or


[08/06/10 - 11:35 AM]
Less Proves to Be More as We TV's New Series Downsized Takes a Look at a Family's Life in a Recession
The eight-part series premieres Saturday, November 6 at 9:00/8:00c.

[via press release from WE tv]

DOING WITHOUT BUT DOING IT TOGETHER: MEET THE BRUCE-BUNCH (all nine of them!)

Less Proves To Be More As WE tv's New Series DOWNSIZED Takes a Look at a Family's Life in a Recession

Series Premiere Saturday, November 6 at 9PM ET/PT

Los Angeles, CA, August 6, 2010 - Here's a story... of a lovely family... with a very different twist. Laura and Todd Bruce, and their seven children were a happy blended American family, living a lavish life of vacations, expensive dinners, summer homes and more money than they could spend. Fast forward four years to a crippling recession, and you'll see the Bruce's flat broke with two homes in foreclosure, a collapsed contracting business and a daily struggle to make rent. The Bruce family's challenge of living life with nine people on a poverty-level budget is the focus of WE tv's riveting new one-hour, eight episode-series, DOWNSIZED, premiering Saturday, November 6 at 9:00PM ET/PT. Witness a modern day "Brady-bunch" use love, humor and discipline to navigation the very real stresses of life in modern America.

DOWNSIZED features a large, blended family brought together by Laura and Todd Bruce. When Laura and Todd married, they merged Laura's five children with Todd's two kids to become a large family, with a sizable appetite for spending. The real-estate boom awarded Todd a thriving construction business that made money hand-over-fist and allowed him to provide a posh-lifestyle for his new family. Then, the real estate market collapsed and their lives were turned upside-down. Household budgets were slashed and that meant a "rental" home, clipping coupons and rolling pennies. Everything from vocal-lessons and cheerleading camp to baseball equipment and shopping sprees became things of the past. With retirement savings and college funds depleted, this family is beginning the steep climb out of financial ruin.

In the midst of their economic pressures, Laura and Todd are raising seven teen/pre-teenagers that are going through important social phases daily. After witnessing the divorce of their respective parents, all children were faced with having a new step-parent and step-siblings. Boys they competed with a school are now the very ones they share a bedroom with and girls have to form new sisterly-bonds. Ages 10 and up, there are the "Bruce's": Heather and Levi; and the: "Rumsey's" Bailey, Rex, Dylan and Whitney (the triplets) and Danielle (the youngest). Through DOWNSIZED, the new "Bruce-bunch" are learning to navigate the difficult teenage years of dating, friends, high-emotions and the loss of life's former luxuries - all under the parents' watchful eye. The step-siblings have to learn how to deal with jealousy of others and even themselves. While Todd's children have access to generous gifts from their well-to-do mother, Laura's kids have to make due. This can mean the difference between Heather attending the prom when Bailey can't afford to go. Still, DOWNSIZED illustrates that what the Bruce's lack financially, they make up in love and camaraderie.

"What keeps our family together is that we laugh together," reflects mom Laura Bruce. "In spite of facing an enormous debt, we're united by love and laughter."

Each member is tasked with responsibility for contributing to the family as a whole. During the school year, the Bruce's have Laura's sparse teaching income, but that is hardly enough to sustain the entire clan. They have to shop with coupons and struggle with personal pride when using food stamps, finding clothing at Good WIll and cleaning other people's homes in the neighborhood to make money. They must baby-sit, swap clothing, dumpster-dive and work summer-jobs to help each-other stay afloat. Despite their difficult circumstances, Laura and Todd will use their misfortune as an opportunity to teach their children the importance of ingenuity, teamwork, perseverance and the value of every hard-earned dollar. The Bruce's will reveal the very real face of modern American family's economic-recovery.

Produced by WE tv and Pie Town Productions. Executive Producer for WE tv: John Miuller and Monica Ramone.

About WE tv

WE tv (www.wetv.com), a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, offers compelling, entertaining stories that focus on key life stages of a modern woman, from getting married to having children and raising a family. cptfc Available in nearly 77 million homes, the network's original programming includes the critically acclaimed, viewer favorite The Locator (the network's most-watched series ever), the poignant, and often comical, real-life story of a family raising multiple toddlers, Raising Sextuplets, and a robust line-up of wedding series, including the hit show Bridezillas, Amazing Wedding Cakes and My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. WE tv is available in HD and WE tv On Demand is available in more than 30 million homes.

