the family, using her position to gain attention while putting herself above Kim and the rest of the Plaths.

Olivia's Smug In Her New Relationship With Brendan

Is She Rubbing Her Romance In Ethan’s Face?

While Ethan has had a somber disposition since the divorce, Olivia’s brief period of mourning was followed by enthusiasm about starting over. She spent most of season 6 talking about her dating life after divorce, even filming at bars and speed dating. Olivia lamented how her lack of experience made her socially awkward. Yet she still spoke about casual dating, one-night stands, and a mysterious new man in her life.

At the end of the season, Olivia introduced her new boyfriend, Brendan. After playing coy and focusing on her dating exploits, Olivia decided to commit to Brendan and make their relationship public. While Olivia seems happy with Brendan, their scenes together were slightly cringey. The couple’s affection at times felt forced, especially when Olivia kept pointing out how Brendan was so much more open about his feelings than Ethan.

Ethan was still picking up the pieces of his life, while Olivia and Brendan were traveling together and getting matching tattoos.

Olivia’s attitude in Welcome To Plathville changed along with her new relationship. She started the season by pondering her future and voicing her discomfort with the dating scene, but by the end of the season, she came off as smug. Ethan was still picking up the pieces of his life, while Olivia and Brendan were traveling together and getting matching tattoos. It felt disrespectful of Olivia to be gloating about her relationship on a show about Ethan’s family. Olivia’s ego was boosted by her new romance, and she adopted an air of superiority.

Olivia Strung Ethan Along During The Divorce

She Knew Their Marriage Would Never Last

Ethan and Olivia’s relationship was up and down from the start. They loved each other but got married so young they barely even knew themselves. Ethan and Olivia’s marriage faced several rocky periods, including a trial separation. After they got back together, Olivia seemed more accepting of Ethan’s guarded personality. While Olivia craved adventure, Ethan was a homebody who preferred working on his cars. She gave her marriage another try despite these differences, giving Ethan the impression she accepted him as he was.

Even after they reunited, Olivia was never truly happy with Ethan. She pushed him to live life on her , getting a tattoo, traveling to Europe, and moving from Georgia to Minnesota. Ethan cooperated to please Olivia, but then she was upset that he never seemed happy. Olivia tried to push Ethan to be somebody he wasn’t, and she was upset when he didn’t change.

Olivia probably knew for years that her marriage wouldn’t last. She itted she was scared of being alone and had to work up the courage to divorce Ethan. Olivia should have been clear about her feelings instead of leading Ethan on. She allowed him to think she was happy with him when she was constantly seeking more. Since their divorce, Olivia has acted like she’s better than Ethan. Despite always needing to have her thoughts heard, she criticized Ethan’s letter to her, shrugging off the feelings he expressed because, in her opinion, it was too little, too late.

Olivia's Revenge Makeover Shows Her Newfound Confidence

Her New Look Symbolizes The Changes In Her Life

As Olivia started her life over after her divorce, she also updated her appearance. Olivia debuted a new hairstyle in September 2024, cutting her long hair into a fresh bob. She looks stunning with the new style, and it's emblematic of the confidence and freedom she’s found since her divorce.

Olivia turned her life upside down since leaving Ethan. She embraced being single and sought to challenge her limited understanding of human sexuality. Olivia moved across the country, first to Los Angeles, then to the East Coast to be closer to Brendan. Olivia’s new appearance is yet another sign of the changes in her life.

While Olivia’s search for happiness should be applauded, at times it comes across as too strong. By constantly reminding viewers how unhappy she was with Ethan, she’s boosting her fame while putting Ethan and his family down. Olivia’s outspoken feelings against the Plath family border on clout chasing, as her continued appearance in Welcome To Plathville lets her profit off the family’s tribulations. Olivia may have finally found peace in her new life, but it would benefit her to take time away from the spotlight and give her ego a break.

Welcome to Plathville airs Tuesday at 10 pm ET on TLC.

Sources: The Sarah Fraser Show/Instagram, Olivia Plath/Instagram