Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets

[Natalie68]

2 hours ago, Notabug said:

Yes, I thought it was rather telling of Jim Holt's mindset that he seems to think it is kinda cute that he was dating a junior high aged girl when he was a grown man.  It probably explains a lot about the nature of the relationship and why Bobbye now has a lifetime restraining order against him.

It is totally gross.  Sadly that was accepted back then (80s) but we ALL found it gross.  At my hs prom, there was a junior who brought her *30* year old boyfriend.  Why this was allowed I will never know.  CREEPY AF! And my 5th grade teacher brought his 15 year old gf to a class party.  Not a lot of child protection back then.

I am so excited to sit down and watch this.  My sister, who is NOT a fundy follower, will be watching also.  Told her she is in for a ride.  She knows very little about this freakish clan.

[Natalie68]

44 minutes ago, Libby said:

Jim Holt said that Jim Bob accused him of being jealous of him. Holt answered that he wouldn't ever want Jim Bob's life. Even after everything that's happened with Josh, Jim Bob sees his life as something to be envied. In light of the problems surrounding his son, I think Jim Bob should view his life as horrific. He really doesn't seem to understand how sickening and horrible having a son like Josh is. He also doesn't seem to understand how dangerous Josh is to other people, especially to all of the Duggar children and grandchildren. Jim Bob's level of delusion regarding the Josh issue is dangerous and scary.

Probably because he is a total creeper as well.  I have always thought JB didn't think this was too terrible and Josh DID learn this somewhere (no proof, just a hunch).  It is what happens in families right 🙄?

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, Libby said:

Jim Holt said that Jim Bob accused him of being jealous of him. Holt answered that he wouldn't ever want Jim Bob's life. Even after everything that's happened with Josh, Jim Bob sees his life as something to be envied. In light of the problems surrounding his son, I think Jim Bob should view his life as horrific. He really doesn't seem to understand how sickening and horrible having a son like Josh is. He also doesn't seem to understand how dangerous Josh is to other people, especially to all of the Duggar children and grandchildren. Jim Bob's level of delusion regarding the Josh issue is dangerous and scary.

JB probably thinks men are jealous of him because he has so many "quivers" and of course a former cheerleader for a wife. 

43 minutes ago, Natalie68 said:

It is totally gross.  Sadly that was accepted back then (80s) but we ALL found it gross.  At my hs prom, there was a junior who brought her *30* year old boyfriend.  Why this was allowed I will never know.  CREEPY AF! And my 5th grade teacher brought his 15 year old gf to a class party.  Not a lot of child protection back then.

I am so excited to sit down and watch this.  My sister, who is NOT a fundy follower, will be watching also.  Told her she is in for a ride.  She knows very little about this freakish clan.

I remember when my 13 year old best friend was seeing the 18 year old son of the chief of police. That was pretty bad. She was young and stupid, didn't last long. He continued to date underage girls because they loved the attention and women his age knew what a loser he was. He had a twin brother who was the total opposite. 

Oh and his father would park his cruiser outside my friend's house when the guy was over there. 

[crazy8s]

From Washington Post -"The new Duggar doc is the cold, hard ‘reality TV’ we needed all along" I have never done the gift an article thing, so hoping I got it right.

https://wapo.st/3WOvLhn

Edited June 3, 2023 by crazy8s

[poeticlicensed]

"There's no scientific basis for evolution" - Jimboob

My head is exploding. And I had no idea theres a museum dedicated to creationism. Gaahhh

[StaceyNotStacie]

I’m wondering if any of the kids will be sneaking off to watch the documentary without their parents knowing or if the ones living on their own will sneak a peek at the documentary. 

[ginger90]

IBLP’s statement on media coverage:

https://iblp.org/a-statement-on-recent-media-coverage/

[RowdyCam]

No one MADE Jill participate. She wanted to tell her story? Isn't that what the book is for? I am a skeptic about all these folks and I think she wants to get sympathetic folks to buy her book and then maybe Derick won't have to go to work everyday.

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by RowdyCam

[GeeGolly]

5 minutes ago, ginger90 said:

IBLP’s statement on media coverage:

https://iblp.org/a-statement-on-recent-media-coverage/

The only thing missing is:

From, Gil

[Abmis]

Which episode was Jrod in?  I must have blinked and missed her.

I bet Jen from Fundie Fridays is disappointed in how little screen time she got.

