S02.E02: Back To The Future

[MakingBacon]

Every moment Tori is on this show validates her Dad's decision to not leave her millions. It is as though Tori is incapable of making one good decision. The storage is no different than buying the Malibu house with three bedrooms and Dean expecting his oldest son to sleep in a trailer. No thought was put into the fact that the house was too small and far away from the city. It was an impulse buy, just like all her others. Hell, Dean was an impulse buy because money is how she got him. I have no doubt that they are struggling financially, maybe not the level of normal people, but I can see Tori spending to just spend. She needs something new and shiny to show that her life has value. She wants the lifestyle and respect her father had but he worked his butt off for that success and didn't have to compromise his dignity like she is doing.

What is interesting is watching her downward slide from show to show. She was interesting and happy in the first reality show because she still had her head in the clouds about her relationship with Dean. Notice how she has gotten less happy with each successive show. It's as though reality has hit her. Although I don't doubt she loves her kids, I think they make her feel stuck because she doesn't want to be a "single" mother. (I say "single" because we know she isn't going to take care of her kids by herself.) If she never had kids with Dean I don't doubt she would have left long ago. If anything, I think the Dean "affair" truly embarrassed her because her dad and mom were right about Dean. She looks foolish now and it must kill her to know that her mother, of all people, was right.

I enjoyed NoTorious too. I was so happy to find the dvd set at a blockbuster closeout sale. She showed such potential in that show. I have never seen that in her anywhere else.

[Cosmic Muffin]

I think reality shows serve a purpose, they make the rest of us feel better about our lives. But this show is such a downer, these two are such dysfunctional losers, and it is clear that they can't/won't change for the better that no one wants to watch. It might be schadenfraudelicious if there weren't four helpless kids dragged along with these two morons.

[ghoulina]

Yea, the kids are the sticking point. I would have no problem watching Tori wallowing in misery, but my heart breaks for those kids who are constantly subjected to her melodramtic breakdowns, extended hospital stays, raucous fighting with their father, moving every two years, etc. 

[wanderwoman]

Yea, the kids are the sticking point. I would have no problem watching Tori wallowing in misery, but my heart breaks for those kids who are constantly subjected to her melodramtic breakdowns, extended hospital stays, raucous fighting with their father, moving every two years, etc. 

That's the bullshit problem with this show.  We watch and have a cerain amount of "wtf?" because it's hard to wrap your head around how two, arguably functional adults can make such bad choices.  But, when you stop to remember that there are FIVE (Jack counts) children involved... it just makes me feel sad.  These children will have, forever documented and available on youtube (AND LATE NIGHT TV 20 YEARS FROM NOW), all of the faults and follies of their parents.  It will be as clear to them, as it is to us, that Tori can take all the pictures she wants, the reality will never mirror the pretty pictures.  Behind every beautifully posed portrait is the fact that their expensive clothes were blowing the budget, that the teams of make up and hair professionals couldn't make mommy look happy, the kids were fighting against participating, and as soon as the photographer left, life went back to normal.

 

What's worse? Tori grew up with a camera following her around- a still camera, but a camera.  DESPITE CLAIMING TO HATE HER CHILDHOOD, guess what life she chose for her children?  It's madness.

[mamey2422]

@socalrules

Every moment Tori is on this show validates her Dad's decision to not leave her millions. It is as though Tori is incapable of making one good decision. The storage is no different than buying the Malibu house with three bedrooms and Dean expecting his oldest son to sleep in a trailer. No thought was put into the fact that the house was too small and far away from the city. It was an impulse buy, just like all her others. Hell, Dean was an impulse buy because money is how she got him. 

 

Tori admitting to their impulse- and emotional-based decision-making when she was talking to Dean about why it made sense to have a vasectomy was a rare moment of candor for this show. She said it was time to start making adult decisions thought I doubt there will be any follow through. 

 

I also appreciate how honest her friends are with her usually. They don't seem to sugarcoat anything. 

[Cosmic Muffin]

... But, when you stop to remember that there are FIVE (Jack counts) children involved....

Jack does count, of course, but he is older, and spends most of his time with his mother who is a sane, stable parent (I think). At least she doesn't allow them to film him being ignored and neglected by his dad and step mom. Plus, he had 8 years of stability before the divorce, and he has his sister who doesn't have to spend any time with Dean and Tori (although she might have her own issues around this...) I just think Dean and Tori's kids are much worse off than Jack, although I'm sure he is affected to some degree. Mary Jo must just be counting down the days until Jack is 18, and can go to college and she can cut way back on having anything to do with her ex, let alone Tori.

[trimthatfat]

betting that if he had given her $50 million she would have gone thru it by now.

but he could have given her some kind of trust that would have given her an income to be doled out

did the brother get any thing

 

Randy got the same amount Tori did and he's never publicly complained about it. He also lives a modest life in Portland, Oregon. He mentioned in an interview this year that in his twenties, he had to reconcile that he wasn't wealthy anymore and that he had to live within his means...clearly, a message his sister hasn't yet embraced.

