Counting On: Season Four

[Iamtheway]

On 2017-05-12 at 1:23 PM, VelociRapture said:

And did you hear about Jana? She's joined a biker gang, does shots of whiskey, and runs a risqué bar out of the family's warehouse (waitresses are required to wear knee-baring skirts or Bermuda shorts, paired with defrauding v-neck shirts. Scandalous!!!!)

This will be in the tabloids soon. They will write ”fans are talking about it”. 

[calimojo]

I think what they meant is that having Josh on would give a temporary spike in ratings or viewership, but it wouldn't sustain higher ratiings in the long run, unless of course they perhaps did a true documentarian deep dive into the horror of the cult.  That would get ratings, but for some reason TLC lacks courage to actually do that.

They are passive aggressive in showing the life in the most boring way possible, but they never actually put any teeth into the project. 

Honestly,  there is a way that a large and quirky family could be entertaining, but Counting on is far from that.

I would love to see TLC bring in new producers and actually do more of an expose' or just more honest look at the life. Film how they truly live, not scripted bullshit.  I think it would be interesting to film an entire 18 hour day, and follow what happens from Morning until bedtime.  Edit it, follow some of the older kids to their 'jobs',  watch them get breakfast organized, how they round up the littles for school time, when they practice their violins (does the younger half even play violin like the older half did?), etc.  They could cover a day in the life over the course of a couple of episodes. 

If the boys are really working, show that.  If Jana really is running the home, show that.  If Michelle is really hanging on to reality by a thread, show that.  If JB really is controlling, show that, etc.  That would be interesting.  What exactly does John David do all day?  Is he flying alot still?  Show it,  show what he does.  Show how the finances work for the older kids,  be transparent about how they get paid.  Or are we all supposed to think it is perfectly normal for 28 or 29 years olds to just get an allowance from daddy when they have been good?

If Michelle and JB take out a couple of kids for honest special time show the having actual conversations that real people might actually have.  Once in a while ,we get a glimpse of some spontaneity so why not show that more?  This seems to be the key to the success of the Bates show in that they have more life, more spontaneity in their interactions and thus seem more like normal people  (yes, I know wolves in sheeps clothing, but still more interesting to watch). 

I can tell you as a parent,  there are a lot of moving parts when you have teens and young adults.  The whole launch thing is tough, the navigating between mothering and supporting and stepping back to let them figure it out is a trial and error.  There are no great guidebooks on how to do that.  It could make for interesting TV. 

I would love to see an show where Jessa shows up to drop off her kids so she and ben can go to Tacos 4 life and Michelle greats them at the door and says, No,  Your kids, your problem.  You need to grow up and plan ahead and hire/arrange for a babysitter like everyone else. You can't just run over here constantly and expect us to be available at the drop of a hat.  We are happy to help out sometimes, but it should never be assumed that this is a drop off day care for your convenience.  ( I would actually die if Michelle ever said anything that assertive ever, but it would certainly be interesting). 

I would like to see Jana tell mom and Dad- I am going on a trip to visit a friend of mine and will be back in a week.  Have fun. And that film what it is like for Michelle to have coordinate the household. 

I would like to see Jinger spending more time with some of Jeremy's more mainstream friends, sitting with them as they sip on some wine, maybe even trying some.  Or deciding she has enough time on her hands that she is going to take some adult ed classes at a local community college.  SHe could probably take Spanish, photography, and all running an in home business, etc. 

Let Jinger, if she wants, actually have an honest conversation about what it was like to move away from home and be on her own with just Jeremy.  Even if that is what she has been dreaming of, it still must have taken time to adjust.  That would be interesting and interesting to hear about from Jeremy's perspective as well.  That alone could be an interesting episode, just showing Jinger learning how to navigate around Laredo, how to plan her time when she is alone, how it felt to be so restrictive during courtship and engagement to suddenly be married and intimate.  Show how she is figuring out on her own to run a household, or how she is making new friends and acquaintances.  I would love for some of the kidults to be asked in a Talking head, what things from background do they feel they will continue to honor and what things do they seem themselves changing or moving away from ?    For example,  we see Jessa and Ben listening to more modern music.  that would be interesting to me to have Jessa be truly honest about how she was raised that Modern music was full of sin and temptation, but now that she is older, and has listened to it, she disagrees with her parents on that issue.  It is normal for us to disagree with some aspects of our parent's values, etc, even if we stay close to them.  

 

 

[onekidanddone]

I saw an impostor Jill-Jessa at Wegman's today. She had on a very similar black and white striped skirt and briefly entertained the idea of snapping a photo. But that would be kind of creepy stalker so I got my order of lunch meat and went on my way.

[VelociRapture]

3 hours ago, Iamtheway said:

This will be in the tabloids soon. They will write ”fans are talking about it”. 

I wouldn't even be angry if this happened. Might give TLC an idea for an actually interesting story line. 

Though, knowing TLC and the Duggars, it'd be more like:

Jana wants to open a cafe named "Jesus Juice", but Jessa and <insert random brothers here> think that "Coffee4Life" is way better. Tune in for twenty minutes of recaps and obnoxious talking heads with the actual debate over the cafe name squeezed into the last two minutes!"

[motelmum]

@calimojo I would honestly watch all of that, heck I would watch an episode where the producers (or who ever decides stuff like this) bans those wearisome platitudes they speak in. If I hear one more Laid-it-on-her-heart or she- has- a -heart-for- the- lord or Season-of-life...uggg

[emscm]

@onekidanddone just needed to give a nod to your excellent taste in grocery stores.

