Why was Back to the Frontier star Joanna in tears by the end? What really happened

Joanna Gaines, star and producer of Magnolia Network’s new reality series Back to the Frontier, revealed that she broke down in tears by the end of filming after witnessing the transformation of the three families featured in the show. Speaking to USA Today ahead of the premiere, Gaines admitted, “I’m not a crier, but I felt it,” describing how seeing the families adapt to life without modern comforts became an unexpectedly emotional experience.

Back to the Frontier follows three families as they live like 1880s homesteaders for eight weeks in the Rocky Mountains. Without electricity, indoor plumbing, or even toilet paper, the participants had to rely on each other and the land to survive. Gaines said the families “got out of their busy rut” and went through “the hard” and “the beautiful,” calling it “a spiritual experience” to watch their journey.

Joanna Gaines reflects on emotional moments while filming Back to the Frontier

Joanna Gaines told USA Today on August 5 that she and her husband Chip were both surprised by their emotional reactions during filming. She recalled that the first half of the eight-week experiment was a “cold turkey detox,” which made adjusting to frontier life especially challenging. Watching the families slowly gain confidence and start to feel at home moved her deeply.

“I felt this sense of peace; I felt home,” Joanna said. “The idea that these three families got out of their busy rut and got to have this experience of eight weeks together going through the hard, going through the beautiful … I felt for these families.”

Chip Gaines also admitted to tearing up early in the experiment, particularly when members of the Hall family—mother Lina and teenage daughters Mia and Zoe—learned they would not be able to wear makeup.

“As a man, I got teary-eyed when those three women − obviously the young girls and then the mom − were like, ‘Wait, no makeup?’” he said.

Why Joanna Gaines says the project was a "special experience"

The families featured in Back to the Frontier—the Lopers from Alabama, the Hanna-Riggs from Texas, and the Halls from Florida—began their journey with significant challenges. For the first four weeks, they faced the discomfort of losing modern conveniences.

Joanna described this phase as “that uncomfortableness” and a period of figuring out “Where do we fit here?” She noted that eventually “that broke” and the participants began “getting into their stride” and “started feeling at home.”

Some Back to the Frontier participants initially struggled with the realities of frontier living. Stacey Loper arrived with a Louis Vuitton bag and had difficulty adapting to the outhouse and lack of indoor plumbing. Lina Hall and her daughters were reluctant to give up their beauty products, with Lina breaking down as she came to terms with life without makeup. Joanna reflected,

“I think for women, when you take that away, it’s like, ‘Wow, I’m down to the rawest version of myself emotionally, physically, spiritually, on every level.’”

Despite the challenges, the families made swift progress in Back to the Frontier. They completed “Mini Reni” renovations on their cabins, tended to their gardens, and learned how to cook on a wood-burning stove. Chip likened their enthusiasm to the joy of Christmas morning, saying it felt like bringing someone along to excitedly show off something special he had found.

Joanna pointed out that modern life often prevents people from slowing down, learning new skills, and embracing difficult tasks. She said,

“The fact that these families really have no choice but to face this head on and then create this beauty out of the challenge … I left going, ‘This is such a special experience.’”

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Back to the Frontier airs Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT on Magnolia Network and streams on HBO Max.

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