Parents' Guide to

Breaking Amish

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

The reality of ex-Amish in NYC means drinking, sexy stuff.

TV TLC Reality TV 2012
Breaking Amish Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 18+

breaking amish is breaking bad!

while as an adult show it has alot of value and entertainment it sends a very negative message. these kids have ran away from there problems instead of facing them, they get fully entrapped in the American capitalist culture and enjoy blowing their money irresponsibily, drinking,fighting, having secret sex, eating junk food, getting tattoos in spur of the moment decesions. its extremley sexest and features negative representation of alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and rash marital decesions veiw at your own descrestion and dont let your kids watch this show

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
age 10+

Dissapointing

Most shows that I find out about come from my crazy sister. As usual, banned from my house.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Breaking Amish features the expected fish-out-of-water experiences that Amish and Mennonites often have when navigating the secular world, ranging from trying to find a job with a limited education to facing the temptation to drink and engage in sexual activity. Because their departure is not part of a rumspringa (a church-approved time when youth are free to leave their homes before fully committing to their faith), much of the focus is also on how they cope with the fact that they are no longer able to go home to the life and people they left behind.

Breaking Amish succeeds in underscoring how these folks struggle with the sense of guilt and confusion they feel for wanting to break away from the subculture they grew up in, but the show's dramatic reality style makes the cast's disapproving family and friends appear simply unreasonable or narrow-minded, without fully putting their reactions into a cultural and religious context. Some of the cast's desire to fully enjoy the freedoms of their new lifestyle lead them to make some questionable choices, too. The series is interesting, but it might leave you feeling conflicted about the various events that are featured here.

TV Details

  • Premiere date: September 9, 2012
  • Network: TLC
  • Genre: Reality TV
  • TV rating: TV-PG
  • Last updated: February 26, 2023

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