Counting on Season 11: TLC Manufactured Drama While Waiting for Life Events

[Bobology]

35 minutes ago, Cat Damon said:

Interesting that the "BREAKOUT STARS" Jinger and Jeremy weren't featured at all.

LOL. But you DID see that Jinger was included in Kendra's birthing "stream" (Bwa-haaaaa) and her praying hands emoji text, while not featured, was at least included in a supporting role a couple of times, right?

[Cat Damon]

@Bobology Ha! I did notice that, I also noticed that Hannie (I think? or one of the younger girls) was texting- didn't they have stricter rules in the past for their kids having cell phones or am I imagining that?  Or am I thinking of my own house? Where I wasn't allowed to have a cell phone until I got my license and was told "I don't care if you're on the phone with the Pope himself, if I call you, you better answer".

My parents weren't really hard asses, but they were paying for the phone and that was in the good old days of paying for minutes and texting didn't really exist... all the way back in 2005.

Edited March 31, 2021 by Cat Damon
grammar

[Mama Mia]

2 hours ago, Babysitter said:

I wonder if part of the more religious talk in the episode was a message to their kids, not the TV show audience. JB's losing his control on some of them, and that hurts him, so he needs to up his control and manipulation, be it money means or more Jesus, ie did we mention all the ways you're sinning by not listening and not doing exactly what I say because I am saying what Jesus is saying. Also, look how bad we were and now we changed and followed God and got better and you must do the same. Isn't our testimony great? You too, need a testimony to prove you really love Jesus.

They've lost Jill near completely in their eyes, they consider Jinger as having strayed to some extent too with her city life. Not sure what went down with Justin but he bounced off to Texas, even if he is in David Waller's church. He didn't stray far, but he sure left Duggar control. Josiah and Lauren weren't in the episode, so maybe there is something off there too. Whatever's happening with Jed/Katey is a little weird. If the kids still at home are watching some of their siblings leave and be okay and even happier we get some unhappy Duggar parents losing control. So they up the ante on Jesus and remind them how they're terrible sinners who will rot in hell even if once beloved sibling x is doing something different. The younger kids can't do the same. 

I agree the extra Jesus could have been aimed at their kids, but to me it came across more pleading than threatening. Like, see kids! Jesus loves you! We love you! No parent is perfect! You know how hard it is now that you have kids! Come bacccckkkkkkk to us (and our brand of Jesus) 

[SassyPants]

Wow, as the years go by, Jessa looks more and more like Jim Bob. So.many.grandkids-

3 hours ago, Satan'sFortress said:

I was going to say something similar, but you said it much better than I would have! So. Odd. 

I have brought this up here before, but I do not get the eating of the religious symbols.  I was out somewhere this weekend and saw a crucifix cookie cutter and cake pan. WTF?  Yummy!!! The cross on which Jesus died a torturous death tastes like frosting!!!

Wait...was Jesus on the cutter? If not, it was a cross not a crucifix. I don’t think the two symbols have the exact same meaning, but I could be wrong.

[Audrey2]

8 hours ago, Mama Mia said:

Multiple attempts of the younger girls struggling to say “yellow Angel pocket eggs” or WTF ever Michelle was saying she called them.

Is that like saying "rubber baby buggy bumpers"?

[Satan'sFortress]

1 hour ago, SassyPants said:

Wow, as the years go by, Jessa looks more and more like Jim Bob. So.many.grandkids-

Wait...was Jesus on the cutter? If not, it was a cross not a crucifix. I don’t think the two symbols have the exact same meaning, but I could be wrong.

No Jesus on the cutter. Fair point, but still weird to me.

[sansan]

14 hours ago, Sweet Caroline said:

And don’t pretend that you have always called deviled eggs “Angel Eggs” when Jessa keeps slipping up and calling them deviled eggs. 

I thought this also. It seemed like Jessa was doing a “in your face” to Michelle with the stupid named deviled eggs. I guess they have never had Deviled Ham either. Can you imagine the talks the married in-laws tell their families about the weird stuff that happens inside this family? I bet Abbie, Kendra and Austin have had deviled eggs before marrying into this ridiculous family.

Edited April 1, 2021 by sansan

[marmalade]

Good news. The ratings were about half of what a normal episode gets. I wonder if an actual season is slated to be filmed?

