S01.E01: Jill and Jessa Counting On: A New Chapter

[frenchtoast]

A three-part series follows the lives of Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald as the two Duggar sisters adjust to new surroundings, marriage and parenthood. In the premiere, Jill and Derick prepare for a move to Central America with their 6-month-old son, Israel, while Jessa and Ben get ready to welcome their first baby.

[Lillybee]

Will we be able to post during this show?

[frenchtoast]

We just made a Live Chat topic. Please use that for posting during the show.

[Lillybee]

Thank you.

[Jordan Baker]

To paraphrase that old Alka Seltzer commercial, I can't believe I watched the whole thing! (Bonus points to anyone who remembers the reply to that line.)

 

Seriously, that was dull about half of the time and cringeworthy the other half.

 

Jill and Jessa are boring. Not much else to say about it. 

 

And all the wailing and gnashing of teeth seemed just odd to me. Josh is a jerk. He cheated on his wife and watched porn. He was a big fat hypocrite. But why does this cause his siblings to break down in tears? I honestly don't get it. I can see that they'd feel bad for Anna, but why are they taking it so personally?

 

Oh, and I actually recoiled when I saw JimBob near the end of the special.

[leighroda]

Awe man I wish I saw that before it came on! I watched but I was multitasking, so I kinda want to rewatch before I make any real comments, but I did have a question... In one of Jill's taking heads she said that a judge decided the release of the records should not have happened, is that true? I don't remember that.

[queenanne]

And all the wailing and gnashing of teeth seemed just odd to me. Josh is a jerk. He cheated on his wife and watched porn. He was a big fat hypocrite. But why does this cause his siblings to break down in tears? I honestly don't get it. I can see that they'd feel bad for Anna, but why are they taking it so personally?

 

If it's not "because then everything we've ever been taught is wrong", then it's "because we were never allowed to grieve or show the entirety of our real feelings, about having been molested by Josh."  Total displacement.

[dugie]

Like um josh like um was like um living um a double like um life

[RazzleberryPie]

Well all righty then. Production really looked stripped back with no music, very few subtitles, one or two cameras with not a lot of lighting, etc., especially in those opening scenes at Jessa's house. I noticed the trio of 'salt, cilantro, lime' canvases on the wall beside the stove when Bin was making eggs. Do they have a clue that's ingredients for a Margarita?

 

JD sounded like a 15 year old instead of a 25 year old. Why is a grown man so concerned about looking up to his older brother?

 

Jill cannot string together a coherent sentence using her own words. She can repeat a few Gothardy phrases, but ask her to express her own opinion, and nothing she says makes sense. Same goes for Bin. He just blubbers.

 

Jinger also seems 15 instead of 21, but her description of everything was really sad. 

 

Joe came off as very articulate, intelligent, and he GETS IT. He gets that the family puts itself out there as Perfect Christian Role Models, and are smug, so they open themselves up to extra criticism. He gets that what Josh did was really wrong and hypocritical. 

 

Jessa was smug and preening as usual.

 

Wonder where Josiah went?

[Sew Sumi]

Awe man I wish I saw that before it came on! I watched but I was multitasking, so I kinda want to rewatch before I make any real comments, but I did have a question... In one of Jill's taking heads she said that a judge decided the release of the records should not have happened, is that true? I don't remember that.

Boob has a judge/political lawyer friend. I imagine she was quoting THAT person, not someone with the actual facts of the case in hand. Remember, it was rumored that JB wanted to sue, but as we know, nothing ever came of that empty threat. 

[RazzleberryPie]

 

 

And all the wailing and gnashing of teeth seemed just odd to me. Josh is a jerk. He cheated on his wife and watched porn. He was a big fat hypocrite. But why does this cause his siblings to break down in tears? I honestly don't get it. I can see that they'd feel bad for Anna, but why are they taking it so personally?

They're taking it personally, because they're a very close knit family, who have been raised to revere marriage as the most significant relationship, with sacred, covenant vows, and Josh totally threw that out the window while lying about it. He broke the worst rules he could, while proclaiming to be a model husband and father. He betrayed them all when he betrayed his wife, AND he chose to do it all.

[drafan]

Like um josh like um was like um living um a double like um life

 

 

....repeated by every one of them at least twice each ..... I was waiting for Josie's turn.

