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All Episodes Talk: Small World, Big Lives

NewOrleansLady
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Culture Check: How can the tropes and stereotypes we apply to TV personalities impact our fellow posters, and how do we remain mindful of these effects while discussing them? Please review for more on stereotypes and tropes.

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Culture Check: How can we express our opinions and consider the effect our assumptions may have on the people around us? What impact might speculation have on others, especially when we speculate about children or complex issues like neurodiversity?

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Irate Panda
Irate Panda

A rundown of the show imo: Two LP got married because neither one of them thought they could do better than the other. They had 4 kids, despite probably realizing they were not a good mat

VioletNevermind
VioletNevermind

Ugh.  If I were Amy, I would be furious (and holding my cards very close to my chest).  That conversation in Matt’s office was nothing less than a three-on-one pile-on.  I just don’t understand how Am

funky-rat
funky-rat

We all need to remember that we came in to their lives after they had 4 children and had lived on the farm for a number of years.  None of us saw the years leading up to that.  I don't know what Amy w

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ZoloftBlob

ZoloftBlob

I get your point, AZChristian, but it was nice to see an actual unscripted reaction. And it wasn't so far out there... Personally - and I accept I don't like Matt - it doesn't shock me that his reaction is to turn on the blubbering and make it about him. Meanwhile I am genuinely shocked Jer and Auj haven't immediately done a followup pregnancy... wait, no I am not... I think these two realize just how much they will have to change their lives for a baby.

  • Love 7
AZChristian

AZChristian

1 minute ago, ZoloftBlob said:

I get your point, AZChristian, but it was nice to see an actual unscripted reaction. And it wasn't so far out there... Personally - and I accept I don't like Matt - it doesn't shock me that his reaction is to turn on the blubbering and make it about him. Meanwhile I am genuinely shocked Jer and Auj haven't immediately done a followup pregnancy... wait, no I am not... I think these two realize just how much they will have to change their lives for a baby.

I get yours, too, ZB.  I don't care for Amy.  I think every giggle and every "unscripted reaction" is done with an awareness that there are cameras and she loves having them pointed at her (every bit as much as Matt does).  It just seems like a little class would have gone a long way in reacting more appropriately to such wonderful news.  

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SunnyBeBe

SunnyBeBe

(edited)

Except for the scenes of Jer and Auj being self-indulgent, the show is better than every, imo. Loved the scene of Matt and Amy riding off in the mule with smiles and compliments to each other.  I NEVER thought, I'd see the day that things were so good. Matt praising Zach and telling him how proud he was of him, before he knew of the pregnancy.  I almost forget what a rotten little snot that Zach used to be.   OMG.  I suppose that people do really change SOMETIMES.  

I've always had issues with angry Amy, but, she's happy now and happy looks so good on her. AND on Matt. 

I bet there will be another great Pumpkin season and I hope we get to see it. Is this TLC's OLDEST running show?

Edited by SunnyBeBe
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bichonblitz

bichonblitz

13 hours ago, Diane M said:

 

I binge-watched the show today, and I'm wondering how realistic is the show?  All those people at Amy's part.....are they really friends or just locals hired for the show?  And how about her new boyfriend?  Is that real?  

 

I have questioned that, also. There is no way Amy has all those friends. Especially all the men at the pool party.  Everybody is single, no couples at the party.  I get a super fake vibe from Chris. 

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ZoloftBlob

ZoloftBlob

I can believe she knows that many people in that I think she has been networking with her charity for a few years now and had friends from that and let's not kid ourselves, she's a bit of a local celeb. The men at the pool party were mostly the men from the art party which means most of them were probably encouraged to attend by TLC but... If I ask myself "if you had to scare up a bunch of people for a pool party?" - my honest answer, even though I am not terribly social, is that I could scare up thirty or so friends and aquaintences for free food and fun.

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gunderda

gunderda

On 1/7/2017 at 9:54 AM, MegD said:

Do Jer and Auj even remotely think about the fact that the "big house" is customized for Matt & Amy? If I were buying it, the first thing I'd have to do (after disinfecting the heck out of it) would be to pull out the kitchen. While it's workable for someone Amy's height, having to bend over to perform the simplest kitchen tasks. But perhaps Jer and Auj don't cook so it wouldn't matter. Or they'll be hiring Amy as their live in cook.

EXACTLY!  that's the first thing I thought of when it they mentioned Jer and Auj would want the big house.  They'd have to gut the entire thing and that's a freaking gorgeous kitchen.  But then Matt did say to Amy "don't you want to build the house you want?" so I could see where she might want that.  But screw off Jer and Auj - you two get the double wide!!!

