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

[Arwen Evenstar]

I've got to say that Jill's overuse of the word "like" really got my goat! Reminds me of the 80's and she's trying to be a Valley Girl. Like...totally...awesome...

Ben is so dull and has the personality of a wet mop...he's clearly been steamrolled by his domineering "submissive" wife. I can't see Jessa being that into him for much longer once the Counting On cash dries up. He just looked every bit like a deer in car headlights.

I turned to Mr. Evenstar and comnented to him as to how these people are really sadly lacking in their ability to have an interesting or stimulating conversation. I really do attribute that shortcoming of theirs to their regrettable lack of proper socialization and a proper education. Its just tragic what lousy parenting has done to those kids.

[RazzleberryPie]

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.

You may be the only person here who actually LIKES all the Duggars. We're all entitled to our own opinions and I respect yours, but this isn't a fan site for most posters.

That said, it makes no sense to me to continue to watch the show and then call the sponsors to tell them to stop, or boycott sponsors and still try to watch thru illegal streaming, etc.

[MarysWetBar]

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.

The lord put it in my heart to email the sponsors much like he put it in Mechelles heart to robocall people to scare them about public bathrooms.

You should email the sponsors a positive letter if you are worried.

Edited December 14, 2015 by MarysWetBar

[Sew Sumi]

The irony of Muffy asking Blessa if she's ready for the birth. LOLOLOLOL

[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.

[ChicksDigScars]

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

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

And 274 "likes" from Jill, Jessa and Ben, alone.

No idea if that's close to accurate, but the labor and delivery conversation over hot chocolate and fruit had to set some sort of "like" record.

And Izzy is adorable (struggling for a positive comment)

And yeah, it is interesting to see the lack of commercial sponsorship other than TLC promoting their own shows, but am I going to email the few companies that DO appear? No. I'm guilty of watching. I'm part of the same problem as those corporations who do buy air time. The lure of the snark is strong.

As for the previews, Meredith looks like Marcus as a baby, therefore she looks like Grandpa Keller. I'm not so sure whether the poor kid dodged a bullet by not resembling a Duggar, or not. The daughters ARE pretty. I guess the fact that she doesn't look like Doughboy Josh is a positive thing. Poor Mere. Her birthday every year is going to be a family wide reminder of her father going away for being a lying, cheating, hypocritical jag bag.

Edited December 14, 2015 by ChicksDigScars

[Gemma Violet]

I saw a commercial for Applebee's and one for Welch's Sparkling.  I had quite a few local commercials inserted in my area (attorneys mostly, i.e. call this number if you.....).  It seemed like 80 percent of the commercials were coming attractions for TLC shows.

[Sew Sumi]

Oh, I forgot that Mechelle, Jana, and Jinger were off at a Gothard mother/daughter retreat when Joshley Madison broke. So, Mechelle broke the news to those two, not the entire family. Jana said that Boob sat down with Smuggar and had a talk. 

 

But again, a cheating sibling isn't going to rock the vast majority of families like it did the Duggars, and I contend that's largely due to the financial hit. The over 18's had to be making SOME money off of these shows. Boob didn't squirrel it ALL away, did he?

[BitterApple]

Joy Anna is a stunningly beautiful girl and I think it's really shitty they made her do a TH. Even though she's 18, I feel like she's too young to be put on the spot like that.

I can just picture the mother/daughter sit-down: "It's all your fault, Jana!!!"

Edited December 14, 2015 by BitterApple

[Sew Sumi]

Joy was still 17 when she did those THs with the scarf. Jill was with her, and Jill left well before Joy's birthday at the end of October. 

[BitterApple]

Joy was still 17 when she did those THs with the scarf. Jill was with her, and Jill left well before Joy's birthday at the end of October.

Oh, wow, I didn't realize she was still 17. That makes it even worse.

[what]

Joy Anna has an odd way of speaking that I can't quite figure out. Is it her accent? A speech impediment? She kind of slurs her words together.