 

The whole thing was an infomercial to keep watching the 'specials' until the whole creepy lot of them can worm their way back onto TV.

[ChicksDigScars]

I can't help it. Every time I see Jessa and her belly, all I can think is, "Spurgeon. These morons named that poor baby SPURGEON." And they're doing a really bad job of pretending that they don't know it's a boy. You could tell every time that the picked up an outfit, they had to explain how they could feminize it if it was a girl.

What I took from it: One, poor Derrick. A reasonably decent looking kid that now looks like he was run over by the Stink Bus. Two, Ben is dumb. Really, really fucking dumb. Oy vey. Three, I felt horrible for Joy, Jana and Jinger. And four, kudos to Joe and JD. They came the closest to really expressing what a fuckwit that Josh is.

And THANK YOU for the lack of JB and MEEchelle. Those two enablers can get bent.

Edited December 14, 2015 by ChicksDigScars

[JoanArc]

 

And THANK YOU for the lack of JB and MEEchelle. Those two enablers can get bent.

The trailer had Michelle present at the birth. She got her paycheck.

[Sew Sumi]

Shortly after the molestation police report was released to InTouch and InTouch reported the story, a judge ordered the police department to destroy the report. It was a really oddball, out-there ruling. I do not recall whether the judge said the release was wrong, but she did order the record destroyed. (The police department consulted the city attorney, and followed the city attorney's advice, as to the release of the report and the redactions they did before releasing it.) 

Joy Duggar, still a minor at the time, was the petitioner to have the records destroyed, so in that there was precedent.

[SoSueMe]

I did notice a couple of collarbone shots and some (near) sleeveless tops.

[ThinkerBell]

Brought over from the Live Chat thread . . .

God bless the kind souls who endured this entire yawn fest to report on the details. I forgot it was even on until I caught a few minutes, then turned it off.

My observations (the little I saw) . . . the scene in the thrift store with Jessa and Jinger picking out a glider chair was obviously staged - "Oh, look, they have two!". Except for the colour (one was white, one was brown), they were identical and in pristine condition. Jessa chose the white one. I suspect it is no longer white nor pristine now that Spurgeon has left his mark(s).

Jessa and Jill make hot chocolate (exciting!). Jessa turns up her nose and says, "It smells like cow". I had the same reaction watching this very Duggar Special. It smells like the same old cash cow, and it sure does stink.

Edited December 14, 2015 by ThinkerBell

[leighroda]

Did anyone else see when Jessa was taking the picture of Jinger in the white chair she lifter her pointer finger, I so thought she was about to flip off Jessa.

[Arwen Evenstar]

Just got done watching the first show of Counting On. It was filmed in what looked like another house. Too clean to be the TTH...

How Smuggs' behavior has impacted them all was indeed palpable. They clearly love their brother and have been hurt by his choices, not just the end of the gravy train but their trust in him is shot. When John David told his story about how he told Josh he no longer wants to be like him---this is coming from the Quiet One who says very little so it spoke volumes. Jilly Muffin and Jingerbread also looked wraith lIke in comparison to the last time they did the show. Jill is nursing and my sister turned into a wraith when she was nursing I'm sure stress played a part for the Duggettes.

We won't hear from Anna until next week though. Boob and Googly Eyes were noticeably absent.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Arwen Evenstar

[whydoiwatch]

While switching channels, I passed TLC just when the Dullards said they went to Central America as a family of three and just might be returning as a family of four (not their exact wording).

Gag me.

[bigskygirl]

Why do I have the feeling the older kids were coached on what to say about Josh. Derick and Ben remind me of the two guys from the Dumb and Dumber movies. I also have a hard time believing no one in the family knew what Josh was doing especially JB and Michelle. Bury your head in the sand and just pray it away comes to mind. The um, like, giggle got on my last nerves. I really wonder if the clothes brought was given to the kids in Central America. And really Derick and Jill, you think you can solve the violence in another country. Let me introduce to something I call reality.

[MarysWetBar]

While switching channels, I passed TLC just when the Dullards said they went to Central America as a family of three and just might be returning as a family of four (not their exact wording).

Gag me.

How could they possibly DREAM of procreating "overseas" when there is so much DANGER there? !?!