And i know Matt is a jerk and what not but he tore at my little heart strings when he bawled about the baby news.  And I think they all had extreme reactions because they were told a baby wasn't in the plans for awhile. 

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Passing Strange

Passing Strange

I sympathize with Amy on the cameras. To me, it feels like Matt still desperately trying to exert some control over her. On the other hand, security cameras done right are a positive thing. What I would do in that situation is say I think security is a good idea and that I'd like to be able to monitor the feeds, too. Amy may not be familiar enough with technology to think of that, although pressing Matt for a better answer to her question about who is looking at them would have been a good step.

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SunnyBeBe

SunnyBeBe

(edited)

To me the security issue is clear.  I would love to have those cameras.  As to who's watching them. Well, normally, if something is disturbed, damaged, stolen, etc.  you look at the video to see if there's anything unusual.  Some people see bears, wolves, deer, raccoons, on their video.  But, it could be a peeping tom, zealous fan or psycho.  That's why I want the surveillance. If you need it as evidence for court, you have them.  There are some fanatics out there.   I do not believe that Matt is even slightly interested in any of Amy's private, social business.  In fact, he seems to be thrilled for her.  Oh, also, some people have trips set up, so you can turn them on after a certain hour at night and if someone appears, the cameras start filming.  

Edited by SunnyBeBe
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Celia Rubenstein

Celia Rubenstein

It seems odd that Matt only just recently decided he needs security cameras.   For years his family appeared on TV and he had four young kids living at home, but he didn't feel like he needed cameras everywhere.  Wasn't his big fancy sign at the end of the driveway vandalized at one point?  He didn't put in cameras then.  Why are peepers and creepers suddenly a concern now when they never were before?  I think he just wants to monitor Amy and her friends (mainly dates), plain and simple. 

That is not to say that if I was in Matt's position I wouldn't want some security - I would.  But I think I would have put it in a long time ago. But if I were in Amy's position I would demand the ability to shut off certain cameras at will so that I could be assured of my privacy. If Matt balked it would show what his true motives were and then it's time for a BB gun or spray paint or something. 

I cringed when Matt said that if he was still married, he would just go ahead and start construction on his little compound, but since Amy isn't his wife any more he has to consult with her and take her opinion into account.   That, in a nutshell, is why Amy is NOT your wife any more, Matt.  That kind of self-absorption. 

I have a question:  when Amy said she was not dumb and knew about the discussions about having her move into the double wide so Jer and Aud could have the big house, she said something about Matt "living in the house."  Did she mean the big house (with Jer and Aud) or the cabin he is talking about building?  Because if Matt and Jer and Aud are all scheming together to get Amy's house and install her in the double wide, it seems like the whole cabin/compound thing is just a ruse to dislodge her.  How shitty!  I wouldn't put it past Matt, though. I think he is that manipulative. And what is with all his mugging for the cameras lately?  Is he trying to look cutesy sneaky or something?  It is starting to really grate on my nerves. 

I also cringed at Amy swearing like that (repeatedly) when she opened her package.  It was just crude.  And Matt's bawling and sobbing was a bit much.  It did feel like he was making it about himself.  I was not impressed with their sunset ride around the farm discussing the future.  They didn't look at each other once.  No warmth there at all.  No friendship.  It's sad.  I think if they had their druthers, they'd never lay eyes on each other again. 

On a positive note, Zach and Tori are such a great couple.  I hope they jettison the reality show cameras from their lives soon, though. They are the kiss of death to marriages! 

  • Love 12
Caracoa1

Caracoa1

I say let Matt build himself a custom home for his needs if he wants to and tell the "Special Snowflakes" they can move into the double wide!  The arrogance of those two is just incredible!  I wonder if Jacob left to get away from the LPBW circus?  If so maybe he would like to come back to the farm someday and raise a family....Maybe even in the "big house"!  He has just as much right as Jer Bear.  I wonder how long Audrey will wait before she demands Jeremy get her the "big house" at the farm?

  • Love 6
ZoloftBlob

ZoloftBlob

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I say let Matt build himself a custom home for his needs if he wants to and tell the "Special Snowflakes" they can move into the double wide!

I find it genuinely surprising that the double wide is never ever ever mentioned in regards to where Jeremy and Auj could live. Like.... Matt is proposing building a new house for himself AND a new house for Jer and Auj... leaving a perfectly serviceable manufactured as a fourth residence because Jer and Auj can't bear the shame of living in a double wide?

Quote

.  But, it could be a peeping tom, zealous fan or psycho.  That's why I want the surveillance. If you need it as evidence for court, you have them.  There are some fanatics out there.   I do not believe that Matt is even slightly interested in any of Amy's private, social business.

