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

[Dominionatrix]

Just watched the episode and it was excruciatingly slow. I’m interested in religion, too! But something about how they sanitize and generalize what they’re discussing made this just painful to watch. 

I lost track of who said it, but I agree with the person upthread speculating that TLC is emphasizing religion to try to shift the show’s brand as a way to stand out, and perhaps to better appeal to conservative viewers. But there’s got to be a way of doing it that doesn’t lead me to keep pausing the show to see how much longer there is to go. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

Maybe TLC is trying a new approach where they keep the focus on the people they consider the main participants. Like a writer focusing on the major characters. 

[marmalade]

55 minutes ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

Maybe TLC is trying a new approach where they keep the focus on the people they consider the main participants. Like a writer focusing on the major characters. 

Then why didn't the BREAKOUT STARS make an appearance? ?

[just_ordinary]

@Dominionatrix I can see TLC trying to change the format. Exploring faith and religion and how it plays out in everyday life could be an interesting watch. BUT surely you would want fresh faces, a sweet family - you know, no molestation, no cheating, no teen marriage and hundreds of grandchildren with painfully obvious uneducated actors. I doubt you can transform the “freak show” into something with more substance. Which is due to the subjects itself and the fact that everyone watching already knows a lot about them.

A smaller family, shying away from controversial topics, going to church, maybe Sunday school for the children, daily prayers?, how they teach the children about their faith and customs, book and game recommendations, service to others, supporting charities, good homeschooling or Christian school.... all this while being well spoken and being able to explain their faith statements, why they choose this instead of that, being conscious about it, explaining some of the theological aspects (not exactly on an extremely intellectual level), maybe having talking heads of someone that studied theology and can give some commentary, giving backstory to customs, having the right bible verses ready and being able to work with them not just parrot back. I mean they could even adress their own whitewashed opinion on the controversial topics. There is a long range between having a personal conviction/opinion and harassing women in front of Planned Parenthood.

But those formats already exist. YouTube has many of them. They look absolutely sweet and you only pick up on the strange things if you listen very carefully. UP tv did a better job, but the Bates were never cast as the most religious out there. Their stick was family and then Jesus. The Duggars were the uber-religious mega family. And the 2nd Gen remind me of the Cletus Spuckler family just without the alcohol. Most are not that interesting. They have nothing interesting going on, nor are they famous for engaging conversation. And I don‘t think they are interested in doing things differently.

[TheGleeTeam]

Like others, I found this recent ep of Counting On very strange and completely different in tone from previous seasons (I've watched all of CO but hardly any of 19KAC). It was like the Counting Now (?) shorter webisodes about births/weddings that come out a few weeks after the event, but full episode length with a bunch of manufactured stuff (Easter egg dyeing, kiddos decorating hats). There wasn't even that much about Brooklyn's birth. But SO MUCH Jim Bob and Michelle (excuse me, Lolly and Pops), yuck. I found the fake Easter celebration strange in that TLC aired it before Easter...why not wait until next week at least?? 

I haven't seen any other upcoming episodes listed on TLC so I guess it's just a one-off for now. Are they going to then go back with the next full season and cover everything from the end of the last season until now? Ugh I hope not. Also, to me this showed that TLC is fine filming during Covid (SO MANY households together inside without masks on, as we know they've been doing). I understand that Justin's wedding might be more than TLC wants to show though in Covid times.

Not mentioning Justin's wedding or Jed's engagement was very surprising to me. Claire did "appear" in one of the text convos (which were so cringe). I also really thought they would announce Jed's engagement the day the episode aired and also announce a new season or something. Or that they would be promoting a livestream of Jed's wedding. Livestreaming a Duggar wedding on TV would get attention!

Anyway, my theory is that they're trying to sell this as a wholesome Christian family show on Discovery Plus. I know nothing about the economics of TV, but is it that expensive for TLC to film/put together this show? If it only streams on Discovery Plus, they may just want some wholesome content to balance out Unexpected and Dr Pimple Popper or whatever.

Oh and TLC recently posted a short update video on Bella (and Lauren and Josiah)- so that makes me think they aren't off the show. 

