Where's the filth?

I thought it was going to be a blog-free week, but there were some interesting tidbits tonight. Take a look-see:

"Hoarders" (A&E, 10:00): I don't know why I get so excited when I see Washington state residents on this show. The production company, Screaming Flea Productions, is based out of Seattle, so it's not a stretch to see local people on here but it still excites me! Tonight's episode featured 39-year-old Shannon from Spanaway. Pause it: Shout out to Pierce County! What up y'all!

Because of the condition of her home, Shannon is on the verge of losing her four children to Child Protective Services. Her son moved into a shed in the backyard and lived there for two years before moving in with his grandmother. Husband Tim works 75 hours a week to avoid coming home so you know the house is in bad shape. To top it all off, they have 17 cats and 5 dogs ... and that's minus the 22 cats that had been removed from the house the week before. Ummm, how do I put this mildly? That's freakin' nasty, dude.

Just as the crew was getting ready to start filming, CPS shows up "unannounced," but the exchange just "happens" to be caught on video tape. Shannon's sister thought CPS was coming with an ultimatum - clean up or else - but what they got was served with papers to have the kids removed from the home. Shannon is angry and wants to know who reported her. Pause it: Shan, honey, it would behoove you to look over at that camera crew that's filming from across the street. I wouldn't put it past the network to put in a call just to get a little added drama for the show.

I'm wondering where A&E is taking this show. The first season spent at least 30 minutes showing us just how filthy these houses are. In tonight's episode, they spent 90% of the show discussing the mental aspect. That's all fine and good because I know that hoarding is a legitimate disease or whatever, but I tune in for the gross-out factor and I want more filth!

Some housekeeping items: It's hard to take that psychiatrist/hoarding expert seriously when she looks like a more glamorous version of Tonya Harding ... The other half of the show focused a mother from Arizona. After cleaning her house she has an epiphany: "I don't need a maid, I need a psychiatrist." Gee, ya think?

CHANNEL SURFING

• I'm having a hard time writing about "Men of a Certain Age" (TNT, 10:00). It's a really good show and I enjoy watching it, but the pace is kind of lazy and the comedy is a little subdued. Maybe I need to be a certain age to understand. Don't give up on it. It's a show worth watching.
• We finally made it to the final two on "I Want to Work for Diddy" (VH1, 10:00). Miss Ivory got the boot, leaving wine steward Daniel and lady football player Ebony to duke it out for the coveted assistant position. Finale airs next Monday.