The series of scandals surrounding the Duggar family of 19 Kids and Counting fame have inspired an upcoming episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the creators of the show have announced.
"Patrimonial Burden," a fictional take on the Duggars' recent controversies, follows conservative reality TV parents whose attempt to raise their 10 children in a "virtuous" lifestyle is challenged when the pregnancy of their 13-year-old daughter exposes them to the scrutiny of the show's police unit, according to the show's description of the episode.
News of the upcoming Law & Order episode comes just two months after TLC cancelled the Duggar family's long-running reality TV show, 19 Kids and Counting. The network made the decision after Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's oldest son, Josh Duggar, admitted to molesting five underage girls, including two of his sisters, Jill Dillard and Jessa Seewald, as a teenager.
Josh, who has four children with his wife, Anna, is currently in a faith-based rehab center following his confession that he had two accounts on the Ashley Madison adultery website and was addicted to porn.
According to E! Online, Tony nominees Christopher Sieber, Geneva Carr and Andy Karl will guest-star in the upcoming Duggar-themed episode, as will Chris Elliott, Ryan Devlin and Victoria Leigh. Law & Order: SVU airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.
"With the Duggar one, it was like the double-whammy because it was his sisters and the fact-I mean, honestly, I feel like we're dealing with some topics this season that feel a bit meatier than some lunatic fringe family...I wouldn't mind doing one just because I have never been so infuriated with someone's level of hypocrisy, and lying, and then displacement of responsibility onto something else," Peter Scanavino, Detective Carisi on the show, told reporters before the season premiere. "When I think about that guy, it boils my blood, I will say."
Despite the series of scandals, the Duggars aren't completely gone from TV: TLC recently announced it will air specials later this year featuring Jill and Jessa and their husbands and children. However, Josh will not appear in any future programming.
"We appreciate all the prayers for our family. God has drawn us closer to Him and to each other this summer," the Duggars wrote on their official Facebook page in September. "We are grateful that the new TLC specials set to air this fall will be sharing special moments with Jill, Derick and Israel on the foreign mission field and following Ben and Jessa as they prepare for the arrival of their first baby!"
