The landscape of reality TV is ever-shifting, with some dynasties proving as long-lasting as the monarchy itself—though certainly less refined—while others see their fame fade quicker than avocado toast in front of a busy coffee shop. Recently, TLC announced its discontinuation of “”Counting On,” seemingly bringing an end to the Duggar family’s reign over daytime drama.
So how many other sprawling, larger-than-life families continue to claim space on our television screens? The Duggars were undoubtedly at the front lines of large families becoming reality star fuel, popularization “Keeping Up With The Kardashians”—style with every milestone meticulously chronicled. While this model has seemingly lost steam (and public patience), it remains a formula that producers find enticing.
However, these remaining families present some clear variations on the original family-friendly show dynamic. The “Sweet Home Alabama”-esque vibe is alive and well in shows like “‘Alaskan Bush People”…a twist on grandparents gone full survivalist—which have their roots entwined with adventure instead of daily domestic drama.
Others have diversified into niche interests: check out the heartwarming (and sometimes competitive) world of family baking competitions,” “The Duffens.” While lacking overt scandals that often plagued the Duggars, this brand offers warmth amidst a sea of manufactured conflict found in other reality-show formats like dating simulations, cooking wars, and even murder mysteries which can’t hide their artificial backstories—if audiences are being honest. It seems we crave authentic connection as much—if not more—then staged interpersonal tension.
These evolving trends point to an interesting evolution of how we digest family media:
First, there’s increasing appetite for real-world “normalcy.” This could explain the success of cooking shows featuring “regular” families in addition to baking competition giants. Second, audiences seem more receptive to diversity within ‘big family’ format. We have families built in remote isolation (Bushes), on farm endeavors(Chrisley Knows Best), competitive spirit (the Duggars…for better or worse). But what hasn’t survived is the overt manufactured conflict often associated with early family programming. It makes clear that viewers have less tolerance for blatant reality distortion; perhaps authenticity and personal struggle resonates more even behind our screens.
Ultimately, while “Counting On” may be over,, The TLC empire built on extended-families isn’t necessarily dead—it has only adapted and diversified to fit today’s shifting priorities when it comes to entertainment. They’ve learned that audiences crave relatable experiences, fascinating stories ,and most importantly- the sense of genuine connection— even though those “family” units are anything but traditional.
