** SEMI-SPOILER ALERT**
If you have any intentions on watching this show, some information in this blog may affect your attitude.
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| Breaking Amish tlc.com page Sabrina, Abe, Rebecca, Jeremiah, Kate |
The Learning Channel (TLC) has produced a reality documentary TV show following the lives of four Amish and one Mennonite, as they leave their comfort zone communities to set sail for New York City. The show portrays how difficult the decision to leave their communities can be. After watching the first episode "Jumping The Fence"(which can be seen here) I learned that, once an individual has decided he/she wants to leave the Amish, they face being shunned. Shunning is the ultimate punishment in the Amish community, the family/whole community of that person will not speak to him or her, eat with him or her, or even look in the direction of that person. Each one of the five characters has a different reason for wanting to leave the only lifestyle they have ever known and venture into the "English" way of living.
Breaking Amish Trailer
Despite the show's negative reports of it is really like when "jumping the fence" (leaving the Amish community), Breaking Amish has done well with ratings, even against some of the toughest competition. While sharing the Sunday night 9-10pm time slot against the beloved Walking Dead, Breaking Amish is holding it's own. I checked tvbythenumber.zap2it.com and was surprised to see Breaking Amish was in second place among this past week's cable, adults 18-49, Live+SD results. Their actual rating was much more believable, only pulling a 1.7 which was a major drop-off from Walking Dead's 5.6. But, Breaking Amish has sprouted out as one of TLC's first original hit shows. I read in the article BREAKING AMISH is TLC's No. 1 Freshman Series Ever that Breaking Amish was "the highest rated series among P/W25-54 and W18-49 since WHAT NOT TO WEAR in 2003".
Breaking Amish: The Shunning Truth Part Two airs this Sunday, November 19th at 10pm on TLC. This is the second part of the cast reunion. If you would like to catch up on the show before season one comes to a complete end, you can view a few episodes on the TLC website, episodes are are also available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, etc. I couldn't find any information on if there will be a season two. But, considering what a success it was for the network, I would think TLC would try to do some type of followup on the cast, or start over with a new group.
~Alexis
Breaking Amish Trailer
The first episode caught my attention immediately. I instantly became a fan of the show and invested in these five people and their lives. I was very eager to see how they view the "English", how they would fare in The Big Apple, and how it would affect their lives back home. Once, I finished the first episode, I decided to go ahead get my blog out of the way. After doing a Google search of "breaking amish" multiple results came in about the faults of the show, how it isn't real and how it isn't portraying the Amish in the proper way. One article that stood out to me was on cw15.com done by CBS 21 News: Ex-wife of 'Breaking Amish' cast member speaks out about 'reality' show where the ex-wife of one of the cast members speaks about: how long her ex-husband has actually been out of the Amish, their children, and what actually happens when you do decide to leave the Amish community. The article also takes a stab at TLC, claiming they must have known about his situation, because they helped payoff some of his back child support. Reality being not so real?! Shocking, I know right...
Despite the show's negative reports of it is really like when "jumping the fence" (leaving the Amish community), Breaking Amish has done well with ratings, even against some of the toughest competition. While sharing the Sunday night 9-10pm time slot against the beloved Walking Dead, Breaking Amish is holding it's own. I checked tvbythenumber.zap2it.com and was surprised to see Breaking Amish was in second place among this past week's cable, adults 18-49, Live+SD results. Their actual rating was much more believable, only pulling a 1.7 which was a major drop-off from Walking Dead's 5.6. But, Breaking Amish has sprouted out as one of TLC's first original hit shows. I read in the article BREAKING AMISH is TLC's No. 1 Freshman Series Ever that Breaking Amish was "the highest rated series among P/W25-54 and W18-49 since WHAT NOT TO WEAR in 2003".
Breaking Amish: The Shunning Truth Part Two airs this Sunday, November 19th at 10pm on TLC. This is the second part of the cast reunion. If you would like to catch up on the show before season one comes to a complete end, you can view a few episodes on the TLC website, episodes are are also available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, etc. I couldn't find any information on if there will be a season two. But, considering what a success it was for the network, I would think TLC would try to do some type of followup on the cast, or start over with a new group.
~Alexis
Well-written article Alexis. It's crazy how the Amish basically act as if their kids,etc. are dead to them by shunning them, very shameful. I've heard numerous times how the amish are pretty wild in their personal lives, so them letting their hair down a little bit shouldn't be new to them.
ReplyDeleteYou would think with football and The Walking Dead both on Sunday night that Breaking Amish would have poor ratings so I was surprised to see that it's actually doing well against stiff competition. Since when is Reality TV real?? People do anything to be heard I like the show and look forward to what's next.
ReplyDeleteThis show sounds so interesting!!! I am not surprised that some of the show may be "inaccurate" it is television after all... I do want to watch this though. I can't believe how the Amish survive lol our worlds are so different!
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