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Intervention (2005)

14 25 seasons 339 episodes 43 min Documentary and Reality

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Synopsis

People whose uncontrollable addiction to drugs, alcohol or compulsive behavior has brought them to the brink of destruction and has devastated their family and friends are presented with a life-changing opportunity of intervention and rehab. Each addict must confront their darkest demons in order to begin their journey to recovery in the hopes that they can turn their lives around before it’s too late.

About the series

Intervention is an American documentary television series that premiered on A&E on March 6, 2005. Each episode profiles one or two people struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, recording their daily lives in the days before a surprise intervention organized by family and friends. The intervention ends with an ultimatum: enter an inpatient drug rehabilitation program or lose contact, financial support, or other help from loved ones. The 25th season premiered on April 22, 2024.

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Intervention is an American documentary television series that premiered on A&E on March 6, 2005. Each episode profiles one or two people struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, recording their daily lives in the days before a surprise intervention organized by family and friends. The intervention ends with an ultimatum: enter an inpatient drug rehabilitation program or lose contact, financial support, or other help from loved ones. The 25th season premiered on April 22, 2024.

Overview

The show follows one or two participants who have either substance dependence or addiction, and occasionally, eating disorders. It is a documentary of their addiction, including graphic substance abuse and its effect upon their lives, until a surprise intervention event is conducted with a professional interventionist. It is intercut with interviews with relatives and friends. In the intervention, the addict is given an ultimatum: either undergo a 90-day, fully covered treatment plan at a rehabilitation facility or risk losing contact, income or privileges from their relatives and friends.

In situations where the individuals in the addict's close circle have become codependent or otherwise traumatized by the addict's behavior, the interventionist usually recommends that the entire family seek counseling to enable them to move on. Medical detoxification is available when drug withdrawal is dangerous.

Interventionists

The role of the Interventionist on the show is to persuade the addict to consent to the treatment being offered. If the patient agrees to recovery, some of the Interventionists will accompany the addict to the treatment facility or provide a nurse. They will advise each addict on which center they are assigned to base on their addiction, which is typically in a different state than where they reside. Many Interventionists have appeared on the show since its start in 2005.

Ken Seeley is an Interventionist, certified in CCMI-M, CIP, CTP, CADC, CAS. He is a recovering addict himself devoting his life to helping others and has his own recovery treatment facility in Palm Springs, CA. Seeley has made many appearances on the show since 2005. Jeff VanVonderen is a Certified Intervention Professional, also gives motivational speeches across the country, and has been highlighted in several publications. VanVonderen has appeared on several episodes of the show starting in 2005. Candy Finnigan is an Interventionist, Certified Master Addiction Counselor III. and Board Registered Interventionist II. and received several certificates in drug addiction. Finnigan is a recovering addict herself and has written a book called "When Enough is Enough" about how others can offer support for someone with an addiction.

Sylvia Parsons, Interventionist, certified in MS, LCAS, CSAC, QSAP, QMHP with a Master of Science Addiction Counseling. She is a professional therapist with her own counseling facility. Parsons is a recovering addict herself and has been sober from 2006 to the present. Michael Gonzales is an Interventionist and certified CIP, CTP, Cpi., Full Member of AIS. He has dedicated his life to helping families and addicts on healing from addiction. In the past, Gonzales has spent time in jail and recovered from addiction. Heather Hayes is another Interventionist certified in M.Ed., LPC, CIP and a Master's Level, Licensed Counselor. She has been featured on other broadcast networks, public speaking engagements around the world and has written several documents about addiction. Hayes helped many addicts on the 2018 broadcast of the show.

James "Jim" Reidy is an Interventionist who has spent over a decade of his life battling his own addiction. He has devoted his life to helping others in their recovery for addiction, traveling to many states, and working with their support system. Leticia Murphy is in Interventionist, certified in M.A., LMFT, LCADC. She has her own business in Las Vegas, Nevada where she sees clients for various mental health issues. Donna Chavous is an Interventionist, who chose this path after being addicted for many years and seeing others die from it. She started helping addicts on the show in 2010. Vance Johnson is an Interventionist and Recovery Ambassador on the show as well as the states. He is a former athlete and addict that has recovered and is helping others in their healing journey.

Notable subjects

While most episodes feature private individuals, the series has also profiled several public figures.

Episodes

Reception

The show received the 2009 Emmy award for Outstanding Reality Program and the 2010 Emmy award for outstanding picture of reality editing.

Criticism

Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe, a critic of the show, argues that the program is exploitative and showcases individuals as they self-destruct. He also argues that the confrontation within the intervention is milked to show only the most dramatic moments and that the final results of the intervention and subsequent rehabilitation are glossed-over.

Melanie McFarland, another television critic, also laments that the show does little to educate on successful intervention and instead deceives the subjects of each episode in order to film them at their lowest point.

Legacy

During early 2011, A&E aired the series Relapse, which ran for five episodes. Each episode focuses on sober coaches' work with long-time addicts who have been unable to get clean after repeated attempts at treatment. Coach Seth Jaffe became an interventionist on the main series.

Several spin-off series were launched. On September 9, 2011, Intervention Canada debuted on Slice Network. On December 28, 2012, Teen Trouble debuted on Lifetime which is executive produced by Bryn Freedman, a former Intervention producer. On March 8, 2016, Intervention: Codependent premiered on LMN.

In popular culture

On April 16, 2010, the video "Best Cry Ever" was posted on YouTube, featuring a clip from Season 7 episode "Rocky". The clip centers around a dramatic scene in which former professional boxer Rocky Lockridge is crying in a distinctive way. It has become an Internet phenomenon. A Saturday Night Live sketch features an Intervention parody with guest host Jon Hamm crying in a similar fashion.

The South Park episode "Crippled Summer" parodied Intervention with the character Towelie.

References

External links

Official website

Intervention at IMDb

Text from Intervention (TV series) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intervention_(TV_series)

Seasons

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Questions about the series Intervention

What is Intervention about?

Intervention: People whose uncontrollable addiction to drugs, alcohol or compulsive behavior has brought them to the brink of destruction and has devastated their family and friends are presented with a life-changing opportunity of intervention and rehab. Each addict must confront their darkest demons in order to begin their journe…

How many seasons does Intervention have?

Intervention has 25 seasons, with 339 episodes in total.

Is Intervention still running?

Intervention is still running, with new episodes expected.

How long is each episode of Intervention?

Each episode of Intervention runs about 43 minutes.

Where can I watch Intervention?

Intervention is available on Looke. Availability changes often.

Who stars in Intervention?

The cast of Intervention includes Jeff VanVonderen, Candy Finnigan, Ken Seeley, Donna Chavous and Maureen Brine.

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Page updated on 09/13/2026.