Amish in the City
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| Amish in the City | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reality |
| Creator(s) | John Kroll |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 9 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 52 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | UPN |
| Original run | July 28, 2004 – September 15, 2004 |
Amish in the City was an American reality television series by UPN. The plot revolved around five Amish teenagers experiencing "Modern" (non-Amish) culture by living in a house with six mainstream American teenagers.
The show assumes and promotes the disputed view that the practice of allowing Amish teenagers to enjoy freedom from the Amish religious code is a normal part of the Rumspringa, or "running around", period before they decide whether to join the Amish church. Typically, nearly 90% of teenagers will end their Rumspringa with the choice to be baptized as Amish, however in the conclusion of the show all of the teenagers chose not to return to the Amish church. Many accuse the show of giving the participants an unrealistic view of "Modern" culture, and of showing the behaviour of the unadjusted Amish like a "spectator sport" for mainstream American viewers. The producers have stated they plan to follow the original series with updates on the current status of the cast, especially since their decisions at the end of the series may still be changed in favor of traditional Amish life.
The concept was initially denounced by some for appearing to capitalize upon popular stereotypes about the Amish; later critical reviews were more positive.
The series was recently aired in the UK on LivingTV2 and Trouble and in New Zealand on TV2
