What is TLC's Obsession with Commitment Ceremonies?

[lizziesmom]

First it was Jon and Kate's renewal of their vows in Hawaii (followed by the divorce within a year). Last season Honey Boo Boo did it. Now on tomorrow night's finale of Sister Wives they are having this big shingdig with a couple of hundred gifts. (oops Freudian slip, I meant to type guests). Is this going to be some kind of group marriage ceremony or what? I just do not get it. Anyway, the way this usually works the people 'committing' often throw in the towel shortly thereafter so maybe Janelle will get out. What you think?

[Coconut Flan]

TLC has a "play book" for their family series. Each family kind of goes through the same things once their regular lives have yielded all the episodes possible. Go to Disney was on the list until Disney tired of it. Tour the local attractions, go an RV trip (Brown families have too many?), go overseas, commitment (fake wedding) ceremony, go camping, etc.

[Rachel333]

The Duggars did it too, didn't they?

[Mary C Doates]

TLC has a "play book" for their family series. Each family kind of goes through the same things once their regular lives have yielded all the episodes possible. Go to Disney was on the list until Disney tired of it. Tour the local attractions, go an RV trip (Brown families have too many?), go overseas, commitment (fake wedding) ceremony, go camping, etc.

Dental work. 19K&K is good for at least one trip to the dentist and/or orthodontist per season. Surprised TLC hasn't resorted to this with the Browns yet--lots of kids, lots of teeth.

[ljohnson2006]

TLC wants us to think that their couples will last forever. Didn't Matt and Amy Roloff also renew their vows? I'm surprised that Bill and Jen haven't been forced, I mean asked to renew their vows on TV.

[PennySycamore]

Not on TLC, but Bravo's RHoNY's Ramona Singer had a vow renewal ceremony. Ramona's now getting divorced from Mario 'cause he was cheating.

[salex]

I think it is like Soap Operas used to be (haven't seen one in 3 decades) and that is every once in a while there has to be a big party that supposedly means something--wedding. The reality shows have a lot of parties anyway-- dinner parties, girls night parties, vacations to someplace exotic, and they've tried charity parties or opening night partes so the hoi polloi can see how the 1 percent lives (Or, alleged one percent-- how many bankruptcies do we see of "Real" housewives??)

The times they have had charity events they have had to do some pretty lame gigs, because anything real and established tends to not want to let a bunch of people with a history of televised fighting film at a long established charity event. (I wouldn't like it) So, how else to get the cool clothing, big crowd, sense of elegance for these "real" people than to put them in yet another unreal situation. I go to dinner parties, girls nights out, cocktail parties, and charity events and have yet to be at one that ended up with screaming, yelling or the cops being called. I guess I just don't know enough "real" housewives.

[Becket70]

I realize TLC is in it for the money but I don't get how their executives sleep at night knowing almost everything they show is pure drek. They can't possibly be proud of their programming. Forget the days of my youth... this is what Newton Minnow meant by his "Television is a vast wasteland" comment.

(I exempt The Little Couple from TLC drekness)

[ljohnson2006]

Bravo will give you a spin off for a wedding. Bethenny, Kim Zolciak and Nene all got one.

[salex]

Bravo will give you a spin off for a wedding. Bethenny, Kim Zolciak and Nene all got one.

And I have never figured out who would watch any of these women? What is remotely interesting about them? I acknowledge some Real Housewives have been on my office tv at home while I"ve been doing mundane task work-- but these 3 are among the least appealing, from what I remember. I heard/saw a headline that Kim Zolciak married some football player and had several children immediately-- my cynical self assumes she plans to live on child support in a couple of years.

[ADoyle90815]

The Duggars did it too, didn't they?

They not only did a vow renewal, but they got to be on an episode of "Say Yes to the Dress" which is also on TLC.

[HereticHick]

I think Jessa Duggar has at least a 50% chance of being on "Say Yes to the Dress" as well

[nana sew dear]

I think Jessa Duggar has at least a 50% chance of being on "Say Yes to the Dress" as well

Maybe they can unload some of their less attractive, less stylish dresses to the fundie crowd for full price. What would really be interesting would be to see a young, talented wedding dress designer come from one of these families. I don't count on it happening though because for a girl that would be a career and it would lead a young man into dangerous pecan defrauding behavior. :wink-kitty:

[Cleopatra7]

And I have never figured out who would watch any of these women? What is remotely interesting about them? I acknowledge some Real Housewives have been on my office tv at home while I"ve been doing mundane task work-- but these 3 are among the least appealing, from what I remember. I heard/saw a headline that Kim Zolciak married some football player and had several children immediately-- my cynical self assumes she plans to live on child support in a couple of years.

