TLC’s reality TV slate leans heavily on voyeurism, but when it came to Little People, Big World, one of the network’s earlier forays into the genre, the result was surprisingly respectful. The show, still ongoing, examines the lives of the Roloffs: Matt and Amy, a couple with dwarfism, and their four children, one of whom also has dwarfism and three of whom do not. Over 23 seasons, the series has concerned itself more with the dynamics of the charming and complicated family than with the differences between the Roloffs and other families. The most outstanding example of this approach came in season 14, when the show documented the wedding celebrations of twins Jeremy and Zach while chronicling the growing fissures in their parents’ marriage. As the stresses of television fame began to show their wear on the senior Roloffs in this season, the storylines remained relatable and compelling, garnering the show its highest ratings—and marking a time before TLC shifted its emphasis to series, like 1000-lb Sisters and sMothered, that encourage audiences to gawk at their stars’ differences. —Cady Lang
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Melinda French Gates Is Going It Alone
- What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications
- How to Buy Groceries Without Breaking the Bank
- Sienna Miller Is the Reason to Watch Horizon
- Why So Many Bitcoin Mining Companies Are Pivoting to AI
- The 15 Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time