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

[JoanArc]

If he was using a company-issued iPhone for his fun (or the bill was expensed each month) the data usage charge was most likely astronomical.

 

He was busted earlier in life for using a campaign's PC for accessing porn.

 

Mostly, someone else knew and it's a miracle nobody came forward a long time ago.

But, he had an iPhone long before DC. I don't necessarily think anyone knew. That's pure speculation. He likely had control over opening the bills, etc. He was a fool to use his real credit card and address, though.

 

 

the data usage charge was most likely astronomical.

Um, WIFI's everywhere....even at Josh's house.

[NewDigs]

Bolding mine

The thing that stood out the most for me was that Izzy was always being carried and not by his mom. My back ached watching poor Joy Anna lugging him for how ever long in the children's store.   Doesn't he have a stroller?

 

Ben seemed over it.  Can't help but believe he is seeing Jessa's real personality and it isn't pretty, plus being constantly surrounded by Duggars.   What on earth happened to Derick's face?

And if he wasn't being carried he was being held in air by his armpits and jiggled.

Or used as a baby weight for Derrick and Ben to lift. Over and over. And over.

Poor kid.

There's no evidence he used his work computer for AM. He sure did have an iphone glued to his hands, though.

Eww.

[Schmoopy]

Josh makes his affair our business, or other aspects of his moral life, when he takes a high profile, high paying job as a public representative who promotes 'moral Christian family values' that stress family, faith, fidelity, etc and condemn anyone in a non-nuclear Evangelical lifestyle. He's a liar and a hypocrite and deserves to be outed. If he doesn't care any more for his spouse and family, his employers, even his fans, then he needs to shut his pie hole about telling the rest of us how to live.

 

 

The Duggars are dangerous, not only on a personal level but also what they seek to accomplish with their rhetoric. There are literally millions of Christians in this country who behave like Christians and get no recognition for it, and don't expect any. The Duggars are typical money-hungry, entitled worshippers at their own altar, sacrificing their family's well-being for the almighty dollar. Wrapping everything up in Jesus paper may have fooled some people into thinking they were an awesome family, at least temporarily, but make no mistake... the way they've repeatedly victimized their children, exerted abusive control over their daughters, lied to protect their disturbed son and happily collected huge paychecks and freebies whilst presenting themselves as some sort of American ideal is the opposite of any Christian value I've ever been told about. 

 

On a more personal note, anybody who records a robo-call accusing me of being a danger to children because I fall in love with women while KNOWING FOR A FACT that her son is a very real threat to children but it's all good because WE PRAYED!...I have no feeling for that person. None. That is the voice of hate and the only thing a responsible society can do is ignore it, not continuously give it People covers and TLC specials.

 

[Churchhoney]

Sure, it's their right to politically stump for the causes they believe in. No one's arguing otherwise. But I can certainly and most definitely will hate on them for doing so by spreading dehumanizing and hateful lies attempting to strip a marginalized population of their civil rights. We're talking about a society where a record number of transgender people were killed just this year and 41% (IIRC) of them attempt suicide at least once. And the Duggars - well, Michelle - had the absolute unmitigated gall to point her finger at transgender people and call them child molesters, all the while knowing what her own family was hiding?? You don't get a free pass on spreading hateful rhetoric just because "it's your right." So I absolutely do hate the Duggars and feel completely unapologetic about it.

 

I also feel sorry for Jessa, Jill, and the other victims for going through what they went through. Nobody deserves to be abused no matter how loathsome they are. (And, well, it's not like Jill was the one making the robocalls.) But that doesn't mitigate the hatred and anger I feel towards the Duggars for dehumanizing people the way they did. 

 

Exactly. Michelle and Jim Bob pretty much dehumanize everyone. Starting with their own children.The idea that they're on tv presented as a particularly virtuous, devout and loving family puts me in a state way beyond rage. What they are is uncivilized lunatics, completely in the grip of their own ids, in my opinion. Even leaving aside their political and civil-rights barbarities -- which are heinous -- if there were any true understanding among the public (and the fricking TLC executives) of what harms they've perpetrated on their own kids, they'd be off tv in a twinkle. But there's a helluva lot of denial going around about the psychological and political harms that id-driven egomaniacs who deem themselves devoted Christians can do. People don't want to look at it straight on because they prefer to believe the pleasant fairy tale.

