Four Amish people and one Mennonite arrive in New York City. It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, doesn’t it? It’s not. Instead, it’s reality TV at its finest.

Move over Honey Boo Boo, there’s a new trashy TV show in town. “Breaking Amish” is the newest addition to TLC’s Sunday night lineup. The show centers around five young adults, all ready to leave their sheltered lives for the lights and excitement of New York City. The cast consists of two Amish young women, Rebecca and Kate, two Amish young men, Jeremiah and Abe, and one Mennonite woman, Sabrina.

For those unacquainted with the Amish lifestyle, the Amish use no electricity. It’s basically like living in the 1800’s. There are no cars in the community; their transportation is a horse and buggy. The main difference between a Mennonite and an Amish is that Mennonites are more tolerant of technology. However, both the Mennonites and the Amish live very structured lives based on their religious beliefs. Needless to say, going to New York City was a culture shock for all.

Jeremiah, the oldest, quickly assumes the leadership role of the group. He’s the first to discard his Amish clothing in favor of a more “English” look and gets a tattoo. An aspiring taxi cab driver, Jeremiah starts the process to get his driver’s license. His first driving lesson gets off to a shaky start but provides for great entertainment when he is admonished by his instructor for stopping in the middle of a busy New York intersection to check out a woman.

Abe is truly a man of few words, and when you see him interacting with his family, it is not hard to understand why. He is a shy, simple man deeply rooted in his convictions. However, he is not going to let this stop him from experiencing life. A relationship quickly grows between Abe and Rebecca.

Rebecca is the youngest of the group, and she has no teeth. Really though, she has no teeth. Apparently they were all pulled when she was younger. One episode highlighted her being fitted for new dentures, and she pulled them out to show off her “granny smile.” She does however have some other redeeming qualities to make up for her lack of teeth. All of which Abe sees.

Sabrina was adopted as a baby into a Mennonite family. She decides to search for her biological parents. In an effort to acquaint herself with her Puerto Rican roots, she takes a job as a waitress in a Puerto Rican restaurant.

“Crazy” Kate, as she has come to be known, is definitely one of the most adventurous/interesting of the group. Every episode illustrates a different side of Kate. The seemingly sweet Kate that was in the first few episodes has quickly vanished. Between the constant mood swings, drinking, and erratic behavior, you never know what you will get with Kate.

One of the interesting parts of the show is the fact that at the end, the cast members will all have to decide whether to stay in New York City, and leave the Amish community forever, or whether to go back. Some of the members, Kate and Jeremiah, both seem too far in to ever go back. Abe and Rebecca, so far at least, have both been more resistant in making a complete break from their beliefs. Instead, they choose to experience New York sober and in love. Sabrina seems undecided. However, the choice may not be up to them as their respective communities may shun them based on their actions while in New York.

Religious beliefs aside,most young people experience their first date, their first drink, their first kiss. The only difference is that these people are Amish. However, there is some speculation about the authenticity of the show. Just how much of it is actually real? A lot of the events and reactions to events seem to be artificial, and the show as a whole is very overly dramatic.

Real or not, this show is definitely entertaining. Tune in to TLC on Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. to stay updated on all things Amish.