[baldricks_turnip]

I've been reading all the speculation about the weird vibe of the recent special being due to JB taking more control and wanting more proselytizing, or angling for a more religious show on another network, or trying to prove something to Jill and Derrick. I could see any of these as being true but I wonder something else: is there growing dissent amount the Duggar children? Many of the adult children weren't featured. The underage kids barely tried to hide the fact they didn't want to be there. Jessa's flat demeanor may be due to depression as many have surmised, but maybe its also disenchantment with always having to be front and centre and having to trot out her kids for wholesome activities? I think its possible the lack of coverage of Justin's wedding and Jed's courtship may be because they are not willing to play along. Maybe Jill's defection has planted seeds of discontent with the siblings?

[Jrodseyeliner]

22 minutes ago, baldricks_turnip said:

I've been reading all the speculation about the weird vibe of the recent special being due to JB taking more control and wanting more proselytizing, or angling for a more religious show on another network, or trying to prove something to Jill and Derrick. I could see any of these as being true but I wonder something else: is there growing dissent amount the Duggar children? Many of the adult children weren't featured. The underage kids barely tried to hide the fact they didn't want to be there. Jessa's flat demeanor may be due to depression as many have surmised, but maybe its also disenchantment with always having to be front and centre and having to trot out her kids for wholesome activities? I think its possible the lack of coverage of Justin's wedding and Jed's courtship may be because they are not willing to play along. Maybe Jill's defection has planted seeds of discontent with the siblings?

One can only hope and pray... 

[AprilQuilt]

13 hours ago, Babysitter said:

I wonder if part of the more religious talk in the episode was a message to their kids, not the TV show audience. JB's losing his control on some of them, and that hurts him, so he needs to up his control and manipulation, be it money means or more Jesus, ie did we mention all the ways you're sinning by not listening and not doing exactly what I say because I am saying what Jesus is saying. Also, look how bad we were and now we changed and followed God and got better and you must do the same. Isn't our testimony great? You too, need a testimony to prove you really love Jesus.

They've lost Jill near completely in their eyes, they consider Jinger as having strayed to some extent too with her city life. Not sure what went down with Justin but he bounced off to Texas, even if he is in David Waller's church. He didn't stray far, but he sure left Duggar control. Josiah and Lauren weren't in the episode, so maybe there is something off there too. Whatever's happening with Jed/Katey is a little weird. If the kids still at home are watching some of their siblings leave and be okay and even happier we get some unhappy Duggar parents losing control. So they up the ante on Jesus and remind them how they're terrible sinners who will rot in hell even if once beloved sibling x is doing something different. The younger kids can't do the same. 

This may be the case behind the scenes, but given that TLC/Figure 8 play fast and loose with Duggar life events on the regular, I don't see why they would suddenly produce *this show* that accurately reflected what was going on.

I also don't think they consider any of their children 'lost'. Jinger's lifestyle may be unfamiliar to them but she's very much functioning as the arrow in their quiver she was meant to be. Justin... he's left the compound, and he may well have felt neglected, but he has stayed very much within the faith and the community, and whoever/whenever he married, he'd have been supposed to leave and cleave in theory. If his leaving has created more harmony between them, and he's still very much within their extended network by attending David Waller's church then no, he's not lost at all: they had family troubles and they've fixed them in a Godly manner. I don't think the Jatey! situation is as weird to them as it appears on the outside: we've known of her for a long time and they've always said their children set their own courtship standards, so this might be the way they've chosen to do it. Maybe with some Kory Nakatsu influence. I suspect their silence has more to do with whatever is happening with TLC. The Duggars wouldn't accept these weird optics unless they felt their hands were tied.

Even Jill, who's kicking back against the way she was brought up now - I wonder if they'd regard her as lost? They shouldn't, as good Christians. If they really think she's strayed from Jesus' light they should be working on coaxing her back into the fold: if to them this is just a really painful, divisive personal situation they should be working on forgiving and accepting her. If JB's ego will allow. It speaks volumes that they'll close ranks around an actual child molester, but a daughter who has done absolutely nothing wrong from a moral point of view is ostracised for criticising the brand. This is definitely a really painful rift, possibly moreso for Jill than for them, but the flavour of mainstream conservative Christianity she's moving into is something they may have to be prepared to embrace as more of their kids move towards it. Even Jessa, brand spokesperson, says she's raising her children differently than her parents did and in general aspires to a more boujie, Gaines-y lifestyle. I think in a decade's time the Dillards will be either very low-contact with the Duggar clan, or they'll have been re-assimilated after a few tricky years.

