Before we realized the extent of Jim Bob's control-freak megalomania or understood just how bonkers the Duggar courtship rules really are, the one thing everyone knew about the Duggar family was that they are really, really big on making babies.

The other revelations came later, and these days, the Duggars are gawked at for reasons that go well beyond the sheer size of the clan.

But there's a reason that the family's first foray into the world of television was titled 14 Children and Pregnant Again.

At that point, the strategy was to lure viewers in with practical, real world conflicts ("How in the heck do you feed all those darn kids?"), then start proselytizing once the fan base is established.

So it's not hard to see why fans believe that Jim Bob and Michelle are excited to get back to basics with all these pregnancies and births that have been happening in recent years.

Of course, the Duggar baby boom was great and all, and we're sure JB and Michelle are appreciative of all those grandbabies, but what the family really needs is someone from the younger generation to pick up the mantel but just cranking out, like, an army of kids.

That's where Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell come in.

Joe and Kendra got married back in 2017, and ever since, they've been regarded by fans as the among the most boring of the Duggar couples.

But that might be exactly why Jim Bob has them pegged as the future of the family media empire.

Ever since they tied the knot, Joe and Kendra have been doing exactly what they're supposed to be doing -- staying home and making babies.

As fans pointed out on Reddit this week, they're averaging one a year so far, which puts them on pace for quite a brood:

"They’re on track for 20 kids, and there is strong pressure from both sides of the family to achieve that goal,” one Reddit user said.

“They’re fully immersed in the Kool-Aid. They’ll have as many kids as…allows,” a second commenter remarked.

“They show no sign of stopping,” a third chimed in.

Yes, ever since the Josh Duggar sex scandals of 2015, the family has been mired in controversy, and it's not hard to see why fans are convinced that Jim Bob wants one of his sons to steer the franchise in a more wholesome direction.

There's long been debate over which of the Duggar boys is most likely to slowly transform into Jim Bob 2.0 as he continues into adulthood.

As the eldest son who enjoyed a very, very brief career as a Washington lobbyist, Josh was considered the front-runner at one point -- and we all know how that turned out.

Then there was a time when 20-year-old Jed Duggar took the lead.

Jed is single and childless but he's also running for a seat in the Arkansas State House of Representatives, just like his dad.

Folks tend to forget that Jim Bob got his start in politics, and success in that world is still a very big deal in his eyes.

These days, all eyes are on Joe, who dresses like a politician, but also shares his father's passion for impregnation.

Will he break his parents record and sire a brood that numbers in the dozens?

Seems unlikely, but one never knows.

Kendra is still very young, and they're doing remarkable things with fertility treatments these days.

Plus, if she feels like that's what it will take to maintain her place as the most popular Duggar daughter-in-law, we're guessing Kendra will be okay with being pregnant for the next 20 years.

View Slideshow: Kendra Caldwell Surprises Joseph Duggar With Unexpected Baby News!