Norm de Plume

I've watched every episode since it started maybe five weeks ago. It's a gripping show about people with addictions. Addicts of all stripes volunteer to be filmed for a documentary, not knowing they are being filmed in preparation for interventionary action by their family and friends. They must then make the choice between the object of the addiction and the continued support of loved ones.
This is quite a raw show by American standards. One does have the nagging feeling of voyeurism and exploitation though, but, given the subject matter, it's unavoidable.

coladar

I watched it just to see how bad it would be, but I've been extremely pleased with the show. Interesting and some of the most pure looks at various addictions I've seen on television. They aren't afraid to hold anything back, considering the depth the episode on the cutter went to. Probably one of the best "candid" reality shows the US has produced.

movieking

What have some of the addictions been? I saw a preview of a shopaholic and a gambler. I am assuming that there are some with alcohol and drugs. Anything else, aside from the cutter?

coladar

Vicodin, Cutting, Meth (2x), Gambler (2x), Shopaholic, Sex/Drugs, Coke and misc. drugs.

iggystar

This sounds interesting. I think I'll check it out.

BlackCapTen

I watched the one with the cutter, it was quite interesting/fascinating.

I have it on my Tivo list, I'm hoping they'll replay episodes at some point.

dick_grayson

this show hits too close to home for me

Norm de Plume

The one with the cutter was the most uncompromising. In many scenes she was half-naked, cutting herself near her vagina.

Nosebleed

I thought the cutter girl was a joke. She was so melodramatic about everything, like smearing the blood on her body after cutting and punching the mirror. She was also clearly doing it for the attention, and the only one that I've seen on that show who was actually happy when she discovered everyone had gotten together to tell her how much they love her.

Her cuts were lame as well. She did the most superficial scratches possible, but did like 10 or 15 of them so it would look worse than it actually is. Those cuts were no worse than what one would get while trimming the rose bush out in the garden.

Other than that particular girl, I really like this show.

Michael T Hudson

What is amazing to me about the show is how most of the parents bail the kids out. The worst was the first guy with the gambling problem his parents paid for everything I think they are a big part of the problem. Cut the kid off for good.

dick_grayson

.....on second thought.....

Norm de Plume

In a sense I agree. But that sort of pining for attention is part of the mental illness. I think part of the problem was that her parents were bible-thumpers and didn't know how to deal with her. If I'm not mistaken, she said she was molested or raped as a child.
I thought the same thing with the guy you mention, and with a girl from two weeks ago who was also addicted to gambling. It's easy for us to judge, though; if you love that person, you'd rather enable than abandon.

joltaddict

I must have missed that one. Or are you talking about that shopaholic bitch?

Norm de Plume

Wait a minute. Is she the one who absolutely refused to go to the treatment, at which point her father told her he was taking away the keys to her SUV? She's the one to whom I was alluding.

joltaddict

No I must have missed one.