Mr. Abmis is not familiar with any of these people other than hearing me rant about them.  He was in the room while I was watching the documentary and the spanking and hugging thing with Gothard caught his attention.   He was repulsed and kept asking why no one stopped it since it was obvious Gothard just wanted to touch the kid.  Nice to know I'm married to someone normal. 

[Tuxcat]

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/shiny-happy-people/

Alex Harris who was in the documentary regarding the "Joshua movement"  speaks about his participation in the project. He was not sure how his words would be used in the film and was disappointed to see the "broad brushes" and "lack of context" the filmmakers used to link this together with a more general conservative Christian/political movement. Still, he thinks it did a good job at uncovering extremism (even if that extremism was intentionally linked to mainstream movements) and recommends Christians "do not look away." 

-----

I wonder if Jill feels at all used by the documentary. She did not speak directly about her experience with the IBLP - that was done by the other more vocal participants. She did not even really speak directly about being an IBLP survivor.  She - exactly like Derick - seems most upset by JimBob specifically and his deceit. 

At one point she even says talks about how "public school can brainwash kids" - followed by a scene cut. 

The docuseries implies that Jill has deconstructed. But I don't think she's at all on the same level as the other more vocal survivors. She has a ways to go to find her voice. And I think she and Derick both fully support the movement to put conservative Christians in high ranking offices. And they are most certainly still anti-LGBT+ policies.

So their appearance in this film is odd. It seemed like they were almost used - just to attract attention. They were the odd ducks out - 

I did find the survivors deeply personal stories very compelling - and very sad.

[crazy8s]

The most recent “documentary,” about IBLP, is a reflection of today’s culture. Its misleading and untruthful commentary mocks that which is good and moral in the most sensationalized way possible, both for shock value and for profit. Media story makers are anything but fair and balanced. They produce attractively packaged content to push an agenda, increase viewership, and pursue revenue. 

This is different from what IBLP did/does,  how exactly??? 

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by crazy8s

[StaceyNotStacie]

31 minutes ago, Abmis said:

Which episode was Jrod in?  I must have blinked and missed her.

Episode 4. It was a small segment about the new group of Christians are on social media. They showed a few instagram and TikTok screenshots and JRod was among them. 

[Dimi1]

I had a few thoughts running through my mind about the documentary...

1. What does Jill rod think about being shown in it?

2 How are the bates going to react and will they say anything on social media

3. Was Erin bates Bill gothard's type and what is the story with that. 

4. I wonder if any of the bates and duggers still in the IBLP will watch it and come out of it...

5. Will Jinger still straddle both sides of the fence

6. Jessa , Jessa..mmm will she make a move....

 

and one thing that was weird....the one lady in the orangish dress...I think she was the historian...she sounded like Jrod...and so I always thought it was her on the screen...lol

[Abmis]

49 minutes ago, StaceyNotStacie said:

Episode 4. It was a small segment about the new group of Christians are on social media. They showed a few instagram and TikTok screenshots and JRod was among them. 

Thank you!

 

[Zella]

So after my hissy fit last night about why Paul and Morgan are included, they're now posting about how betrayed they feel by the documentary people at their depiction. 🤣 I think I better understand the role they served, and I suspect they're like the Joe Exotics and Sarmas of the world who are too tone deaf to realize that people aren't asking them to be on things because they like them or are supportive of them. 

 

[floridamom]

Is there any way that this can be posted here to watch? I'm having a problem accessing it. Thanks.

[Tuxcat]

30 minutes ago, Zella said:

So after my hissy fit last night about why Paul and Morgan are included, they're now posting about how betrayed they feel by the documentary people at their depiction. 🤣 I think I better understand the role they served, and I suspect they're like the Joe Exotics and Sarmas of the world who are too tone deaf to realize that people aren't asking them to be on things because they like them or are supportive of them. 

 

I may possibly be giving them too much credit... but any publicly is good publicity. They are using "this moment to expose the dark side of the documentary." LOL

Edited to Add LOL so it's clear I don't support them!

Edited June 2, 2023 by Tuxcat

[lookeyloo]

2 hours ago, ginger90 said:

IBLP’s statement on media coverage:

https://iblp.org/a-statement-on-recent-media-coverage/

Did Brandon write this? With help from David Waller?

[Salacious Kitty]

4 minutes ago, lookeyloo said:

Did Brandon write this? With help from David Waller?

David quit working with the IBLP a few years ago. Brandon is their IT guy, so he at least saw it before he posted it.

