Past Seasons Talk: Look Out For Sail Cats

[Chip]

General discussion of the entire series of Hoarders.

[Goldielocked]

Caught one from the Lifetime marathon earlier this week, a home in Beverly Hills (of all places!) and the woman (hoarder) was a liver transplant recipient.  I couldn't believe she would put herself in that situation--made me feel sorry for the donor whose liver is struggling in a toxic environment!  I can stomach most episodes that focus on the junk piled to the ceiling but when they show bodily wastes in bottles, I have to take a break.  And it never ceases to amaze me when the adult, standing knee-high in filth and waste in every room of the house, looks at the therapist and says, "well, that kid of mine just never cleans up after herself!"  One good thing comes from me watching these shows--I lose my appetite and my house gets a very thorough cleaning!

[wanderwoman]

Ok.  Call me the jerk, but this shirt goes way beyond mental illness.  These people are control freaks masquerading as victims of circumstance.   If you truly love animals, you wouldn't keep them in an environment covered with urine, feces, and trash.  I think part of the almost universal pet hoarding policy is to say, "my house can't be that dangerous....my animals are alive".  And. Note the constant, "the city" or "the family" did this to me.  F that!

[spaceytraci1208]

Ok. Call me the jerk, but this shirt goes way beyond mental illness. These people are control freaks masquerading as victims of circumstance. If you truly love animals, you wouldn't keep them in an environment covered with urine, feces, and trash. I think part of the almost universal pet hoarding policy is to say, "my house can't be that dangerous....my animals are alive". And. Note the constant, "the city" or "the family" did this to me. F that!

*Pulling up a chair to your table (I ordered a latte)*

I saw one a month or so ago where when the therapist/organizer said to this woman that her kids could be taken from her, the hoarder said that maybe it would teach them (her kids) a lesson; that they (again, the kids) didn't do their part to help. I wanted to slap her through my TV

[DangerousMinds]

Lifetime will be airing a new  "Where are They Now?" episode on Monday, June 2.

 

"Will Hoarders be signed on for another season? Only time will. To test out ratings and viewer interest, Lifetime is expected to air a Hoarders Where Are They Now special on June 2. In an interview with Cory Chalmers, he could not provide any details on specific successes or failures that will be highlighted on the update show. He said, “We don’t want to ruin any surprises,” but he hopes that it can help revive the show."

 

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2014/05/hoarders-update-on-lifetime-could-revive-show/#FPUx51GFvcZ1THOE.99

Edited June 1, 2014 by DangerousMinds

[fliptopbox]

Currently watching the Shannon/Julie episode. I almost sprayed my laptop with iced tea because Julie started accusing her daughter of throwing away all of her underwear - which apparently was in a garbage bag in her garage. Anyone else as confused by that as I am? If they were that important why the hell were they in the garage with all the other crap she hadn't touched in years?

[kassa]

It doesn't make sense to us because we're not mentally ill.  They have a form of obsessive compulsive disorder.  Ironically, it's their desire to get rid of things in the "right" way that paralyzes them.  

 

Hoarders (the tv show) went down the wrong path when it came to the human waste collecting people.   It's one thing to tune in to spectacularly delusional people who will stand there and make an irrational case for why they have christmas ornaments stacked to the rafters so that they haven't had Christmas in the house for 20 years, or craft supplies stacked so high there's no room to do crafts, or collect toys for grandchildren whose parents won't allow them to enter their homes.  If they're still functioning in the real world, go in there and help them.  If they're willing to air their dirty laundry (so to speak) in return for therapy and assistance, more power to them.  

 

When people are so mentally ill that they're home living on disability amid piles of their own waste, they need to be relieved of the responsibility to care for themselves because it's beyond their capabilities.

 

If a crazy old bat has heat and hot water and thinks rotten pumpkins look swell on the coffee table, or an old guy thinks appliances that have been sitting outside in the rain and snow for years just need some "fixing up" to be as good as new, bring 'em on!

[ari333]

It doesn't make sense to us because we're not mentally ill.  They have a form of obsessive compulsive disorder.  Ironically, it's their desire to get rid of things in the "right" way that paralyzes them.  