WE tv's public affairs initiative, WE Empowers Women, is dedicated to creating programs that foster and celebrate women's strength, confidence and diversity. The network's newest initiative, WE Volunteer (www.wevolunteer.tv), is a call-to-action for women to become more involved in their communities by volunteering one full day - just 24 hours - of community service to make a difference in someone else's life.





  [august 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· DOWNSIZED (WE)





[11/25/25 - 12:29 PM]
The Second and Final Season of the HBO Original Drama Series "Like Water for Chocolate" Debuts February 15
The series returns Sunday, February 15 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET) on HBO Latino in the U.S. and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

[11/25/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of November 17 - 3 Cheers for "Champagne Problems" at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys continued to keep audiences guessing in their psychological thriller "The Beast in Me," which took the No. 1 spot on the English TV list for a second week with 14.1 million views.

[11/25/25 - 11:30 AM]
TNT Sports Unveils World Class Commentators for First-Ever World Sevens Football 7v7 Soccer Tournament in North America - Coverage Kicks Off Friday, Dec. 5
The fast-paced W7F series has redefined women's soccer with elite talent from eight of the best clubs in the world, an immersive fan-first experience, and a groundbreaking $5 million prize pool, the largest in the sport, designed to fuel intense, high-stakes competition.

[11/25/25 - 10:31 AM]
Toby Wallace Is Entering the World of "Assassin's Creed"
He's the first series regular cast for the live-action series adaptation of Ubisoft's best-selling video game franchise.

[11/25/25 - 10:02 AM]
Hulu Renews Hit Emmy Award-Nominated Series "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"
The series has been renewed for a 20-episode order, with new episodes coming early 2026.

[11/25/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" - Date Announcement - Netflix
This documentary series unpacks the shocking allegations behind Sean "Diddy" Combs and his Bad Boy empire, spanning decades of his life and career.

[11/25/25 - 09:01 AM]
"Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" Will Stream on Paramount+ Starting December 4
The jaw-dropping eighth film in one of the most iconic film series of all time will stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada.

[11/25/25 - 09:01 AM]
Prime Video Unveils First Look Images of "Scarpetta," Based on Patricia Cornwell's Bestselling Novels, Premiering March 11
The crime thriller series stars Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker, Ariana DeBose, Rosy McEwen, Amanda Righetti, Jake Cannavale, and Hunter Parrish.

[11/25/25 - 08:31 AM]
"Wednesday" Season 3: Eva Green Joins the Addams Family as Aunt Ophelia
"I'm thrilled to join the woefully twisted world of 'Wednesday' as Aunt Ophelia," said Green. "This show is such a deliciously dark and witty world, I can't wait to bring my own touch of cuckooness to the Addams family."

[11/25/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Star Search" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Netflix's iconic talent competition series will premiere live on January 13, 2026 with Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor Anthony Anderson set to host.

[11/25/25 - 01:01 AM]
Video: "How to Ruin Love: The Lobola" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Wedding bells are ringing - or are they? With feuding families and complicated lobola negotiations, Zoleka's walk down the aisle is anything but certain.

[11/25/25 - 12:01 AM]
Video: "The Town" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A group of cash-strapped friends find their morals and relationships tested when they stumble upon a stolen fortune in their hometown.

[11/24/25 - 03:18 PM]
FX Orders Anthology Series "Far Cry" to Stream on Hulu
The limited series from Noah Hawley and Rob Mac, with Mac set in the starring role, is based on Ubisoft's global hit video game franchise of the same title and the series will retain "Far Cry's" signature standalone storytelling format, with each season set in a new setting following a new cast of characters.

[11/24/25 - 03:01 PM]
Netflix's "One Piece" Season 3 Begins Production & Four Cast Members Upped to Series Regulars
Mikaela Hoover (Chopper), Joe Manganiello (Mr. 0), Lera Abova (Miss All Sunday) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Nefartari Cobra) have been upped to series regulars for Season 3.

[11/24/25 - 02:08 PM]
The Nader Sisters Will Take a Second Bite Out of the Big Apple as "Love Thy Nader" Is Renewed for Season Two on Hulu and Freeform
The bold coming-of-age reality series follows the unapologetic and determined Nader sisters - Brooks, Mary Holland, Grace Ann and Sarah Jane - who left their humble beginnings in the Louisiana bayou for the glamour and grind of New York City.