Douglas Family Gold

Douglas Family Gold, which aired on the Oxygen network in 2016, is a captivating reality television series that documents the journey of celebrated Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas and the ever-present role of her tight-knit family on her road to success. The show, as the name implies, places significant emphasis on the human component of Gabby’s story, highlighting that her path to becoming a two-time Olympic gold medalist is not solely her journey but a shared experience that deeply involves her family.

The Douglas family consists of Gabby, her three siblings, and their devoted mother Natalie Hawkins, who serves as Gabby’s manager. The intense levels of familial support and sacrifice are key themes throughout the series, demonstrating the daily challenges and rewards of having a family member at the pinnacle of the demanding and highly competitive world of gymnastics.

Douglas Family Gold is not an average tale of sporting accomplishment; instead, it captures the familial bonds, heartwarming moments, sacrifices endured, and the sheer determination of a family that has embarked on an extraordinary journey towards achieving remarkable feats. The series paints the portrait of a black family from Virginia who, against all odds, surpassed expectations and broke barriers in the world of gymnastics.

At its core, the show provides an in-depth gaze into the life of Gabby Douglas, who made history by becoming the first African American in Olympic history to become the individual all-around champion and the first American gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions at the same Olympics. The series brings to light the countless hours of training, extensive travelling, and the constant demand to stay at the top of her game. It also illustrates the sacrifices made by Gabby to achieve her dreams, including leaving her family in Virginia to train intensively in Iowa.

The focus of Douglas Family Gold is not restricted to Gabby. The series provides insight into the life of her three siblings: Joyelle, Arielle, and Johnathan, who have each made personal sacrifices for Gabby's success, including relocating to support her career. They exemplify love and support, showing that they are not just Gabby’s cheerleaders but her bulwark and source of motivation.

Gabby's mother, Natalie Hawkins, is another central character in the show. Viewers witness how Natalie ceaselessly juggles her role as a parent to four children with her duties as Gabby’s manager. One can observe the immense pride and anxiety she experiences as the matriarch of the family and a professional dealing with the pressure of Gabby’s success on a global scale.

Douglas Family Gold is peppered with realistic episodes of challenges and disagreements, emotional turbulence, laughter, banter and joy. This balanced portrayal keeps the show feeling authentic and relatable, and also weaves a narrative that competitively successful sporting journeys are forged from cohesive families, team spirit, and unwavering dedication no matter the obstacles that arise.

The series also does not shy away from exploring social issues. It underscores the adversity Gabby and her family are compelled to face due to the colour of their skin and the rarity of their socio-ethnic background in gymnastics. Viewers are given a glimpse into the prejudices and biases Gabby has had to overcome on the path to her Olympic success.

Douglas Family Gold takes viewers behind the scenes of the glitz and glamor of winning medals and standing on podiums. The show gives audiences a profound respect and understanding of the physical, emotional, and mental routine a gymnast and their family endures to stay on top of the game. It proves that while individual talent and hard work can lead to success, it is the love, support, and sacrifices made by the family that ultimately build the foundation for reaching true heights. The series is not just about triumph in sports—it is also about triumph in family, love, dedication, and life. Competing against the world’s best athletes, the Douglas family stands true to their motto: “With God, and as a family, we can achieve anything!”