Little People, Big World | |
---|---|
Genre | Reality |
Starring |
|
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 25 |
No. of episodes | 394 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Camera setup | Multiple |
Running time | 42 minutes |
Production company | Gay Rosenthal Productions |
Original release | |
Network | TLC |
Release | March 4, 2006 – present |
Related | |
Little People Big World: Wedding Farm |
Little People, Big World is an American reality television series that premiered on March 4, 2006, and airs on TLC. The series chronicles the lives of the six-member Roloff family farm near Portland, Oregon. Many of the episodes focus on the parents, Matt and Amy, and one of their children, Zach, who has dwarfism.
On August 26, 2010, TLC announced that the sixth season would be the last for the show. [1] [2] [3] However, the show was never canceled and remains on the air to this day, with season 25 premiering on February 20, 2024.
After its original final season, TLC aired several specials: [4] "Conquering Mount St. Helens", "Breaking Down the Walls", [5] and "Welcome to the Jungle". [5] On October 5, 2012, TLC announced a spin-off series – Little People Big World: Wedding Farm . [6] [7] It chronicles Matt and Amy as they jump-start their wedding business on the farm. [8] The series premiered on November 13, 2012, and ran for six episodes. [9]
In 2010, Amy Roloff commented on the beginnings of the show: "TLC came to us about five or six years ago, and so we suddenly realized we were given a great opportunity to educate people about dwarfism. When it was offered that we do a show about our lives, my husband and I were like, "Wow, nothing like this has even been on the air." Nothing had depicted dwarfism in an everyday way. Lo and behold, a few episodes turned into six seasons. And here we are." [10]
The show follows the daily lives of the Roloff family — parents Matt and Amy, and their four children: Zach, Jeremy, Molly, and Jacob. Matt, Amy, and Zach have dwarfism, while Jeremy, Molly, and Jacob are of average height. Zach and Jeremy are fraternal twins; although Jeremy is of average height, his brother Zach is a little person (4'4", or 132 cm).
The family lives on the 36-acre (150,000 m2) Roloff Farm, located north of Hillsboro in Helvetia, Oregon, a suburb of Portland.
Later seasons feature the children's marriages, the birth of their children, Amy and Matt's divorce and subsequent relationships with other partners, and the sale of the farm.
Season | Episodes | Specials | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | ||||
Pilot | 1 | — | March 4, 2006 | ||
1 | 20 | — | March 25, 2006 | May 13, 2006 | |
2 | 22 | — | October 7, 2006 | December 23, 2006 | |
3 | 30 | 2 | April 8, 2007 | July 16, 2007 | |
4 | 20 | — | October 15, 2007 | December 17, 2007 | |
5 | 26 | — | March 3, 2008 | May 26, 2008 | |
6 | 22 | — | October 13, 2008 | December 22, 2008 | |
7 | 26 | — | February 15, 2009 | May 11, 2009 | |
8 | 20 | — | October 12, 2009 | January 18, 2010 | |
9 | 20 | — | April 5, 2010 | June 7, 2010 | |
10 | 20 | 6 | September 6, 2010 | September 3, 2012 | |
11 | 10 | — | November 13, 2012 | June 30, 2013 | |
12 | 8 | — | October 29, 2013 | December 17, 2013 | |
13 | 6 | — | March 25, 2014 | September 30, 2014 | |
14 | 10 | 1 | July 7, 2015 | September 8, 2015 | |
15 | 13 | 3 | May 10, 2016 | August 2, 2016 | |
16 | 8 | 1 | November 22, 2016 | January 10, 2017 | |
17 | 8 | 2 | May 2, 2017 | November 8, 2017 | |
18 | 12 | 1 | April 3, 2018 | June 26, 2018 | |
19 | 10 | 1 | April 2, 2019 | June 4, 2019 | |
20 | 8 | 2 | March 31, 2020 | May 19, 2020 | |
21 | 5 | 1 | September 29, 2020 | October 27, 2020 | |
22 | 14 | 2 | May 11, 2021 | August 10, 2021 | |
23 | 10 | — | May 17, 2022 | July 19, 2022 | |
24 | 11 | — | November 1, 2022 | February 13, 2024 | |
25 | 10 | — | February 20, 2024 | 2024 |
The first season of Little People, Big World generated adequate ratings for TLC (especially in the 18–49 demographic), leading to the show's renewal for a second season. [28] Critical reviews of the series have been generally positive, citing the show's positive portrayal of little people. [29] [30] Conversely, other reviews have claimed that the show has a voyeuristic bend to it (albeit a nonsexual one), but allows the viewer to feel good about watching because it is not outwardly or overtly exploitive. [31] [32]
The September 30, 2014, finale of Little People, Big World's eighth season broke series records; 2.3 million total viewers tuned in to watch Jeremy Roloff marry his long-time girlfriend, Audrey Botti. The finale was the highest-rated episode in six years among women 25–54 and was number one on cable in the 10:00 pm timeslot among women 18–49 and women 18–34. The wedding finale capped the series' highest-rated season, in which it averaged 1.9 million viewers per episode. [33]
Since the show began airing, Roloff Farms has become an extremely popular tourist destination. While the farm and its many attractions have long been available for public viewing during pumpkin season (October), it began receiving far more visitors than can be accommodated. During the 2006 season, more than 30,000 people arrived to buy pumpkins and tour the farm, which only had space for a few hundred vehicles. The farm was shut down temporarily by Washington County deputies on one Saturday in October 2006, due to massive traffic. Area residents have complained about the gridlock caused by the visitors, as well as about the increased media scrutiny the show has brought. [34]
The Roloffs receive a large amount of correspondence. One report said as many as a dozen emails per minute arrive from supporters, however, the family did not confirm it. [30] The increased exposure, however, has led to safety concerns for the family, who now deal with trespassers and fans. They have since installed a security gate on their property. [34]
In 2007, Matt Roloff was arrested on DUI charges. While he was found not guilty of the DUI, he was found guilty of refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test. As a result of his refusal, his driver's license was suspended for three years, because he had previously admitted guilt in a drunken-driving diversion program that he completed in 2003. [35]
In 2020, Jacob Roloff claimed that he was groomed and molested by former producer Chris Cardamone during the production of the series between 2007 and 2010, when Roloff was between the ages of 10 and 13 years old. [36] While Roloff did not divulge details of the abuse, he emphasized that "all fault lies with the predator" and that "no fault lies with any of my family members." TLC responded to the allegations by saying "We are saddened and troubled by this very serious allegation, and TLC will work cooperatively with the authorities. Our main focus remains on supporting the Roloff family during this very difficult time.” [37]
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