I don't entirely disagree with you, Sunnybebe, but here is my counter opinion on that. Money hasn't been an issue for years and years now. I am going to be generously conservative and say Matt could have afforded the camera set up in 2010 as a minor expense. So if safety has been his concern, it seems odd that he waited so long... especially considering how he has publically complained about rogue government employees trespassing- there was an extensive failed lawsuit about this in 2012 and random creepers terrorizing the family (at one point he posted a picture of some woman who was supposedly stalking the family on line on facebook telling people to watch out for her at the pumpkin season because she 'needed treatment'). He has also publically regaled everyone with how the police weren't paying enough attention to threatening emails and messages and stalkers to where not only was he sleeping with his rifle/handgun loaded and ready because he was so terrified, he at one point was chasing some car of some guy he thought was an intruder while calling 911 to get the cops to do something....This was all well before the divorce. Matt was telling people he was sleeping with a loaded gun because he was so fucking terrified of an intruder invading the property... but security cameras never came to him until after he divorced his wife and no longer gets to control what she does by observation? Suddenly *now* Matt doesn't feel safe unless he has cameras on everything, cameras that only he controls and cameras he insists don't point at things Amy does but refuses to let her observe the feeds and know which camera points where?

He's being a pest. I don't think it has anything to do with his personal safety. Frankly I think he knows it annoys Amy and knows if he whines on camera, somehow it's not as creepy as fuck that he's set up cameras all around his farm so he can see what his ex wife is doing with "his" property.

If he's in danger, then Amy is in danger and if it isn't about spying on Amy then Amy should have full access to all the camera feeds just like Matt. If he's refusing it - and he publically is - then he's hiding something, imo.

Quote

I have a question:  when Amy said she was not dumb and knew about the discussions about having her move into the double wide so Jer and Aud could have the big house, she said something about Matt "living in the house."  Did she mean the big house (with Jer and Aud) or the cabin he is talking about building?  Because if Matt and Jer and Aud are all scheming together to get Amy's house and install her in the double wide, it seems like the whole cabin/compound thing is just a ruse to dislodge her.

I think *she* thinks that, and with Jer and Auj so openly discussing their plans, I really can't blame her for thinking that they're plotting. Matt is that manipulative and I think he's very much attempting to drive a wedge between Amy and Jeremy by not setting Jeremy down and saying "that's your mom's house, she's not just going to leave and hand you the keys". Matt is VERY much manipulating Jeremy, who isn't terribly bright, with "I might sell the farm, wait, I might buy more property! Wait, I might build a completely new house for you on the farm! Wait, you need to get your mom out of the big house if you want it!"....

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And what is with all his mugging for the cameras lately?  Is he trying to look cutesy sneaky or something?

Yup, he likes to be "a lil dickens". He knows a faction of the audience finds it adorable and has learned from long use that he gets away with a lot of shit because he's small.

  • Love 11
Mike p.

Mike p.

(edited)
3 hours ago, ZoloftBlob said:

. . . he at one point was chasing some car of some guy he thought was an intruder while calling 911 . . . 

If memory serves, all this nonsense about death threats, sleeping scared, chasing cars, keeping a loaded gun was considered laughably fraudulent at the time he made those claims. NOTHING independent of Roloff himself was ever found to back up his claims—most egregiously missing: police reports that would have been public record. There was simply no evidence to support him.

Further, he made these claims at about the same general time that he was creating himself as an object of pity, comparing physicians in his childhood to Josef Mengele, the Nazi doctor—this itself in response to new media interest in bullying among children and gay suicides. Roloff saw a spotlight and inserted himself as a childhood victim to reap whatever sympathy it might generate. Again, if memory serves, these claims were regarded as the exaggerations of a very foolish man, and cost him considerable status among little people and their organizations.

Personally, I'd be greatly surprised if private security arrangements—including cameras—had not been in place for years, paid for by TLC. It seems to me that such things would have been an early necessity, and the particulars of them not disclosed to the public.

Lastly, I do agree that his facial mugging has gone on for years; giant eyeglasses, huge and weird hats, his mouth and features screwed awry—the epitome of Roloff's infantile humor. His clueless Facebook fans love to see it. This is America.

Edited by Mike p.
Typo. Geez.
  • Love 4
Celia Rubenstein

Celia Rubenstein

Interesting about Matt's mugging for the camera being a long-term thing.  I guess I was aware of it earlier, but lately it seems so incredibly over the top.  It's like he's turned into Snidely Whiplash all of a sudden.