Also Dill must have a hot mess of a mouth to go through all that surgery.

SPURGEON. I can't.

As far as Josh goes, JD was the only one who was ballsy enough to just put it out there. Good for him. Josiah asi had a TH which was shocking.

[Sew Sumi]

Oh, wow, I didn't realize she was still 17. That makes it even worse.

She turned 18 at the very end of October. It looks like TLC sat down the adult children right at the beginning of taping. This would be around late September, which coincides with "four months" down the road from Joshgate 1 in late May. Jessa also would have been 35 weeks then.

 

Now with all of those THs done in context, it's pretty clear that they plan on remaining insular, and for the time being, no one is going anywhere that could further jeopardize their monetary stream. But like I said earlier, when it dawns on ANY of those kids what their parents have done, all hell may break loose. 

Edited December 14, 2015 by Sew Sumi

[OpieTaylor]

Ben is so dull and has the personality of a wet mop...he's clearly been steamrolled by his domineering "submissive" wife. I can't see Jessa being that into him for much longer once the Counting On cash dries up. He just looked every bit like a deer in car headlights.

ITA that this is how Bin came across. He seems either really uncomfortable being on camera, or hostile to the whole tv show thing. Ever since becoming "famous," most people have been really unimpressed with him, so maybe he's grown to hate the tv thing. Or maybe he's really as big of a downer as his brimstone stuff? 

 

At one point he said something about being able to "pass the baby off," saying that would be a good thing. And when he was saying that he didn't really want to be in there with Jessa when she was in labor, she immediately jumped in and explained that he would hate to see her in pain. But he didn't actually say that; I got the feeling that he really didn't want to see the whole birth process.

[Wellfleet]

Oh, I forgot that Mechelle, Jana, and Jinger were off at a Gothard mother/daughter retreat when Joshley Madison broke. So, Mechelle broke the news to those two, not the entire family. Jana said that Boob sat down with Smuggar and had a talk. 

 

But again, a cheating sibling isn't going to rock the vast majority of families like it did the Duggars, and I contend that's largely due to the financial hit. The over 18's had to be making SOME money off of these shows. Boob didn't squirrel it ALL away, did he?

 

Solidly-agree. I was trying to imagine how I'd feel if I learned my brother had cheated on his wife, and there's just NO WAY I'd be able to shed sincere tears over it. I'd be sympathetic to my SIL of course, and depending on how I learned about the cheating, I might give my brother a piece of two of my mind. I would be disappointed, but not to the point of tears. In general my attitude would be "None of my business - it's between the two of them only..." As I was taught by my parents. The THs shown tonight were definitely coached by Boob, and designed to show that it's pretty clear that the older half of the family believes Josh sank a lot more boats than his own with his little adventures. 

Edited December 14, 2015 by Wellfleet

[Gemma Violet]

Jessa and Ben talk to each other like they're on an uncomfortable first date.  The conversation is awkward and stilted.

[Gemma Violet]

Here's a review from Variety.  It's interesting that TLC didn't make the show available to the critics beforehand.

 

http://variety.com/2015/tv/reviews/jill-jessa-counting-on-review-duggars-19-kids-and-counting-tlc-1201660052/

 

 

eta--Someone at Duggar Family Official Facebook is working overtime removing any and all negative posts.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Gemma Violet

[Sew Sumi]

PoorJana.

[Tabbygirl521]

Solidly-agree. I was trying to imagine how I'd feel if I learned my brother had cheated on his wife, and there's just NO WAY I'd be able to shed sincere tears over it. I'd be sympathetic to my SIL of course, and depending on how I learned about the cheating, I might give my brother a piece of two of my mind. I would be disappointed, but not to the point of tears. In general my attitude would be "None of my business - it's between the two of them only..." As I was taught by my parents. The THs shown tonight were definitely coached by Boob, and designed to show that it's pretty clear that the older half of the family believes Josh sank a lot more boats than his own with his little adventures.

