S22.E01: Susan

[Empress1]

Susan is a heroin addict whose arm is so infected that it ... has holes in it, basically. She can’t shoot up anymore so she smokes. Susan lives in her childhood home with her mom, who has bipolar and borderline personality disorders, doses out heroin to Susan, and is a meth addict herself. This is A LOT.

[hookedontv]

I’m about halfway into this episode. I am so happy this show is back and Ken Seeley is on it! I hope others watch so we can get good forum chats going. 

[Brooklynista]

This episode is dizzying.  There's even a troll that lives in the basement.

[satrunrose]

Wow. That was... wow. I think Susan, horrific arm infection notwithstanding, was definitely the healthiest of the vast crew of addicts and may give some of the sober people a run for their money. I was so glad to see she's been a success so far. Dawn and Chuck were something else. Man. Those poor kids.

Edited March 16, 2021 by satrunrose

[MinorL]

I feel like Ken during the episode was all of us. He just kept saying, “What? There’s more?” 
 

Have we ever seen anyone with that bad of an infection from shooting up? That was, to put it mildly, intense. 

[Pachengala]

Jesus these people are all totally fucked up. Dawn terrified me, hanging all over her family while they read their letters, just beaming away. What an emotional succubus. 
 

Chuck’s letter to Dawn was basically just him delineating the ways he was not guilty of the things Dawn had accused him of, and then listing her assaults on him. These people are chilling—their kids need to wash their hands of both of them and save themselves. 

[Chaos Theory]

Well this was an episode.....

Susan and Dawn laying right there in bed doing heroin and meth with a Bible chilling right there between them.

Dawn and Chuck were both pieces  of work and I was not surprised at all that they both relapsed and ended up shutting out the producers.   Honestly when Dawn was on the zoom call with Susan and was talking to her and Susan mentioned “ boundaries“. You could  see it in Dawn’s face that she wouldn’t make it.

Ken Seely is a saint.  24 hours and one surprise after another.  “Wait Ken there is still more.”  Ok...uh let’s offer THIS PERSON rehab.  
 

I wouldn’t be surprised if Ken needed an intervention by the time the episode was over.

Edited March 16, 2021 by Chaos Theory

[Empress1]

7 hours ago, MinorL said:

I feel like Ken during the episode was all of us. He just kept saying, “What? There’s more?” 

It was like layers on layers. First it was Susan's arms - I was like, "she's going to lose those, right?" That was the worst infection I've ever seen. Then I learned that you can buy black tar heroin on the internet like you're buying a toaster off Amazon. (I don't know why that surprised me but it did.) Then the fact that Dawn was lying next to Susan watching her smoke, and actually doling out heroin for her. Then we learned that Dawn was a meth addict and they would smoke together. Then we learned that there were two other addicted adult children in the house. Then we learned that Susan had a son. Then the fuckery and lying with the dad (I loved when Ken just straight up rolled his eyes and told Chuck to his face that Chuck was lying). Then the crazy 12-hour intervention for Dawn. Just ... too much. That is one fucked-up family.

Dawn apparently has borderline personality disorder (and I could see it in her behavior), and that's hard to manage - she needs therapy and medication. An ex's mother had it (she died before I knew him) and did not manage it, and his childhood was hell. One of his siblings descended into addiction and ultimately lost the fight. Boundaries are going to be VERY important for that family to maintain with Dawn, because that mental illness means she stomps all over boundaries - fear of abandonment is huge.

[Pj3422]

I’ve always figured they bring in Ken when they have an addict who’s going to run. Poor guy! This family was just... just... beyond.

[sara416]

I've been watching this show since it started and holy shit, this was the biggest mess I have ever seen. I feel like they always give Ken the ones where he has to run after people or handle these insane crises. I don't know if it is because they know he can handle it or it they hate him. I'm sad that Jeff, Candy, and Sylvia aren't around this season. 

