From the time of its initial test run, Counting On has never delivered consistent ratings for TLC.
The Duggars had always proven popular in the past, and even the Josh Duggar sex scandals weren’t enough to drive some fans away, but the family’s latest reality series struggled from the start.
Ratings would skyrocket in episodes that captured a major family event, then plummet in the weeks that followed, so perhaps it’s no surprise that producers have devoted so much attention to Jinger Duggar’s wedding.
Jinger married Jeremy Vuolo back in November, and the show has gotten a LOT of mileage out of her nuptials.
Nearly an entire season was devoted to the wedding planning process.
The show teased a wedding episode several times, at one point, even luring fans in with the promise of the big day, and then delivering a patched-together clip show.
Even after Jinger and Jeremy tied the knot on TV, the show still didn’t move on, delivering several “flashback” episodes that painstakingly detailed the run-up to the nuptials.
Remarkably, the show still isn’t through focusing on the couple, and promos have promised that tonight’s two-hour episode will be all about the Vuolo wedding.
Not surprisingly, some fans are saying enough is enough:
“Already saw it last fall! Don’t need to see again and with a whole bunch of filler added. I usually tape and fast forward through the old stuff and when the dad talks!” one viewer commented on the show’s official Facebook page.
“Soooo tired of seeing flashbacks. Nothing new ever happens. I’ve been a loyal watcher since the beginning and I’m quite disappointed,” echoed another fan.
And according to the ratings, these fans aren’t alone.
Not only has the show been on a steady decline, episodes that focus on Jinger and Jeremy are seeing full-blown nosedives in terms of viewership.
Less than a million viewers tuned in for last week’s episode, entitled “All About Jinger.”
That was a dip of nearly 200,000 viewers from the week before, and tonight’s wedding special is unlikely to fare much better.
Unfortunately, it’s too late for producers to correct course and end the season with some less Jinger-centric episodes.
Looks like the folks behind the camera have dramatically overestimated the appeal of the latest Duggar couple to get hitched.
Watch Counting On online to relive this season and remind yourself of just how much mileage the show has gotten from a single wedding.
It really has to be seen to be believed.