[queenanne]

JD and Joseph have both had a lot of contact with human beings who aren't their family. Joseph's been attending college, and JD meets the public in his rent-a-cop job. This has got to account - to some extent at least - for the fact that they're so much more articulate than their sibs. 

 

Plus - and major point here - JD is going to be dealing with some pearl-clutchingly unseemly rough riders, even if just drunks, loiterers, or whatever passes for homeless in the Arkansas area. People who will not have pretty, fearfully guarded tongues; in fact, they'll probably have some fairly profane ones.  It is for-sure socializing/socialization, which the parents cannot control.  

 

Of course, as other posters have queried, it's tough to imagine the others don't have exposure to similar at Wal-Mart, but maybe the cameras keep people away and create a buffer of space/behavior.

[Jordan Baker]

Didn't watch the "special," but can't resist bonus points. :)

"You [watched/ate] it, Ralph!"

 

Ding, ding, ding!

 

The bonus points (this being Duggarworld) consist of a tater tots casserole and a pizza made by Josie!

[Tabbygirl521]

First, I forgot to mention having to roll my eyes at Ben's "Worthy of the Lamb" T-shirt. Please.

Second, I wonder if any of the kids - maybe Jana, at least - will begin to question whether Situation #2 might have resulted from Josh's resentment at being held to the One True Path instead of living his own life, marrying on his own terms (if at all), etc. Oh, who am I kidding? They'll just pray more.

(Did anyone else flinch at the title of TLC's new show, "Skin Tight"? Aieeee.)

Edited December 14, 2015 by Tabbygirl521

[jschoolgirl]

Plus - and major point here - JD is going to be dealing with some pearl-clutchingly unseemly rough riders, even if just drunks, loiterers, or whatever passes for homeless in the Arkansas area. People who will not have pretty, fearfully guarded tongues; in fact, they'll probably have some fairly profane ones.  It is for-sure socializing/socialization, which the parents cannot control.  

 

Of course, as other posters have queried, it's tough to imagine the others don't have exposure to similar at Wal-Mart, but maybe the cameras keep people away and create a buffer of space/behavior.

How did he manage to get Boob and Michelle's approval to be constable????

[NewDigs]

Bolding mine

First, I forgot to mention having to roll my eyes at Ben's "Worthy of the Lamb" T-shirt. Please.

Second, I wonder if any of the kids - maybe Jana, at least - will begin to question whether Situation #2 might have resulted from Josh's resentment at being held to the One True Path instead of living his own life, marrying on his own terms (if at all), etc. Oh, who am I kidding? They'll just pray more.

(Did anyone else flinch at the title of TLC's new show, "Skin Tight"? Aieeee.

I missed that but I did a big HUH? at the new season of Kate plus Eight

Really?

Edited December 15, 2015 by NewDigs

[MrsMommy]

I thought they went to toys r us or babies r us for the chairs, it looked like a baby section of one of those stores anyway and I never heard them say they was going to a thrift store besides when they went for the clothes

[kalamac]

How did he manage to get Boob and Michelle's approval to be constable????

Probably their misguided attempt to get someone on the inside, in case any more shit happened that legally should have been reported to the cops.

[JenCarroll]

I have no means of watching the episode, not having cable or any paid-TV equivalent, so I feel kind of fortunate not to have had to choose to watch or not watch. :-) I have seen, I think, all the previews and clips that are out there, and it seems like there wasn't much else in the show that aired, since I'm having pretty much the same reactions as a lot of you.

- That was seriously HEAVY makeup on all the girls, and it looked especially bad on poor Joy. Also the lighting was really strange, all dark and very unlike their previous shows. I feel like the lighting and the makeup were deliberate choices to play up the drama.

- I was surprised and pleased that both JD and Joe were so articulate, and willing to address the situation in a relatively straightforward way. I think they both come off as being about five years younger than their actual ages, but that's no surprise. On a side note, it's interesting that JD seems to think he's the second-oldest child; actually that would be Jana. But I guess only boys count. I'm just glad that anyone is thinking about the children's well-being.

