Misreading TV Production Tea Leaves - Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 37

(Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 36 - April 15, 2026)

Clearly, I managed to do some things right, leading to me chatting it up, sledge in hand, on American Rehab Charleston and Restoring Charleston. But people expected more from me than just the two shows, or they needed me to be a lot better than I was. Plus, they might feel as if their support and enthusiasm earned them some explaining. And I get that.

In answering questions, I want to steer clear of excuses or pointing my finger. People worked really hard on my behalf and carelessness can inaccurately seem as if I’m ungrateful. And I also want to avoid that however I can.

I suppose that circling in a holding pattern in early 2014, taking in things as they were presented, would have been a noteworthy strategy if results had unfolded much more favorably, as so many had hoped. But in my case, it’s also understandable why some, or many, might ask, why didn’t you call the network and ask, “What’s the holdup?” Or maybe “How about checking back in with the programming director to talk out the idea of a different production company?” And some people might feel an attorney representing me would have been the best tactic to get results to match directives issued.

Thinking back on it, being honest with myself and candid with readers here, I was intimidated. This was a group of experienced people who were all much better connected than me. I simply felt as if I was on the edge of familiarity and comfort and something new and different, professional growth and experience I was after, and if I pushed wrongly, I’d be over and out with my opportunity gone. And the longer things dragged on, the weaker I felt my position became.

As I’ve described, I was excited to work with the same people who produced Rehab Addict. Besides some semi-hallucinated idea that Nicole Curtis’ comment on my blog had led to the network’s interest, I felt this team of creators in Minneapolis had proven themselves qualified to be on site to document the saving of the types of houses I took on.

In December and January, my focus had been on my part: lining up my subcontractors and making sure close friends and family were ready to help get kids to schools, maybe appointments and activities, and then home safely without too much inconvenience or chaos. Then when start dates were ignored, those arrangements were postponed, then embarrassingly shelved.    

Although I was without any background in television, what I saw as commonsense had me speculating that the appointed lead producer was behaving like a temp, or rather someone with their foot out the door. Month after month, my assumption grew stronger. January, then February, and even crossing into March, I anticipated someone on the other end of the phone soon telling me, so-and-so is out and here’s who’ll be taking over from here. That would have made sense to me, and I put too much imagination into that happening.

One hundred plus days in, I felt stuck. My options seemed hazy and hopes were growing dim.  

(Response to TV Show Viewers: Post 38 - Coming Soon)