[farmgal4]

6 hours ago, crazy8s said:

My thoughts after watching the whole thing. First - do take the content warnings seriously. The stories told certainly dragged up unpleasant things in my mind that I hadn't thought of in many, many years.

If you are hoping for Jill to really blast Jb and Meech about how they raised her, this does not happen. No condemnation for how they handled the sexual assaults and the contract stuff was more just stating facts.

I wonder about the editing for Jill. Would her memories of ATI/IBLP been explored more if there hadn't been so much available video of the duggar family?  It seemed to me she would just briefly state we went to ATI camp every year or we used ATI home school  and it immediately cut to show JB or Meech doing whatever Jill mentioned. Jill never says how that upbringing was for her. When the instant obedience teaching is mentioned she certainly doesn't say "we use that method with our boys".  Amy is the one who gives a few glimpses into the IBLP teachings at the TTH.

I also think maybe Jill chose not to focus on that part of her story. She wanted to speak her truth about the abuse going public and then the TLC contract issues.

Dillon with Amy was not bad but a better pairing might have been Deanna and Amy. I have doubts Deanna knew nothing. Would Mary never have said a word to Deanna?

The others that grew up in IBLP had the stronger stories of how gothards teachings effected them and their families. Very compelling and sometimes graphic stories that really shed the light on the IBLP teachings. It was good they had some men share their stories. I think often we veer toward men/boys in these cults are worshiped and do no wrong, abuse happens mostly to the girls women and such.

The guy telling about being a young child beaten in a church bathroom for an hour by his mother because she needed to break his will was heartbreaking. The end line "this is a funny story in my family, everyone laughs but me." This is exactly the discipline Jill Rodrigues is referring to when she tells of Timothy being a whiny, strong willed child and that she and hubby had to be diligent in correcting each and every minor infraction until they broke his willfulness and Timothy became a joy to have in their home. ☹️

Overall a good balance, some unnecessary characters, the fundie friday person really added nothing. The quick clip of Jill R about women should dress modestly was unexpected and made me laugh.

 

It’s sad that Timothy’s strong will was beaten out of him but sadder still is the fact that he will do the very same thing to his own children.  Fundies beat their children because that’s what the Bible tells them to do.

[quarks]

 

15 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

I wonder who wrote JB’s statement.

 

The end of the docuseries has a brief comment from Jim Bob and Michelle saying more or less the same thing, with a note that this was forwarded through their spokesperson Chad Gallagher. So I'm guessing he wrote and/or shaped the statement.

#

I'm still processing, but some various random initial thoughts:

1. Hey, Amazon. I get that you highly, highly dislike David Zaslav and Warner Bros Discovery! I and my last very exciting residual check of $8.43 from Warner Bros are totally with you! 

With that said, I don't think that your vast, vast oversimplification here of the history of Discovery post 2006 was all that helpful.  I do think that there is a very important conversation to be had here, but this wasn't it. I also feel that your disclaimers at the end of the docuseries possibly should have included, "Amazon Studios, under the directives of Jeff Bezos, has previously spent lots and lots of money specifically to limit WarnerMedia/Warner Bros Discovery's share of the global streaming market."

(Kudos, though, for getting through this entire thing without mentioning the name of a single Discovery or WarnerMedia executive! I am impressed! Not necessarily in a good way, but impressed!)

2. I see this myth that Anna could make tons of money with a tell-all will never die. 

3. I admit: when Jill struggled with getting the names of her siblings in order, I laughed.

4. I also laughed when Jill Rod gained her two seconds of Amazon fame.

5. I did not laugh at Jim Holt's whole "HA HA HA SHE LOOKED OLDER THAN 14!" in a docuseries about how ATI/IBLP preys on vulnerable women and girls. Like, yikes. Did you not realize what this docuseries was going to be about? Did you think it would only be about the Duggars?

6. Minor point, but wow, does Michelle Duggar's voice annoy me.

7. I feel the part about ATI trying to influence politics needed more examples/names. Or at least successful examples/names.

8. Which....kinda sums up my general thoughts on the series? I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong. But it felt like three or four documentaries kinda squeezed into one - a documentary about the Duggars, a documentary about Gothard, a documentary about reality TV, and a documentary about the attempts of fundamentalist Christians to infiltrate politics. It wasn't that anything about the coverage was bad, exactly (though some of it was at least arguably rather one-sided), but....I think all of it deserved more time/attention/depth.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m putting this link in spoiler since it didn’t occur on the show.  
 