- They are all enmeshed so tightly that I think they really do feel they're personally involved in Josh's marriage. I wouldn't give a crap if a sibling of mine were unfaithful in marriage, but I have an individual identity of my own. The Duggar kids, not so much.

- Jinger looks bored, angry, tired, and determinedly cheerful by turns. So, depression, I guess. Not surprising.

- I can't get a read on Ben -- maybe he didn't appear in the clips as much -- but I wonder if some of what comes off as boredom or detachment to us, might stem from his efforts to be seen as Mr. Strict and Serious.

- I really hope that's a multi-stage process of dental/facial work Derrick is going through!

Edited December 15, 2015 by JenCarroll

[NewDigs]

I thought they went to toys r us or babies r us for the chairs, it looked like a baby section of one of those stores anyway and I never heard them say they was going to a thrift store besides when they went for the clothes

Yeah, I thought they went to a retail outlet for the chair.

It looked really expensive. And stupid!

It was huge!

She probably plans on spending a LOT of time in it.

[Ilovemylabs]

Sure, it's their right to politically stump for the causes they believe in. No one's arguing otherwise. But I can certainly and most definitely will hate on them for doing so by spreading dehumanizing and hateful lies attempting to strip a marginalized population of their civil rights. We're talking about a society where a record number of transgender people were killed just this year and 41% (IIRC) of them attempt suicide at least once. And the Duggars - well, Michelle - had the absolute unmitigated gall to point her finger at transgender people and call them child molesters, all the while knowing what her own family was hiding?? You don't get a free pass on spreading hateful rhetoric just because "it's your right." So I absolutely do hate the Duggars and feel completely unapologetic about it.

 

I also feel sorry for Jessa, Jill, and the other victims for going through what they went through. Nobody deserves to be abused no matter how loathsome they are. (And, well, it's not like Jill was the one making the robocalls.) But that doesn't mitigate the hatred and anger I feel towards the Duggars for dehumanizing people the way they did. 

They were speaking to their beliefs.  I can disagree with them, but, for my part, I can't hate them, even if I disagree.  But then I find it hard to HATE anyone...and certainly not a family of rather ignorant people who read Christianity in a much different way than I do.  They need education more than anything.   I just can't find it within myself to use words like loathsome when referring to them.  But that is me and you are you!

[Marigold]

Poor guy. Something obviously went wrong. His lower jaw is shifted sideways and one eye is off somehow. Possible muscle/nerve damage during surgery? Also when he spoke about the the surgery it seemed like he was sounding like it was a work in progress...?

I noticed his eye was off and the jaw was noticeably shifted to his right.

Whatever happened, it was a big deal. His face is not right, he doesn't look well and he lost weight. He even said he is trying to gain weight.

(He should ask how Joshie got so chunky)

[Tabbygirl521]

Derick may have had trouble eating while recovering from that surgery, which sounds hellish. I bet he is naturally thin, but lost weight then, too.

[JenCarroll]

He should ask how Joshie got so chunky

Donut burgers. :-)

Edited December 15, 2015 by JenCarroll

[luvbadtv]

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.

 

There is something odd with her tongue.  It is very prominent/visable when she speaks, and I think it causes her odd speech. 

[Marigold]

Maybe Anna should cook for Derick? Josh certainly porked up after his marriage.

Or maybe it was the trips to fast food joints on the way back from the strip clubs?

Seriously, wow, Derick really had a rough surgery. Hope he heals up. Can't make fun of Derick because he had a bad surgery.

I watched the entire episode. It was what everyone above me posted. I was also very surprised at how well JD spoke and how sincere he sounded.

I grew up fundamentalist (lite) and they practiced Biblical Shunning. Seems Josh is getting a good shunning from his family. I think that's good. He needs consequences.

