Good news from Lifetime – now you have an option other than Maury Povich to help you with your out-of-control teen. The network has picked up an unscripted series called Teen Trouble that will help families who are desperate to find help for teenagers who are running wild and getting into trouble.
Teen Trouble will be hosted by Josh Shipp, a motivational speaker and author who already has TV experience – his show Jump Shipp, on Halogen, follows him as he helps 20-somethings to break out of ruts and move forward with their lives. THR is reporting Lifetime has ordered eight episodes of Teen Trouble, which will premiere on December 28th at 10 p.m. ET. Shipp will take on teens who are doing drugs, drinking, breaking the law and a variety of other self-destructive behaviors. They’ll also look at teens whose parents are at the end of their rope. The description says he will “embed himself “ into their “hidden lives”, but exactly how he will do that is unclear.
The show sounds something along the tone of Intervention, somewhat exploitive and definitely the kind of thing that will end with some teens never speaking to their parents again. There’s nothing like putting your teenager’s problems on television to ensure they will never be able to put those problems behind them--even if you do manage to get them on the right path. In fact, the show is executive produced by Intervention’s Bryn Freedman, along with Ellen Rakietan (The Oprah Winfrey Show) whose company, Ellen Rakietan Productions, is producing the show. Also executive producing are Rob Sharenow, Gena McCarthy, Stephen H. Schwartz and Sandy Varo at Lifetime. No doubt it will find an audience; it’s the kind of train wreck real-life drama that usually succeeds.
