The TV Column

Duggar daughter's wedding airs tonight on TLC

Derick and Jill
Derick and Jill

Hang onto your hankies, boys and girls, Season 9 of 19 Kids & Counting kicks off at 8 p.m. today on TLC. It promises to be overflowing with tears of happiness.

What's in store for the new season? First of all, the series will celebrate its 150th (!) episode. That's hard to believe in the ever-changing reality show universe.

Meanwhile, when last we saw the Duggar family, second daughter Jill, 23, and fiance Derick Dillard, 25, had their big engagement announcement episode. The new season picks up with the happy couple planning for their big day.

Meanwhile, Jim Bob and Michelle begin the emotional journey of giving away their first daughter in marriage.

The cameras will follow it all -- from shopping for the wedding gown to cake tasting. All the Duggars get involved as the lovebirds prepare to say their vows in front of more than 1,000 of their closest friends and family at Springdale's Cross Church. (The wedding was June 21.)

Hankies? Yes, it'll be bittersweet as the first Duggar girl leaves the Tontitown nest.

Spoiler alert: Here's some later Duggar news as first reported last month by People. Jill is already pregnant and due in March. That didn't take long.

I'm not surprised since the couple waited until they were engaged in April to even hold hands. And they waited until they were married to share their very first kiss. Last spring, Jill told ABC News that they both want "as many kids as God will give us," so expect Jill to carry on the family tradition.

Wait! There's more!

People also revealed that Jill's 21-year-old sister, Jessa, is engaged to Ben Seewald, 19, who began courting her a year ago. Does this mean they are now holding hands?

Look for the new season to show Jessa and Ben continuing to grow closer "as their courtship takes an unexpected turn when Ben makes a move to live closer to Jessa."

In addition, Jim Bob and Michelle celebrate 30 years together (they were married on July 21, 1984). Finally, after their first year in Washington, Josh, Anna and their three kids "decide it may be time to make a few changes in their own growing family."

Whatever that means.

More conversations. AETN has announced the next four episodes of its public affairs series Barnes and ... A Conversation With. All episodes air at 6:30 p.m.

The four parts feature host Steve Barnes chatting up three folks and begins Wednesday with author Robert Hilburn discussing his book Johnny Cash: The Life.

The conversation with Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) airs in two parts -- Sept. 10 and 17. Lewis, one of the leaders of the civil rights movement, will discuss his most recent book March: Book One, co-written by Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Little Rock native Nate Powell.

Author and family physician Dr. Sam Taggart will discuss his recent book, The Public's Health: A Narrative History of Health and Disease in Arkansas, on Sept. 24.

The League. Season 6 of FXX's The League arrives at 9 p.m. Wednesday. There will be 13 episodes.

The League is an ensemble comedy set against the background of fantasy football and six friends who play against one another. FXX points out that you don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate the comedy because it's really about the competitive friends who try to make each other's lives miserable.

Note: The series is on FXX and not FX. I still get calls and emails from confused viewers. FX and FXX are separate cable channels. Both are owned by Fox, but FXX began last fall on the former Fox Soccer channel and designed to appeal to men between the ages of 18 and 34.

That's why you'll find former FX shows It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League on FXX and not FX.

That frees up basic cable FX to try to be more premium channel-ish with such envelope-pushing TV-MA series as Sons of Anarchy, Justified, American Horror Story, The Americans, The Bridge, Fargo, Tyrant and The Strain.

Roloffs return. Little People Big World returns with five new episodes at 9 p.m. today on TLC. Things are changing on the farm.

First of all, parents Matt and Amy remain separated, a decision announced in March. They are still focused on raising their children and managing the farm, but are starting to live their lives apart.

Meanwhile, twins Jeremy and Zach are planning proposals to their girlfriends. The season will conclude with Jeremy's wedding to Audrey Botti.

X Factor. Do you miss Simon Cowell? His British version of The X Factor now airs on cable's AXS TV channel. Check your listings to see if your cable outfit (and pay tier) have it.

The series, featuring judges Cowell, ex-Spice Girl Mel B and pop singer Cheryl Fernandez-Versini (formerly Cheryl Cole), airs at 7 p.m. Sunday and Monday, following the British broadcasts by a day.

The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:

mstorey@arkansasonline.com

Style on 09/02/2014

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