RobustRutabaga

Yeah - I enjoyed a new face in that role, too. I see A&E put up a biography for Brandon - I guess I kind of assumed this episode would close out the season and any website updates would be non-existent or slow especially if the person is in just one episode, until they're actively promoting a new season, so that's a pleasant surprise. And "The Zazz" (Dr. Zasio) is sure doing a lot of the counselling heavy-lifting these last few episodes - I realize they might be shot and shown out of different orders depending on editing time and a variety of other factors, but The Zazz is all-in this season!

Yes - I assume this Carol? I agree with you, when I watched the episode, I thought "What a gorgeous house." If I remember correctly, they talked about how the house was a center of attraction with people coming and going, the onetime kids' friends, etc. It even has that great wraparound front porch. I always think it's such a shame against the beauty of the house itself and disrespectful for the craftsmanship of those who carefully built it, cared for it before the current occupant, etc.

"The Life Laundry" was new for me as well, so thank you, @LGraves65 for mentioning it! I see comments like "ahead of its time for these types of shows" and "much-missed". @deedee2 I've similarly watched all the ones you mentioned. The one you mention with a Jasmine is "Britain's Biggest Hoarders" with Jasmine Harman (all but unknown outside of the UK, but those residing there tell me she's popular and known enough there).

I so wished it were Meryl Streep being profiled when I first saw the episode title of Meryl's name. However unlikely that might be (and you know a celeb's career has really hit the skids if they appear on "Hoarders"), I just envisioned her gesturing to room after room of old movie wardrobe, memorabilia, and props that she couldn't bear to part with and her exasperated husband. Sadly, it wasn't the most famous Meryl I can think of, but this Meryl sure had some things to work through and work out - and not just stuff-wise! For a few of the "Hoarders" seasons they did "follow-up" episodes I believe (sometimes on Youtube but also as fresh episode segments or interstitial during "marathons" I think?) and I'd be curious how it works out for Meryl.

I found there's a preview that one can watch on A&E's page for the episodes (direct link here). Looks like Cory from the clean-up aspect and "The Zazz" from the therapy/counselling angle. 😃

Looks like, based on TVDB, the next two episodes to air will be as follows: S12E06 - Tim - May 3, 2021 S12E07 - Debbie - May 10, 2021

Love that you're doing those steps daily and the "alternate rain day" plans! And you articulated a great reminder of the importance of physical fitness - on "Hoarders" I see people lurching along needing canes or walkers, and might well be a "chicken and the egg" thing - where some condition left them immobile and the weight packed on due to that, or else there was always extra weight and it led to other health conditions and greater immobility - but the body's made to move and any movement someone can do is good. I wouldn't want anyone to end up in in the physical condition you see most of these hoarders in (nor would I want my surroundings to look like that!). Also doesn't help that lots of those hoarders portrayed on the show don't have a functional kitchen or meal prep space and are subsisting on delivery, frozen dinners, junk food, etc. Often they do have one afterwards, and I'm always curious if they're motivated in their lifestyle change and start to shed pounds with better eating and more hope and more actual moving around (even just within the house). Sadly I think a lot of them might revert to old habits.

I, admittedly, enjoy some unintentional humor in the subtitles - like seeing how they described a piece of music - i.e. "gentle music". Pretty sure I've seen in the past, descriptors along the lines of "ominous string music", "eerie harsh music" and "fast-paced exciting music", etc. Writing about music is difficult even for seasoned writers and musicians - it's so much an abstraction - so I guess I'm just curious to see how the "layperson" in the form of a transcriber chooses to interpret a music cue or stinger. Generally I'm pretty impressed at how they relayed the music's emotional intent. I also enjoy seeing some moments with subtitles on because (I admit it's pretty juvenile!) I wonder how what I just heard would look in print. Like this moment from the "Cobra" episode: 😁

Wow, I didn't know or recall that about a suicide attempt and "The Zaz". But I found this which might be the scenario you're thinking of. 😞 Not making light of that, but that article contained a sentence which had me chuckling: "The home was filled with fecal matter and roaches amidst the general filth." Ah yes, just the "general filth". The highly non-specific filth. I guess they got mighty specific with "fecal matter" and "roaches" so it's fair play to lump everything else into "general filth". 🤐

I didn't really get this before, but this last "Dolores" episode I was getting a Michael "The Commish/Gotham" Chiklis vibe from Dr. Tolin. Something about the broad stance and square jaw. 😄

What surprised me is that at the end, when the house was organized and she was being shown through it, she seemed "dazed" or zombie-like - at the very least - more "frail" than the earlier days. When we first met her she seemed more lively. Now granted, having your "comfort blanket" of a hoard removed and many items thrown out or sifted through is taxing psychologically, but I really noticed she seemed more dazed at the end - normally at least the hoarders "fake it" even if they're not genuinely happy/overjoyed. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see the end-text update (does it qualify as "BSOJ", aka "Black Screen of Justice/Judgment"?) read "Dolores is taking full advantage of aftercare therapy and says it's been very helpful." and "The couple decided to continue cleanup with an aftercare organizer". These things are always 50/50 and Dolores seemed like the "type" that might refuse either the counselling/therapy or an organizer's services.