I get what you're saying, and I think the same would be true of me re: not actually shedding tears if my brother had cheated. But in my family, we were taught not to take crap off partners and so we would be getting good and angry, not crying. But the Duggar girls - and hell, even the parents - must be so perplexed that being all Jesus-y seems to fail so often. Gothard himself turned out to be a creeper, after all.

I believe that people who adhere to these types of cults tend to be very fearful, and have a need to feel that they can control a scary, sinful world. So a Situation like this must shake their world to its core. Who didn't pray hard enough? Who can you trust if Satan can be lurking within your beloved brother? It is whole different world for these girls. They have been taught not to get angry, ever. So that gets turned inward and becomes sorrow or depression. I suspect Jessa may be the only one sassy or tough enough to be thinking the fundie equivalent of"screw Josh."

Speaking of whom, will he ever see these specials? How horribly humiliating. Yeah, he acted the dick, but wow.

[sometimesy]

I just don't see Josh passively sitting around watching this and being humbled.. he is either contemplating the big redemption scam, or plotting how to get the family back for this very public flogging.

[queenanne]

Here's a review from Variety.  It's interesting that TLC didn't make the show available to the critics beforehand.

 

http://variety.com/2015/tv/reviews/jill-jessa-counting-on-review-duggars-19-kids-and-counting-tlc-1201660052/

 

 

eta--Someone at Duggar Family Official Facebook is working overtime removing any and all negative posts.

 

Ha, I can imagine the critics - "This is the Biggest Bore that Ever Bored."

 

It was interesting structure, though.  First episodes/pilots generally bring outsized ratings; then we'll hide Anna, and lock in our next-week audience.

 

I think the real answer lies in the article linked within the other Variety article, which may already have been seen here:

 

The company is also open to launching a new series featuring members of the family other than Josh, according to a person familiar with the matter.

 

(Also, over on Variety I note that some poster asked quite sanely, why Megyn Kelly didn't torture Josh on-camera instead and leave the girls out of it, which is a good question.)

[Micks Picks]

Yes, the article linked in the Variety article was from July, and TLC did say they might consider an off-shoot series.  I was surprised tonight that they didn't use all the tons of footage they must have from the episodes that were filmed and never shown.  Perhaps snippets will show up in the other "specials".  Those girls and their husbands are deadly bores.

[salvame]

Did not watch, will not watch - have almost given up the network in its entirety.  I feel this is pure and shameless pandering, at the expense of all the family members who have to get through this with no support counseling, unless you want to count whatever these zealots decide is allowable.

But, thank you to those who took one for the team and sat through it.  I will check back for the snark.

[flyingdi]

Just when these kids were starting to relax and speak their minds this shit happens. In the last 2 years of 19 Kids, I thought the older kids were starting to relax more. Now they are back to the stilted ans stifled children they use to be. Always looking beyond the camera to see if Momma and Daddy approve.

[biakbiak]

Joy Anna has an odd way of speaking that I can't quite figure out. Is it her accent? A speech impediment? She kind of slurs her words together.

I randomly caught this show, I have never seen a moment of the Duggars, and wondered if she had a hearing issue.

[charmed1]

Ben's hair looks like Ted Koppel's Nightline hair.

[NewDigs]

Bolding mine

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.

Don't feel bad. I posted in the LiveChat thread that I thought I saw Josh! In my defense I am a Duggar show virgin. After that show I think I'm a one night stand.

I couldn't get over their gathering of baby clothes to take on their "mission".

Looked like they hand selected them in a thrift store and purchased barely enough to fill a carry-on. How very generous.

What a snooze fest. Wish I had known earlier about that Chat thread. That would have helped relieve the tedium.

Can you imagine having to edit and stretch that mess? Not to mention having feet on the ground with them 24/7. Ugh.

edit to remove duplicate post.

Edited December 14, 2015 by NewDigs

[Churchhoney]

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.