[TheRealT]

Jack does count, of course, but he is older, and spends most of his time with his mother who is a sane, stable parent (I think). At least she doesn't allow them to film him being ignored and neglected by his dad and step mom. Plus, he had 8 years of stability before the divorce, and he has his sister who doesn't have to spend any time with Dean and Tori (although she might have her own issues around this...) I just think Dean and Tori's kids are much worse off than Jack, although I'm sure he is affected to some degree. Mary Jo must just be counting down the days until Jack is 18, and can go to college and she can cut way back on having anything to do with her ex, let alone Tori.

I agree that Jack is probably better off than Tori's kids, but I don't think T & D should get any kind of pass for the damage they have done and continue to do to him. I saw a picture of T & D out with all of Dean's kids and Lola, the baby Dean abandoned to be with his soulmate, so, apparently, she does spend some time with them too. I would imagine that she has been and will continue to be affected by T & D's actions as well, especially as she gets older and finds out/understands how Dean discarded her. That part of the beginning of the "fairy tale" (Dean opting out of adopting a baby who was already living in his home) is the most disgusting to me (and there are so many disgusting elements to choose from). It shows just how selfish, unfeeling, and vile both Dean and Tori are.

[wanderwoman]

Also, I hate the false dichotomy of "we will get our fairy tale" or "we're destined to fall apart". Those aren't the only two options. Most people over 14 years old understand that happiness and dedication take work. You're not fated for happiness or a good marriage.

[wanderwoman]

Jack does count, of course, but he is older, and spends most of his time with his mother who is a sane, stable parent (I think). At least she doesn't allow them to film him being ignored and neglected by his dad and step mom. Plus, he had 8 years of stability before the divorce, and he has his sister who doesn't have to spend any time with Dean and Tori (although she might have her own issues around this...) I just think Dean and Tori's kids are much worse off than Jack, although I'm sure he is affected to some degree. Mary Jo must just be counting down the days until Jack is 18, and can go to college and she can cut way back on having anything to do with her ex, let alone Tori.

Oh! Definitely! Jack living with his mom is the best thing for himn. But, teenagers are notoriously cruel and I pray that his schoolmates and friends have been kind up to now. But, think of how just what's been shown could affect the children's futures. Will their future girlfriend/boyfriend doubt their faithfulness or question a relationship because of the influence of Tori and Dean? If your son or daughter wanted to marry Jack, would you be 100% sure you could trust that family? It's harsh, but it's the reality. Tori and Dean aren't just putting their own drama out there.... they're giving out pieces of their child's heritage for people to judge. When Stella is 14... do you think the tabloids will take advantage of her mom's issues and make unfair comparisons? They did it with Candy and Tori and there was far less info out there about Candy. When Liam goes to a party at 17 and takes a drink or has a fender bender, how long will it take for people to compare him to Dean? That's what Tori and Dean are choosing, warranted or not. Tori said, on this episodes, "we don't want our issues to be their issues...we want them to be happy and smiling". Well, her actions in filming have already made their issues part of the kids future. It's so unrealistic Andy delusional of the two of them.

[missy jo]

How do these people manage to live their lives constantly on the verge of tears? I haven't cried as much in the past five years as they do in a single episode!

 

I agree with the other posters. She doesn't seem very interested in her kids. She lets her friend take them to school so she and Dean can cry in bed, for cripe's sake!

 

And how insulting for her to say she still "wants a real family" and the same friend has to remind her, "Um, you actually already have one."

 

I think she's into "making babies" and "creating life" in her words, but is one of those people who adores babies right up until they become toddlers.

 

These four children are paying the price for her and Dean's weird pregnancy fetish.

[Satchels of gold]

I agree that Jack is probably better off than Tori's kids, but I don't think T & D should get any kind of pass for the damage they have done and continue to do to him. I saw a picture of T & D out with all of Dean's kids and Lola, the baby Dean abandoned to be with his soulmate, so, apparently, she does spend some time with them too. I would imagine that she has been and will continue to be affected by T & D's actions as well, especially as she gets older and finds out/understands how Dean discarded her. That part of the beginning of the "fairy tale" (Dean opting out of adopting a baby who was already living in his home) is the most disgusting to me (and there are so many disgusting elements to choose from). It shows just how selfish, unfeeling, and vile both Dean and Tori are.

As a mother of an adopted daughter my heart aches for Lola she will have double the abandonment issues to deal with. The two of them are like two kids playing house. They have convinced themselves they are in some fairy tale instead of the nightmare that they are actually in.

[Gemma Violet]

OK, I really think Tori would feel better if she ate a good meal or two.  I'm serious.  I know when I don't eat for like a whole day, I'm cranky and emotional.  She's rail thin and I'm sure she's not getting the proper nutrients.    

[lchal]

No, it was one of those toilets that elderly people use when they can't get to the bathroom. It's usually parked beside their bed, and wheeled into the bathroom for cleaning once it's been used. Usually by the caregiver. I can only imagine.....

I thought it was more of one of those shower seats??? either way, unnecessary IMO.

[MelineB13]

 

I wonder if Hattie's things are thrown in there as well, or maybe Liam and Stella's

I spotted at least one of those Land of Nod Jenny Lind beds (retail value $599) from last season that Tori bought....er... product placed... in Liam and Stella's room to get them to sleep in their own room.

