Dirty Rotten Cleaners Review

I don’t know about anyone else, but I find cleaning my home to be a chore that I would do without if I could. But it has to be done, so I just suck it up and get it done.

Dirty Rotten Cleaners premiered on A&E last year. This reality show follows two different cleaning companies in Florida as they clean the properties of their customers. Their task is more much than the standard clean. Many of these houses are filthy, filled to the brim with junk, and covered in mold.

What I like is that unlike other programs within the reality television genre, the truth about this job is not glossed over. It is genuinely gross and dangerous. Similar to its’ sister show, Hoarders, the clients are not used for a laugh or pushed into a stereotype. They are merely the patrons who need their properties cleaned.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Dirty Rotten Cleaners is available for streaming on Hulu.

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Throwback Thursday: Gene Simmons Family Jewels (2006-2012)

The “celebrity reality show” is an interesting subgenre within reality television. It can show that the subjects are just like the average person. It can also show how they are not like the average person.

Gene Simmons Family Jewels aired on A&E from 2006 to 2012. This reality show followed the daily activities of musician Gene Simmons and his family (a la The Osbournes).

It was an interesting and quirky look at a man whose reputation (depending on the viewer) may only be known by his out-there stage antics and his claim about how many women he has taken to bed. His family-man aesthetic is a 180 that I don’t think that many people saw coming.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

P.S. His exploration of being Jewish and the son of a Holocaust survivor I find to be touching, human, and very refreshing.

Throwback Thursday: Confessions of Matchmaker (2007)

It would be nice to say that love finds us without any effort. But for every person whose soulmate just walks into their life, there is another person who needs a little help.

Confessions of a Matchmaker aired on A&E in 2007. Set in Buffalo, NY, the audience follows matchmaker Patti Novak as she helps her clients find their perfect partner. Her no-nonsense attitude allows those who have hired her to work past their issues and if all goes well, there is a possibility of a bright future for the couple.

What I liked about this show is that unlike other reality dating shows, it was not as slick or pretty looking. Patti was willing to help those who came to her, but she did not coddle them. She also dropped them if she felt that they were unwilling to do the work needed to walk into the sunset.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Flashback Friday: Hoarders (2009-Present)

We all have stuff in our homes. They speak to who we are, what we believe, and what our interests are. But there is a difference between just having stuff and letting it take over.

The A&E series Hoarders (2009-Present), follows the lives of real people who struggle with compulsive hoarding. Hoarding is defined as being unable to remove large amounts of unneeded goods from their property. In each episode, the subject works with professional cleaners and a psychiatrist or psychologist to get to the clean their home and get to the root of their distress.

Unlike other reality shows, this program does not mock the people it profiles or uses them to boot ratings. They are dealt with in a compassionate and realistic manner, offering support and help without demeaning them for their mental health issues. As a viewer, I want to reach through the television and hug them, letting that person know that everything will be alright.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Throwback Thursday: Psychic Kids (2008-2010,2019)

The question of whether or not ghosts exist have been around since the beginning of humanity.

The A&E show, Psychic Kids aired between 2008 and 2010. It was later revived two years ago, in 2019. Hosted by Chip Coffey, the program followed children who have psychic abilities and the adults who are trying to guide them as they learn to use their unique skill set.

Maybe its the writer in me with the overactive imagination, but I get the willies watching this show. Granted, it could be classified as a part of the reality genre, creating questions of whether these kids are telling the truth. As compelling as Psychic Kids is, I won’t watch it simply because I won’t sleep at night.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Flashback Friday-Flipping Vegas (2011-2014)

Even in the best of times, the selling and buying of homes has the potential to be a crap shoot. Especially when the purpose of buying a home is to fix it up and hopefully sell it for profit.

Flipping Vegas aired on A&E from 2011-2014. The show followed the careers of real estate investors Scott and Amie Yancey. They earn their bread by buying dilapidated homes, flipping them, and then selling them to new homeowners. As anyone who watches this sub-genre knows, the process is not as simple as television makes it out to be.

What is most interesting for me is not the process of the home renovation, but the conflicts between Amie and Scott. In most shows like this where the main attraction is a married couple, most couples have a cohesive vision for the final product. Amie and Scott don’t always agree, which I think makes the show unique.

Do I recommend it? I am leaning toward yes.

Throwback Thursday-Airline (2004-2005)

When we fly, we hope that the flight will be smooth and without complications. But hope often springs eternal, especially when it comes to the potentially long list of factors that can delay a flight.

Airline aired on A&E from 2004-2005. It told the story of Southwest Airlines passengers and staff at four different airports across the country. As is expected, there is drama, problems, frustrated passengers and employees just trying to do their jobs.

Among reality shows, Airline was unique. Instead of focusing on the personal life of celebrities or watching singles date and fight for their potential spouse, this program told the real story of real people. It was also raw and closer to the reality without the slickness and over-production that is the hallmark of this genre.

I recommend it.

Flashback Friday-What Would You Do? (2008-2015)

Albert Einstein once said the following:

The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.

This is the premise of What Would You Do? (2008-2015). Originally airing on ABC before moving to A&E, the program was hosted by John Quiñones. The program is based on the question on what one would do if they saw someone else in a conflict or doing something illegal. Would they speak up or just go about their business?

In the establishment of each particular scenario, hidden cameras are setup. Actors are brought in to play out the scenario; he reactions of the bystanders are recorded by the cameras. When all is said and done, Quiñones appears and interviews the bystanders. The footage is then viewed and discussed by experts in the field of psychology or education.

Unlike other reality shows, this program makes the audience think. It’s a reminder that television has the power to change lives and how we set each other.

I recommend it.