Meet the Hutterites season finale leaves fans hoping for Season Two

The season finale for Meet the Hutterites on the National Geographic Channel really left some strings hanging—especially since the “season” finale may wind up being the “series” finale for this fan favorite.

There has been trouble with this series since before it hit the air. The Hutterite Bishops claim that the production team went through improper channels—i.e. directly to King Ranch Colony instead of to them—to get permission to do the show. The Washington Post later reported that Jeff Collins, executive producer of Meet the Hutterites, said that the claims by the Bishops were “completely and utterly ludicrous.” Additionally, Wesley Hofer said, The Washington Post reported, that those colony members taking part in the show are “adults who are capable of making rational decisions regarding Hutterite life on King (Ranch) Colony. The notion that we were taken advantage of, as if we were innocent children, is nonsense.”

Fans are hoping that the show will be renewed. However, if the Bishops are genuine in their distress over the airing of the show, it seems unlikely that a second season would be allowed to go forward. Then again, if King Ranch Colony was able to break away and do one season, why not two?

Will Claudia Leave the Hutterites?

If there isn’t a second season, a lot of strings are going to be left dangling. Will Claudia leave the colony to pursue her dreams of college and more? Will Bertha be made to pay the price if she does? Will Carver eventually learn to deal with the turmoil that has apparently plagued him since his father’s death? Will anything change on that colony, now that they have been exposed to the world via television cameras?

It would be a shame for Claudia not to go to college, when she wants it so badly. She is a smart, strong person; she can do it. But, losing her whole life—her family—is such a high price to pay. Bertha herself made it clear that, although she will do her best to support her daughter, much of their family will turn their backs on her. And, it makes no sense. Why should she be punished because she wants, as she has said repeatedly, more than just colony life? Does that make her worthless to many colony members in the future? A traitor, perhaps?

Apparently so.

Wesley lectured her on being a Hutterite, which seemed highly hypocritical, considering he had recently spent his evening getting drunk and burning down the calving barn.

“Hutterites need to shut up already and just keep quiet and mind their own business,” Claudia told her self-righteous cousin. “That’s what should happen to Hutterites.”

Later, Claudia added in a camera cameo, “If being a Hutterite means that I can’t get an education and pursue my dreams, then maybe I don’t want to be a Hutterite. Those are man-made rules, and I don’t think God would care if I went to college.”

Did she make a decision? Will she follow her dreams? And, will there be a Season Two of Meet the Hutterites to answer these questions?

Stay tuned.

Image: Wikimedia Commons