S07.E01: Live Special

[Guest]

What in the fresh hell did they do to my show?

And how many times is Tolan gonna stand outside in the dark wondering, "We're going to knock on the door and see if Richard lets us in." Um, sir? First of all: WHAT DOOR? You are standing outside of a home whose front door has been completely taken off! And what's the suspense? Whether Richard will let him in? Of course he will! He had to agree to them not only filming on his property in the middle of the night but also to allow 100 spotlights set up on the front lawn.

And I nearly fell out when Tolan went to the back door and knocked and Richard was clearly visible inside -- waiting for him. As he approached the door, he looked like a monster. (Poor man, he certainly wasn't, but lordy!)

I hope this "live" show is a one and done. Terrible.

ETA: Apologoes to the mods. I think I f-ed up the episode title. Apparently they renamed the whole show to Hoarders: Family Secrets according to the commercial just aired.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Guest

[MissCurmudgeonly]

I agree, that was horrible and ridiculous. A recap of a past show and update - whatever. Then all this stupid buildup just so we could listen to his adult kids read letters to him?? BORING. Then don't get me started on the obvious (read: stupid) comments the host was making. "So how do you feel about all this clutter?" "Do you think this might be dangerous then?"

 

Bah.

[NYCFree]

I was really excited about this show coming back and I think this format just didn't work. All the interviews felt overly rehearsed. The "intervention" seemed really out of step as Richard was like "yup, it sure is dangerous, glad you guys are here to help me clean!" Then-boop--show is over.

Very sad to see the update on Jim. Of course there will be some slip ups, and reverting to old behaviors, it was just so disappointing he couldn't accept help again.

[auntieminem]

I think this was a one time thing for the premiere.   I did not really care for the live part.  That guy had such a flat affect, he might have just been scared but I think it will not be an  easy one.  I was eating guacamole because that kind of stuff doesn't bother me.  I was a social worker and in my early career I have a few clients who were hoarder but that was before it had a name or diagnosis.  However the mice floating in the yellow toilet water was just too icky.  

[MissCurmudgeonly]

Oh yeah, the mouse thing was weird. And I too kept waiting for someone to bring up what was wrong with Richard or what had happened to him - he seemed like he had had a stroke or brain injury or something, the way he acted/spoke.

[barbedwire]

Well you guys are much better than I am because after 45 minutes I couldn't take this new format anymore.  It was good to see Matt Paxton and it was great that they followed up with a previous hoarder (sad that he couldn't keep it clean even for the grandkids) but other than that, ugh.  Bring back my other show!  I want to see Dr. Tonya Harding.

[MissCurmudgeonly]

Oh, and what was with that stupid BRAND NEW gas can sitting right there on top of things?? Staged much?

 

The "talk with a neighbor" was ridiculous too - she spent most of her time talking about how great a job they did with the decorations. What. The. Hell.

[Guest]

Or the very important bathroom story that Tolan asked the daughter to tell, "Well this one time I drove two hours to pick him up and I asked to use his bathroom and he said, 'no.'"

Oh, THAT was fascinating.

What was also annoying me was that Richard was all about, "YES! I WANT YOUR HELP!" And all the Hoarders people could do was redirect to some squalor porn and the aforementioned staged gas can.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Guest

[Scorpiosunshine]

Oof. I hated the live format, though it is something to see the hoard live, in full array HDTV. It looked unreal.

Jim's update saddened me and pissed me off for the family.

It was good to see Dr. Tolin (too bad it was in a sucky "TV show host" position. Really, show?).

It was also good to see Matt and Corey. I've always crushed hard on Cory, but I'm crushing harder now that he's on his way to becoming quite the silver fox!

[notyrmomma]

Oh where do I begin? First of all, Giant Misfit, I believe you are correct in that they renamed the show "Hoarders: Family Secrets."  Personally, I don't care what they call it, all that I know is that if I didn't make an effort to check what my DVR was set to record, I may have missed this show as it was set to record all new episodes of Hoarders, but it didn't pick up on the new name.  I wonder how many Hoarders fans, who have no idea there is a new season, completely missed the show and it didn't even record.  Not good for ratings!

 

Secondly, I think the interview of Richard fell way flat, but how else could it have gone with the "live" format?  At first I thought Richard was very smart and acknowledging all the issues going on in the home, but then his crazy started peeking out when he was discussing that he was only cleaning up to fix the attic and basement so he can save all the stuff that someone left him to care for.  Yeah.  He ain't throwing out nuttin'! 

 

Oh my Corey!  He can come clean my house any day ;)  I have always had a hard core, almost S&M type crush on Matt (he can yell at me while he cleans my house), but Corey looked delicious.  Why is it that gray on men makes them more attractive, but gray makes a 40 year old woman (me) look like a hag? NOT FAIR!

[blueiris]

Nonono!  This was just bad and ridiculous all around.  I've always hated live shows with all the fake buildup but this just seemed to take it to a new level.  All of the "no one has every been inside boo!"  "Will he let us in?"  Please don't treat us like we're so stupid.  What was the deal with doing it at night?  That made no sense. As if we can still gin up some shock value looking at these indoor trash dumps?  And why wasnt he challenged on the toilet mice?  The guy said he used the toilet but that couldnt have been true.  That thing didn't look flushed in a really long time.  His daughter sais he brought the trash dump smell with him wherever he went - not using that toilet couldn't have bothered him so why lie? 

[Guest]

Then all this stupid buildup just so we could listen to his adult kids read letters to him??