 

Hoarders (the tv show) went down the wrong path when it came to the human waste collecting people.   It's one thing to tune in to spectacularly delusional people who will stand there and make an irrational case for why they have christmas ornaments stacked to the rafters so that they haven't had Christmas in the house for 20 years, or craft supplies stacked so high there's no room to do crafts, or collect toys for grandchildren whose parents won't allow them to enter their homes.  If they're still functioning in the real world, go in there and help them.  If they're willing to air their dirty laundry (so to speak) in return for therapy and assistance, more power to them.  

 

When people are so mentally ill that they're home living on disability amid piles of their own waste, they need to be relieved of the responsibility to care for themselves because it's beyond their capabilities.

 

If a crazy old bat has heat and hot water and thinks rotten pumpkins look swell on the coffee table, or an old guy thinks appliances that have been sitting outside in the rain and snow for years just need some "fixing up" to be as good as new, bring 'em on!

 

THIS! Yes.

 

I also agree that there are degrees of this condition (or maybe there's a better word.... or maybe they are actually, technically completely different conditions?) The person who has crafts and Christmas to the ceiling is very different imo (but still in need of help) than the person saving feces in jars. I feel sad for all of them. It must be frustrating for the family, but I really hate when they scream at them as if they really want to be like that. I don't think they do. I just think they can't, on their own, find a way out.  

[Calamity Jane]

What always strikes me with these folks is, no matter how they first present themselves, they nearly all turn out to be seething cauldrons of rage and resentment when it comes down to getting rid of their hoard. I've seen one or two exceptions, but they are rare. And lately, most of them seem too mentally disabled to make rational decisions, so it's all an exercise in futility from the get-go. Again, a few exceptions, but what we're seeing overall is sad departure from reality that seems unlikely to be helped by this process.

[aulait]

I had forgotten how creepy Randy was, with all his mannequins and old games and, probably, a few bodies in the basement.

[Elsinore]

I am always astounded by the attitude some hoarders tend to have, like they really can not be bothered with all the tv cleaning up business.

 

Also, they always seem to live in nice houses in nice neighbourhoods with pretty front lawns. The crap rarely goes there apparently. Then after the clean up you see the devastation and it's such a shame, you know. There was this one woman who did not have one but two houses to store her stuff and she let both of them go to waste. Made me sad.

[BatmanBeatles]

I had forgotten how creepy Randy was, with all his mannequins and old games and, probably, a few bodies in the basement.

Don't forget his containers of hair.

 

One episode that made me physically ill was that Hannah person. The way she abused those animals!

Edited July 18, 2014 by BatmanBeatles

[Guest]

Tonight's rerun episode was a cesspool of CRAZY thank to Manny the Happy Hoarder, his wife who OD'd on Tylenol during filming, Manny's rageaholic son and rattle-toothed wife (both of which had lovely neck tattoos), AND the jealous raving lunatic ex-wife who, egged on by Dr Tonya Hoarding, wanted to start a sidewalk war with wife #2. I mean, there was not a sane person among them. The best part was that Manny's loser son and his wife blamed Manny for losing custody of their three kids they dropped off at Manny's house every day to be cared for. They both keep saying "they had NO IDEA" Manny was a hoarder. So when CPS went went to their house, these two were even MORE shocked that CPS thought they, too, lived in squalor and arrested them.

Jesus. I almost lost my mind trying to keep up with these people. Oh! And then at the end, during the reveal, while wife #2 was in the hospital recovering from her suicide attempt, wife #1 shows up to help Manny celebrate his clean house. I just..I don't know.

I miss this show so much.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Guest

[Linderhill]

I was hoping that there would be some sort of follow up on these hoarders, Happy Manny and multiple garage guy in the other segment.  There was a some hoarders that need an update.  Did the children ever get to come home? did multiple garage guy ever get out of the hole money wise?  And that guy had hoarder parents that were taking the stuff that was supposed to have been sold.  

