Trent Johnston is about to climb onto a horse, pick up a lance, and try jousting at the age of 50. His daughter Liz was 13 when 7 Little Johnstons premiered in March 2015 — and she is now a married mother of two. Eleven years on, no two Johnstons have traveled the same distance.
Season 18 premieres Tuesday, November 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TLC, with six Johnstons returning and one chair empty. Before the premiere, here is the whole family ranked by how far each of them has traveled from the person we met in Season 1.
How the Ranking Works
One rule: the score is the distance between the Season 1 version and the 2026 version. A Johnston who built a whole new life from scratch outranks one who simply grew older in the same house.
#7 to #5: The Ones Who Stayed Closest to Season 1
#7 Amber Johnston: The Anchor Who Barely Moved — and That Is the Point
Amber was the family’s center of gravity in 2015, and she still is. The house still runs on her rules. Season 18 finally hands her a storyline of her own — TLC says she is navigating perimenopause, and according to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup, one episode features a menopause party where she bakes a cake thanking her uterus for its service. New chapter, same person — which is why the anchor lands last.
#6 Trent Johnston: The Same Dad, Suddenly Trying Jousting
Trent has always been the loud, funny, rule-setting dad — that part has not changed an inch. What changed is what he will do on camera: to mark turning 50, he is trying 50 new things at 50, including working on a real dude ranch and jousting, according to TLC. Same dad, new stunts.
#5 Jonah Johnston: The Comeback With One Address Still Unchanged
No Johnston has climbed further out of a hole than Jonah. After a Delta 8 health scare derailed his early twenties, he rebuilt himself as a working car salesman, earning his Finance Manager Training certification and working at a Honda dealership in Macon, according to a 2024 report. But he still lives at home, and he and girlfriend Ashley have been together for seven years with no progress toward marriage or moving in together, according to The Ashley’s Reality Roundup.
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#4 Alex Johnston: The Quiet Kid With the Clearest Plan
Alex was the shy one in Season 1, the kid who let his siblings do the talking. Today he has the most concrete plan of any Johnston kid: he graduated in 2024 alongside Emma, gave girlfriend Allie Smith a promise ring, and, according to reports, hopes to get engaged to her next year and eventually work on her family’s farm. Allie just earned the American FFA Degree, according to TV Season & Spoilers.
#3 Emma Johnston: From the Baby of the Family to “Yes”
Emma was 9 when the show premiered — the baby of the family. She is 21 now: since graduating in 2024 she has worked her first boutique job and runs her own handmade jewelry business, Emma’s Rings ‘n Things. Then came the trailer line fans keep replaying: asked if she wants a boyfriend, she answers a simple, unhesitant “Yes.”
#2 Anna Johnston: The Biggest Break of All — at a Price
Nobody left Season 1 further behind than Anna. She bought a house at 22 with money from her own bracelet business, Fizz4Passion, then walked away from the show entirely after Season 16, skipped Season 17, and will not appear in Season 18, saying she stepped away to protect her mental health. But it has cost her: she is estranged from her parents, and according to reports, her October 10 DUI arrest in Georgia drew fresh scrutiny.
#1 Liz Johnston: The 13-Year-Old Who Grew Up Fastest
Liz wins by a mile. The 13-year-old middle daughter from the Season 1 premiere is now a married mother of two: she wed Brice Bolden on November 8, 2025, welcomed daughter Leighton on November 3, 2023, and son Coleman on September 8, 2026. Season 18 follows her second pregnancy on screen — a C-section under general anesthesia, as a little person. She also carried a much-debated storyline: her wish for a little-person baby. No Johnston has traveled further.
So here is the question before Tuesday’s premiere: who really changed the most — Liz, who built a whole new life inside the family, or Anna, who walked out to build hers alone? And by Season 20, who looks different: Emma dating, Jonah moved out, or Alex married? Pick your side.
