Right now, I'm watching the Hayes family of TLC's Table for 12 chat with Regis and Kelly. It's not the first time we've seen them lately; since the second season of their show premiered, they've been all over the talk landscape.We're definitely seeing them a lot more than when the show's first season debuted; in fact, TLC seemed to premiere the story of the Hayeses, who have two sets of twins and a set of sextuplets, on the QT last March. The relatively soft launch was a bit of a mystery to me, given the network's love of multiples. I mean, these guys had Jon and Kate beat by a mile, right?
But now that I look back at it, there were two things keeping TLC from really pushing the Hayes family back then: 1) Betty and Eric Hayes actually liked each other (read: they're boringly happy) and 2) Jon and Kate were still a couple. Now that J&K have exploded into a toxic tabloid mess, TLC needed someone to promote, and the Hayes' relative happiness seemed to be the perfect antidote.
But what TLC may not have bargained for is that the Hayeses are just too nice to be a big hit. The reason why a lot of people tuned into Jon and Kate Plus 8, even during the couple's seemingly "happy" times, wasn't the cute moppets running around the Gosselin residence. No, it was J&K's edginess, the notion that taking care of these kids would eventually make one or both of them snap.
Even during the happy times, Jon looked like he had that "what did I get myself into?" face on him at all times, and Kate yelled at Jon like he was her ninth child. So, even though the sheer ugliness of J&K's split couldn't have been predicted, the split itself wasn't that big of a surprise, especially to that gleefully rubbernecking segment of the audience (which included me... might as well come clean here).
But the Hayeses aren't like that. Betty and Eric may get tired from time to time, but they both seem to enjoy being parents and being with each other. Where's the fun in that? The first season bored me to tears because that edginess was missing; I'd imagine the second season won't be any more interesting.
Is TLC putting their big family eggs in too boring of a basket? Let me know in the comments.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-16-2009 @ 11:29AM
alk02g said...
I'm a big fan of this show. I saw the premiere and all of the first season. I missed the first two episodes of the second season (didn't realize it was back!), but have caught the others so far. Yes, the parents are kinda "boring," but at the same time it's so nice to see them genuinely trust each other's parenting decisions (especially in comparison to J&K). The kids aren't bratty, and while some of them have a more sever rivalry than others, it's really refreshing to watch them interact. The sextuplets seem so much more like individuals than the Gosselin kids.
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11-16-2009 @ 2:30PM
King Zilch said...
So they're trading one set of attention-whoring breeders for another? Pass.
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11-24-2009 @ 8:38PM
mel014u said...
I am fascinated, watching NICE people being parents to large families. It's just amazing to most of us from small families to see how they interact and manage to function!
Some J&K scenes made me CRINGE, hearing such disrespectful and unloving remarks...on television yet. I find it much more pleasant and entertaining to watch the Hayes and Duggars: so much love, co-operation and fun.
The Hayes are especially inspiring, because they function more within the world most of us do. The way they handle the challenges of so many kids, one with disabilities, is just so REAL, and they LIKE each other. The kind of reality I want to see, and I can't be the only one.
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12-29-2009 @ 11:34AM
Robin B. in NY said...
I love how well the kids get along and each are their own person. I love how the children all take such tender care of their handicapped sister. They all pay special attention to her and hold her and talk to her. This family is full of love and it is nice to see after Kate ripped Jon a new one every episode and cloned her kids in the same outfits all the time. I will keep watching this and the amazing Duggar family as well.
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12-29-2009 @ 9:27PM
Lynn said...
Table for 12 stinks! Sorry the kids are boring and not cute in the least!!! They are annoying! I miss the cute Gosselin kids. What was TLC thinking putting this show on the air, it will put you to sleep.
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1-04-2010 @ 4:55AM
parsley said...
i live in england andi love watching this program the family is lovely down to earth people ajoy to watch i recorded it to watch again and again i did watch the gosslin family then it began to get tainted they are in need of help i didnt like jon kate was over the top
may be down to that husband who knows so out of the two i like to watch the hayes family and i would love betty as afreind she is a lot like me . anyway thanks for the shows keep the family life coming its better than the crap whats on tv lie the up to date films they cant make films anymore its all violence etc so welcome the hayes family love you happy new year to them all
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1-21-2010 @ 10:30PM
Carol said...
i love the hayes family. lets have more of them.
TV is so boring with all the crime shows.
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1-25-2010 @ 7:15AM
alison said...
I am from england and I watched the jon and kate programmes to start with but both of them got too into themselves and into the stardom that came with the job. The Hayes are a wonderful family, there is so much love and effection in this family and mum and dad are so down to earth and lovely. Their children will be bought up with the right ethics and family loyalties through the parenting of Betty and Eric. I will continue to watch and enjoy this lovely show.
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