 

Sat thru most of Crazy Randy again.  No Randy, you are not the "good hoarder" how ever many times you say it.  I wonder how many people actually came to see his arcade after the episode.  And if he charged to get their picture taken with him.

[Guest]

Yes, a follow up on Happy Manny and his insane family would have been helpful. I mean, how long does it take to make a phone call and update the title cards? It's not like Lifetime spent a fortune to acquire these reruns.

[JudyObscure]

I really hope Manny, his son and "rattle-tooth," (good one Giant Misfit) don't ever get those kids back, as I remember it from years ago the young parents' house was actually worse than Manny's because there were no toys, just black filthy stuff.

I was thinking about the Hoarders in general last night and wondering why the therapists always use the same motivational mantra, "Don't you want your family to be able to visit?" In many cases it seems clear to me that the answer is, "NO! I don't want family members to visit! Coming around criticizing me for not being a perfect housekeeper and blaming me because things got a little out of hand and trying to take away my good stuff! " As one of them said, her daughter only visited once in awhile but her tings kept her company every day. I think they get so angry because they see everyone involved as thieves out to leave them with nothing, stripped bare and exposed.

After watching every single show at least once, these days I sadly see Dr Zasio and Matt and all the rest as wasting their time. I guess they keep themselves motivated by thinking of their few successes. Probably their most valuable help has been to the family members that have been set free, either physically or emotionally, through the psychologist's support.

[JudyObscure]

"MY kids! They can't take away MY kids! I love MY kids!" yada, yada, yada. "

 

"My kids are everything to me!  I'd  die for them!  I'd do anything in the world for my kids!" ... Except clean the house.

[OSM Mom]

Well the kids are always the problem. They don't clean. Yeah right.

[Taylorh2]

Watched a Hoarders last night that I don't remember. An Asian woman who lived in (IMO)a  level '10 hoard'. It was one of the nastiest places that I have ever seen. There were huge RATS running all over the place. RATS! not mice RATS. She had the nastiest kitchen and she said that her favorite thing to do was to bake cakes.

She had a job and i'll bet anything that she baked cakes in the godawfull-rat infested kitchen and took them to work to share with her coworkers,

 

Anyone remember what episode i'm talking about ?

[QueBueno]

I was watching the episode where a lady kept dead cats in her freezer. At one point Dr. Tonya Hoarding told her, "You're in deep. You're in really, really deep." The camera panned to a counter loaded with at least an inch of cat poop. LOL editors, I saw what you did there.

It looks like they're casting for a new season, based on a screen notice to contact a production company if you have a hoarding problem. If so, yay!

[califred]

Matt mentioned on his facebook page recently he was back to a hoard

[FormerMod-a1]

Cory's been talking about it on FB too.

[Cherrio]

Watched a Hoarders last night that I don't remember. An Asian woman who lived in (IMO)a  level '10 hoard'. It was one of the nastiest places that I have ever seen. There were huge RATS running all over the place. RATS! not mice RATS. She had the nastiest kitchen and she said that her favorite thing to do was to bake cakes.

She had a job and i'll bet anything that she baked cakes in the godawfull-rat infested kitchen and took them to work to share with her coworkers,

 

Anyone remember what episode i'm talking about ?

That was Michelle.  The guys who bought and renovated the house sold it back to her.   Looks like she will be one of the people featured in the new updates. It looked to me by the brief shot that she has trashed the house again.

     I had to turn the sound off watching that episode. Her voice drove me crazy. I would of had to duck tape it shut.

[Lorna Mae]

After watching every single show at least once, these days I sadly see Dr Zasio and Matt and all the rest as wasting their time. I guess they keep themselves motivated by thinking of their few successes. Probably their most valuable help has been to the family members that have been set free, either physically or emotionally, through the psychologist's support.

I've been watching the first season on Netflix, and Matt and Dr. Z have a very different attitude in these episodes. Matt told this one couple, "You've got too many hobbies. You need to get a job." Dr. Z told a guy, "You don't need all these garden supplies. You're never gonna have a garden." At what point did it change to the wheedling and hand-holding of the later seasons? 

