The Stepford Wives/YMMV

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The book, the original film and its sequels

• Alternate Character Interpretation:
  • It's unclear when Walter found out about Stepford's true intentions, and when he was persuaded. There are hints that the Men's Association persuaded him that it was a good idea, hence his crying drunk by the fireplace. On the other hand, there are hints that the Men's Association specifically recruits men that want to get rid of their wives, so it could be Walt is having second thoughts.
  • In the book, the previous owners of the house where Joanna and Walter move, the Pilgrims, are said to have moved to Canada. But why? Given that everyone who moves to Stepford wants to kill and replace their wives, it's hinted that when the Pilgrims got wind of it, they noped out and ran for it. Or they never moved, were killed, and their bodies are where the other Stepford wives are, in unmarked graves.
  • The original movie ending is ambiguous about if the cycle is going to repeat with the black couple who moved to Stepford as they fight in the grocery store. On the one hand, marginalized groups dealing with oppression may not recognize when they are being
• Hilarious in Hindsight: In the book, Joanna says she and Walter bought their house from a couple called Pilgrim, who lived there for two months before moving to Canada.
• It Was His Sled: The Robotic Reveal of the original was the film's shocking surprise ending. Thirty years later, when the phrase "Stepford Wife" had entered the lexicon, the remake assumed audience familiarity with the concept and played it for laughs.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • "I thought we were friends! I was just going to give you coffee!"
  • The eyes on Joanna's unfinished robot double. GREAT NINJA JESUS, THE EYES.
• Values Dissonance:
  • A few of the wives raise their husbands' ire because they want careers outside the home. In the 2020s, thanks to inflation and the increased cost of living, being a stay-at-home mom is not an option for most women in a hetero relationship.
  • In the 1960s and 70s, no-fault divorce was not an option. Thus, Joanna and Walter just can't get a divorce and keep their relationship healthier for the sake of their kids. Charmaine and Bobbi have the same issue, despite not being happy in their marriages. The 2004 remake acknowledges that Walter has threatened to divorce Joanna, and moving to Stepford is their last-ditch attempt to save their marriage.
  • Some viewers may question that, if the men want a submissive Trophy Wife that obeys all their orders, why they don't stay single or dump their partners for a hot bod, the way that Jeff Bezos dumped his wife for a younger woman. They could also use the robots without the subterfuge, maybe even selling them to single people that need help with housework considering that full-time work doesn't allow for this. During the time period, casual affairs and premarital sex faced lots of stigma in conservative circles. In the twenty-first century, the men seem downright petty and even worse that they want to Kill and Replace their partners.
• Values Resonance: The idea of a romantic partner wanting to control and break their significant other remains terrifying. There are entire Internet forums, including on Reddit, dedicated to helping men, women, and nonbinary people identify red flags in a relationship and helping them escape before it becomes entrapment.