Six people are leaving behind the trappings of modern society to join an Amish community in a new reality series, Suddenly Amish, airing at 10pm on TLC. The show taps into the cultural obsession with tradwife life, sending a group of men and women to live in an Amish community. Unsurprisingly, they are met with scepticism, but many participants seem genuinely attuned to this new way of life.
Participants Face Challenges
Coffee barista Billie Jo has been dressing in Amish clothes at work for 10 years, showing a pre-existing affinity for the lifestyle. However, not all transitions are smooth: Kendra is shamed for arriving in a low-cut dress, and Aaron’s phone is confiscated, despite him needing it for his hearing aid. The series explores how each individual copes with the strict rules and simplicity of Amish life.
Other TV Highlights
At 8pm on Sky One, Best Medicine continues with big-city surgeon turned local doctor Martin Best (Josh Charles) warming to the sleepy Maine town of Port Wenn. He tolerates its folksy traditions, including the imminent annual pie-making competition, which one patient describes as “like The Purge, but with blueberries”.
At 9pm on Sky Atlantic, Faithless, a six-part reinterpretation of Ingmar Bergman’s semi-autobiographical love triangle drama, begins. Directed by Tomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), it follows David and Marianne reflecting on their passionate, destructive affair, starting with a summer trip to Stockholm in 1977.
Also at 9pm on U&W, The Pike County Murders: A Family Massacre attempts to untangle the motivation behind the murders of eight members of a rural Ohio family in 2016. As the biggest criminal investigation in the state’s history continues, authorities unearth CCTV footage that seems to implicate another local clan.
At 9pm on BBC Three, I Kissed a Girl, the BBC’s now-cancelled gay dating show, airs a double bill. Described as wholesome, saucy and educational, the episodes feature more emotional farewells and a chemistry test that leaves nowhere for shaky couples to hide.
At 10pm on BBC Four, The American Revolution reaches 1780, the final phase. Cavalry commander Banastre Tarleton helps Gen Charles Cornwallis drive Britain’s southern campaign. In Ken Burns’ epic history lesson, Benedict Arnold’s defection rocks the patriot cause before the French help deliver Washington’s decisive victory at Yorktown, paving the way for American independence.