I was cringing during that final phone call with Susan and her mother. When Susan said that she didn't hear any difference with her mom I was really relieved, because I didn't either. She was trying so hard to suck her back in to crazy town. I'm so happy for the way Susan ended that phone call with her mother and I really hope she can keep these boundaries set with her whole family. 

[Heymissc]

This episode was beyond wild. The cringiest, most horrific parents yet! And wtf with the basement kid and the other addict living in the house?! Not to mention the rando ponytail she met at the clinic or whatever and then moved in?? What the whatttt. Whatever they are paying Ken, it ain’t enough! 

[Pondlass1]

Gosh.... if only we got to choose our parents. What a wonderful world this could be.

 

[hookedontv]

Wow, this episode did not disappoint! Ken had his work cut out for him, there were twists and turns around every corner. That family was bat shit crazy. 

The mom all sweet in the beginning, talking about the "perfect mormon family" then boom! Dosing out heroin to her daughter while sucking on a meth pipe? And how the mom revolted at the intervention about THE EYE DOCTOR APPOINTMENT. The mom definitely didn't change when we saw her on the phone call at the end. If she stays off drugs, she will be what I call a "dry drunk" - still vicious, but no drugs or alcohol to use as an excuse.

Susan's crater arms were some of the most painful things I've seen in a long time. I am surprised they healed/filled in, but her arms look like that of a burn victim or something. 

I recorded this episode but didn't erase - I'll watch it again to pick up on some more things because heck, there was so much going on.

On a personal note - I don't think I realized how tall Ken seems to be. 

 

 

[Stiggs]

You know, I’ve been watching this show since OG Gabe, and this might be the most jacked up, intense episode I’ve ever seen. I was waiting for like, well our dog Fluffy has been snorting coke since she was a puppy, and then there’s the gerbil and his cough syrup... That house was a clown car of addicts. My jaw kept dropping. 
The Bible on the bed of smack and meth? Well good lord. 
Susan is a sweetheart. I am so happy she is doing well. I hope she only contacts her two sane siblings and leaves her parents in the dust. She deserves a fresh start. I love it when there’s a good ending - I am really pulling for her. 
I really have no words for Dawn or her husband. Insanely shitty people. Dawn was downright frightening. The phone call at the end was a little chilling. 
Ken is amazing, and on a shallow note, has never looked better. 
 

ETA: My episode VIP was the supportive mother-in-law who has custody of Susan’s kid. She had it right - get the hell away from that family, go to treatment and sober living. She was so supportive of the neglectful, addicted mother of her grandson. Talk about grace. 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Stiggs

[Annamz]

This was one of the most disturbing episodes I’ve ever seen. Dawn is the most toxic kind of parent their is. She had me shouting at my tv in disgust. There was even a quick moment the camera caught Susan giving her mom a look like wtf did I just hear? The bed scene where her mom says she’ll take anything even if it doesn’t taste good? I really hope Susan cuts ties with that house and just focuses on her son. That was very hard to watch. 

[Stiggs]

7 hours ago, Annamz said:

This was one of the most disturbing episodes I’ve ever seen. Dawn is the most toxic kind of parent their is. She had me shouting at my tv in disgust. There was even a quick moment the camera caught Susan giving her mom a look like wtf did I just hear? The bed scene where her mom says she’ll take anything even if it doesn’t taste good? I really hope Susan cuts ties with that house and just focuses on her son. That was very hard to watch. 

I have to give the show editors credit with how well they rolled out Dawn's addiction. Like, at first she seemed like just an incredibly dysfunctional, enabling mother, and then... well, here's the meth. Just gonna smoke a little! And then from there my jaw was just on the ground the rest of the episode. It says something when Susan's horrific arms weren't the most disturbing part...

 

 

[GrammyPammy]

On 3/15/2021 at 8:49 PM, Empress1 said:

Susan is a heroin addict whose arm is so infected that it ... has holes in it, basically. She can’t shoot up anymore so she smokes. Susan lives in her childhood home with her mom, who has bipolar and borderline personality disorders, doses out heroin to Susan, and is a meth addict herself. This is A LOT.