And yes, this family functions as THE DUGGARS and not as individual people in a family. Josh screwed up so badly but I don't know if I would be SOBBING about it 4 months later.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Marigold

[Oldernowiser]

I noticed his eye was off and the jaw was noticeably shifted to his right.Whatever happened, it was a big deal. His face is not right, he doesn't look well and he lost weight. He even said he is trying to gain weight.(He should ask how Joshie got so chunky)

Okay, so I actually looked at a still..good grief. WTF, he let JimBob operate?

I have no use for any of them but that looks BAD. I hope it doesn't feel as painful as it looks?

[zoomama]

Are the Duggars, including Anna, planning on making a career out of publicly flogging Josh? Have Jill or Jessa and their husbands, for example, had an opportunity to connect with Josh as a human being? Is Josh now an object of hatred to the extent that he's persona non grata back at the compound?

There's no doubt in my mind that Anna and Josh will reconcile. Then what happens?

I think all the tears, anger and "shock" over Josh's actions are BS, expressly conjured up for a storyline and to prolong audience interest.

I also think what the Duggar family is doing to Josh is shameful. If their concern for their husband's/brother's/son's spiritual and mental welfare is GENUINE, they shouldn't be on tv beating Josh the Dead Horse over and over.

TLC dropped the ball by not offering a Josh Duggar Pinata for holiday shoppers to buy. The Duggars are figuratively beating Josh to death.

Eta: I can't bear Josh's smug, self-righteous, know-it-all attitudes. But, to me, what his family is doing to him publicly is not the right thing.

you know what - you are correct here. i didn't look at it from that perspective. he will have basically no chance in that family (whether what he did was right, wrong or indifferent). they are his family and his family has hung him out to dry with no clear way of repentance and re-entering the family. now that will be interesting tv...

[GeeGolly]

Wow, the episode was stretched out. What a totally enmeshed family. I did enjoy Jill calling Josh a hypocrite.

 

What I find sad is that their feelings felt genuine to me, and those are some pretty strong emotions to feel when you find out your brother is a cheater. Even accounting for losing the show/income, those emotions seemed incongruent with the events at hand. How sad that these grown adults are so clueless to how a healthy family relates to each other.

 

One thing I wonder though, is who are these people that thought this family was perfect and without problems, that Jessa (or maybe Jill) was referring too?  Or maybe Jessa thought her family perfect.

[Chicklet]

I'm truly surprised (why I'm not sure) that the Duggars haven't figured out that had it not been for their thirst for fame, none of this would be anyone's business but their own. We would know nothing so there was and is a huge price for their fame and/or infamy.

[leighdear]

I have to say, this is one of the most brilliant GIF'S I've seen in ages!  

[Ljohnson1987]

Bin looks like a stoner.

[zoomama]

did any of you notice that moment when jill sat on the couch next to derrick (after the cocoa in the kitchen with jessa) and she purposly pulled her cardigan over her tummy.  i think you guys are correct about another baby announcement soon...

[Aja]

I feel like that's just exactly what Bette Davis would say, too. :)

[Churchhoney]

One thing I wonder though, is who are these people that thought this family was perfect and without problems, that Jessa (or maybe Jill) was referring too?  Or maybe Jessa thought her family perfect.

 

I kind of think that "perfect" talk stems from a myth Jim Bob constructed about why there was public outrage at him and Michelle when the molestation story came out. Seems to me I heard it originating around that time in statements from Jill and Jessa.

 

My guess is that it's a story that Jim Bob and Michele constructed and taught to the kids to deflect the idea that people were outraged at how JB and M had handled the molestation issue. Instead, Jim Bob got everybody in Duggarville (including himself) to believe that the public (plus the media) was stupidly outraged because the public believed that the Duggars had deemed themselves perfect and thus were hypocrites because they'd produced the flawed member, Josh.

 

My theory is that they obviously couldn't have their kids noticing that the real root of public outrage was what many (most?) people considered the very wrong (evil, inappropriate, negligent, etc) handling of the Josh issue -- from beginning to end -- by JB and M.  Because if the kids realized that that's why people were mad, they might actually start to wonder that themselves. And that could lead to the crumbling of Jim Bob's empire. So to keep the kids from arriving at this accurate interpretation of the public view, JB and M kept telling them this "The ungodly public and media are saying we claimed to be perfect and we never never did!" tale over and over again until the kids believed it, and believed it was the whole story.