I've also noticed he is having little outbursts of visible disgust with Amy more often ... rolling his eyes, snapping at her when she doesn't listen to him, covering his face with his computer in frustration, smirking.  I know he has done that a lot over the years, too, but it also seems to be increasing in frequency (and becoming more exaggerated).  

Is Matt suffering from some kind of lack of attention issue?  He is having to share the camera a lot more now, what with the twins having segments with their own spouses and Amy having an entirely separate story line. Is this increase in attention seeking behavior his way of trying to take center stage back?   That's what it feels like to me.  I think that's where the whole "compound" idea is coming from, too.  It's just an attempt to set up a private community with him at the center of it.

Matt needs to get off the damn farm and go on a date or something.  It's worked wonders for Amy's self esteem.  There is someone out there for him.  There has to be!   

  • Love 7
Adiba

Adiba

1 hour ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

 

I cringed when Matt said that if he was still married, he would just go ahead and start construction on his little compound, but since Amy isn't his wife any more he has to consult with her and take her opinion into account.   That, in a nutshell, is why Amy is NOT your wife any more, Matt.  That kind of self-absorption. 

This is what stood out to me the most during this episode. Matt said something like NOW they are business partners since the divorce. Guess what, Matt, you were supposed to have been partners, business and otherwise, during the marriage. And yes, if he and Amy were still married, he would have steamrolled right over her and started construction already.

  • Love 6
CofCinci

CofCinci

18 minutes ago, Adiba said:

This is what stood out to me the most during this episode. Matt said something like NOW they are business partners since the divorce. Guess what, Matt, you were supposed to have been partners, business and otherwise, during the marriage. And yes, if he and Amy were still married, he would have steamrolled right over her and started construction already.

Yep. It's the sole reason Auj is "Team Matt & Amy".  

  • Love 10
MegD

MegD

While watching Amy on her date, I realized something. Amy reminds me of a teenager on her first date. Which would make sense really. She was very quickly married to Matt and didn't really date before him. I think he may have been the first guy to give her the time of day. Now she's in her second relationship. She hasn't outgrown the giggles because she didn't have them to start with.

Zach called it with Jer and with Matt. This is about Matt wanting for Matt. He's definitely not planning to move back onto the farm.

  • Love 2
Juliegirlj

Juliegirlj

What's wrong with Matt adapting his current home to his needs- it is wasteful to abandon it and build another brand new house. 

Jeremy is an ass. I understand very well how difficult it is to accept a parent re entering the dating world. However, what is he expecting Amy to do- make him eggs and live her life alone? Amy and Matt's marriage failure is just that: Amy and Matt's failure. Neither is solely to blame. 

Audrey and Jeremy are so impressed with themselves that it is difficult to watch. Some day they will look back and cringe. 

  • Love 5
galax-arena

galax-arena

Zach and Tori are authentic, interesting and adorable. They could get rid of all the others and I would watch just for those two cuties.


I think they're also just more interesting with respect to the spirit of the show, which is to show the lives of little people. And a couple where both people have dwarfism (e.g. Matt & Amy) is one thing, but what about when one person is a dwarf and the other isn't (e.g. Zach & Tori)? 

Meanwhile, what's so flipping interesting about a couple of average-sized dweebs who have no real talents, display no particular ambition (other than getting the farm & extending their 15 minutes of fame), possess no incredible intelligence or intellect, and aren't stunningly beautiful? 

  • Love 13
riverblue22

riverblue22

I never really watched this show before this season, although I did catch one of the weddings.  I'm finding that I like this show now--Zach and Tori are adorable and I'm getting a kick out of Amy's (probably phony) dating adventures.  Chris is really pretty cute and has a nice voice so that storyline works for me.

I think the show is better with Matt and Amy divorced--their bickering on the old shows drove me away.

  • Love 3
KateHearts

KateHearts

On 1/12/2017 at 10:46 AM, Juliegirlj said:

Zach and Tori are authentic, interesting and adorable. They could get rid of all the others and I would watch just for those two cuties. They are polar opposites of Jer and Audj- who I find cringeworthy.

eh.  I find Zach to have marginal intelligence (his grammar is awful, and he definitely is riding the TV-show wave. I don't think coaching soccer is exactly a means of self-support (whether or not Tori has a job as a teacher). I could do with a little less of the "hey babe," "yeah babe"... (pronounced more like "hey beb."  Yes, you adore each other.  

Did anyone catch when Tori broke the news in their home (with her secret "Tori-cam") and he grabbed her ass? I wonder if she whispered, "stop! we're filming!"