PLUS they are Mormon! And have another daughter and a son who are also both addicts and living in the family home and financially supported by the patriarch of the family!

The level of denial, codependence and just lack of awareness in all the family members was stunning but not surprising in people raised in that sheltered and gaslighting religion. Mental illness is not acceptable in that church nor is substance abuse. Sweeping things under the rug is preferable to treatment. The fact that the parents had stopped responding to efforts to contact them bears this out. It’s sad.

[cynicat]

The caged cockatiels struck me as a totally bizarre metaphor for the whole crazy family.  

I wonder if Ken started to think he was on an episode of Pranked? 

[mythoughtis]

I was so glad to see that Daniel and Stan stayed in rehab and went to sober living. So 3 success stories.   I’m not sure we’ve seen both parents  be that involved in aiding several offsprings’  addiction.  Although we have seen some parents be the cause of their children’s addiction. We’ve seen more physically abusive parents. But these two were the most self absorbed white collar suburban parents  of addicts  I’ve ever seen on here.  Dawn is mentally ill and Chuck was lying just to lie.   
We saw five offspring.  I guess the other two managed to escape. 

[Radders631]

Ok I have been watching intervention since it aired. And this was one of the dysfunctional episodes I’ve seen, next to Chrissy. I agree they give Ken the worst addicts. It was one thing after another. The mom was creepy as hell and def needed to be in some type of medication as we’ll as the dad. 🤦🏽‍♀️ 

[Auntie Anxiety]

Ken pulled out a whole lot of Jedi mind tricks to manage this crew. Just dealing with Dawn would exhaust even the hardiest of interventionists. That family would make a great subject for a grad student’s thesis. I hope Susan stays sober and builds a better future for herself and her son. The kid needs his mother back.

[TVbitch]

Damn, that was craziness. I bet there are a lot of stories like that all over America during this pandemic (okay maybe not THAT bad), but as a former alcoholic, for me, the pandemic would be a nightmare dream come true. Stuck at home! Do not have to see people! Don't have to be presentable! No one just dropping by! Not many responsibilities! ...it's the perfect scenario for using. 

Great to see Ken. It looks like he has put a few pounds back on, but who hasn't. He's still super adorable, and so competent at dealing with these situations, and even knowing when it is a lost cause (mom & dad). A twelve hour intervention, wow, I hope Susan, Dan, and Stan send him a fruit basket! 

[pasdetrois]

This was like the old Intervention, before the participants began trying to use the show for attention.

Ken must have used up a entire year's worth of adrenaline chasing those folks around. He really found his calling.

Dawn is in the hall of fame with the mother who accused her daughter of stealing the mom's boyfriends (while a child) and No Left Turn Linda. Anyone remember the alcoholic cheese-and-crackers parents, who if I recall correctly were also Mormon? They wouldn't swear ("cheese and crackers") but it was OK to abandon their children and drink their lives away.

I"m not picking on Mormons. Having grown up in the extremely religious Deep South, I've seen my share of bizarre family dysfunction.

Edited March 21, 2021 by pasdetrois

[BrownBear2012]

The psychopathy in this family was chilling...from both parents to their children. I don't think there is any hope for Dawn. She is too wrapped up in her BPD and denial of her mental illness and drug addiction to ever get help and recover. Her husband is a bully and a liar. He has control issues especially when it comes to Dawn. Her addiction gives him control of her life...his codependency with her is through the roof. He pays the bills, cleans, does the grocery shopping...all these things give him control over her but she is so wrapped up in her meth addiction she can't see this...yet she whines and  complains about how he he controls her!

Some people don't want to be saved and you just have to walk away...apparently Susan has done this. Good for her. Dawn will die of her addiction...at her age it will inevitably kill her. Sad.

[Guest]

Just finished watching this episode and WOW. Dawn and Chuck can roast themselves in hell -- which Dawn seems to be sprinting towards anyway. The woman is beyond hope. But I did laugh out loud at her trying to get Susan to wistfully remember all the good times they shared together doing drugs in bed. 

