Entertainment
15 Reality TV Shows To Stream About Big, Unique Families If You Like Counting On
Here’s how you can get your big, quirky family fix after TLC canceled the Duggar family’s spin-off show Counting On.
After TLC announced that the network will no longer be producing new seasons of Counting On after 11 season, reality TV aficionados may be wondering where they can get their big, quirky family fix. But while the Duggar family is certainly unique, the premise of their show has been replicated many times. In fact, there are several shows like Counting On to watch.
“TLC will not be producing additional seasons of Counting On,” the network told Deadline in a statement. “TLC feels it is important to give the Duggar family the opportunity to address their situation privately.”
The show’s cancelation comes roughly two months after Josh Duggar was arrested by Homeland Security in late April and indicted on two charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. He has pled not guilty to both charges and is currently awaiting trial.
Counting On debuted in 2015, documenting the lives of the oldest Duggar daughters (and later, the sons) as they navigated marriage, raising their kids, and growing their families. In addition to capturing the birth of many Duggar grandbabies, the show also talked about the Duggar’s strong faith in God.
Though TLC has cut ties with the Duggar family, plenty of other TV shows are still following around big families. Here are 15 to check out.
Bringing Up Bates
Gil and Kelly Jo Bates are the parents to 19 kids between the ages of 9 and 32 that live in the same part of Eastern Tennessee. The Bates are practicing evangelical Christians and are even close friends with the Duggar family.
Their UPtv reality show, Bringing Up Bates, is currently in its 10th season, and focuses on the highs and lows of the ever expanding family.
Watch the first two seasons of Bringing Up Bates for free on tubitv and new episodes on UP Faith & Family.
Welcome To Plathville
The nine kids in the Plath family don’t drink soda, watch TV, or even know who Spiderman is. Their TLC reality show, Welcome To Plathville, focuses on Barry and Kim Plath, who are raising their nine very blonde children on a 55-acre farm in rural Georgia. Like the Duggars, the Plaths are both religious and resourceful. But, some of the older kids have a taste for freedom.
Watch the first two seasons of Welcome to Plathville on Discovery+.
Jon & Kate Plus 8
If you love watching a mom raise multiple kids at once, then you’ll love Jon & Kate Plus 8, the reality show which aired for five seasons on TLC. The show follows Jon and Kate Gosselin as they simultaneously raise their twins and young sextuplets. Needless to say, chaos ensues over the course of the episodes, but shows how hard raising a lot of kids can be.
Watch five seasons of Jon & Kate Plus 8 on Discovery+.
Run’s House
Joseph Simmons is a rapper turned reverend. This reality show, which first debuted on MTV in 2005, focuses on Rev. Run as he raises his six kids while ending each episode with a lesson on faith and family.
Watch six seasons of Run’s House on Paramount+.
Duck Dynasty
This A&E series focuses on the Robertson family who run a successful business selling products for duck hunters. The quirky family and their conservative values get up to some serious antics in the reality show, which aired from 2012 to 2017.
Watch Season 1, 10, and 11 of Duck Dynasty on Discovery+, Season 2 and 3 on Hulu, and Seasons 4, 5, 6, and 9 on Amazon Prime Video.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians
The Kardashian and Jenner family’s estate in California might be miles away from the Duggars in Arkansas, but the bond between the family members, as they navigate raising kids and dealing with family drama, is reminiscent of the bonds between all families.
Watch all 19 seasons of Keeping Up With the Kardashians on Hulu.
Growing Up Gotti
Follow novelist Victoria Gotti, daughter of mob boss, John Gotti as she raises her three teenage sons in this A&E reality series from the early 2000s. Like most moms on this list, Victoria will do anything for her kids.
Watch the first three seasons of Growing Up Gotti on Amazon Prime Video.
Teen Mom: Young & Pregnant
In this installment of MTV’s massive Teen Mom franchise, the spotlight is put on a new group of soon-to-be teen moms who deal with the struggles of being pregnant while balancing their lives as teens. Teen Mom continually shows real life depictions of parenting, and Teen Mom: Young & Pregnant is no exception to this.
Watch Season 1 of Teen Mom: Young & Pregnant on Paramount+.
United Bates of America
Before the Bates family was on Bringing Up Bates, they shot a few episodes of a different reality show, United Bates Of America, for TLC. Watch these episodes, which dives into Gil’s tree cutting business and Kelly’s life as a mom of 19.
Buy Season 1 of United Bates of America on Amazon Prime Video for $9.99.
Little People, Big World
Matt and Amy Roloff face a number of challenges raising their children while standing at 4 feet tall. But the family’s Oregon farm serves as their playground, where they raise their four kids and attempt to keep it operational. The show has been on air for 22 seasons, which means it has a devoted fan base of people who have watched the Roloff kids grow up on camera, just like the Duggars.
Watch all 22 seasons of Little People, Big World on Discovery+.
Doubling Down with the Derricos
Karen and Deon Derrico have four sets of multiples, giving them 14 kids total. After the birth of their triplets, the couple must learn how to juggle multiple personalities all in one house. If you’re a fan of big families, then you will be a big fan of this show.
Watch two seasons of Doubling Down with the Derricos on Discovery+.
Country Buck$
This reality show, which aired on A&E from 2014 to 2015 puts the spotlight on the Busbice family, who started Wildgame Innovations, a small hunting gear business which grew into a huge wildlife sporting empire.
Watch both seasons of Country Buck$ on Amazon Prime Video.
OutDaughered
The multiples don’t stop with the Derricos. OutDaughtered focuses on Danielle and Adam Busby who are the parents to the only female set of quintuplets in the nation. With this many girls in the house, life can just get a little hectic. See how the Busbys handle it all in their TLC reality show, which has aired since 2016.
Watch all eight seasons of OutDaughtered on Discovery+.
Meet the Putnams
Have you met the Putnams? They are a family of 25 — that’s three generations living under one roof with two bathrooms. If you thought showering in your house was a struggle, then you need to see Meet the Putnams.
Watch Meet the Putnams Season 1 on Discovery+.
The Blended Bunch
In this modern day, reality show version of The Brady Bunch, The Blended Bunch follows a widow and widower living in small town Utah who have fallen in love and combined their households. Watching all 11 kids learn to live together is a little challenging, but this show is too cute.
Watch Season 1 of The Blended Bunch on Discovery+.