 

Speaking for only for myself, I think the fact that this show whitewashes for viewers, including impressionable kids, an evil philosophy of life that's deeply damaging to people, especially girls, is a very good reason to fight the show and fight it hard. I firmly believe that Jim Bob's and Michelle's practices constitute extreme psychological child abuse, and the idea that people sit and watch it -- and show it to their children -- because TLC and the Duggar parents pretend that it's all sweet and not only harmless but positive is a crime against society. And since I grew up in a similar situation, I feel that I have excellent evidence that, yes, what the Duggars do is extreme child abuse and for a tv network -- and advertisers -- to treat it as if it's adorable is an evil thing and must be stopped.

 

Obviously, MMV.

 

 

EML: to get rid of the double post that I wasn't able to get rid of before.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Churchhoney

[StaceyNotStacie]

I ended up watching this.  The title seemed a bit misleading.  While Jill and Jessa were prominently featured in the "storyline", it seemed like it was more about the 18 and older Duggar kids (I would say excluding Josh, but considering that his "story" was a big part of the episode, he was there in "spirit").  Aside from Jill leaving and Jessa giving birth, I'm wondering where this show will go in the future if they decide to bring it back as a series or more specials.  Ben/Jessa and Derek/Jill were boring and it was the other siblings that made the show more interesting.  

 

I don't think I'd ever seen Joy wear so much makeup.  She always looks so natural, but she had a ton of makeup on during her TH, and it was really noticeable when she was in tears.  Also noticed that Jana was glammed up a bit during her TH (a bit more makeup than usual and curls in hair instead of her normal straight hair).  I can't help but wonder if it was just having the tv hair/makeup people around again or if they were trying to "market" the two girls.  

Edited December 14, 2015 by Stacey1014

[Oldernowiser]

I feel certain that it's been said before, but if you take the colon out of the episode title and add "because God forbid we might have to actually work for a living," it's dead on.

Also it occurs to me that if we here had come up with "Spurgeon" as a nickname for the baby there would be posts accusing us of meanness and possibly mod action.

Ain't it like, ironic, y'all.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Oldernowiser

[Barbie]

so I like watched this show and like where in the hell did they like pick up saying LIKE every other word?

it was like driving me out of my mind... Michelle must speak this way at home... and I noticed the boys did NOT do this at all...

 

and another thing... the press/people finding out about Josh was the worst thing that ever happened to them?

worse than when their sister was stillborn?   like really?

[Broken Ox]

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.

Not that I disagree with your premise, but I wouldn't wish Bin on any of them. Possibly on anybody. Edited December 14, 2015 by Broken Ox

[starlightlost]

I had to dvr this, I couldn't make my husband sit through this crap. So after watching this morning... so um like you know... Those are literally the most used words the whole show. If I hear one more "um" ! Gah!! Jill could not be any more inarticulate if she tried.

They kept repeating parts..Jill said the sentence about consequences and 5 minutes later they showed the exact same bit. Then at least one more time after that. I can't even blame this on the producers. These people are so boring they had to show repeats in the first episode.

[Kellyee]

So many interesting moments in this show. First, the new angle on how they discuss the molestation. I noticed they've dropped their line about it being nothing, about being asleep while it happened, and about not even remembering it because they were sleeping. They're painting themselves more as victims now, and I couldn't decide if that was to stick it to Josh, or just a play for sympathy to get people to watch the show.

 

When Jill was stammering through her line about how Josh should have told them the whole truth, it felt like she was trying not to say that she had lied for him the first time, downplayed it the first time, and he screwed her again. Also, Jill is not as smart as Jessa or as good a talker, and its painfully obvious when they speak together or one right after the other.

 

And while they continue to somewhat downplay the molestation, they blow the cheating and porn addiction way out of proportion. I'm not defending Josh, but if I didn't know what he had done, I would have thought he killed somebody from the way they were crying and talking about him. For a family that's all about Jesus and love and forgiveness, they really gave it to Josh. What he did was bad, but I couldn't help but wonder if he's being punished for the cheating, or for stopping the flow of money from the show.