Chuck's "house" looked very unlived in -- like they rented him an AirBnB for the occasion or something. I wonder where he really lived. For those Pennsylvania people who remember, he also bore an uncanny resemblance to R. Budd Dwyer. 

[Enero]

Was not at all surprised when it was revealed the mom was on drugs too. No way was she laying up on that bed day in and out watching her daughter smoke heroin without doing drugs herself. 

Like others I’m astonished at the toxicity of this family. This is the type of family you leave behind and never look back. There was so much toxicity and insanity that there’s no way anyone of these addicts will be able to get clean and stay clean. Those who are trying to stay clean needs to stay far away from that house and their family members. 

Dawn is the absolute worst mother (as was the father). I did not like her follow up with Susan. For her to bring up their time together doing drugs and how she was happy to have that time together and how Susan “saved” her was nothing short of manipulative. I’m glad Susan quickly ended the call after that comment and has since cut her mom off. I hope she will continue to stay far away from her toxic family members. 

[dvr devotee]

On 3/18/2021 at 7:47 AM, mythoughtis said:

these two were the most self absorbed white collar suburban parents of addicts  I’ve ever seen on here. Dawn is mentally ill and Chuck was lying just to lie

It's funny, as Chuck was talking I was thinking "yes, this guy very clearly is a CTO/CEO, he is quite skilled in telling the technical truth, and putting on a good show of it." And when someone tries to pin him down and call out his lies, he gets upset and says that being treated in such a "rough" manner "doesn't work for [him]," You don't say!

I think he enjoys playing the "stable, supportive" husband to the mentally ill, cruel wife. He thinks he looks better by comparison of NOT being borderline, and what an absolute saint he is for putting up with her craziness! He loves the drama and chaos, he loves that he can blame everything that's wrong in their family on the mom having so many issues, and he loves the control he's able to maintain by having a wife who, let's be honest, really can't work. She is completely dependent on him, and he absolutely gets off on it.

On 3/18/2021 at 6:30 AM, cynicat said:

The caged cockatiels struck me as a totally bizarre metaphor for the whole crazy family.  

The birds made me sad. My parents still have the cockatiel they got me in middle school, so it's about 28-years-old now. The poor birds in that house are constantly breathing so much garbage into their teeny little lungs. I wonder how many young birds they've had that have just died 'out of nowhere.'

On 3/25/2021 at 9:55 PM, Giant Misfit said:

I did laugh out loud at her trying to get Susan to wistfully remember all the good times they shared together doing drugs in bed.

That was incredible. As she was talking, I thought "she has rehearsed this, so she can show how perfect her family is, even when it's not perfect."

Her words were just total *facepalm* for me.

"Susie, I'm not glad we did drugs together. But I'm glad for the time we had together. I really am. That was precious."

Edited March 31, 2021 by dvr devotee
Because primetimer doesn't use markdown code!

[cynicat]

9 hours ago, dvr devotee said:

That was incredible. As she was talking, I thought "she has rehearsed this, so she can show how perfect her family is, even when it's not perfect."

Her words were just total *facepalm* for me.

"Susie, I'm not glad we did drugs together. But I'm glad for the time we had together. I really am. That was precious."

What are you talking about?  Doesn't everyone have fond memories of smoking crack with their mothers?  I sure do! 

[IvySpice]

For some reason my DVR just taped this now. WOW. I have seen every episode of Intervention, and this was the most colossal cannonball of crazy we have ever seen. It was like five of the sickest families they’ve ever found all rolled up into one. By the middle of the episode, if they’d said “Dawn fed her habit by filming child porn with the kids and Chuck paid off the cops,” I would have said, “Yeah, that checks out.”

[mythoughtis]

2 hours ago, IvySpice said:

For some reason my DVR just taped this now

My DVR is having trouble this season. For some reason it’s not recognizing  the episodes.  I’ve found them on demand and they are mislabeled as season 9 or as intervention Canada.