Prime Video’s docuseries Shiny Happy People is returning for season 2, but the acclaimed docuseries is moving away from 19 Kids and Counting’s Duggar family for its subject matter.
The original four-part series from codirectors Olivia Crist and Julia Willoughby Nason examined Josh Duggar’s 2021 child pornography conviction and the Duggars’ ties to the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a Christian fundamentalist organization that has been accused of cult-like policies.
Jill Duggar Dillard, her cousin Amy King and Jim Bob Duggar’s sister Deanna Duggar were among those interviewed about the family’s biggest scandals in season 1.
The Prime Video docuseries has been retitled Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War for season 2, as its filmmaking team delves into the rise of evangelical Christian movements among young people in the 1990s and 2000s.
Related: Duggar Docuseries Producers Claim Family Is Part of an ‘Insidious Cult’
Tlc/Kobal/Shutterstock Sharing what they’ve seen. The producers of Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets are speaking out about what they learned while researching the family made famous by the reality series 19 Kids and Counting. The four-part limited docuseries — which hits Prime Video on June 2 — focuses on the Duggar family’s ties to […]
Watch With Us has everything you need to know about the return of Shiny Happy People for season two:
What Is ‘Shiny Happy People’ About?
While the first season focused on the dark secrets of the Duggar family, Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War will tackle the rise and fall of Teen Mania, the once–hugely popular Evangelical group behind the touring “Acquire the Fire” stadium shows.
Oscar-nominated Crip Camp documentarian Nicole Newnham and Emmy winner Cori Shepherd Stern will examine the way Teen Mania allegedly used high-pressure tactics and even psychological manipulation to ensure teens at their shows signed purity oaths and pledged their time to the group’s global missions.
An official synopsis reads: “The series bursts with peak Millennial nostalgia and cringe, featuring colossal stadiums filled with teens enraptured by religious rock anthems, inspired to swear purity oaths and eagerly embark by the thousands on culturally questionable global missions. But beneath the wholesome youth group illusion lies a darker undercurrent: a high-pressure pipeline of brutal spiritual bootcamps, surreal role-playing scenarios and relentless psychological control — all under the command of a charismatic leader with endlessly expanding ambitions.”
Related: Duggar Family Weighs In on Bombshell Docuseries: Jill, Jinger and More
Jill Duggar shared her story in the bombshell docuseries Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets — and more of her relatives have begun to chime in. The 19 Kids and Counting alum sat down with her husband, Derick Dillard, to shed light on her fundamentalist Christian upbringing in the four-episode special, which hit Prime Video […]
Teen Mania Ministries, which existed between 1986 and 2015, was endorsed by some of the most influential figures in the Christian evangelism movement at the height of its success, including Pat Robertson of The 700 Club, Moral Majority cofounder Jerry Falwell and 20-time Grammy-winning gospel musician Kirk Franklin.
The group toured as many as 30 U.S. cities each year at its peak to promote short-term ministry trips, which it called Global Expeditions, to teenagers. The institution faced backlash for framing its religious testimony around cultural and spiritual warfare, which critics argued could be manipulative towards the young people who attended its events.
Teen Mania also marketed a series of “Extreme Camps” at its Garden Valley, Texas, campus, where it mixed religious testimony with sports challenges. Young attendees at Teen Mania’s events were encouraged to endorse its Battle Cry Campaign, which sought to influence politicians and social groups with a fundamentalist message.
Amid a string of controversies and lawsuits over its business practices, Teen Mania founder Ron Luce announced in December 2015 that the group would “cease operations” on many of its projects. Later that same month, Teen Mania shutdown entirely after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
When Will the New Season of ‘Shiny Happy People’ Come to Prime Video?
Amazon confirmed on June 18 that Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War will premiere on Prime Video Wednesday, July 23.
How Many Episodes Will Be in ‘Shiny Happy People’ Season 2?
Amazon has yet to reveal the episode count for season 2. The first season featured four episodes that were simultaneously released on Prime Video on June 2, 2023.
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