[SoSueMe]

How could they possibly DREAM of procreating "overseas" when there is so much DANGER there? !?!

Hmmm, what could possibly go wrong?

[drafan]

Brought over from the Live Chat thread . . .

God bless the kind souls who endured this entire yawn fest to report on the details. I forgot it was even on until I caught a few minutes, then turned it off.

My observations (the little I saw) . . . the scene in the thrift store with Jessa and Jinger picking out a glider chair was obviously staged - "Oh, look, they have two!". Except for the colour (one was white, one was brown), they were identical and in pristine condition. Jessa chose the white one.

 

I forgot about this (and every) scene as it passed. Yeah, that white corduroy chair was such a plant. It was probably hauled over from Jessa's "gender neutral" room, after being purchased (special order, like her wedding gown) for her to 'find' at the thrift shop. A floor sample chair at a regular furniture store wouldn't even be that white, never mind the still-fluffy cords of the corduroy.

 

Jessa and her dopey 'man' devoting all their time to the 'fun' of keeping the gender a secret ??? Good God, they really don't have anything else to do.

 

Aaaaaaaand....next week it's ANNA!!!! Coping with the SITUATION .

 

The most moving 15 seconds  of the whole thing was the ad with Monte from the Southern Say Yes to the Dress talking about being bullied. That made me sad, even though he's kind of annoying.

Edited December 14, 2015 by drafan

[Chicklet]

 

Aaaaaaaand....next week it's ANNA!!!! Coping with the SITUATION ™.

I'll take that over Josie licking something.

[MichaelaRae]

How could they possibly DREAM of procreating "overseas" when there is so much DANGER there? !?!

 

Um, because...JESUS. DUH. ;-)

[cereality]

Wow -- Ben is NOT excited about his kid. I mean when she was sitting there going on and on about how exciting it would be to be parents, he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. When she was saying -- doesn't it feel real now that we're putting the crib together, he didn't say one word. When she talked about how they were deciding whether to find out boy/girl, Ben had said pretty much -- whatever, either is fine!?

 

I mean I don't blame him -- as even grown men sometimes have a hard time bonding until the kid is out and old enough to be interactive. And Ben is hardly a grown man -- more like a teen who got married so he could have sex and now may be thinking -- what did I get myself into. But then he seems like he's decently interactive with Iz -- so maybe he needs the baby to be there to bond or maybe he's terrified that this is his OWN kid.

[JoanArc]

 

A floor sample chair at a regular furniture store wouldn't even be that white, never mind the still-fluffy cords of the corduroy.

The white chair reminds me of a flashback scene from Malcom In The Middle. Hal and Lois reminisce about bringing their first child home - to their 80's style condo - white carpet, white furniture, glass-topped tables, priceless china, and many fragile objects. It's basically instantly destroyed once the kid is a toddler. I guess the mold house is disposable. Jessa will live there until it's wrecked then move to one of Daddy's cleaner properties.

[absolutelyido]

Since the show is called Counting On here's what I counted: 4 people, zero personalities.

 

It was like um, so, like dull.....giggle.

[Sew Sumi]

Why do I have the feeling the older kids were coached on what to say about Josh. Derick and Ben remind me of the two guys from the Dumb and Dumber movies. I also have a hard time believing no one in the family knew what Josh was doing especially JB and Michelle. Bury your head in the sand and just pray it away comes to mind. The um, like, giggle got on my last nerves. I really wonder if the clothes brought was given to the kids in Central America. And really Derick and Jill, you think you can solve the violence in another country. Let me introduce to something I call reality.

I mentioned in the live thread that I suspected that JB was sitting just off-camera to make sure that his ADULT kids all stayed on-script. And this script was about the disappointment. Points to JD for confessing that he no longer looks up to Smugs as a positive role model. 

 

I just wait for the day that these people realize their parents' role in Joshgate I and one day hold their feet to the fire for their failures there. 

[JoanArc]

Oh, and when do we get the ratings?

[MichaelaRae]

I mean I don't blame him -- as even grown men sometimes have a hard time bonding until the kid is out and old enough to be interactive. And Ben is hardly a grown man -- more like a teen who got married so he could have sex and now may be thinking -- what did I get myself into. But then he seems like he's decently interactive with Iz -- so maybe he needs the baby to be there to bond or maybe he's terrified that this is his OWN kid.