[CatchThatCow]

Today I watched a clip of Josh and Anna's engagement because I was curious. I knew he brought her balloons. There was another clip after. I could not believe how often he talked about trust, honesty, faithfulness, purity, etc. Knowing what we all know now, it was kind of gag-inducing. He was so smooth and earnest, and I couldn't help thinking that he must be one hell of a liar. To be fair, maybe at that time he meant it and thought he could live up to it. But I don't want to see him on TV and I would have a hard time believing any apology was genuine. 

[onekidanddone]

18 hours ago, emscm said:

@onekidanddone just needed to give a nod to your excellent taste in grocery stores.

Wegman's catered our wedding.  Big platters food ranging from sushi to chicken fingers.  I pass a string of grocery stores to get to Wegmans but the longer drive is so worth it.

[2manyKidzzz]

Love Wegmans. My little book club even meets there. Love it. 

[emscm]

27 minutes ago, onekidanddone said:

Wegman's catered our wedding.  Big platters food ranging from sushi to chicken fingers.  I pass a string of grocery stores to get to Wegmans but the longer drive is so worth it.

That sounds so amazing. They have the best prepared food in their cafe. We have one with a sit-down pub too, and I've heard it's amazing. 

My husband worked in their cheese shop for years and even now it is still the job he wishes he could have done as a career. 

[2manyKidzzz]

I was chatting with a checker and I'm pretty sure she said she worked part time, maybe 30 hours and got benefits. And they have donuts. 

[BadMammaJana]

Wegmans is on the east coast, right? I guess I can look forward to shopping there if we get stationed out there.

[VelociRapture]

2 minutes ago, BadMammaJana said:

Wegmans is on the east coast, right? I guess I can look forward to shopping there if we get stationed out there.

New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania have them. I'm in Connecticut and never heard of them before. Poor little Nutmeg state. 

[PumaLover]

I am really looking forward to seeing Jinger this season. I think it was Calimojo who mentioned that it would be interesting to see how Jinge is adjusting to life away from her family and getting used to a new city and state. My current goal in life is to also move to a new city and state on my own, away from friends and family, so that is especially appealing to me.

And sorry to bring up the pants/shorts one last time-I wonder if they'll show or mention them?

[CorruptionInc.]

3 hours ago, CatchThatCow said:

Today I watched a clip of Josh and Anna's engagement because I was curious. I knew he brought her balloons. There was another clip after. I could not believe how often he talked about trust, honesty, faithfulness, purity, etc. Knowing what we all know now, it was kind of gag-inducing. He was so smooth and earnest, and I couldn't help thinking that he must be one hell of a liar. To be fair, maybe at that time he meant it and thought he could live up to it. But I don't want to see him on TV and I would have a hard time believing any apology was genuine. 

Hiding in plain sight is a very clever and manipulative technique.
 

[Four is Enough]

But, in all honesty, who on this forum talked about trust, honesty, faithfullness, purity, etc. right after they got engaged? I remember saying I knew Mr. Four could be someone I lived with till we got old,... not, "he has a heart for Jesus"... although I did know that because we were able to actually talk to each other.

[JMO]

Josh was also re-brainwashed as part of his first Jesus jail stint. He said those things because he needed to. Both to convince others as and even more importantly to convince himself that he was reformed.  

[neurogirl]

My family lived on the east coast for 11 years before moving to the midwest 6 years ago, and my mom STILL talks about how much she misses Wegmans. Their subs were awesome too!

[emscm]

4 hours ago, 2manyKidzzz said:

I was chatting with a checker and I'm pretty sure she said she worked part time, maybe 30 hours and got benefits. And they have donuts. 

Yeah they consistently end up on lists of top companies in the US to work for. 

Also my husband claims they have the best coconut donut in the world. I, on the other hand, have never met a donut I didn't like. 

4 hours ago, BadMammaJana said:

Wegmans is on the east coast, right? I guess I can look forward to shopping there if we get stationed out there.

Yes, mostly in Western New York where it was started. Kind of sparse through the rest of New York State, and then in the other states where they have locations they are mostly in big metro areas (huge D.C. suburbs, Fredericksburg, VA, etc.)

[2manyKidzzz]

@emscm I currently favor the vanilla iced glazed. Haven't seen the coconut, will have to look for that. I do love a donut. Or two. 

[SilverBeach]

5 hours ago, emscm said:

That sounds so amazing. They have the best prepared food in their cafe. We have one with a sit-down pub too, and I've heard it's amazing. 

My husband worked in their cheese shop for years and even now it is still the job he wishes he could have done as a career. 

This sounds like Marianos around here. I have never ventured past the prepared food section, it is amazing. Also gourmet coffee, and gelato, for cheap. Nice eat-in area. It's destination shopping.

[candygirl200413]

When we got our wegman's in PA I was really mad at my mom and we weren't talking until she saw the Wegmans and asked if I wanted to stop by. Afterwards with their wonderful food I am now always convince that Wegman's brings people together.

I was jealous when I went to school in VA how close of a drive it was in comparison to the one at home.

[Bad Wolf]

I'm going to be in Arlington next month. Is there a Wegmans nearby? It sounds like my kind of place.

[subsaharanafrica]

2 hours ago, Bad Wolf said:

I'm going to be in Arlington next month. Is there a Wegmans nearby? It sounds like my kind of place.

Will you have a car? There is one at Potomac Mills. 

[WiseGirl]

And for the gluten free among us, Wegmans has an amazing selection, I believe one of the owner's wives has celiac disease therefore the great selection. I always visit Wegmans in New Jersey when I visit my parents.