I am shocked by the directionWelcome to Plathvilleseason 7 will be taking amid its premiere announcement.Welcome to Plathvilledebuted on TLC in 2019, and has followed parents Kim and Barry Plath and 8 of their 10 (one deceased andone not appearing on the show) children for six complete seasons.Welcome to Plathvilleseason 6ended in October 2024, and followed the show’s regular schedule of one season a year. Now, TLC has announced thatWelcome to Plathvilleseason 7is officially greenlit and will have an air date of June 21, 2025.
The main players besides Kim and Barry inWelcome to Plathvillehave historically been oldest brother Ethan Plath, and his wife, Olivia Plath, second-oldest brother, Micah Plath, and second-oldest daughter, Moriah Plath. The younger siblings, Lydia, Issac, Amber, Cassia, and Mercy, were mostly minors in the past six seasons, and while they had cameos, their older siblings took reign of the show and its storylines. Within those characters narratives and their moving parts, a lot has changed about the show narrative-wise, and I see thatmore change is coming with season 7’s trajectory.
Welcome To Plathville Strayed Far From Its Original Premise
Once An Ultra-Conservative Family
At its origin,Welcome to Plathvilleaimed to showcase ultra-conservative parents Kim and Barry as they endeavored to rear and control their children on a Cairo, Georgia, farm. The children were homeschooled by Kim, were not allowed to watch television or intake sugar, andwere isolated from anyone outside their family or the relationships they were allowed to have.In season 1, Ethan and Olivia were newlyweds, Kim and Barry were married, and the Plath children were just starting to get an inclination about what they wanted for their futures.
As the show moved forward, I believe Kim and Barry’s split, Ethan and Olivia’s on-screen marriage deterioration, MIcah’s playboy antics, and Moriah’s heartbreaks and bad decisions, drove the show away from its intention.
While religion still has a place among the Plath’s morals on the show, I see thatWelcome to Plathvillehad become more about the changing family dynamics, and how the different relationships and collective Plath identity have changed. I’ve watchedWelcome to Plathvillecompletely transition over the years it’s been in front of viewers, and I am shocked to see that it is yet again taking a new form.
Welcome To Plathville Season 7 Will Focus On Plath Love Lives
“Love Is In The Air”
Per a press release aboutWelcome to Plathvillefrom TLC, season 7 will take shape in yet another transitional way from seasons past.
“This season is filled with a whirlwind of emotions, surprises and fresh starts as each member of the Plath family is finding their own way. Love is in the air for several of the Plaths who are each wondering if they have foundthe one.”
Micah’s relationship with Veronica Peters will be on the rocks, Kim and Barry will still be hashing out their divorce details three years after their split, and Lydia’s fast-tracked relationship with her now-husband, Zac Wyse, will be highlighted. Not mentioned, but known about, are Ethan’s new mystery relationship, Isaac’s move into adulthood, and Moriah’s move to Montana. It’s clear to me thatWTPis moving even further away from its original premiseand more towards showcasing the Plath love lives and pitfalls in that realm.
I Thought WTP Season 7 Would Be More About The Family Dynamic
Since The Plaths Have Tried To Push Their Cohesive Narrative
I know that the Plaths have always strived to highlight their closeness as a family, and to underscore their efforts at mending fences that have been broken.
The family has pushed a cohesive narrative that has needed a lot of air time.
However, given the “love is in the air” narrative ofWelcome to Plathvilleseason 7, I surprised by the show taking its new approach of focusing on individual adult narratives over family growth. By promoting the Plath family’s love affairs, less time will be inherently be spent on presenting the family dynamics.
Welcome To Plathvilleseason 7 premieres Tuesday, July 22 at 10 p.m. EDT on TLC.