 

And John David grew up kinda hot. Just saying.

[Clemgo3165]

Gotta say that I feel for Joy, who looked absolutely devastated on camera. Why in the world they forced her to go through the TH when she very clearly didn't want to talk is beyond me. 

Gotta say that I feel for Joy, who looked absolutely devastated on camera. Why in the world they forced her to go through the TH when she very clearly didn't want to talk is beyond me. 

[Chicklet]

They forced her because this is their "ministry" except for that, you know "ministry" Jillymuffin and Derrick have overseas. 

They are famewhores and need their name out there no matter what it does to the kids.

[BitterApple]

Kellyee, I agree there did seem to be an overreaction to the cheating. Josh is hardly the first guy to bang an escort because he's bored with married life. It's wrong and he's a slimeball, but the kids were taking it so personally. I guess it's because the whole family got dragged through the mud thanks to his fuck-ups, but, in context to child molestation, adultery is much lower on the bad guy scale.

[bigskygirl]

I feel bad for Anna, but the ones who are paying the price for all of this is the children. It is a shame the Duggar children and grandchildren pay the price for their parent's stupidity, ignorance, and famewhoring. I also agree Josh is slime for cheating on his wife with hookers while pretending to be a speaker for what is right for the human race, but I cannot understand why the family are using the victim card when it comes to cheating and porn watching instead of being upset over the molestation of five young girls. I still think someone in the family aka JB, Michelle or even one of the older kids knew what Josh was doing before the second scandal hit the fan. How the heck would he have been able to keep it under wrap for so long.

[Tabbygirl521]

I had never seen more than 10 minutes or so of any episode before this one, so I have fresh first impressions of most of these people (I did see The Megyn Kelly interview).

I find Derick pretty endearing. He seems like a very loving and involved dad. The various J-kids are breaking my heart - even Jessa, who seems to have a brittle and perhaps fragile facade.

I am re-watching, since I missed bits yesterday. I see Ben and Jessa have an image of a cross above their toilet. Is that so Ben can pray while he is peeing? Seems extremely rude.

Big Lots commercial.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Tabbygirl521

[yogi2014L]

I watched the whole thing. 

They need to get Jill and Jessa off air and but put on JD and Joe. Listening to Jill attempting to speak gave me a headache. Why is she so stupid while the boys are more articulate? They all went the same SOTDRT right?

 

 Can you picture her playing midwife? " and so you, like, um, yeah need to push, and um yeah, so the baby comes out, yeah, um and so..."

I bet Jessa said fuck no to Jill being involved with the birth and thats when they decided to run to south america

 

It was incredibly boring. Which is rather impressive because they have soooo much interesting material to work with. I don't think the girls want to talk about Josh but that is literally the only interesting point in their lives. 

 

And I second whoever said that Josh might be plotting his revenge. I sure as hell would be!!!!!

 

ETA: Also , it annoyed me to no end with Jessa's secret keeping and games about the baby. NOBODY CARES. Same with Jill and the ' coming back as a family of four" Big whoop. I find it very conceited of them.

Edited December 14, 2015 by yogi2014L

[Barb23]

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

I know we have already commented how MEchelle talked on the Jessa 911 call but hearing part of it again on the trailer made me cringe. She sounded like she was saying words for a spelling test. "Mother" (wait 5 seconds) "bleeding" (wait another 5 seconds) etc. I know some posters defended her by saying she was just speaking clearly to the 911 operator. There's one thing speaking clearly but it's another sounding like she did. I can't even descrIbe it- it was worse than her usual baby voice, if that's possible. The 911 operator was probably thinking WTF? Just creepy.