Spoiler

https://pagesix.com/2023/06/02/jim-bob-and-michelle-duggar-break-silence-on-bombshell-docuseries/
 

 

 

[charmed1]

4 hours ago, Tuxcat said:

Alex Harris who was in the documentary regarding the "Joshua movement"  speaks about his participation in the project. 

This guy terrifies yet fascinates me and I wish they’d spent more time on his personal story. I’m curious how he was able to obtain an Ivy League education while raised in this cult. He said he was home schooled, but didn’t mention if he was educated with the same wisdom booklets as the other participants.

20 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

I wonder who wrote JB’s statement.

Probably that Chad guy who Jill mentioned is their PR fixer.

5 hours ago, poeticlicensed said:

"There's no scientific basis for evolution" - Jimboob

My head is exploding. And I had no idea theres a museum dedicated to creationism. Gaahhh

There’s a documentary on it. It’s kind of hilarious. There’s a museum of the Bible that opened up a few years ago in DC. Tourist fundies line up to see it. It costs $20 a pop last time I checked. Meanwhile, they could walk around the block and visit the Natural History Museum or any of the Smithsonian museums for free.

So much more that I agree with you all on, it’s impossible to quote you all. I agree that the Fundie Friday person had no added value to the doc. I applaud the one pastor guy shedding light on how the home school movement was a racist response to Brown v. Board of Ed. It’s a point that needs to be reiterated.

I completely understand Jill’s reluctance to discuss her assault. That’s her right. What I would like to have heard more about was her current relationship with family members. I also want to know why the filmmakers never mentioned her doofus of a husband harassing a trans child. And why no follow-up on what “brainwashing” in school means? After hearing her say that, I think I have my answer on whether her children are enrolled in school or not.

I will now and forever refer to tampons as devil sticks.

ETA: On more than one occasion, the Holts mentioned that Pest was their daughter’s first “boyfriend.” I’m assuming this was the failed courtship. I was hoping they would mention why things never worked out. Mrs. Holt in particular seemed to be repulsed by him even before the scandals.

Edited June 2, 2023 by charmed1

[Absolom]

6 minutes ago, charmed1 said:

He said he was home schooled, but didn’t mention if he was educated with the same wisdom booklets as the other participants.

A lot of the families as time went on, Duggars included, used additional material and some pretty much replaced the wisdom booklets.  The Duggars began using Switched on Schoolhouse. 

[GeeGolly]

7 minutes ago, Absolom said:

A lot of the families as time went on, Duggars included, used additional material and some pretty much replaced the wisdom booklets.  The Duggars began using Switched on Schoolhouse. 

And some other one beginning with an A?

[Salacious Kitty]

1 minute ago, GeeGolly said:

And some other one beginning with an A?

I don't think they used Abeka. The Bateses do use it. 

[SabineElisabeth]

After finishing all four episodes, I would say it was definitely a worthwhile watch, but overall, it felt like the docu-series was having an identity crisis.  From beginning to end, it just seemed like the focus was continually bouncing from exposing the Duggar family as liars and fakes to pulling back the curtain on the IBLP, back to the Duggars, back to the IBLP, and so on.   In any case, I personally was left feeling like I never could pinpoint the exact point the docu-series was tying to make - but, it still managed to present a pretty horrifying picture of what life was like for those associated with the IBLP, and the individual stories told by former victims were especially revealing, compelling, and powerful.  

*And while I admire all of them for sharing their stories publically, I have to say my absolute favorite was the woman who ultimately went to Bill Gothard's house and ended up staring him down and finally seeing him for the pathetic loser he really is.  That, IMHO, was totally bad ass.

Edited June 2, 2023 by SabineElisabeth

[Dianaofthehunt]

I watched it all. 
I do wish that such a serious subject had been presented seriously; not with the quick cuts and talking heads style that plays with the lowest common denominator. Think what the late David McCullough could have done with this.

The bit about the “Joshua Generation” and fundie positioning of government influence: my money’s on sperm counts continuing to drop world-wide. Plus, young people are increasingly thumbing their li’l ol’ pierced noses at religion in general, which warms my old heart.

I sure dig Jill’s brown boots!