 

The portable toilet thing I assume was from when she was on bed rest with Finn, she probably keeps it around the same way normal people keep old crutches. 

[Gemma Violet]

I spotted at least one of those Land of Nod Jenny Lind beds (retail value $599) from last season that Tori bought....er... product placed... in Liam and Stella's room to get them to sleep in their own room.

 

The portable toilet thing I assume was from when she was on bed rest with Finn, she probably keeps it around the same way normal people keep old crutches. 

 

The thing is if she needed something that she has in storage, she'd probably just buy another one instead of wading through all those storage vaults to find what she needs.  She's not like most people, who keep a portable toilet or crutches or whatever in their spare bedroom or their backyard shed and if they need it again, they can just take a few steps to fetch it.  Of course, most people don't have stuff that could fill 127 storage units.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Gemma Violet

[suomi]

Randy got the same amount Tori did and he's never publicly complained about it. He also lives a modest life in Portland, Oregon. He mentioned in an interview this year that in his twenties, he had to reconcile that he wasn't wealthy anymore and that he had to live within his means...clearly, a message his sister hasn't yet embraced.

 

He's going to be on Oprah's "Where Are They Now?" this coming Sunday.

 

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/oprah-where-are-they-now/listings/

[RedheadZombie]

I think Tori's emotional attachment to her stuff is fair enough, and maybe growing up rich she had a lot of material things which she equates with love. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Regardless, her friends are not the right people to be helping her sort through it all, I think they are enabling her and/or afraid to push too hard to get rid of stuff she clearly doesn't need, like the preserved bouquet from her first wedding. She should hire a professional who is not emotionally involved. And who is getting paid by the hour so they can glance at their watch when she gets distracted by an old scrapbook or something.

 

Words cannot even describe how messed up Tori is. I had no idea she had a facility of junk while she complains about money. She can't even see that is hoarding? What value can items have while they sit in a crate? Her friends have had to deal with a lot.

 

I realize it's easy to hate on Tori, and she brings most of it on herself.  But hoarding is a true mental illness that falls under OCD.   Hoarders don't hoard because they're selfish, lazy, disgusting people.  One of the worst things you can do is try to push a hoarder too hard - they will shut down.  It's illogical to us, but these people will fill their homes room by room, floor to ceiling, until they have a tiny walking space with one free chair.  Some of the worst ones have dead animals in those piles, and allow their children to live in that chaos.  All hoarders waste money they don't have on items that are never removed from bags, or have price tags removed.  Tori is very classic in this sense.  I think Candy is also a hoarder - she's just loaded enough that she can afford a team of servants to organize and clean her piles.

 

The best method is to have a specialist in hoarding go through the home with the hoarder, determining what to keep/throw away/donate, and have a clean up team get those items out of the house as the specialist keeps the hoarder occupied.  Just the site of their stuff being handled by strangers can put them over the top.  Another big rule is to look at everything only once.  We saw Tori going back to things she'd already marked to get rid of, and then question if she should keep it.  I sympathize with her loved ones. 

 

My best friend growing up just invited me to go through the stuff in her garage and determine what to keep.  It was a nightmare!  All three of her kids had separate bins with every single piece of paper and art work they brought home.  There were old book bags, hundreds of stuffed animals, hundreds of clothing items.  Then I found the boxes from high school - she's in her 40's!  She still had every single love letter she ever got, every single piece of crap jewelry she'd ever had.  There were about forty boxes and bins - and this wasn't even stuff she uses on a daily basis!  She still had an entire giant house full of furniture, and closets full of clothes.  After a couple of hours, she sensed my mood and started trusting me.  After that, I distracted her with extremely personal items, and while she reread all her love notes, I was zipping through and getting rid of stuff.  She had to know I would do it, so I felt no guilt.  The funniest part was finding a middle school picture of my lifelong crush with a romantic message on the back - to ME!  So she pack ratted my stuff too.

 

Oh I didn't see the end, you mean Dean "pulled out" of the operation? Sorry couldn't help myself. And I bet urologists hear that joke all the time.

 

My aunt worked for a urologist for years.  His license plate was - PKR CHKR - pecker checker.  She thought it was funny, I thought it was gross.

Edited November 5, 2014 by RedheadZombie

[Cosmic Muffin]

If Tori ever got real therapy for her issues, I think treating her anxiety, psychosomatic health issues and her OCD would come before trying to fix the narcissism or anorexia. She is a mess. She created this show to punish Dean, not realizing how bad it makes her look, or what it does/could do to her kids. She thinks people need to see this version of her truth. Perhaps that's why she's vanished into the hospital for over two weeks.

[lizzy07]

I'm watching "Back to the Future" now on the Lifetime's website (while I'm supposed to be working. Hey, it's Friday) and that moment when Tori opens the 'storage room door' and you see all that crap -- and you realize just how mentally unstable she is --- reminds me of that episode of Everybody Loves Raymond when Robert found out his date was terrifyingly into frogs. She had frogs EVERYWHERE. And even ate flies. Basically, Tori is just as crazy as the Frog Lady.