 

I was watching the last Duggar episode on YouTube tonight (no, I don't know why) and I noticed that Bin took far more interest in Izzy than Jessa did when they brought him out. Jessa would barely look over at Jill and the baby and, body language-wise, was kind of slightly turned away. Whereas Bin actually was looking at the baby and his body language was turned slightly toward the baby. Perhaps he's more of the baby-must-be-present-to-win kind. 

 

And now that I've said something reasonably empathetic toward Bin, I must go shower.

Edited December 14, 2015 by MichaelaRae

[cereality]

If I were a Bates, I'd be thanking my lucky stars that I never got involved with any Duggar offspring in any way. This family is screwed up even for a fundie family. The other fundies out there are better off living on less money, practicing whatever their faith may require, and just being "normal" people.

[BitterApple]

The longer I watch these people, the more I'm convinced Jinger and Bin would have made a better couple. I think Bin chose Jessa because she's the "hot" daughter and wasn't thinking about long term compatability. I noticed both Bin and Jinger rolling their eyes tonight. As much as Bin claimed to still be in the honeymoon phase, I didn't see much chemistry there and I thought he looked bored out of his mind.

Edited December 14, 2015 by BitterApple

[Arkay]

I have complete and utter sympathy for all of the siblings, not to mention Anna and her children. Our family also has one member who lived a secret life for years and ended up nearly destroying everyone. It is indeed possible to be totally in the dark about a very close family member under your own roof, if that person turns out to be a sociopathic liar and manipulator.

Whether or not the older Duggars were told to stay "on message," I think the pain for each of them is very genuine and goes way beyond the show and their image.

Tonight JD probably spoke more than in all the years combined, and he, Joseph, Jana, Jinger, Josiah and Joy seemed to be truly bewildered and devastated. Jill, too, but she has her own little family and is going in a new direction. Jessa is the only one who struck me at all as being hurt but also annoyed that Josh lived a hypocritical life.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Arkay

[MichaelaRae]

Well, Jessa is annoyed because it has Nothing to Do with Jessa.

[MrsMommy]

Wonder where Josiah went?

Josiah was there toward the end in like two TH.

1 I saw jill in pants while breastfeeding izzy.

2 jessa is evil

3 jessa looked rough in the little bit of the delivery they showed

[cereality]

Ben and Jessa are the poster children for why you DO NOT marry someone JUST because they're hot. They were both horny, both wanted a hot b/f or g/f, and got married. Now with 6 months of sex under their belts, they're probably realizing it isn't THAT exciting and they have little else in common besides sex and the Bible. In the real world, you date the hot person, have sex or not - your choice, but spend enough time with them to realize in 6 weeks that there is no real relationship and that's that. Here they put a ring on it and made a baby. And frankly what 19 yr old BOY is interested in crib sheets and onsies?? I'm not suggesting that his life would otherwise be a wild frat party, but had he not married her -- he'd be going on Friday night dates with a girlfriend and lounging around a shared apartment all weekend eating pizza and playing video games with his buddies. Now he's playing house . . . .

 

Joseph and JD may be the only ones who really GET it and aren't too afraid to say it bc they realize the show is OVER for them; while their sisters and sisters in law are trying to be compelling enough to score their own series, they know that the show won't focus on them anyway. Joseph was very articulate and seemed genuine in his pauses and tears as he said -- he understands a Christian man's obligations to his wife and his bro broke those obligations and given that the family put those standards out there for the world to know, now they are ALL being judged.

[bigskygirl]

What I find interesting is the fact they say Josh is a hypocrite when the older kids and the parents follow the ole certain groups are child molesters and should have their rights taken away philosophy. What is the difference. They hide behind their religious beliefs when it is all fine and dandy, but how dare Josh embarrass the family name and most importantly Jesus by behaving like the one of those evil heathens. We can forgive him for being a molester, but you better keep your manhood in your pants and only fool around with your wife and keep building God's Army.

[Sew Sumi]

"Four months ago" was taped over two months ago, since Jill was still in AR, and she left town a few weeks before Jessa delivered. So, their responses also include Joshgate 1. Jessa was at 35 weeks during the TH, so the math puts them around the beginning of October for the taping of the THs.