 

And of course their brainwashed offspring swallowed this whole. And, once again, the Duggar parents utterly escape accountability from their kids. .... Jim Bob has his kids hornswoggled. And if my experience is any indication, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that they'll all be hornswoggled for good, or at least for some decades yet.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Churchhoney

[galax-arena]

They were speaking to their beliefs.  I can disagree with them, but, for my part, I can't hate them, even if I disagree.  But then I find it hard to HATE anyone...and certainly not a family of rather ignorant people who read Christianity in a much different way than I do.  They need education more than anything.   I just can't find it within myself to use words like loathsome when referring to them.  But that is me and you are you!

Of course they were speaking about their beliefs. And their beliefs are ignorant and hateful. The KKK is speaking of their beliefs when they advocate for white supremacy. Doesn't stop me from hating them. 

 

Even leaving aside their political and civil-rights barbarities -- which are heinous -- if there were any true understanding among the public (and the fricking TLC executives) of what harms they've perpetrated on their own kids, they'd be off tv in a twinkle. But there's a helluva lot of denial going around about the psychological and political harms that id-driven egomaniacs who deem themselves devoted Christians can do. People don't want to look at it straight on because they prefer to believe the pleasant fairy tale.

This is true, good point. 

 

The Duggars' political hatemongering would be disgusting with or without the added personal skeleton in the closet, and their treatment of their family would be disgusting with or without the political crap. It's just, when you put the two together, my reaction is, "...Really?" I always knew the Duggars had a lot of hubris; I feel like any family that pimps out their children on television as though their life is that good and virtuous and fascinating must be dripping with it. But even then I underestimated how much.

Edited December 15, 2015 by galax-arena

[Kiss my mutt]

I think publicly flogging Josh sounds like a good idea to me.

[OhioMom]

How was the family able to work through this, if they didn't go to real counseling? The kids can say all they want that they got counseling, but Jesus camp, doesn't count. They're in denial.

And....and....how can they say they've dealt with it, or worked through it, or whatever, when the mere mention of it, a decade later, makes them all dissolve into a heaping, weeping, teeth-gnashing  mess?

Did anyone else find the girls talking reeeallllyyyyy slllllooooooowwwww? Or was it just me? I can't recall a time that I watched TV, and wanted to yell at the person talking, "c'mon, already! Spit it out!" 

[Aja]

I think publicly flogging Josh sounds like a good idea to me.

I do not disagree with publicly flogging Josh as a CONCEPT…I just think it's pretty hilariously typical of his stupid family, of all people, to be doing it. It smells to me like "Y'all know what, the public don't like Josh no more. So we're gonna just try and go ahead and encourage your hearts to rip him a new asshole so that we can get our show back."

[Skittl1321]

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.

 

I didn't watch and didn't email. But everyone is entitled to an opinion. If you enjoy the Duggars, why not email the sponsors and thank them for their sponsorship of the TV you enjoy.

 

I don't watch them because I think they are painfully boring, but fun to gossip about- hence why I'm here. I'd be perfectly fine if they disappeared off TV entirely. I'd find another forum to hang out in.  However, not only are they boring, I think their message is dangerous- for that reason even if they weren't boring, I wouldn't 'hate watch' because I don't want to support  them in any way. I wish more people who watched them to mock them would think about the fact that they are supporting them and the political causes they espouse by keeping them on TV.

[cereality]

If anyone needs proof that even a LITTLE exposure to people outside the family is good for the Duggar kids -- look at JD and Joseph. Both have been around people besides their parents and siblings. But even then it's limited -- I don't think JD's constable thing has necessarily always been full time, and Joseph has only been at Crown College since Jan 2015 -- so we're talking 1-1.5 semesters max. And yet in that time, they are around other men (and women) -- coworkers, students etc. They are hearing and seeing how men interact with their friends, how they talk about their wives or girlfriends or girls they like, and how they treat those women when they become wives or girlfriends. So now -- unlike the rest of the family -- they aren't crying tears over the show that is over; or lamenting how Satan put the wrong thing in their brother's heart. Instead they understand and are disgusted by the fact that this has nothing to do with faith -- it simply has to do with the fact that the older bro that their parents put on a pedestal cannot keep his d--- in his pants, even if it hurts his wife and 4 kids.