 

If anyone is familiar with "How Clean Is Your House?" (and if they like this show, they should check it out!), they know that one reason people tuned in was to see Kim and Aggie call the subjects on their BS. "You're a dirty beggar! Someone's telling porkies!" It made good TV, and so did the early Hoarders eps. Coddling and bargaining and "What's your anxiety level, on a scale of 1 to 10?" makes me just as aggravated at the so-called specialists as I am at the subjects. 

[bubbls]

We were house hunting over the winter and all I could think about in the vacant houses was if a hoarder previously lived there and just how clean WERE the counters (?).

[auntieminem]

Is this where we talk about the new episodes or will there be a new thread?  

[notyrmomma]

For now, there is a thread for the first new episode (S8 Ep: 01Hoarders: Family Secrets) and I hope there will be discussion on each episode.  There seems to be people here from Television without Pity (TWOP), is that true?  I was really late to finding the TWOP forums about this show but over a couple of weeks, I think I read through 100 pages or so of comments, they were just that good (then they shut TWOP down, WHY GOD WHY!).  I was hoping there would be something like that here, but so far, things seem pretty quiet.  

[ari333]

I was at twop and im loving it here!

Im in!!!

[Taylorh2]

I just watched a repeat Hoarders with a  BSC woman who is a dead ringer for Mrs. Garrett from  'The Facts of Life"  lol

[kathe5133]

I can't watch anymore because I can't stand how the hoarders are coddled.  The hoarder is living in a house filled to capacity with "stuff". In most cases, there is not usable bathroom or kitchen.  Frequently, there is "shit" from every possible source scattered, or even worse, piled throughout.  The logic that leads the counselors to be so "gentle" with the hoarder is that if forced to clean up and live like most people on this planet, the hoarder could have some sort of breakdown.  I think that ship has already sailed folks.  When someone is saving three year old adult diapers, it's my admittedly uneducated guess, that they've already broken with reality.  Like many "behavioural" diseases, the "hoarding" is treated as a disease itself.  Most of these hoarders are mentally ill.  They control the adults in their lives, who also have some spectrum of mental illness, which can be the only explanation why a husband or wife would allow someone to dictate that they live in filth.  Watching these shows makes me feel dirty, and not just because of all the filth in the hoarders homes.........

[auntieminem]

After the new show last week, I watched the old episode of Eileen and Judy.  I had not seen it before.  WTH is wrong with E's husband, he is a fireman but lives in a house that is a fire trap and he puts up with a wife that is mean to their kids and him.  He even admitted she had some mental problems but he continued to support her and allowed her to berate their sons.  She was so horrible. I was glad to see that APS was involved.  I wonder if they are still together.

[damalanop]

Was flipping through channels today and saw that this show had returned on Lifetime.  The episode that aired today was Charles & Alvin (not sure if this was previously aired on A&E but it was new to me).  I came in on the last part of it, but I could tell it was more of the same in this incarnation.  I've recently begun de-cluttering and downsizing my own home, so finding out that this show is back on TV was a bit of serendipity.  I could always count on an airing of "Hoarders" to motivate me!  So I'll be tuning into to watch the new episodes!!! 

[auntieminem]

New episodes are on Lifetime on Thursdays at 9.  The episode from the previous week is on at 8.

Edited June 26, 2015 by auntieminem

[honeywest]

Terry (dead cats in the freezer) is on now. The shrink and the vet said it would be therapeutic to make her help the crew empty out the refrigerator, but I think they just wanted to rub her nose in the horror. And I don't blame them.

[Taylorh2]

After the new show last week, I watched the old episode of Eileen and Judy.  I had not seen it before.  WTH is wrong with E's husband, he is a fireman but lives in a house that is a fire trap and he puts up with a wife that is mean to their kids and him.  He even admitted she had some mental problems but he continued to support her and allowed her to berate their sons.  She was so horrible. I was glad to see that APS was involved.  I wonder if they are still together.

I totally agree. Dude is a Firefighter for CHRIST'S SAKE. Aren't Firefighters suppose to be brave ? He'll run into a burning building to rescue total strangers but  HE'S AFRAID OF HIS OWN WIFE!!!!!!!  He lets her treat those kids like shit and does nothing to protect them.

