The first season of Jill & Jessa: Counting On was a modest hit for TLC, but that’s no guarantee that the show will be back for a second season.
Unfortunately, for the execs who have been profiting off of their name for over a decade, the Duggars are no longer a safe bet.
In the wake of the Josh Duggar sex scandals, the network dragged its feet for months, but it eventually conceded to the rising tide of public outrage and canceled 19 Kids and Counting.
A few months later, in the hope that the television-viewing public might have already forgiven and forgotten, execs brought some of the least controversial members of the Duggar clan back with Counting On.
Following a limited run to test the waters in December of 2015, TLC made a surprise announcement that the Duggars would be returning to television with a full season of the show.
As usual, the Duggar faithful turned out in droves, but the powers that be may still feel that a second of the show is simply more trouble than it’s worth.
Dozens of angry advertisers have already pulled their financial support from the show, and many of them issued public statements chastising the network and, in some cases, the Duggars themselves.
In recent weeks, the family has resorted to desperate measures to save the show, but it could be a case of too little, too late.
A social media campaign to save the show (complete with “#BringBackTheDuggars” hashtag) has failed to gain traction online.
It’s been rumored that Jill and Jess are planning to get pregnant at the same time, in part to boost ratings, but a Duggar pregnancy is about as newsworthy as a sunny day, and fans know that even if the family’s not on TV, the girls will still provide near-daily updates about their synchronized gestations on social media.
Despite all the hype surrounding the possibility of cancelation, the network has yet to make a statement on the matter, leading some to believe a decision has already been made behind the scenes.
So it looks like the Duggars long courtship with TLC may finally be coming to an end.
But don’t worry, fans, we’re sure such an ambitious clan won’t stay out of the spotlight for long.