[Scout Finch]

1 hour ago, charmed1 said:

There’s a documentary on it. It’s kind of hilarious. There’s a museum of the Bible that opened up a few years ago in DC. Tourist fundies line up to see it. It costs $20 a pop last time I checked. Meanwhile, they could walk around the block and visit the Natural History Museum or any of the Smithsonian museums for free.

There's a YT video of Bill Nye (the Science Guy) touring the Ark Encounter museum in Kentucky with Kenneth Ham, the creationist and CEO of the organization that founded the museum. As they go through it Nye tells him all the things that are not remotely factual (nearly everything!). Along the way, curious visitors gather around them to listen and ask Nye a few questions and he hopes he can break through to them with the plain facts of science. 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Scout Finch

[GeeGolly]

After seeing only the first episode and reading all your reviews, recaps and thoughts, it seems to me the producers took all our posts from the past 10 years, in order and then made a docuseries. No one can jump around topics and link things together like we can.

We can quote JB saying, "Hey, hey, hey" and 20 posts later we're talking about tatortot casseroles, short shorts, Wisdom Booklets and a sale on KitchenAid mixers.

[AgathaC]

29 minutes ago, Scout Finch said:

There's a YT video of Bill Nye (the Science Guy) touring the Ark Encounter museum in Kentucky with Kenneth Ham, the creationist and CEO of the organization that founded the museum. As they go through it Nye tells him all the things that are not remotely factual (nearly everything!). Along the way, curious visitors gather around them to listen and ask Nye a few questions and he hopes he can break through to them with the plain facts of science. 

I was in high school when I first learned there were people who didn’t believe in evolution. It was a choir friend of mine. (The local Baptist school closed, so she had to start going to public school.) I was dumbfounded and started arguing with her — until I realized she couldn’t be reasoned with. She was a nice girl (she dressed like everyone else) and I otherwise enjoyed her company so I let it go.

[Tuxcat]

[dariafan]

6 hours ago, poeticlicensed said:

"There's no scientific basis for evolution" - Jimboob

My head is exploding. And I had no idea theres a museum dedicated to creationism. Gaahhh

Oh. You need to see the dinosaurs at the same center time as man exhibit!

[Quilt Fairy]

15 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I don't think TLC's in any legal trouble. The only people who can complain about Meech/JB signing contracts for them as minors, when they were over 18, are the kids in question. Sounds like they have now all signed up with lifetime deals with JB - except Jill. 

@Jeeves, is that kind of contract even legal?  It just sounds so whack to me. 

[babyhouseman]

I just finished watching. There's a lot to absorb.

Jim Bob said the children didn't even know the cameras were there which translates to The money is all mine. 

I don't keep up with people outside the Duggar and Bates so I didn't know the social media people. I don't want to know the Christian influencer couple.

During the spanking segment, there was a woman with dark hair and a long nose who looked like The Wicked Witch. Maybe that's an insult to the witch. 

They gave us the atheist overseas scene and JIm Bob acting like he's funny scenes.

I appreciate some of the survivors have colorful hair. That's big time rebellion for the Duggar world. Jill mentioned her nose ring. 

They showed the crazy look Michelle was giving Jim Bob during a speech. I've seen all the shows. But the scenes were extra horrible when viewing them post Josh scandals. 

 

[lascuba]

2 hours ago, charmed1 said:

 

I completely understand Jill’s reluctance to discuss her assault. That’s her right. What I would like to have heard more about was her current relationship with family members. I also want to know why the filmmakers never mentioned her doofus of a husband harassing a trans child. And why no follow-up on what “brainwashing” in school means? After hearing her say that, I think I have my answer on whether her children are enrolled in school or not.

 

I just hit pause at Jill's brainwashing comment. I'm a sucker for anything that confirms my biases and her stating this has me grinning. I KNEW IT!

The producers so far have really dropped the ball with Jill and Derick. They can't even argue that they didn't want to alienate a daughter of the most famous ATI family, because it's not like she's offered any new or interesting information. This series is just another opportunity for Jill and Derick to air their grievances over In Touch and JB. They've added nothing to the topic. 

[AstridM]

2 hours ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I don't think they used Abeka. The Bateses do use it. 

Not a glaring endorsement!

[Zella]

Among a certain segment of homeschoolers, A Beka was seen as a rigorous curriculum back in the 90s. (Personally, I think some people confuse being confused with learning. LOLOL) I never used it as a homeschool student so have no personal experience with it to say whether or not it actually was, but I always heard that the history curriculum was especially biased in a way that the Duggars would have liked. But it's also designed to replicate a traditional school setting, so I don't think they ever would have had the ability to handle it. 