I thought they were going for some bizarro-world Intervention crossover with that flourish -- "Dad, your hoarding has negatively impacted me in the following ways..."

Matt is all over Facebook and Twitter combating the bad reviews with, "Live TV is haaaard!" Actually live TV is pretty good if you have good producers with good ideas. That show last night had none of that. See also: Geraldo, he of the "Live from Al Capone's Vault" debacle.

[Twiz44]

Well, I doubt they'll win any new fans with the "live" format, but I believe (and really, really hope) that's just a one-time deal.  According to her Facebook page, Dr. Tonya Harding looks like she'll be back.  Also, looking at the clip on Lifetime's page, I saw Dorothy and Dr. Suzaaaahhhn Chabaud.  My guess is that the whole "Live" thing was to get some initial buzz. and the old format with maybe a few tweaks will be back.

 

Regarding the last night's episode, I thought the guy seemed a little off, too.  Sort of developmentally delayed.  The toilet/mice thing was gross.  I noticed that when they first went into the bathroom, Richard came towards the camera and leaned over, a little out of the camera shot, and you could hear the sound of the toilet lid closing.  Was he trying to hide Tom and Jerry?

 

All the "manufactured" drama of "will he let us in" was such BS.  He clearly let the cameraman in before the rest of us.  I like Dr. Tolin, but not in this role.  I'm just going to hope that the old "gang" is back and the old Hoarders format we know and love will be back in it's neat and tidy segments.  Oh, and this old cougar is all about the Cory love train.

[goodbyeglittergirl]

Ugh - the live show format was awful. The guy clearly said - very early in the show - that he wanted the help. So there was no suspense, even though they kept trying to pretend there was. Plus, some of the draw for Hoarders for me is to see the "After" pics - which clearly can't happen live.

 

I hope it goes back to normal. I LOVE Hoarders, love Matt, love the good doctors - but the live show stunk more than 2 dead mice floating in a dirty toilet.

[Bella]

I just read on another site that the live format was only for the one episode. I hope so.

[notyrmomma]

Corey is basically acknowledging that the live format sucks (per a Facebook post ) and he says that next week will be back to the regular format....which makes sense because Dorthy, Matt, Dr Z, and Corey have all been talking on Facebook about the filming of new shows.

[MissCurmudgeonly]

Regarding the last night's episode, I thought the guy seemed a little off, too.  Sort of developmentally delayed.  The toilet/mice thing was gross.  I noticed that when they first went into the bathroom, Richard came towards the camera and leaned over, a little out of the camera shot, and you could hear the sound of the toilet lid closing.  Was he trying to hide Tom and Jerry?

I also noticed that when they first went into the bathroom the toilet seat was closed! I guess I"m conditioned to look at the toilet to see if it's overflowing with poop, so I thought hmm, it's grubby, but no poop mountain. Then suddenly poof, the lid was open - I didn't pick up on Richard closing it, and wondered how that happened.

[Taylorh2]

Jim's wife not letting the clean up crew and the Dr. in was just ridiculous. Maybe she was also a hoarder ?

 

I wonder why Jim was the one to face the Courts but his wife didn't have to ?  Now we have to wait until next Thursday to see part 2.

 

 FF through most of the "Live" show. BORING!!!!!

Edited May 29, 2015 by Taylorh2

[Yokosmom]

I agree that the show was absolutely awful last night.  Such a disappointment.  I'm afraid that it will turn off any new or returning viewers, so it was especially stupid of the programming department to start the new season with such an awkward mess.  I think that many viewers just wanted the old show back, minus Matt's "spend the night in the hoard" stunt and the hoarders that were so over the top mentally ill that no one could stand to watch them.

 

So sad about Jim.  I remember him from the first series because he was one of the ones who seemed to really turn his life around when they came back for a revisit. One of the show's few real success stories. His grandchildren were his priority, etc.  So sad that he relapsed so badly.  Perhaps the counseling money ran out?

 

I hope that next week's show will be better.  I have missed Matt, Corey, and the various psychiatrists/counselors.

[auntieminem]

Not  a fan of the live show but I think the rest of the season will be like old times.  I really do not like the TLC version so I am happy to see A&E/Lifetime version back.  

 

See you all next week.  Grab a rock and make some plans for it.

[ChicagoCita]

I'm just so delighted to see Dr Blue Eyes back!  He's such a voice of reason.

 

Also happy to see Dr. Suzahhhhhhn, Dorothy, Matt and Corey.

 

I just ask no dead animals from neglect this version.  I can't bear those.

[Cherrio]

Jim is scary. Scary beyond the hoarding.   

 

Agree with everyone else this live show was a mess and I am glad it won't happen again.

[Dittohead]

So when do we see the follow-up to this live episode?

[Chalby]

 I have a few clients who were hoarder but that was before it had a name or diagnosis. 

I watched Hoarders because it's like that car accident you drive by, where you know you shouldn't look, but you find yourself staring. I am finding that the hoarders all share that ungrateful, flat effect to them. So watch is their actual diagnosis? I know many experience a traumatic event that triggers the hoarding, but they are so unreasonable about the health hazard. It's like arguing with a drunk. Does anyone else get so frustrated, that you want to reach through the TV and slap them. As well, many of them perseverate on some 'wrongdoing' and they can't get over it. Does anyone remember the principal who was confronted by some teens? He couldn't get beyond that and lost his job, family, exhausted all the PTSD therapies. He just could move on. I start with compassion, but then get angry. Same with my 600 lb life. I try to understand, until they flog some dead horse as the reason for all their issues. Get over it already!