So, in summary, I don't think JB thinks that he is losing control of the kids, because they are for the most part doing what they were supposed to do: being good arrows for Jesus, and towing the Duggar line. He does however seem to be struggling with his control over the show. It was easy during 19KAC when they were mainly minors and mainly under the one roof; it was even easy to start up Counting On with only a few married daughters. But now there are so many kidults moving their lives in different directions, and the show wants to follow them, not JB. Which was kind of the point of Counting On anyway, but he's losing his grip as the patriarch and I think that stresses him out. He wants to be the lynchpin of the show still, and he can do that via Jesus. The kids aren't going to object if they really do see the show as their ministry.

Alternatively, if TLC are uncomfortable with using a load of material that just shows the Duggars getting on with their lives as if Covid is not a thing - no shopping trips, no travelling etc - all that might leave them with is crafts with the kids and prayer circles.

[DalmatianCat]

I still want an episode that reveals their family communication system. Do they just have one massive family group text? I’m imagining something like this...

Time for a new TLC episode...Michelle sends out a text to the family group with all the details...a massive text exchange begins with who can and cannot make it to filming. Forty messages later (all in about 15 minutes), Jill privately messages Michelle that she won’t be at filming, so can she please start a separate thread for the upcoming filming and save the family group for important updates.

Michelle starts a new text chain just for the filming kids. 20 messages in (all in about 5 minutes), Jessa notices Lauren was accidentally left out of this new thread and starts a new thread with Lauren included.

Kendra keeps accidentally texting the wrong group because it’s hard to keep up with which group is the right one.

Lauren finally responds and says she’s going to pass on filming the next episode so she leaves the group.

Abbie finally looks at her phone because she’s been busy playing with Gracie and trying to be in the moment and sees she has 200 unread messages from several family threads. She wishes she could leave the thread like Lauren. Instead she just texts: “Sounds great! Let me know when and where and I’ll be there” and sets her phone to “Do not disturb.”

Austin tells Joy to please tell her family to quit adding him to group messages.

Anna responds to every family thread with all the dates and times she and her kids are available for filming just to make sure no one misses when they’re available.

Jinger finally responds that they’re talking to TLC on their own. Jeremy asks Jinger if he can leave the group message like Lauren did. Jinger isn’t sure, then notices that Jessa didn’t add Ben to the thread she decides it’s ok.

Or do they use the Remind App?

This is what I want to know ?

(Can you tell I’ve been in way too many group messages???)

[MaryOrMartha]

41 minutes ago, DalmatianCat said:

I still want an episode that reveals their family communication system. Do they just have one massive family group text? I’m imagining something like this...

Spoiler

Time for a new TLC episode...Michelle sends out a text to the family group with all the details...a massive text exchange begins with who can and cannot make it to filming. Forty messages later (all in about 15 minutes), Jill privately messages Michelle that she won’t be at filming, so can she please start a separate thread for the upcoming filming and save the family group for important updates.

Michelle starts a new text chain just for the filming kids. 20 messages in (all in about 5 minutes), Jessa notices Lauren was accidentally left out of this new thread and starts a new thread with Lauren included.

Kendra keeps accidentally texting the wrong group because it’s hard to keep up with which group is the right one.

Lauren finally responds and says she’s going to pass on filming the next episode so she leaves the group.

Abbie finally looks at her phone because she’s been busy playing with Gracie and trying to be in the moment and sees she has 200 unread messages from several family threads. She wishes she could leave the thread like Lauren. Instead she just texts: “Sounds great! Let me know when and where and I’ll be there” and sets her phone to “Do not disturb.”

Austin tells Joy to please tell her family to quit adding him to group messages.

Anna responds to every family thread with all the dates and times she and her kids are available for filming just to make sure no one misses when they’re available.

Jinger finally responds that they’re talking to TLC on their own. Jeremy asks Jinger if he can leave the group message like Lauren did. Jinger isn’t sure, then notices that Jessa didn’t add Ben to the thread she decides it’s ok.