  • Love 8
MegD

MegD

7 hours ago, KateHearts said:

I could do with a little less of the "hey babe," "yeah babe"... (pronounced more like "hey beb."  Yes, you adore each other.  

i think some of that is their generation. My brother recently married a girl who is about Zach and Jerk's age. They do the "bae" thing as well. It's obnoxious but all of their friends seem to do it as well.

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fuzzylollipop

fuzzylollipop

Yet my boyfriend and I are around Zach and Tori's age and we absolutely despise "babe" and refuse to use it. Different strokes for different folks. 

To whoever mentioned it, I totally caught Zach's nonstop butt grabbing in Tori's video! Feels like he's a little more confident behind the camera, which is normal. It really surprised me though. I love the person Zach is becoming, but I think deep down I still see him as that total dweeb he was for years on the show so it's weird to see him show even a spark of personality. 

  • Love 3
Guest

Guest

On 1/10/2017 at 9:21 PM, Diane M said:

 All those people at Amy's part.....are they really friends or just locals hired for the show?  And how about her new boyfriend?  Is that real?  

She could have joined a meetup.com group. That's what I did when I separated.  There were about 30 people at my first party, all single, all in a specific age range.

Lindy Dear

Lindy Dear

Amy definitely seems to be going for it with Chris.  Has there been anything posted about who he is?  Can't Jer and his wife take a sabbatical far, far away?  Maybe they could get their own spin-off, carrying their self-absorbed, know-it-all message....elsewhere?  For a very, very long time?  The thought of those two occupying any space at all on the Farm? Sad, sad, sad. 

Wonder if Jacob (and his girlfriend) might ever be persuaded to return?  His "take" on things now could really spice up the show.

I wish Zach and Tori would reconsider their thinking about NOT moving onto the farm.  They are the only two who really would be a plus. Especially with a little one roaming around.  Could rejuvenate everything? 

  • Love 1
Mike p.

Mike p.

(edited)
4 hours ago, camom said:

I wonder how his relationship is with Matt.

I don't think it's good. There's some early tickling interaction between the two, but for the run of the show Matt has been mostly indifferent to Jake, or especially critical of him. Matt's focus has ALWAYS been on Jeremy.

There is a telling moment in the run-up to Jeremy's wedding. The kids are inside the church (or maybe the schoolhouse), painting it. Matt enters, and the first thing he does is criticize what Jake is doing. Jake turns to his siblings, opens his arms palms up and wears an expression on his face: "See what I mean?"

It's really quick, but I think it speaks volumes. This occurred at the about time that Jake was clearly withdrawing from the show. Matt's behavior may not be Jake's only reason, but I'm sure that it contributes.

In an earlier incident, he is blamed by Matt for misplacing a remote control—no questions asked, no chance to plead not guilty. And it's clear that he isn't guilty of it, Zach is.

Jake has expressed some admiration for his dad's problem-solving capacity, but not for much else that I can recall. 

Jake is a kid who lost his family at age 8. Early episodes show him completely involved, doing his part for the show. But he is always shown as a crybaby—a view he of himself that he doesn't share—and he begins to withdraw. He spends more time with Mike Detjen, then is injured by Detjen's trebuchet. At that point he gets surly and dark, I assume trapped in place he doesn't want to be.

I suspect that part of the problem is that Jake is smart, especially compared to his brothers, and has learned to stand up for himself and, perhaps, to call a Roloff spade a spade.

Edited by Mike p.
Typo
  • Love 6
Mike p.

Mike p.

3 hours ago, SongbirdHollow said:

Detjen's trebuchet? That was Matt's stupid idea. I do agree that Jake was lost when Mike died. 

I take your point, and it is correct.

In the 10th episode, Matt has seen trebuchets on other farms and wants one himself. Thereafter, the entire project—design, building and operation—becomes Detjen's work. I view it as Detjen's thing.

  • Love 1
SongbirdHollow

SongbirdHollow

20 hours ago, Mike p. said:

I take your point, and it is correct.

In the 10th episode, Matt has seen trebuchets on other farms and wants one himself. Thereafter, the entire project—design, building and operation—becomes Detjen's work. I view it as Detjen's thing.

Yes, Mike built it of course, on Matt's instructions. ?

  • Love 2
Mod-LunarJester
Message added by Mod-LunarJester,

Culture Check: How can the tropes and stereotypes we apply to TV personalities impact our fellow posters, and how do we remain mindful of these effects while discussing them? Please review for more on stereotypes and tropes.

Guest

Culture Check: How can we express our opinions and consider the effect our assumptions may have on the people around us? What impact might speculation have on others, especially when we speculate about children or complex issues like neurodiversity?

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