I agree with the posters saying they would be mad or angry if it was their sibling, not being all tearful. It was like the Duggar siblings were blaming themselves they didn't pick up on Joshley's "Secret Life™. " Why would they have? Like another poster said, living under the same roof doesn't guarantee you would realize something was going on. Like other women, Anna was clueless. Even tho it seemed like they were back in Arkansas every weekend, the Smugs were living in Maryland. I'm sure Joshley was the only one who saw the credit card & cell phone bills & as the Headship, he was the one who paid them. This family is messed up in so many ways, mainly from their crummy upbringing. Now they have to add not picking up on Joshley's wrongdoings to their list of burdens. BTW, I would love to hear MEchelle's exact words & how she explained things to Jana & Jinger.

Why did TLC say Joshley's wrongdoings surprised "the world"or something like that? Do they really think that many people know of or care about the Duggars? I guess using the words "the world" (probably Boob's doing) puts them higher on the TLC pedestal or so they think.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Barb23

[bigskygirl]

I would not be surprise if JB knew what Josh was up to. He was nervous when Josh announced he was going to D.C. How did they not understand one day the molestation and hooker/porn scandals would not come out one day. I guess the TLC money, famewhoring and trying to prove they were the world's best fundie family ever was a big as a temptation as Josh's hookers were to him.

[flyingdi]

Some of the thing with the boys being more. Articulate is that, theoretically, in their beliefs men are Allowed to speak their minds. Women need to run everything by a male to make sure it's okay. That pressure would have anybody overthinking things instead of just saying what they mean.

Some of the thing with the boys being more. Articulate is that, theoretically, in their beliefs men are Allowed to speak their minds. Women need to run everything by a male to make sure it's okay. That pressure would have anybody overthinking things instead of just saying what they mean.

[riverblue22]

The boys also probably do more public speaking during their conferences.  They are being trained to be the headship of their families so they lead the prayers and probably have to "preach" to their families like Jim Bob (or Kody Brown).  The girls only have to know how to talk to children and recite Bible verses.

Edited December 14, 2015 by riverblue22

[Oldernowiser]

If they cry, people feel sorry for them. If enough people feel sorry for them, maybe they'll be supportive of Duggarfuck 2.0 and TLC has some of their franchise back.

It's all about the benjamins...

Edited December 14, 2015 by Oldernowiser

[BitterApple]

The girls only have to know how to talk to children and recite Bible verses.

Speaking of that, did you guys notice how when the married couples talk the only things they say are soundbites, stilted phrases and Bible verses? I've never seen married people act so awkward around one another. I don't even remember Josh and Anna as being that uncomfortable to watch.

As much of a downer as Bin is, you can't tell me there isn't some part of him that wishes he stayed in school and held off on getting married. Prior to the wedding it seemed like Bin was way more into Jessa than she was him, and now I think it's the other way around.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

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.

 

I thought so too and her face said it too!!

Edited December 14, 2015 by Foghorn Leghorn

[BitterApple]

The thrift store scene was so poorly staged, I think Jinger was having a tough time playing along. As others noted, it seems unlikely a used furniture store would have a pristine, fluffy, unscuffed WHITE chair and a duplicate in a different color. I also noticed they showed Jessa folding a receipt but never showed her pulling out her wallet or swiping a credit card. Even for low-grade reality tv, the obvious phoniness was pretty bad.

[ExplainItAgain]

I realize this has been said several times already, but god these four are boring.

 

I think they are all crying and so personally hurt and invested in Josh's situation, just to up the drama. Without him, watching paint dry is more interesting than Jill and Jessa's life.

[OhioMom]

It really bothers me how offended they all are when the subject of the police report being made public comes up.  They didn't mind everyone knowing their business when it included converting sinners, or lining their coffers.  Gotta take the good with the bad, Duggars.  Good with the bad.

It really bothers me how offended they all are when the subject of the police report being made public comes up.  They didn't mind everyone knowing their business when it included converting sinners, or lining their coffers.  Gotta take the good with the bad, Duggars.  Good with the bad.