[clueliss]

6 hours ago, TheGleeTeam said:

 

I haven't seen any other upcoming episodes listed on TLC so I guess it's just a on off. 

 

It was listed as a new episode of the existing season on TLC Go - so to me this was an add on to the old season. 

My take - IF TLC/Discovery think that the Duggars are actually a draw - they'll dump them onto Discovery+ and possibly limit/not show episodes on TLC (or take it there first) - to try to drive up subscriptions.  Frankly - Not planning on ever using discovery+ so that tactic is lost on me.

[SassyPants]

8 hours ago, just_ordinary said:

@Dominionatrix I can see TLC trying to change the format. Exploring faith and religion and how it plays out in everyday life could be an interesting watch. BUT surely you would want fresh faces, a sweet family - you know, no molestation, no cheating, no teen marriage and hundreds of grandchildren with painfully obvious uneducated actors. I doubt you can transform the “freak show” into something with more substance. Which is due to the subjects itself and the fact that everyone watching already knows a lot about them.

A smaller family, shying away from controversial topics, going to church, maybe Sunday school for the children, daily prayers?, how they teach the children about their faith and customs, book and game recommendations, service to others, supporting charities, good homeschooling or Christian school.... all this while being well spoken and being able to explain their faith statements, why they choose this instead of that, being conscious about it, explaining some of the theological aspects (not exactly on an extremely intellectual level), maybe having talking heads of someone that studied theology and can give some commentary, giving backstory to customs, having the right bible verses ready and being able to work with them not just parrot back. I mean they could even adress their own whitewashed opinion on the controversial topics. There is a long range between having a personal conviction/opinion and harassing women in front of Planned Parenthood.

But those formats already exist. YouTube has many of them. They look absolutely sweet and you only pick up on the strange things if you listen very carefully. UP tv did a better job, but the Bates were never cast as the most religious out there. Their stick was family and then Jesus. The Duggars were the uber-religious mega family. And the 2nd Gen remind me of the Cletus Spuckler family just without the alcohol. Most are not that interesting. They have nothing interesting going on, nor are they famous for engaging conversation. And I don‘t think they are interested in doing things differently.

I think Jeremy and Jinger see their little family as exactly that family. Pretty and young (her), educated and worldly (him), well traveled, kind, nice exterior packaging, healthy habits...all they need are the cute little boy and a Labrador-

[Not that josh's mom]

10 hours ago, just_ordinary said:

@Dominionatrix I can see TLC trying to change the format. Exploring faith and religion and how it plays out in everyday life could be an interesting watch. BUT surely you would want fresh faces, a sweet family - you know, no molestation, no cheating, no teen marriage and hundreds of grandchildren with painfully obvious uneducated actors. I doubt you can transform the “freak show” into something with more substance. Which is due to the subjects itself and the fact that everyone watching already knows a lot about them.

A smaller family, shying away from controversial topics, going to church, maybe Sunday school for the children, daily prayers?, how they teach the children about their faith and customs, book and game recommendations, service to others, supporting charities, good homeschooling or Christian school.... all this while being well spoken and being able to explain their faith statements, why they choose this instead of that, being conscious about it, explaining some of the theological aspects (not exactly on an extremely intellectual level), maybe having talking heads of someone that studied theology and can give some commentary, giving backstory to customs, having the right bible verses ready and being able to work with them not just parrot back. I mean they could even adress their own whitewashed opinion on the controversial topics. There is a long range between having a personal conviction/opinion and harassing women in front of Planned Parenthood.

But those formats already exist. YouTube has many of them. They look absolutely sweet and you only pick up on the strange things if you listen very carefully. UP tv did a better job, but the Bates were never cast as the most religious out there. Their stick was family and then Jesus. The Duggars were the uber-religious mega family. And the 2nd Gen remind me of the Cletus Spuckler family just without the alcohol. Most are not that interesting. They have nothing interesting going on, nor are they famous for engaging conversation. And I don‘t think they are interested in doing things differently.

Service to others? That would be a strange concept for the Duggar family. We would find out if they can act naturally in an unheard of situation.

[Coconut Flan]

Carry on here:

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33839-counting-on-season-11-how-low-can-they-go/