I think people just watch them just to see cat-fights and passive-agressive bitchiness. Thirty years ago, people watched shows like "Dynasty" and "Dallas" for that kind of thing. Now they watch reality shows.

[silverspoons]

I think TLC uses it when nothing else is going on to have a theme for the whole season of the show.

Sister wives Commitment ceremony vs honey boo boo's season is an epic fail IMO.

I have mixed feelings about Honey boo boo (and this new season is unwatchable), but the commitment ceremony season was something funny and light to watch. While I'm sure TLC picked places for the Boo family to visit, their reactions were natural. June trying on dresses or getting a new bra, Sugarbear getting his tux, them taking dance lessons, or meeting with a wedding planner was comedy, not the greed we have seen on Jon and Kate or sister wives.

Kody picking out a $8500 cake in the same episode his daughter is crying about paying for college and his other daughter is left out in the 100 degree Vegas heat dehydrated to the point to renal failure does not make for fun wedding planning. We already saw them do the whole wedding planning for Robyn, it is just a repeat on a higher budget. You would think with 5 adults and 17 kids they could have some other storylines besides a commitment celebration.

[artdecades]

Not on TLC, but Bravo's RHoNY's Ramona Singer had a vow renewal ceremony. Ramona's now getting divorced from Mario 'cause he was cheating.

Vicki Gunvalsson from RHoOC had one too and is getting a divorce. Still married housewives couples who have had renewals on the show are Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd, Cynthia Bailey and Peter Thomas (they just got married like a couple years ago and their marriage is terrible), Teresa and Joe Guidice (lol)

If Bravo can't get at least one wedding in per housewives season, they try and cram a vow renewal in there.

[salex]

I think people just watch them just to see cat-fights and passive-agressive bitchiness. Thirty years ago, people watched shows like "Dynasty" and "Dallas" for that kind of thing. Now they watch reality shows.

Makes sense. But these women make JR Ewing look like a philanthropist.

[PennySycamore]

I completely forgot about Vicki! Teresa and Joe might not end up divorced, but they might end up in prison.

[artdecades]

I completely forgot about Vicki! Teresa and Joe might not end up divorced, but they might end up in prison.

I hope both of them go away. He is clearly trying to get her to walk away clean by taking all the blame (trying to make a deal if she gets off, severing the trials, giving interviews where he says she had nothing to do with anything) but I don't believe it for a second.

Apollo Nida is also likely going away for a long time, but I think Phaedra has the sense to divorce his ass first.

[Smoochie]

TLC has a "play book" for their family series. Each family kind of goes through the same things once their regular lives have yielded all the episodes possible. Go to Disney was on the list until Disney tired of it. Tour the local attractions, go an RV trip (Brown families have too many?), go overseas, commitment (fake wedding) ceremony, go camping, etc.

Actually they had their road/RV Trip too. Went to visit where their 'founder' Joseph Smith was killed, in I believe, Illinois somewhere.

[Iokaste]

Strange thing is to me, that I find myself less likely to watch the "special" episodes, the more staged the less I care.

What fascinates me about the Duggars and the Browns is their everyday life, because that is when the strangeness of them really becomes clear. The more normal the activity, cooking, schooling, shopping, just the logistics of everyday life but then on steroids because of family size, those are the episodes I like.

I'm not watching the Duggars to "learn" about Japanese culture or see them race each other to find local food they can make fun of. I watch because I'm curious about how life works in such a big family, that supposedly share my faith, but has gone down a very, very different way of manifesting that faith in their lives.

TLC needs to stop trying to make things happen and imposing "storylines" and trips and events, and get back to just filming these families getting on with their lives.

[Swamptribe]

I'm just curious to see how the Duggars try to outdo the Bates weddings when Bessa or who ever get hitched. they are so obsessed with competing with each other. Are they going to send out 1000 invitations? Have 24 attendants? Will Gothard not only show up, but do a reading?

[lizziesmom]

I would love to see TLC get away from the forced 'drama' of the scripted reality shows and do true documentaries showing day to day lives, warts and all. Unfortunately I'm afraid the days of objective tv docs are behind us.

[salex]

I'm just curious to see how the Duggars try to outdo the Bates weddings when Bessa or who ever get hitched. they are so obsessed with competing with each other. Are they going to send out 1000 invitations? Have 24 attendants? Will Gothard not only show up, but do a reading?

Maybe Gothard will wash the brides feet...

[ILoveJellybeans]

Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew ew

That is the most horrible thing ever. He would love that far too much. Touching the feet of a pretty woman young enough to be his granddaughter? He would probably not accept that offer though, unless it was private, it would be very awkward walking back to his seat with a boner.