Or do they use the Remind App?

This is what I want to know ?

(Can you tell I’ve been in way too many group messages???)

 

I think their communication system consists of Jim Bob saying "hey real quick guys" over the TTH intercom and Michelle's passive aggressively whispering about yellow pocket Angel eggs. The pilots such as JD and... others only speak in aircraft terms. Over.

Edited April 1, 2021 by MaryOrMartha
I forgot there were pilots in the Duggar family. Do you know John David is a pilot?

[nst]

5 hours ago, baldricks_turnip said:

I've been reading all the speculation about the weird vibe of the recent special being due to JB taking more control and wanting more proselytizing, or angling for a more religious show on another network, or trying to prove something to Jill and Derrick. I could see any of these as being true but I wonder something else: is there growing dissent amount the Duggar children? Many of the adult children weren't featured. The underage kids barely tried to hide the fact they didn't want to be there. Jessa's flat demeanor may be due to depression as many have surmised, but maybe its also disenchantment with always having to be front and centre and having to trot out her kids for wholesome activities? I think its possible the lack of coverage of Justin's wedding and Jed's courtship may be because they are not willing to play along. Maybe Jill's defection has planted seeds of discontent with the siblings?

jessa i doubt is depressed. it's her show. This is her life. As I sat there watching her try to entertain her kids with the coloring of the eggs, and being alone with them only (unless she goes to the big house) it's her and toddlers. It's her life. She could act a little more upbeat but again this is jessa. It's what she wants....She has to create the perfect children....

whereas my life is full of work, parents, zooming friends, moving as i did, having 3 suites for rent while i was packing my apartment, 3000 inquiries on facebook about the apts (never doing that again....- craigslist is better) 

Jessa has her own group now with her kids. It's hilarious. but she clearly runs that house....

[viii]

@DalmatianCat that is GOLD!!! 

[candygirl200413]

Curiosity got to the best of me and apparently on the iphone you can only have 32 on face time and 25 on the group chat!

Edited April 1, 2021 by candygirl200413
Read too quickly

[SassyPants]

6 hours ago, DalmatianCat said:

I still want an episode that reveals their family communication system. Do they just have one massive family group text? I’m imagining something like this...

Time for a new TLC episode...Michelle sends out a text to the family group with all the details...a massive text exchange begins with who can and cannot make it to filming. Forty messages later (all in about 15 minutes), Jill privately messages Michelle that she won’t be at filming, so can she please start a separate thread for the upcoming filming and save the family group for important updates.

Michelle starts a new text chain just for the filming kids. 20 messages in (all in about 5 minutes), Jessa notices Lauren was accidentally left out of this new thread and starts a new thread with Lauren included.

Kendra keeps accidentally texting the wrong group because it’s hard to keep up with which group is the right one.

Lauren finally responds and says she’s going to pass on filming the next episode so she leaves the group.

Abbie finally looks at her phone because she’s been busy playing with Gracie and trying to be in the moment and sees she has 200 unread messages from several family threads. She wishes she could leave the thread like Lauren. Instead she just texts: “Sounds great! Let me know when and where and I’ll be there” and sets her phone to “Do not disturb.”

Austin tells Joy to please tell her family to quit adding him to group messages.

Anna responds to every family thread with all the dates and times she and her kids are available for filming just to make sure no one misses when they’re available.

Jinger finally responds that they’re talking to TLC on their own. Jeremy asks Jinger if he can leave the group message like Lauren did. Jinger isn’t sure, then notices that Jessa didn’t add Ben to the thread she decides it’s ok.

Or do they use the Remind App?

This is what I want to know ?

(Can you tell I’ve been in way too many group messages???)

Abbie...I am Abbie in the family chat!

[Johannah]

2 hours ago, candygirl200413 said:

Curiosity got to the best of me and apparently on the iphone you can only have 32 on face time and 25 on the group chat!

I bet they use something like WhatsApp. iMessage won’t allow enough people to include the entire family. And how could they possibly leave out the daughters-in-love?

[AussieKrissy]

7 hours ago, DalmatianCat said:

 

Anna responds to every family thread with all the dates and times she and her kids are available for filming just to make sure no one misses when they’re available.

