On Monday night, A&E premiered a new TV show called Obsessed, on which people with anxiety disorders attempt to conquer their obsessions and compulsions with the help of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. And if the first episode is any indication, it's incredibly intense, and also, so far, pretty awesome! Though the show is similar to Intervention in tone and structure, there's no doubt that the subjects of Obsessed are willing, fully active participants in their own (hopeful) recovery, so it feels less exploitative. Did I mention, though, that this show is super intense? It's INTENSE. But it's not without moments that will no doubt end up on The Soup, either, like this clip in which a man is forced to confront his fear of "vaginal secretions." I can't believe everyone isn't blogging about this show this week!
Scott's obsession with cleanliness has become completely debilitating. He's decided to get help so that his boyfriend (the guy seen here) can move in with him. His therapist has just stopped by and asked to use the bathroom, volunteering that she has her period and needs to, like, wipe off with his nice white bathroom towels or something? That's the ruse. Anyway, Scott confronts his fear of germs and women in a segment that surely marks the first time the phrase "fibroid juice" has ever been used on television. (Also, I'm leaving in the end of this segment, when Scott's analysis of his exposure takes a surprising and wonderful turn.):
(According to Urban Dictionary, "squidge" means either a small bridge, a kind of pot, the act of crapping one's pants, something you want to do to the cheek of a cute child or animal, or crotch-drippings. So she was probably using it in the latter sense. Also, can you believe that that is that doctor's actual job?)
The other half of the first episode was about Helen, a single mother whose anxiety disorder began with her father's death, and who has become obsessed to the point where she wears the clothes he was wearing when he died. That sounds so terrible, right? It's hard to describe this show without it seeming sensational, or without sounding dismissive or shallow about it (especially since I couldn't resist putting up the vagina juice clip, oops), but the subjects of this show are extremely sympathetic, and their desperation to conquer their anxiety is heartbreaking. You'll totally cry watching this show. And it's going to be fascinating, because anxiety disorders have similar, familiar markers, yet they manifest themselves completely uniquely in every single person. It's like one facet of the OCD brain is amazing originality in coming up with one's own "thing." In that way, it stands out from Intervention, because you never know what you're going to see. Everyone is by now accustomed to thinking of reality shows as freak shows, and the people on them these monsters we feel comfortable hating because they're just trying to get famous, blah blah blah, so the rare show like Obsessed, which is about actual recognizable human beings for whom you feel actual empathy, is weird at first. But it's also great. You come away from it (at least so far) feeling like the world is a little bit better for it existing, and that you're a tiny bit more of an empathetic, understanding person for watching it. (Basically, the opposite of everything you feel when you watch the Real Housewives.) Anyway, you can watch the full first episode (and a preview of upcoming episodes, omg the hands lady! Infinite variety!) on the A&E site. I recommend it! Highly!
