Alec Baldwin Unveils Upcoming Reality Show As Rust Trial Looms

Amidst an expanding slate of extraordinary content, TLC has surprisingly added Alec and Hilaria Baldwin to their roster to lead an original reality show, The Baldwins, set to debut on the channel in 2025.

The notable duo from Tinseltown with a brood of seven offspring publicized their series via an energetic Instagram clip portraying their children in boisterous play. Alec Baldwin declares in the footage, “We’re granting access to our household to share the roller coaster ride; the joys, the challenges, the uproarious and the untamed. To us, home is where our hearts are fullest,” adding, “TLC is our next stop! Heaven help everyone!” A sentiment that rings true for the viewers as well.

The online commentary is abuzz, specifically addressing Hilaria’s comically inconsistent Spanish drawl, which has conspicuously vanished in the promo reel. The initiation of their entertainment venture is indeed ill-timed. Alec Baldwin finds himself at the epicenter of controversy surrounding the Rust tragedy, wherein in October 2021, a tragic misfire from a prop firearm he was handling resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. January 2023 saw Baldwin, along with co-producer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, indicted on two involuntary manslaughter accounts.

While the charges against Baldwin were originally dismissed in April 2023, a New Mexico Grand jury decided to indict him anew for involuntary manslaughter in January. Declaring innocence, the actor has moved to discard the charge, with his trial set for July. Conviction could result in a stint of 18 months behind bars — not exactly the type of prelude one would hope for when promoting what is intended to be an uplifting family-centric show.

It’s hardly groundbreaking for celebrity families to land reality shows, and this isn’t TLC’s first encounter with controversial figures (consider 19 Kids and Counting and the phenomenon that is Here Comes Honey Boo Boo). Moreover, the revelation comes amidst a wave of former child stars of reality TV condemning the intrusive nature of reality programming. Jill Duggar Dillard, in Prime Video’s Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, disclosed her parent’s manipulation using contracts to control her and her siblings into adulthood; Collin Gosselin from Jon & Kate Plus 8 has similarly shared his difficult experiences growing up onscreen.

TLC will persist with its character (indeed, this is the broadcaster that presents MILF Manor), yet The Baldwins might possibly redefine the limits. The final verdict will unfold in 2025.