 

Maybe if the rest of the siblings and Anna had some life exposure, it wouldn't be about praying it away or lamenting Satan or blaming the media or whatever.

In terms of why the siblings are SO broken hearted about this -- I honestly think it's bc they have NOTHING going on in their own lives. Jill and Jessa are PISSED that this affects their life plan of supporting their families with TLC money for the next decade. Joseph, JD, and Josiah get it and are pissed at their bro and maybe a little sad for Anna. But Jana, Jinger, Joy -- they have nothing to do but get sucked into the drama of this, pray, ponder how it happened, and sit in the TTC and talk about this ALL THE TIME. In normal life, if someone's bro has an affair -- or 2 or 10 -- the siblings may be disgusted and may give the bro piece of their minds, but then they need to still -- you know -- go to work; pay the bills; run the kids to soccer etc. Life doesn't stop and turn into a 24-7 prayer session to keep satan away from the family's heart.

[sara416]

I couldn't help myself, I watched it. I'm a therapist and I was fascinated watching what I felt was under the surface of everything these people said and the emotions that the, sadly, aren't allowed to epress but are actually feeling. I'm not diagnosing anyone with anything, just giving my opinion based on observations from the show. 

 

Jill is pissed off. When they ask her about the last 4 months, she pauses and I swear I saw this little glimmer of realness in her eyes. I really feel like she wanted to say something off message, but she knew she couldn't. Her times on camera with Derick actually seemed genuine and I think somewhere underneath it all, she is glad to be out of that house and starting her own life (as patriarchal and sad as it may be to us). That one little pause at the beginning though made me feel like there was so much more she wanted to say. I don't think she's just pissed about the money drying up either. I think she's pissed that Josh is a hypocrite and could treat his wife and family so crappy.

 

Jana and Jinger...oh man. They are so dead inside after having been stifled for so long. I want to take Jana out somewhere for a spa day and then just give her some safe place to open up and spill everything. I think she's pissed off too, but she isn't allowed to feel that way or express it to anyone. I think Jinger has just given up. 

 

Joy? She lost any spark she had. Watching that girl cry was awful. Run, honey. Run far away and find normal people to be around. 

 

Jessa seems so self centered to me. She seems a little angry too, but only because this whole scandal took away from her spotlight. 

 

The boys impressed me. As other people have said, they were frank and up front and were the ones that came closest to saying something off message. It's natural for younger siblings, especially of the same gender, to look up to their older siblings. And in this situation, when Josh is practically on the same level as Jesus, it's a long way to fall when they fall off the pedestal that they have been put on. And by boys, I mean Duggar boys. The husbands interacting on the couch and talking about bench pressing Izzy was so sad. So, so sad. 

 

In the previews Anna still seems suffocated, and I have never been a huge fan of hers but no one deserves this. There are a few moments where I see the real hurt in those clips, when she forgets she is supposed to smile and everything is supposed to be okay. I am watching this trainwreck to see those, so I can know that she isn't a robot. 

Edited December 15, 2015 by sara416

[mbutterfly]

abc

[Wellfleet]

Send me a case of Cherry Garcia and we'll call it even;)

I can't wait for next week's episode when Jill and Derick head off to their super secret, ultra dangerous mission post in Central America.....which happens to be a popular tourist destination within short driving distance to Walmart and other big box stores. But, like, they could go missing at like, any, like time, so um, pray for them y'all.

At least Derick's snaggletooth braces could make for a decent weapon against muggers. One bite from him would do more damage than a pit bull.

 

I thought use of the word dangerous was inaccurate and a little heavy-handed too. I wonder whose idea it was to suddenly play that up. My $$ is on Boob first, and TLC second. I don't remember hearing the word anytime the family did missions in the past. But of course now we suddenly need a plotline and anything that could generate interest is going to be cool with both those parties.

[JasminePhyllisia]

- I can't get a read on Ben -- maybe he didn't appear in the clips as much -- but I wonder if some of what comes off as boredom or detachment to us, might stem from his efforts to be seen as Mr. Strict and Serious.

