By this point, most of us have seen an episode of A&E’s incredibly popular series “Hoarders,” which is only slightly outperformed in the ratings by the cable channel’s other staple program “Intervention.” Both of these programs claim to be educational, enlightening the public about the dangers of compulsive “stuff collection” in the case of “Hoarders” or addictions in the case of “Intervention.” Both also claim to “do good” by providing resources for those participating in the documentary to get help for their condition. But are the shows ultimately doing harm as well as good?
We think that perhaps they are, and we’d actually point to “The Real World” as an example of why. When MTV first introduced “The Real World,” it was entertainment, but it was also a study in trying to figure out how to find a way for young adults of diverse backgrounds to live together and grow from each other. And the show tackled serious social issues like homelessness. But as the years went on, the “role” of being on “The Real World” became glamorous, and the dollars that the show could bring in from advertisers became larger and larger. As that happened, the show lost its educational tone and became, simply, a show about young people acting as badly as possible. We may even say “hedonistic.” And, in 2010, “Jersey Shore” was born.
“Hoarders” and “Intervention” risk ultimately following a similar path. As the network relies more and more heavily on the advertising revenue that these shows generate, the entertainment value will need to go up, and the educational quality will decrease. As that happens, the shows may inevitably turn to a point where the very afflictions that they originally strive to expose and treat through resources will begin to be portrayed in glamorized ways.
Some might say, particularly in the case of “Intervention,” it’s already beginning to happen.
And there’s nothing glamorous about the fact that our consumer culture has led us to a place where there’s a seemingly endless potential cast for a show about compulsive hoarding. In so few other places on earth could you form a mental disorder that centers around collecting stuff to the point where a house is bursting with it.
Has “Hoarders” and, for that matter, “Intervention” begun to turn a corner where they’re actually popularizing the very unhealthy behaviors they work against? And if so, is it the mass media machine and its reliance on advertising dollars that’s leading to that?