[farmgal4]

Wow -- Ben is NOT excited about his kid. I mean when she was sitting there going on and on about how exciting it would be to be parents, he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. When she was saying -- doesn't it feel real now that we're putting the crib together, he didn't say one word. When she talked about how they were deciding whether to find out boy/girl, Ben had said pretty much -- whatever, either is fine!?

 

I mean I don't blame him -- as even grown men sometimes have a hard time bonding until the kid is out and old enough to be interactive. And Ben is hardly a grown man -- more like a teen who got married so he could have sex and now may be thinking -- what did I get myself into. But then he seems like he's decently interactive with Iz -- so maybe he needs the baby to be there to bond or maybe he's terrified that this is his OWN kid.

I think Ben is so lacking in intelligence that he's truly unable to carry on a conversation, any conversation. He seems as dumb as a rock. Jessa must have had a huge physical attraction for him, otherwise I can't imagine WTH she would have married him. I can't imagine having to live with someone that dumb for the rest of my life.

Poor Derrick needs to hire an attorney and sue the doctor that fucked up his face. I'm serious.

[Spacecow]

I'm watching the rerun of this right now. Derrick looks so sickly. I can't focus on anything else except for his wonky face. It looks like he's having a stroke. 

[PJ123]

Didnt watch it but thanks to those taking one for the team.  What I want to know how many and how long were the commercials?  Guessing lots of TLC promoting their own shows.  Did someone generate a list of who did advertise so we can hit them up before the next "special"?

[Sew Sumi]

Derick, people who "don't read the bible" are well-acquainted with the phrase "pride goeth before the fall." He thinks he's so damn humble, but he has a shit ton of inlaws who are prideful in spades, starting at the top and working down to prize examples Smuggar and Jessa. 

 

For starters. 

 

Next! 

 

Oh, I don't think Apple is sponsoring them anymore. The logo on Muffy's computer was blurred out! LOL

 

 

eta: The only "consquences" any Duggar not named Anna suffered from Joshley Madison was the final axing of 19 Kids. If they feel emotional distress because their brother was a lying cheat, that's different and not a "consequence" of Josh's choices. It's their own emotional baggage. JD and maybe Joe are the only ones with reasonable complaints. 

Edited December 14, 2015 by Sew Sumi

[kalamac]

Didnt watch it but thanks to those taking one for the team.  What I want to know how many and how long were the commercials?  Guessing lots of TLC promoting their own shows.  Did someone generate a list of who did advertise so we can hit them up before the next "special"?

A few were mentioned in the live chat thread. McDonald's was one. Time to email them, letting them know it'll be Burger King/Hungry Jacks (the Aussie version of Burger King) from now on.

[bigskygirl]

Was Josiah the one courting and was dumped after Josh scandal one came calling? I wonder if JD is taking some heat since JB threaten to sue the police department over the leak molestation information. I am sure having a brother who is a molester and cheats on his wife with hookers does not make him look good with the police and fire departments. Maybe this may explain the alleged hostility towards Josh. Of course, it does not help when JB is probably telling them what to say or act after Josh scandal two came out.

[RazzleberryPie]

100% guaranteed that every single person interviewed was heavily coached. They'd be stupid not to be to preserve their brand, demonstrate their unity as a family while distancing from Josh's actions, and because very few of them can express a coherent thought.

[JoanArc]

 

Oh, I don't think Apple is sponsoring them anymore. The logo on Muffy's computer was blurred out! LOL

It was blurred? Really? I emailed Tim Cook that screengrab of the Macbook Pro logo which was unblurred in the previews. I asked him to stop sponsoring the family, and blur the logos. He read my letter!

Edited December 14, 2015 by JoanArc

[MrsMommy]

I understand if some of you don't want to watch the specials but why would you email sponsors and hurt the people who do want to watch them? It seems like no one is thinking of the people who still like the duggars and don't care if they ruin it for them.

[Sew Sumi]

I could swear it was blurred, but then they picked up the same scene after some incoherent Dullard THs, and I don't think it was blurred then. Oh no! I'm an unreliable narrator! LOL

 

Bigskygirl, yes, that was Josiah who got dumped by the social climber when Joshgate 1 hit. However, she was spied in the special. She was already known to have been seated with Josiah at Muffy's going away party.