 

ETA: Above quote from JenCarroll, sorry, didn't use the quote feature correctly

 

Maybe he's just dumb?  He seems slow as molasses.

 

I appreciate the younger Duggar brothers' honesty. Hope they can learn from their older brother's mistakes.  Oh, and male pattern baldness really seems to run in that family.

 

Jessa's comment that people expect them to be perfect and have no problems?  Weird, because for years they presented themselves as a pristine family with madly-in-love parents and perfectly-behaved kids and all sinful behavior was hidden from the cameras.  They put forth that image, so why so surprised that people expected them to back it up with decent behavior when the cameras were off?

 

When one of the girls commented that people "avoided" them after the Josh publicity, I didn't realize they meant "shunned."   If so, shame on those so-called Christians.

 

Those silver chandelier earrings shared by Jill and Jessa were a distraction. Do they both own the same pair?  Or do they have a line of jewelry they are trying to product-place?

 

I know my own grammar isn't perfect but boy does it bug me when the Duggars use "whenever" when they mean to say "when." 

 

They all clearly knew Jessa was having a boy. In all the shopping scenes everyone gravitated towards boy colors and clothing.  Either that or those scenes were filmed after she had the baby.

Edited December 15, 2015 by JasminePhyllisia

[Ilovemylabs]

Of course they were speaking about their beliefs. And their beliefs are ignorant and hateful. The KKK is speaking of their beliefs when they advocate for white supremacy. Doesn't stop me from hating them. 

 

This is true, good point. 

 

The Duggars' political hatemongering would be disgusting with or without the added personal skeleton in the closet, and their treatment of their family would be disgusting with or without the political crap. It's just, when you put the two together, my reaction is, "...Really?" I always knew the Duggars had a lot of hubris; I feel like any family that pimps out their children on television as though their life is that good and virtuous and fascinating must be dripping with it. But even then I underestimated how much.

And you see how powerful the KKK is today.  They are a laughing stock.  I think these types of extreme views do not carry weight with the great majority of people.

  But feel free to hate whomever you wish.  It's a free country.  Now back to the 90 minute special that should have been 45 minutes at most.

[louannems]

I have no means of watching the episode, not having cable or any paid-TV equivalent, so I feel kind of fortunate not to have had to choose to watch or not watch. :-) I have seen, I think, all the previews and clips that are out there, and it seems like there wasn't much else in the show that aired, since I'm having pretty much the same reactions as a lot of you.

- That was seriously HEAVY makeup on all the girls, and it looked especially bad on poor Joy. Also the lighting was really strange, all dark and very unlike their previous shows. I feel like the lighting and the makeup were deliberate choices to play up the drama.

- I was surprised and pleased that both JD and Joe were so articulate, and willing to address the situation in a relatively straightforward way. I think they both come off as being about five years younger than their actual ages, but that's no surprise. On a side note, it's interesting that JD seems to think he's the second-oldest child; actually that would be Jana. But I guess only boys count. I'm just glad that anyone is thinking about the children's well-being.

- They are all enmeshed so tightly that I think they really do feel they're personally involved in Josh's marriage. I wouldn't give a crap if a sibling of mine were unfaithful in marriage, but I have an individual identity of my own. The Duggar kids, not so much.

- Jinger looks bored, angry, tired, and determinedly cheerful by turns. So, depression, I guess. Not surprising.

- I can't get a read on Ben -- maybe he didn't appear in the clips as much -- but I wonder if some of what comes off as boredom or detachment to us, might stem from his efforts to be seen as Mr. Strict and Serious.

- I really hope that's a multi-stage process of dental/facial work Derrick is going through!

I also felt that the entire "show" was compromised of pieced-together trailer clips. With lots of repeating overlaps. I sat through the first 15 minutes actually believing I was watching a Commercial for Counting On!!!

[Tabbygirl521]

The more I think about it, maybe I WOULD cry if my brother cheated on a beloved SIL - if I were reflecting on having seen her in emotional pain, weeping, depressed, disillusioned.