 

*Anna responds that she has cleared her schedule for any opportunity to film and that she has hidden Josh in the prayer closet (may or may not be permanently) so no sun flares are required.

there fixed that for you lol

[SassyPants]

I think all of us on FG know a Jessa IRL. As I have mentioned before, she is my husband’s younger sister. She even talks the same. Anyhow, if the show goes away, Jessa is going to be one miserable lady unless the Seewalds make some changes ala the Dillards. Keeping sweet and hiding behind a headship is not Jessa’s forte. I also can’t see her happily playing the role of pastor’s wife. She has many attributes that could be useful in a workplace setting, as long as she learned how to get along with people. 

[VeryNikeSeamstress]

2 hours ago, AussieKrissy said:

*Anna responds that she has cleared her schedule for any opportunity to film and that she has hidden Josh in the prayer closet (may or may not be permanently) so no sun flares are required.

there fixed that for you lol

Josh is tied up in prayer closet with no access to the internet.

[nst]

3 hours ago, SassyPants said:

I think all of us on FG know a Jessa IRL. As I have mentioned before, she is my husband’s younger sister. She even talks the same. Anyhow, if the show goes away, Jessa is going to be one miserable lady unless the Seewalds make some changes ala the Dillards. Keeping sweet and hiding behind a headship is not Jessa’s forte. I also can’t see her happily playing the role of pastor’s wife. She has many attributes that could be useful in a workplace setting, as long as she learned how to get along with people. 

to me she seems the most rigid of all the sisters. the one who will stay with the family where as jill left, jinger left, joy is not 100% you can tell, jana well Jana is jana....but Jessa seems the most with the koolaid and will do anything to keep the brand going. 

 

[clueliss]

I watched it on TLC go last night and thought I’d mention that it wasn’t listed as a new season but a new episode of season 11.  

[purple_summer]

13 hours ago, DalmatianCat said:

I still want an episode that reveals their family communication system. Do they just have one massive family group text? I’m imagining something like this...

Time for a new TLC episode...Michelle sends out a text to the family group with all the details...a massive text exchange begins with who can and cannot make it to filming. Forty messages later (all in about 15 minutes), Jill privately messages Michelle that she won’t be at filming, so can she please start a separate thread for the upcoming filming and save the family group for important updates.

Michelle starts a new text chain just for the filming kids. 20 messages in (all in about 5 minutes), Jessa notices Lauren was accidentally left out of this new thread and starts a new thread with Lauren included.

Kendra keeps accidentally texting the wrong group because it’s hard to keep up with which group is the right one.

Lauren finally responds and says she’s going to pass on filming the next episode so she leaves the group.

Abbie finally looks at her phone because she’s been busy playing with Gracie and trying to be in the moment and sees she has 200 unread messages from several family threads. She wishes she could leave the thread like Lauren. Instead she just texts: “Sounds great! Let me know when and where and I’ll be there” and sets her phone to “Do not disturb.”

Austin tells Joy to please tell her family to quit adding him to group messages.

Anna responds to every family thread with all the dates and times she and her kids are available for filming just to make sure no one misses when they’re available.

Jinger finally responds that they’re talking to TLC on their own. Jeremy asks Jinger if he can leave the group message like Lauren did. Jinger isn’t sure, then notices that Jessa didn’t add Ben to the thread she decides it’s ok.

Or do they use the Remind App?

This is what I want to know ?

(Can you tell I’ve been in way too many group messages???)

This is my life. Our main family WhatsApp has 47 people in it. 
 

And that’s the smaller side of my family ?

[Mama Mia]

21 minutes ago, purple_summer said:

This is my life. Our main family WhatsApp has 47 people in it. 
 

And that’s the smaller side of my family ?

You have my sincere thoughts and prayers. 
 

The only thing missing was someone screwing up and thinking they are messaging someone individually, but replying to the whole group.

Several possibilities :

Hannie to Joy “ hey sis, want to help me out and tell mom and pops I’m babysitting for you Friday night if they check?” 
 

JD to Austin “hey, which one of us is picking up the keg on the way to the campground?” 
 

JIm Bob to Michelle “ hey mama, the house is quiet, want some not so sweet fellowship?” 
 

Abbie to Jana  “ can you believe that bitch Lauren just dips out whenever she feels like it? Girl has steel ovaries”