6/15 Show Discussion Thread * Spoilers*

[Rebel]

I am glad that this show made an impression on many of you as it did myself. Unfortunately, this is an all-too-true representation of real life for many people, and it doesn't end after 30 days! They were lucky that they were somewhere that had reasonably affordable housing. Imagine them trying to get by in NY, LA, SanFran, or even here in Las Vegas. The rental market is pricing out low income people and families, and Section 8 and other housing programs have lonnnnng waiting lists. It's really scary to think that we may be one paycheck or injury away from complete disaster!

[Google]

 

[Austin Gambler]

Originally Posted by Lucy van Pelt

Made me feel really blessed! And as bummed and down as they were with their circumstances, they did know it was only for 30 days.

If not a reality show a documentary dealing with this subject for longer than 30 days would be good. How about 30 months? I'd like to stick all those members of Congress who have voted down increasing the minimum wage over the past decade in a Wal-Mart. They would work 39 hours a week so they wouldn't qualify for health coverage.

[Jamie5632]

Originally Posted by Sunnyone

When Morgan said the kids were coming, I was picturing small kids- 2 or 3 year olds- not teenagers. It would really have been a shock if he was able to get a baby or two who needed formula and diapers.

Especially with the Easter baskets they were putting together!

When I first started watching, I was under the impression of "okay, it will be tough, but 30 days isn't THAT long." To see them crack as soon as they did knowing they had an end date when it would all be over and to see how quickly they, two young single generally healthy kid-less adults, fell behind the eight ball due to rotten luck really hit home how tough and hopeless it is for the people who do it. I was surprised they found anything for under $500 per month to live in. Even at $325, that is over seven working days for Morgan just to cover rent.

Okay, this show really must have made an impact on me, I can't stop talking about it! I'm really looking forward to the binge drinking soccer mom trying to teach her daughter not to drink episode!

[Lucy van Pelt]

Originally Posted by Jamie5632

Okay, this show really must have made an impact on me, I can't stop talking about it! I'm really looking forward to the binge drinking soccer mom trying to teach her daughter not to drink episode!

That one is worrying me. I understand that she is trying to make a point to her daughter. But I'm thinking (and hoping) she won't be able to keep it up. Talk about liver damage!

Ha, she should do it once, have it videotaped, study the tapes, brush up her acting, and just PRETEND to be getting drunk. Cold tea is what they use in the movies for repeated takes of drinking whisky. Splash on the whisky like eau de cologne, and voila! a faux-drunk soccer mom.

Edited to add: This show SHOULD be on a major network. However, Morgan apparently tried to sell it to all of them and was turned down.

Say! Have you watched the PBS reality shows, where they go back and live life as it was in some previous period in history (WWII England, turn of the century England, pioneering in Montana)? How about they do one with upper middle-class people living a minimum wage life? And do it for 6 months. They'd save money on not having to set up "life as it was".

[Dogbat]

I assume the kids were told to act normally and not be concious of the nature of the show. They probably told them to ask for food or drink if that is what they would normally do.

If they had done this for more than 30 days they would have applied for food stamps which would have helped.

[Jamie5632]

Originally Posted by Lucy van Pelt

That one is worrying me. I understand that she is trying to make a point to her daughter. But I'm thinking (and hoping) she won't be able to keep it up. Talk about liver damage!

Ha, she should do it once, have it videotaped, study the tapes, brush up her acting, and just PRETEND to be getting drunk.

Part of me is kind of hoping by day three daughter has a complete meltdown and begs her mom to stop. I know if I have one binge-y night, I'm DONE for the next month! I'm really interested to see how they handle that. I haven't seen SuperSize Me (yet! after seeing 30 days, we are going to watch it this weekend), but I've heard about all the damage it did to Morgan. I have to think this would be WAY worse on her system that McD's was...there must be some sort of stop gap thing? We'll find out this week, when the hormone guy says his liver is becoming abnormal, how they handle serious health risks.

Love your avatar and crabby one!

[robbied]

Originally Posted by PPerez

One thing that I found interesting from the F/X site is that it's not Morgan who is put in different scenerios every episode........it's different people going through the experience while he documents it. From the previews of the show, it made it sound like he was the one that would do the different things.

I wonder if the other people doing these shows got to pick the scenario they wanted to live for 30 days, or did they have to take what was given them. In that show Wife Swap if a family did not want to go thru with the scenario the producers would threaten to sue them.

[Lucy van Pelt]

I THINK I read the soccer mom wanted to do the drinking one because she was worried about her daughter. And the conservative Christian fellow was supposedly willing to give it a shot. Not that I know much about him, but Morgan doesn't seem the type to agree to any coercion.

[MajiH]

Caught a repeat of this and....wow. You know, times are tight here and we live paycheck to paycheck sometimes running out of money the day before the cash rolls in but this was a reallllllll eye opener. I feel so fortunate. I could not imagine living the way they did day after day and trying to support my family on those wages. What a great show! Looking forward to new episodes.

[PGM35]

I'm happy to report that although my b/f hates reality tv (yes, I know and I still love him!), he sat through this one all the way through. It's a great show and I too hope the major networks pick it up to get more coverage.