[farmgal4]

To whoever said something about male pattern baldness: Poor Josiah doesn't have a prayer. He'll be bald on top by the time he's 30. He has severe acne, as well. Several of the older kids have bad skin, but Josiah's was especially bad. Boob the Cheapskate needs to turn loose of a few bucks and send those kids to a dermatologist.

[Wellfleet]

And....and....how can they say they've dealt with it, or worked through it, or whatever, when the mere mention of it, a decade later, makes them all dissolve into a heaping, weeping, teeth-gnashing  mess?

Did anyone else find the girls talking reeeallllyyyyy slllllooooooowwwww? Or was it just me? I can't recall a time that I watched TV, and wanted to yell at the person talking, "c'mon, already! Spit it out!" 

 

I think the girls spoke so slowly because they had to carefully compose what to say in their heads, mindful of all Boob's admonitions. Be sure to get this across but definitely DO NOT say this... etc etc. I'd be nervous and stumbling too - if my every syllable was being critiqued back by the Big Giant Boob.

[TaxNerd]

Did anyone else find the girls talking reeeallllyyyyy slllllooooooowwwww? Or was it just me? I can't recall a time that I watched TV, and wanted to yell at the person talking, "c'mon, already! Spit it out!"

Dr. Drew's show tonight on HLN showed clips and had a panel discussion. I didn't watch the TLC show but the clips were paiiiiiinful. The panel decided Jill looked "disconnected".

The TLC show is repeating on the 15th.

Aja, outstanding comment.

[Wellfleet]

How did he manage to get Boob and Michelle's approval to be constable????

 

Oh, I'm sure Boob was all kinds of excited at all the fun things he'd be able to do with his son the Cop. I think he probably had - maybe even still has - some plans in that regard. Hasn't he handled some tenant issues in the past by threatening them with the fact that he's friends with at least one judge in the area, etc?

[farmgal4]

did any of you notice that moment when jill sat on the couch next to derrick (after the cocoa in the kitchen with jessa) and she purposly pulled her cardigan over her tummy.  i think you guys are correct about another baby announcement soon...

Most definitely. I noticed the baby bump when she and Jessa were at the stove making hot chocolate.

Bin looks like a stoner.

Yeah, and he got ahold of some reeeeallly goooood shit.

[mimionthebeach]

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?

.

When someone you believe you are close to reveals that they are not who you thought they were, that they've done things you didn't think they were capable of doing, it is a betrayal. Even if you're not the person they wronged.

Someone I was close to murdered someone. Not me or anyone I knew, but I still felt betrayed and that betrayal is something I took personally. We judge people on how they treat other people, how they behave defines who they are. Josh's siblings were led to believe Josh was someone he was not, he misled them about who he was. They have every right to feel betrayed.

[RazzleberryPie]

did any of you notice that moment when jill sat on the couch next to derrick (after the cocoa in the kitchen with jessa) and she purposly pulled her cardigan over her tummy.  i think you guys are correct about another baby announcement soon...

When she walked down the hallway holding the baby in front of her, she definitely looked like he had a big stomach.

[BitterApple]

It definitely seems like the boys were given more leeway to express their thoughts. The girls were very clearly sticking to the script and the halting speech, overuse of the word "like" and repetitive phrasing were proof of that.

Regarding Jinger's disinterest/attitude, we have to ask, what's really in it for her at this point? Jessa has a renovated house, new husband, new baby and nearly two million social media followers. Jinger is stuck at the TTH as an unpaid nanny with no light at the end of the tunnel. She had a look on her face like "this bitch..." when Jessa was commanding her to smile and take pictures during the shopping trip. Whatever closeness they once had is all but gone.

[farmgal4]

Okay, so I actually looked at a still..good grief. WTF, he let JimBob operate?

I have no use for any of them but that looks BAD. I hope it doesn't feel as painful as it looks?

The doctor broke his JAW, for God's sake, because his upper palate was too small after having braces, which means his jaws were wired shut for a couple of months, at least. WTF! He should have gotten a second, third and maybe fourth, opinion before letting someone do that to him. Like I said in an earlier post, I think a visit to an attorney is in order.