I thought Matt "The Pax-Man" Paxton came off pretty well in this latest Dolores episode. Perhaps it was the counterbalance to her irrational behavior we needed as viewers. He was tough but fair (without being "rude") but clearly outlining the process, trying to alleviate her stress by saying what he and team would manage, and devoting that first day he met her to a bit of bonding and learning how the sorting might go. I saw that at one point upon arriving for a different day, he put his arm around Dolores reassuringly as she was freaking out in the driveway. The house looked pretty nice from the outside/street (pic below) - a refreshing change amongst some of these properties we see (like last week's, "Forrest"). I was like "Ohhh...it's one of those inside-only situations", where outward appearance evidently still mattered to them - or the neighbors wouldn't tolerate it (as Matt said initially about sorting out front, "Not in this neighborhood!"). And they're getting good mileage (literally, I guess!) out of their drone for all those overhead shots. I see based on EPGuides the next two shows are as follows - "April 12 - Cobra" and "April 19 - Meryl". I've love if that were some Hollywood tie-in with, first, an actor from "Cobra Kai" and then Meryl Streep but, sadly, I'm doubtful that's the case. 😄

It's a beautiful house - I wondered if I were in his position, if I might just move - being the house was so linked to (decorated by, residing in with) his wife who's passed on, it can't be comfortable living there and being reminded of it on a daily basis. They did mention in a few points in the episode about "losing the house" and any resale value is improved with the decluttering, but didn't seem he was seriously considering any change. Emotional complexities aside of living in a place where one's partner spent their final days, from a pure practical standpoint I'm sure he could live in a more modest house or even apartment or condo (or eventually seniors' community?) and the sale of that house could go towards his enormous debt. Seems to me like a good step towards a "fresh start".

^ LOL - yes, evidently we collectively dodged a real bullet there, huh? 😄 Somehow seeing it starkly written out like that just makes it all the more hideous of what we see in the worst of conditions. *shudder* I'm happy to see the show has returned, and admittedly in large part for the joy of seeing activity on this thread! Y'all with your keen observations and riffs are at turns and frequently hilarious, compassionate, and insightful. 👍

I had never heard of this show, but based on that description alone and AZChristian providing the name I just HAD to check it out via any Youtube scraps. 😄 Sure enough the watch did not disappoint!

"The Zaz", lol! 😄 You know, after 11 seasons of us sticking with the ins-and-outs of the series, the editors owe us sneaking in once, just once, the on-screen text reading "Dr. Robin 'The Zaz' Zasio".

I love how the show plays that up with the editing, usually in the intro tease before the "title credits". You'll have that hoarder saying, just like you say, "I collect a few things..." or "Tee-hee...I guess everyone around my town calls me a bit of a packrat!" or "I love a good thrift store bargain!" and then they'll be a harsh cut-away to footage of piled-up hallways that are virtually impassable, dirty dishes sky-high, roaches crawling everywhere, maybe even a yellow "Condemned By Order of the City" notice taped to the outside of the front door, etc. In contrast though, I do like the hoarders who fairly immediately say "It's out of control..." or "I don't know how it got this bad..." or "I do have too much stuff, yes." There are many layers to self-denial or this disease, but I feel those that are freely admitting it are a bit mentally further along in dealing with it than some of the others. What's interesting is those episodes that start with a hoarder admitting a problem don't often go that much better or easier for dealing with it throughout the course of the clean-up effort.

Based on the TVDB Entry it looks like tonight's episode is the end. Also, I find it interesting the UK rise of similar programs in recent years - I was watching odds & ends on Youtube over the weekend and it's quite the craze. There's "Hoarders: Buried Alive in my Bedroom", "Hoarders: Junk Apocalypse", "Britain's Biggest Hoarders", and "Hoarder SOS". Plus "Call the Cleaners" and "Storage Hoarders".

Thanks for this! Couldn't help but notice that slide whistle effect heard in the "generic royalty-free stock music library" selection from 1:38 to 1:56 in this clip is totally a paler ripoff of that sound from "Groove is In The Heart". 😂 The whole track really leans on that. Is nothing scared, "Hoarders"?! Nothing?!

Delightful recap! 🙂 I had to refresh myself on that episode with this clip and remembered it. Sad to see the husband just sitting there amongst piles of junk. I believe we've seen a few people profiled on "Hoarders" episodes who are passionate about their Christmas stuff, whether they come out and say that or the camera pans by boxes and containers labelled as such. I wonder if that percentage is no different than the general population (just manifests itself through hoarding behavior) for being into seasonal decorations and that holiday, or if there's some psychological association there? Maybe recalling a happier time, childhood Christmas memories, being around family, etc. I also suppose that if one has a desire to collect "stuff", Christmas items might be attractive as they're usually sold cheaply (especially week-after-Christmas), can be hung up all over, endless variations, etc.

Scheduling note, brought to you by the letters, "H", "A"&"E", and the echoing weeping carried on the wind of the "piles of lawnmowers laying outdoors", otherwise cool out-of-print books ruined by rodent droppings and cockroach eggs, and stacks of thrift-store bag purchases still unpacked, as depicted in past episodes: Looks like (via TVDB) nothing new is airing on Labor Day, this coming September 7th - but the show returns with a September 14th new episode, "John". Hope everyone here who might get a little extra time off enjoys the weekend!

Wow - you know, I'd forgotten all about Dr. Suzanne Chabaud of the earlier seasons! I called her the "Southern Belle therapist" as she was Louisiana-educated and based - just pictured her saying "Well bless your little heart, you ARE trying", and as the old joke goes, "'bless your little heart' is just Southern for 'Eff you!'"

Ah, Peter Walsh! Good catch. I haven't thought of him for a while, but would see him do the press rounds tours now and then whenever he had a new book or project to promote, years ago - local radio and TV. I hadn't realized he wrote anything on this topic specifically but based on your mention it looks like at least two of them.

Have you read her 2013 book? I actually hadn't known she wrote one until the other week when I was taking a few minutes looking around her Twitter feed. Good on her for losing 75 pounds! Interesting concept to tie-in weight loss with "life decluttering". And I didn't realize her husband is part of the shoots for the show.

Dorothy was particularly intense in this episode! I feel like after so many seasons, she's seen it all and has no more time for any excuses. "...full of cockroach" indeed! 😨