A new docuseries is shining a light on one of reality TV’s most notorious families. Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets aims to pull back the curtain and expose the truth about the Arkansas family who starred in 19 Kids and Counting and its spinoff, Counting On.
‘Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets’ premieres June 2
The Duggars were mainstays on TLC for more than a decade, first in 17 Kids and Counting (later, 18 Kids and Counting and 19 Kids and Counting) and then in Counting On. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar invited cameras into their home to document their super-sized family’s unusual lifestyle. They homeschooled their many children and adhered to strict rules (such as no pants for girls) based on their interpretation of the Bible.
On the surface, the Duggars were a picture-perfect family. But there were signs there was more to the story, particularly when allegations surfaced that eldest son Josh Duggar had sexually abused several girls, including several of his sisters. That scandal led to the cancellation of 19 Kids and Counting. However, the show was quickly rebooted as Counting On, with a new focus on several of the now-adult Duggar children. Then, in April 2021, Josh was arrested on charges of possessing material depicting child sexual abuse. A few months later, TLC confirmed it had canceled Counting On.
Josh’s trial played out in the media, and he was eventually found guilty and sentenced to 12½ years in prison. Soon after, Amazon announced it was working on a documentary series about the Duggar family and the conservative religious organization, The Institute in Basic Life Principles, to which they are linked. Now, that docuseries finally has a title – and a premiere date.
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets will premiere Friday, June 2 on Prime Video. All four episodes will be available to stream immediately. The docuseries is created by the same team behind the Prime Video docuseries LuLaRich.
Jill Duggar speaks out in Duggar family docuseries trailer
The docuseries will feature interviews with several IBLP survivors, who will speak out about the organization’s abusive practices. One of them is Jill Duggar Dillard.
“There’s a story that’s gonna be told and I would rather be the one telling it,” the former Counting On star says in the trailer for the series.
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Jill has previously spoken out about her fractured relationship with her family. In the series, she’ll “be joined by family and close family friends who witnessed what went on behind the scenes firsthand,” according to a synopsis from Prime Video.
Based on the trailer, Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets will examine how the Duggars used their reality TV fame to advance a conservative political agenda. One interviewee calls 19 Kids and Counting “a PR show” for the teachings of IBLP founder Bill Gothard.
But the story of IBLP and its influence in conservative Christian circles is about more than a controversial reality series.
“This is much bigger than the Duggars,” one woman says in the teaser. The goal was to influence the country’s politics and core institutions, according to another interviewee.
“You give these kids training in political engagement. From there, you send them into the halls of Congress, into the White House as interns,” the woman says. “They’re playing the long game.”
How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.
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