[califred]

I saw a rerun last night where parents were having Gma babysit in her hoarded (and I think no bathroom) house. I realize they were strapped for cash but wtf did they not have her watch the child at their house?

[OSM Mom]

I saw a rerun last night where parents were having Gma babysit in her hoarded (and I think no bathroom) house. I realize they were strapped for cash but wtf did they not have her watch the child at their house?

If it's the same one I'm thinking of, the parents house was a filthy hoarded mess too.

[califred]

Ah ok I missed portions of it. At least that sort of makes sense.

[OSM Mom]

Was it the one where the mother claimed that the poor lighting caused her to not realize how hoarded the house was?

[califred]

You know it may have been, I was in and out just appalled they left their child there.

[greenbean]

Has there been an update on Janet and her daughter Beth. I just watched this episode on youtube, and damn it got to me. Beth was really fighting for her mother, and when the twin turned up! Gotta say, I loved Beth's spirit. Her mother would have died living like that if it were not for her. She wanted to do right by her mum, who seemed like a real nice woman who'd had some tough times.

 

I hope everything turned out well for them, and the two sons who turned up to help.

[glowlights]

Was it the one where the mother claimed that the poor lighting caused her to not realize how hoarded the house was?

 

Ah, memories. I loved** that moment SO MUCH. We started singing the old camp song: My eyes are dim / I cannot see / I have not brought my specs with me....

 

ITA with the change in tone from no-nonsense tough love to hand-holding and negotiating. Was there a change in protocol for the way hoarders are dealt with in the mental health field, or did they just try to soften it so people would continue to agree to be on the show?

 

** and by "loved" I mean wanted to throw the remote through our tv screen

[JudyObscure]

There's been a good marathon today and at 6:00 was an episode I still remember. Lloyd, the old guy with acres of cars and scrap metal who gets furious and starts turning over tables while singing "God Bless America," and Carol who "supports her family," through lawsuits, particularly two separate incidents at amusement parks.

My question is, do Hoarders like Lloyd ever actually pay the $50,000 fines the county demands? Lloyd had a second 50K fine for a $100,000 total, but why pay when he didn't seem to get in any trouble for not paying the first one?

[Eater of Worlds]

I can't remember if it was this show or the other one, but do you remember Augustine?  Her son who made several intelligent statements came to TWOP and posted for a bit.  There's something he said on the show that I'm trying to remember and it's driving me crazy.  He was referring to the layers of crap that were in a room.  What was the word he used to describe the layers of garbage?

[funky-rat]

I can't remember if it was this show or the other one, but do you remember Augustine?  Her son who made several intelligent statements came to TWOP and posted for a bit.  There's something he said on the show that I'm trying to remember and it's driving me crazy.  He was referring to the layers of crap that were in a room.  What was the word he used to describe the layers of garbage?

Was it Garbage Lasagna?  I know that term was tossed around the old TWOP boards a lot.

[FormerMod-a1]

Or Clothing Lasagna?

[Grommet]

Did he use the term "alluvial?" He seemed like a very thoughtful guy when he posted on TWOP.

[Eater of Worlds]

Did he use the term "alluvial?" He seemed like a very thoughtful guy when he posted on TWOP.

 

YES!  I love you for this.  It was driving me nuts.  I could only come up with effluvial, and while that may have pertained to the stink it wasn't the right word.

[Mu Shu]

I saw a teaser for an episode where an older hoarder lady was concealed by the hoard, except for her head poking out. She's cackling and freaks the shit out of Dr. Tonya. Does anyone know which one that was? She had white hair.

[funky-rat]

I saw a teaser for an episode where an older hoarder lady was concealed by the hoard, except for her head poking out. She's cackling and freaks the shit out of Dr. Tonya. Does anyone know which one that was? She had white hair.

I recall that one, but don't remember her name.  It looked like her head was sticking out because she was sleeping in a chair that was surrounded by crap, and she covered herself up in blankets.