When it comes to bizarre reality TV offerings, TLC has definitely cornered the market with their offerings.
Whether they are exploring dating across borders and cultures in 90 Day Fiancé, following the body-positive journey of Whitney Way Thore in “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” or exploring the lifestyle of a community in rural Pennsylvania in “Return to Amish”, they get viewers religiously tuning in.
On Youth Day, season two of “Doubling Down with the Derricos” debuted on TLC.
This series, which is in a similar vein to “Welcome to Plathville” and “19 Kids and Counting”, explores the trials and tribulations of a super-size family.
Karen and Deon Derrico are parents to a brood of 14 kids, comprising four sets of naturally conceived multiples. To say they have their hands full is an understatement.
In this season, there are highs and lows. The latter includes learning that Diez, their three-year-old, could potentially be undergoing surgery.
In a recent interview, the parents shed light on the new season as well as their interesting family dynamics.
On having such a big family, Karen, a former flight attendant, said: “I always knew I wanted to have as many children as God bless me to have.
“And I have been really thankful and blessed that that number was large. I wanted a lot of children, I never put a number on it.
“Never did and God just – he just showed me his hilarious side that we’re here you go.”
She added: “And Derrico and I do a great job of teaching our children about family and loving one another and always being there for each other and by each other’s side.
“So the one thing that we don’t ever want them to ever feel is alone…”
While the family is famed for their dance parties, the parents were asked about the challenges of having cameras on them all the time.
Karen responded: “Having cameras around at first, it feels like, oh, my gosh, this camera is here.
“But the one thing that Derrico and I definitely do very well and that is, we are always being ourselves.”
Deon, a real estate investor, added: “We’ve gone through a lot and most everything that we’ve gone through and experienced, we didn’t have anyone that we could go to who had that same level of experience.
“There was no one that had gone through what we were going through, who could sort of direct us and so we wanted to be that, that we wanted and need it.
“It was our desire to become that for others that we wanted and needed.
“And that’s one of the things that being with a TLC family; they’ve allowed us that platform and it’s really a down to earth, relaxed, real-life platform.
“It’s not scripted. It’s our real life and that is most important for us.”
As for what viewers can expect from the show this season, Deon revealed: “What they can expect from the Derricos this year is just more in-depth on learning who we are, seeing the many challenges that we’re faced with, how we overcome those various challenges and we always make sure that we maintain the family-first mentality.
“We really understand the core values of family and the importance of having that support group and we make sure we instil these values and understanding in our children.
“We infuse them with really understanding why each one of us has such an important role in the big picture.
“And so what you will get a chance to see us delve further into these emotions as a family and again the many challenges that families go through every day, but it always tends to bring us even closer together.”
Parents have their own way of raising their children. The Derricos couple old-school values with modern-day realities. They are an unusual family, but their issues are relatable and entertaining.
“Doubling Down with the Derricos” 2 airs on TLC (DStv channel 135) on Wednesdays at 9pm