I suspect the Duggars were Alpha Omega users. The curriculum was considered easy and it was very workbook-oriented. I know a lot of lazy homeschool families who'd throw Alpha Omega at their kids and never actually do any teaching. 

[Salacious Kitty]

Just got done watching it. There wasn't much new, aside from the forging of the contracts and the subsequent "lifetime" contracts with JB. It was good to see survivors of IBLP; their stories reinforce the horribleness that is JB/Meech. 

Screw the Christian influencer couple. They knew this was an anti IBLP piece. They just want more attention. 🙄

[Absolom]

The Duggars for many years used Switched on Schoolhouse that was computer based so Michelle could just park the kids in front of a PC.  

[charmed1]

I thought it was interesting when the one participant said she thought Gothard’s excessive use of acronyms was to be purposely confusing. Those forced labor sites they were sending the kids to sounded a lot like Scientology’s Sea Org and the 12 Tribes’ delis. 

[Salacious Kitty]

Sea Org! Good call! 😃 

Jed! may be in denial, but yes sir, it's a cult. 

[ginger90]

1 hour ago, babyhouseman said:

Jim Bob said the children didn't even know the cameras were there

Gee that has a familiar ring to it.

[jcbrown]

I watched it all this afternoon. I didn't see much, if anything, that I didn't know but the two most chilling parts, for me, were seeing ALERT on film and the segment with parents talking about techniques to use to beat their children and strategies to break the kids' wills. I knew they did it, but something about seeing an audience of people LAUGHING when a grown man pretends to beat a child and that woman who talked about her disobedient 14 month-old (or thereabouts) were worse than I anticipated.

[awaken]

2 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

After seeing only the first episode and reading all your reviews, recaps and thoughts, it seems to me the producers took all our posts from the past 10 years, in order and then made a docuseries. No one can jump around topics and link things together like we can.

We can quote JB saying, "Hey, hey, hey" and 20 posts later we're talking about tatortot casseroles, short shorts, Wisdom Booklets and a sale on KitchenAid mixers.

I was struck by how much was just as we here called it, from years back. The contract, only JB getting the money, the girls essentially forced to do the meGYN Kelly interview. 

[CalicoKitty]

I was reminded how much I really dislike Megyn Kelly.  I hope to never see or hear her again.

[BetyBee]

I finished the series and found it very disturbing. It's astonishing how many fools followed that creep Gothard. Amy surprised me with how she was able to provide a more normal, (Amy? Normal?!!!) outside pov about what JB & Meech put those children through. I doubt that Jill will ever be reconciled with her family. I hope someone else will break away, but from everything I've seen of them, the siblings probably find it easier to write her off than to write off Josh.

I really hope Bobye Holt continues her journey away from Jim Holt and the rest of these people. The stories from the people who were raised in IBLP were heartbreaking. Those who spoke showed great strength. I applaud them for breaking away and reclaiming the lives their parents did their best to ruin. 

I may watch it again sometime. It was a lot. I laughed at Raccoon eyes Jill Rodrigues making an appearance and blathering about modesty. She's a hypocritical fool.

[Salacious Kitty]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention the Holts. Bob-YE was all over Big Jim, complete with the adoring gaze. What an actress! 

[lascuba]

26 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Oh yeah, forgot to mention the Holts. Bob-YE was all over Big Jim, complete with the adoring gaze. What an actress! 

I have one positive thing to say about the Holts...they both seem to have been sincerely horrified by Josh and the way his parents' handled him. I got the sense the they both did a lot of self reflection and genuinely regret the way they enabled the Duggars.

Now that that's out of the way, it was frustrating that they weren't asked to talk about their role as IBLP parents. There were several people who were raised in that cult, and here we had a couple who had done the IBLP sanctioned abusing of their own kids, and they were conspicuously left off camera for that part of the doc. 

I wasn't expecting hard hitting journalism from this series, but it's baffling that in a documentary that included Jill Duggar and Jim and Bobye Holt, Amy and DILLON King offered more useful insights. Seriously, Dillon gets a 6 month pass to be ridiculous after that crack about Michelle's voice. 

I was very pleasantly surprised that they explicitly called out the Christian Right's long term political and social goals. I have a feeling the Holts and the Dillard's are not happy about the criticism of, among many things, anti-choice rhetoric. Derick especially must be seething.